Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently delivered remarks highlighting the department’s ongoing efforts to bolster security and increase resiliency at high-risk chemical facilities through the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program at the 2010 Chemical Sector Security Summit.
Homeland Security never sleeps. It is a 24/7 operation that can’t afford downtime or periods of reduced readiness. Thermal security cameras have become the visual surveillance sensor of choice for these demanding, high-security missions. For many years, thermal cameras have proven themselves to be the best 24-hour visual surveillance imaging solutions available, and today they are a vital component in our country’s vital homeland security mission, helping to secure our borders, airports, sea ports, nuclear facilities and other critical infrastructure installations.
ASIS International, the world’s largest organization for security management professionals, is now an authorized General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule vendor of educational programs, materials and exhibits and seminars for security professionals.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been designated by Federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra to accelerate the federal government’s secure adoption of cloud computing by leading efforts to develop standards and guidelines in close consultation and collaboration with standards bodies, the private sector and other stakeholders
A new video surveillance system currently being developed by the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) may soon give law enforcement an extra set of eyes. The Imaging System for Immersive Surveillance (or ISIS) takes new video camera and image-stitching technology and bolts it to a ceiling, mounts it on a roof, or fastens it to a truck-mounted telescoping mast.
The North American biometrics market is likely to experience a steady growth rate, with national ID projects, e-Passports, and other security projects spearheading market growth according to new research from Frost & Sullivan.
Firetide Inc., a provider of wireless infrastructure mesh networks, recently announced a partnership agreement with Thales Portugal S.A., a leading global technology systems integrator, to deploy a real-time, wireless mesh video surveillance network in Mumbai, for MMOPL. The network will be deployed to provide onboard video surveillance and broadcast of text message to onboard display.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has halted funding for the Secure Border Initiative-Net, a system of towers, cameras, radar and sensors initially hailed as "the most comprehensive effort in the nation's history" to assist northern and southern border agents with curtailing illegal immigration.
- By Sherleen Mahoney
- May 01, 2010
The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards are complex and fairly disruptive. Few would argue that. The risk-based performance standards guidance alone is nearly 200 pages long, and many companies have had to re-allocate or hire staff, facilitate training and certification, and contemplate ways to re-imagine corporate processes in order to control access to chemicals of interest.
- By Marleah Blades
- Apr 13, 2010
In response to the failed Christmas Day bombing by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Transportation Security Administration has mandated enhanced screening measures at airports nationwide for U.S.-bound passengers traveling from or through state sponsors of terrorism and other countries of interest.
- By Sherleen Mahoney
- Apr 01, 2010
The biggest challenge in outdoor live surveillance for border patrol, Coast Guard and traffic control applications is atmospheric interference from fog, snow or haze. Existing fog cancellation devices are expensive and often require multiple cameras with individual adjustment to each camera.
- By Ralph C. Jensen
- Apr 01, 2010
Customs officials used to have to rely on traditional screening technologies that are ill-suited for the customs mission and have produced mixed results. Today, advanced imaging technology in the form of millimeter wave imagers and other devices are emerging as the newest tools in a customs officer's toolkit.
- By Dana Strawser, Troy Techau
- Apr 01, 2010
The rule of thumb in protecting government facilities is simple—any application with a large coverage area is a candidate for a video surveillance system, and that includes the perimeter. Since most government facilities have limited manpower for security-related tasks, with video surveillance systems, only a few people are needed to watch over areas that would be virtually impossible to patrol with 100-percent effectiveness.
- By Brian Leland
- Apr 01, 2010
Security Products magazine announced the winners of the 2010 Security Products’ GovSec Award today at GovSec, the Government Security Expo & Conference.
Pressure on the industry to achieve a zero risk level is wrongheaded because it is not attainable in the real world, Dale Klein, a Nuclear Regulatory Commission member, told attendees Friday in Raleigh, N.C., at the Grand Challenge Summit 2010.
In examining its emergency response program, the Guam government wanted to ensure partnership and leadership. In other words, officials wanted to promote a collaborative environment for sharing information, resources, assistance and expertise to enhance the security environment.
- By Kevin Freiburger
- Mar 05, 2010
The government security market is a growing multi-billion dollar business. To address a host of new security requirements, the security industry has partnered with the government to develop new security standards and capabilities. New requirements have led to opportunities in the physical access control systems and the identity management markets.
- By Kim Rahfaldt, Adam Shane
- Mar 05, 2010
Increased emphasis on border security creates new opportunities for small to mid-sized original equipment manufacturers to deploy new technology both here and outside the United States. As these companies' technology is successfully integrated into border security applications, they should be actively organizing resources for fielding and technical sustainment of their equipment.
- By Michael Thompson
- Mar 04, 2010
The Real ID Act is a federal law passed in 2005 that created new security, authentication and issuance standards for state driver's licenses and ID cards. Once the law is enacted, only cards that meet federal standards can be used for official purposes, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, including boarding commercial airline flights and entering federal buildings and nuclear power plants.
- By Megan Weadock
- Mar 02, 2010
Government directives were designed to help enhance security, increase government efficiency, reduce identity fraud and protect personal privacy by establishing a government-wide standard for secure and reliable forms of identification issued by the federal government to its personnel.
- By Mas Kosaka
- Mar 02, 2010
In a major CCTV upgrade, Eurotunnel’s French passenger terminal has deployed a widely distributed IP video solution from IndigoVision. Used for security, traffic management and immigration control, the networked CCTV system has transformed Eurotunnel’s surveillance operation.
Lincoln Park Airport is a 200 acre privately-owned public use airport located two miles north of Lincoln Park, N.J. With updated homeland security guidelines, the airport recently received state funding to obtain new security cameras.
A day after President Obama announced $8.33 billion in federal loan guarantees to build and operate two new nuclear reactors, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its report summarizing the nuclear power industry's performance in FY2009.
Verint Systems Inc. recently announced that TransLink, Vancouver’s regional transportation authority, has implemented the Nextiva Transit video solution from Verint Video Intelligence Solutions
Cyberjaya has become the first Malaysian city to deploy a system that allows local police to remotely monitor the location of an incident, immediately after receiving an emergency call.
March Networks, a provider of intelligent IP video solutions, recently announced that the Maryland Transit Administration is deploying the company's mobile video surveillance systems on its 669-vehicle, fixed-route bus fleet to dramatically improve incident investigations and coordinate with police and Homeland Security operations.
Although passenger security is most often in the national spotlight, cargo security is just as important. That's why TSA mandated that 50 percent of all cargo carried aboard narrow-bodied passenger aircraft had to be screened for explosives by February 2009.
- By Megan Weadock
- Feb 03, 2010
Talk within the ranks of the security industry often focuses on air cargo security in regard to ground handling and transportation. There's good reason for concern, according to a report issued by the Office of the Inspector General within the Department of Homeland Security.
- By Ralph C. Jensen
- Feb 02, 2010
Vicon Industries Inc., a designer and producer of integrated IP video surveillance and access control systems, and SimplexGrinnell, a provider of fire and life-safety systems, have begun installation of a comprehensive, IP-based security system for the new Franklin County Courthouse, currently under construction in Columbus, Ohio.
Axis Communications recently announced that the City of St. Cloud, Fla., has deployed Axis network cameras at its water and wastewater plants as a first step in modernizing its existing analog video surveillance capabilities.
Though the recession taught many Americans a hard-fought lesson on what's truly important, unfortunately things could always get worse. For example, less than 1,000 miles south of Miami, one of the United States' most vibrant and affluent cities, lies Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
- By Megan Weadock
- Jan 05, 2010
Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell recently announced the launch of its state-wide emergency notification system, AlertPA, powered by Cooper Notification’s patented Roam Secure Alert Network (RSAN).
By now, the story of the Fort Hood, Texas, massacre is old news, but the idea of security, whether at an Army post or corporate headquarters, is still headline worthy.
- By Ralph C. Jensen
- Jan 05, 2010
Over the next few years, the public safety application segment is likely to emerge as a key domain for wireless broadband technology providers. Governments worldwide have clearly understood the role of advanced communication technologies after numerous unforeseen terrorist attacks and unanticipated natural disasters over the last decade revealed the loopholes in emergency communications.
After the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon, the Defense Department has been consistently upgrading vehicle access to military bases and their living quarters worldwide. The latest anti-terrorist perimeter access control improvements are being phased in at Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter on Hawaii's island of Oahu.
- By David Dickinson
- Jan 04, 2010
In the last year and a half, the City of Marietta, Ga. has replaced most of its standalone analog CCTV systems with a complete integrated IP video solution from IndigoVision.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently announced the release of application guidance for the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) totaling an estimated $253 million -- funds for state, local and territorial governments and private sector entities to strengthen the nation’s transportation infrastructure and protect the traveling public from acts of terrorism and other major disasters.
NetMotion Wireless, a provider of mobile productivity and management software, recently announced that Gallatin County, Mont. which encompasses the City of Bozeman, has deployed NetMotion's mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) on laptops used by area police and fire department personnel.
Gemalto recently announced that it has surpassed 25 million smart card-based identity credentials shipped to the U.S. federal government.
Looking ahead to 2010, Unisys predicts that government and commercial organizations will take a more proactive approach to security, implementing new measures to verify identity and protect confidential information. Financial institutions and defense agencies will lead the charge, with ports and other organizations quickly following.
There is no question that advancements in video are continually revolutionizing the security industry. New capabilities emerge and, subsequently, the scope of what is possible grows. The implications of this trend can be seen in surveillance, reconnaissance, identity verification, information management and data dissemination.
- By John Bradburn, Mark Clifton
- Dec 01, 2009
Without a doubt, the threat of terrorism, both foreign and domestic, has been the biggest game changer in how we look at and implement physical and logical security. Nowhere is that change being more acutely felt now than in the petrochemical industry. The need to secure plants and facilities that produce, process and transport potentially volatile substances is paramount.
- By Ryan Loughin
- Dec 01, 2009
City of College Park, Ga. officials announced recently that Iron Sky Inc. will outfit the city with its first street-level video surveillance cameras.
A recently issued report from the Government Accountability Office presented some alarming findings regarding security features in federal facilities.
- By Nelson Ludlow
- Dec 01, 2009
Axis Communications recently announced that the Town of Smithtown, N.Y., has deployed Axis network cameras in its Highway Department yard as a first step in modernizing its existing analog video surveillance capabilities.
The Security Industry Association has launched an initiative in which it is asking state legislators to allow local government purchases of security and life safety products through the GSA schedule program.
CDW Government Inc. recently released its 2009 Federal Cybersecurity Report, which found that across federal civilian and Department of Defense agencies, the number and severity of cybersecurity incidents has stayed the same or increased in the last year, with nearly one-third of Federal agencies experiencing a cybersecurity incident daily.
A new report by computer scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology demonstrates that iris recognition algorithms can maintain their accuracy and interoperability with compact images, affirming their potential for large-scale identity management applications.
Only 22 percent of Americans fully trust government agencies to keep personal information secure and private, and the proportion is only slightly better (29 percent) with regard to trust in data protection by financial institutions such as banks, according to research conducted in September by Unisys Corp.
While a majority (57 percent) of Homeland Security professionals say America is safer now than it was before the September 11 attacks, 75 percent believe the country will experience a similar terrorist attack in the next five years -- and Americans aren’t prepared, according to a recent survey commissioned by the National Homeland Defense Foundation and Colorado Technical University.
The safety and security of millions of business and pleasure travelers each year is a major concern for the hospitality industry. Terrorists and other more common criminals looking to cause harm to property or guests have increasingly targeted hotels. Recent high-profile attacks in India and Indonesia have highlighted the danger at hotels around the world. We spoke to Ron Ludvigsen, president of CGL Electronic Security, to find out more.
GE Security Inc. recently announced that the Pacific Beacon apartments in San Diego, the first privatized community for enlisted single sailors in the country, is being protected by GE Security’s integrated access control and fire/life safety solutions.
CDW Government Inc. recently released its 2009 Emergency Communications Report: Awareness and Progress Toward the National Emergency Communications Plan. The report benchmarks progress toward meeting the goals outlined in the Department of Homeland Security National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP), identifies key challenges and highlights lessons learned.
The city of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., has awarded Schneider Electric a $2 million contract for a wireless video surveillance system. Schneider Electric will design, install and maintain a network of more than 200 digital surveillance cameras located throughout the city’s downtown area, commercial areas, school zones, parks and parking garages.
INPUT recently announced the release of its report: Defining the Federal Information Security Mission: 2009-2014 Forecast, which indicates that federal spending is on the rise to counter the growing threat of cyber attacks on federal computer networks and the national infrastructure.
A recent Harris Poll survey indicates that 96 percent of U.S citizens feel the federal government and law enforcement agencies should be able to use video surveillance in an effort to counteract terrorism and help protect U.S. citizens in specific public places.
Axis Communications recently announced it has won the contract to supply network cameras for Sydney’s new Waratah train suburban fleet. The total installation order is estimated at about 7,000 network cameras.
The Department of State is tagging 10,000 mission critical IT assets with passive RFID to save money, increase security and reduce administrative burden.
ICx Technologies Inc.a developer of advanced sensor technologies for homeland security, force protection and commercial applications, announced recently that it has been awarded a Department of Homeland Security contract to participate in a FY2010 mass transit security pilot program.
Naval Air Station Fallon has implemented the RAPIDGate Program to increase security and streamline access for the thousands of vendors, suppliers, service providers and contractors who access the installation.