HOMELAND SECURITY ISSUES FOR FACILITIES AUTHORS

The events of September 11, 2001, along with the Oklahoma City bombing and Washington, DC area sniper attacks have forever changed America’s sense of security. Federal, state, and local governments, businesses, and individual homeowners have become more aware of safety, security, and protecting property and people should similar incidents occur in the future. The initial steps in facility protection are identifying potential threats and evaluating the condition of existing building infrastructure a nd systems. After assessments are complete, the results should be compared with guidelines and recommendations produced by government agencies or professional organizations. Areas to address to enhance security and safety include ventilation, control systems, air filtration, alarm systems, building access, and surveillance.