Security and Emergency Preparedness

The Commercial Facilities (CF) Sector contains a wide range of sites, assets, and personnel. Corporations would like for their business activities to go undisturbed by outside threats. In emergency situations such as active shooters, fires, burglaries, and others it is important for site managers and building staff to be prepared and secured.

The Department of Homeland Security has partnered up with the FBI, FDA, and USDA to identify risks in nearly every industry in the USA. They have designed a Commercial Facilities Sector - Specific Plan sheet to address the most common and threatening security concerns of these industries. Goals include:

1. Strengthening trust and information sharing

2. Supporting sectors’ cost effectiveness

3. Increasing capabilities

4. Analyzing sector-wide weaknesses

5. Promote learning

The plan begins by analyzing the largest sectors in the USA. Entertainment & Media, Gaming, Lodging, Outdoor Events, Public Assembly, Real Estate, Retail, and Sports Leagues are first on the list. Each subsection focuses on ownership statuses, business types, and common security solutions. The plan then outlines sector risks and vulnerabilities. Cyber risk is one of the fastest growing threats but a growing size and frequency of mass protest as well as the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are also causes for great concern.

Overall, the report emphasizes surveillance and prevention. Each sector should thoroughly assess their own risks using this report as a guideline. Taking precautionary protective measures and properly training staff are both necessary to prevent security threats from becoming major issues.