Build Good Relationships with Private Security Before Disaster Strikes

It sounds like good, old-fashioned common sense: Build a good relationship with your private security firm before disaster strikes. But according to one expert, too many companies don’t seem to realize that.

In an opinion piece on the Government Security News website, William McGuire, president & CEO Global Security Associates, says too many companies don’t realize that having a relationship with an outside security firm, whether written or verbal, is very important in continuity planning.

“Many hard lessons have been learned in recent years about local response from emergency responders,” he writes. “It comes down to understanding and managing employee fears and concerns.”

McGuire cites a study which found that 50 percent of employees would not report to work in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak solely because of the fears of infection and the need to take care of their own families. “In order to mitigate that, risk experts encourage business owners not only to have a plan in place, but to communicate the plan effectively to the workforce,” McGuire says.

And one of the best ways to mitigate those risks, he adds, is a visible presence of heightened security at your facility. That’s why he recommends creating a relationship with a private security firm that will guarantee a response from security professionals who reside outside of the affected area.

To read the full article, click here: http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/features/news-analysis/1403.html