The pandemic continues to teach us a great deal about security and emergency response, and how to leverage tools and techniques to better defend our businesses, our teams, our customers – and the world at large.
Contingency Plans are a MUST
Perhaps the biggest lesson learned regarding security and emergency response in the wake of the pandemic was the simple reinforcement of a tried and true Cub Scout motto: “Always be prepared.”
Lockdowns nationwide were abrupt, to put things mildly, and employers everywhere were caught off guard and sent scrambling to fortify their workspaces and implement teleworking procedures within a day’s time, if that.
Outdated security and emergency response protocols and vendor lists added hours, confusion, and conflict to a situation already rife with stress, and cemented the absolute need for step-by-step guidelines in the event of a crisis.
Secom, LLC, developed a free, downloadable COVID-19 security checklist to use throughout the pandemic, and modify for any future crises.
The Importance of Hands-Free, Frictionless Access Control
The pandemic placed immediate emphasis on the need for hands-free access and “frictionless” solutions in office buildings and facilities worldwide.
Around the clock remote management, state-of-the-art Bluetooth readers and mobile credentials, and other means of contactless entry were soon implemented to eliminate common touchpoints and slow the spread of COVID-19.
Seamless system integration also became a hallmark of security and emergency response plans. When paired with cutting edge, contactless access control, CCTV solutions, for instance, would provide optimal assurances that the person attempting to gain access was, inf act, authorized and on file in a business’s database.
Keeping Our Cool with Temperature Monitoring Systems
One of the first safeguards floated throughout industries after the pandemic hit was the concept of temperature monitoring. Before long, a number of manufacturers of varying degrees of legitimacy were selling devices and equipment online. The problem, however, was that in mid-to-late March, many of the systems surfacing for use were not compliant with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). More than that, temperature monitoring by itself was deemed only somewhat effective, at best, and a false sense of security at worst, as carriers of the virus could be asymptomatic.
Secom, LLC urged caution, as well as integration with other measures, such as contactless access control and lobby checkpoints that leveraged multiple criteria beyond temperature.
Eight months since quarantine began, temperature monitoring has been fine-tuned and is now widely and effectively used. Through it all, Secom, LLC has kept a keen eye on developments as they pertained to security and emergency response.
Don’t Overlook Other Dangers
The pandemic and the resulting quarantine threw everyone into a state of uncertainty. Emotional extremes alternated between fear, fatigue, boredom, anger, and more. But it also threatened to create a sense of tunnel vision where dangers were concerned – potentially providing a window for cyber criminals, hackers, phishers, and other criminals to attack while we were at our most vulnerable.
Even now, while the world and the economy are gradually reopening amidst scary new outbreaks the promise of an effective vaccine – it will remain critical for our leaders to make certain all bases our covered and all facilities are absolutely secured.
Secom, LLC will be ready to help when and where we are needed. Contact us today to discuss new opportunities with an agent.