Guam

The First-responder Portal

Common platform allows complete communications

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.

A common platform was proposed to provide a commonality for public safety, special districts, the Guam government, the private sector and the public to collaborate, communicate and share information. The goal was to better prevent, deter, respond to and recover from cyber attacks and incidents of terrorism involving the use of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive weapons.

"Interoperable systems would not only provide critical information in a timely fashion to those who need it, but it was equally critical to provide this information in an easy-to-use format," said Ben Comacho of the Guam Department of Revenue and Taxation.

ScreenCheck's public safety and firstresponder portal provides opportunities to test the vendor's capabilities to identify and respond to a terrorist event.

In the Know

It was necessary to have a system that addresses the single most critical gap in preparedness, prevention and recovery by dramatically improving the sharing of information and communications across the island's disciplines.

"The idea was to reduce Guam's vulnerability to terrorism and building infiltration by tracking critical information in a meaningful format," said Michael Fox, president of ScreenCheck. "It is important that citizens, government, hospitals and businesses at all levels effectively respond in the events of a terrorist attack or natural disaster and secure its facilities."

By introducing its public safety and first-responder portal, ScreenCheck made sure there was a distributed entry and display of public health surveillance system data.

The portal helps to:

  • Establish a terrorism intelligence and early warning system by providing a GIS foundation to display real-time data from remote sensing devices.
  • Create and maintain a regional database for CERT and citizen corps councils.
  • Provide access and authorizations functionality that are a requirement of a cyber security program.
  • Provide connectivity and collaboration required to establish or integrate emergency operations centers.

Specifically, the proposed PSFRP Guam implementation was comprised of a system that implemented a NIMScompliant structured product for meeting national preparedness guidelines for Guam.

Tools of the Trade

Some of the key components of building a first-responder portal meant providing an online method of entering, evaluating and producing first-responder credentials. It also was necessary to provide a GIS mapping and integration system for key locations on the island with methods and processes for applying critical information about them.

A Web database, handheld devices, procedures, preparedness rules and applications enables officials to track critical information before, during and after a terror event or disaster. This also includes patient, refugee, displaced citizen, student and equipment ID and tracking.

ScreenCheck officials also responded by providing tools to reduce the likelihood of terror events by identifying key areas within the island that require monitoring, as well as integrating with multiple vendor access control systems for Guam's critical government facilities. Implementation of a strong first-responder system will allow for credentialing, recording, documenting, training and tracking first-responder data.

Established criteria also includes Real ID/PASS ID-compliant ID enhancements for state and local government, where credentials could be used by first responders, government officials and military. Police, fire and rescue, hospitals, medic provider groups and participating consultants and vendors were then able to develop a public safety portal for island-wide, interdisciplinary incident crisis management and preparedness and response and recovery.

"This platform is specifically designed to meet the strategic objectives of the Guam homeland security strategic plan for partnership, leadership and communication," Comacho said. "The PSFRP will provide a secure portal platform to facilitate the sharing of information across jurisdictions and among all functional disciplines.

"For the first time ever, public safety agencies, special purpose districts and the private sector will be able to share event status information for terrorist events, view, catalog and track damage, patient status and communicate the event management plan during a terrorist event."

The two defined applications include ScreenCheck's cards online portal, which provides secure credentialing, badging, patient triage and tracking, and the tactical planner program that provides easy-to-use drag-and-drop icons to display building and site plan information. This critical information is provided on a familiar Web access platform. Most information can be accessed via GIS display where the user zooms in on the location or event site, turning to selected data layers for information.

The Guam PSFRP provides the regional, interagency, interdisciplinary secure data platform designed specifi- cally to exchange information among users. The portal has a strong firewall and authentication security features and, when combined with the system credentialing, encryption, biometrics, access and authorization features, the portal provides the most robust security available.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.