GSX 2021: Jump-Starting the Return to Normal

  • By Matt Jones
  • Oct 04, 2021

Last year, ASIS made the call to convert GSX 2020 into a virtual event against the backdrop of COVID-19. This year’s conference, then, marked the return of GSX as an in-person event. And given the strange limbo we find ourselves in with regard to the pandemic—it’s either ongoing, over, getting better, or getting worse, depending on who you ask—from a logistics standpoint, the tentative return to normalcy went off without a hitch.

ASIS took every possible precaution to keep attendees safe. We were required to either submit proof of vaccination in advance of the conference or to complete a daily health attestation upon arriving at the Orange County Convention Center. Booths were spaced farther apart; the aisles were wider. The show floor was subject to frequent cleaning. Floor signs helped direct traffic. And, of course, face masks were mandatory, regardless of vaccination status.

(While walking around on Day 2, I overheard a humorous conversation at one of the booths. The booth’s owner slid behind the table and collapsed into a chair, agitated. “I just got yelled at for not wearing a mask,” he growled to his colleague. “They told me to put it on for my own health and safety. I told ‘em no.” He flung his mask onto the table for emphasis. The booth was vacant the following morning.)

I explained last week that this was my first trade show, so I don’t have much of a basis for comparison. I’ve heard that attendance was smaller, that the event itself was scaled back, that lines were shorter, that the event was a shadow of its usual self. I did get a sense of that; after an overwhelming Monday and Tuesday, by mid-morning on Wednesday, there didn’t seem to be a lot left to see.

But all of those observations came from the attendance side. From the organizer’s standpoint – the logistics of gathering hundreds of vendors and thousands of people in a single room during the tail end of a global pandemic – I cannot think of a single thing that ASIS could have done differently to make it run more smoothly.

What happened was that the event was a little smaller and quieter than normal. What didn’t happen was a COVID outbreak. Or an emergency evacuation of the facility. Or a loud meltdown / confrontation regarding masks. Or, really, any pandemic-related disruptions whatsoever.

Event organizers, take note: If we consider GSX 2021 to be a trial run at resuming life as we once knew it, it could serve as a textbook model of how to throw a large-scale event in our current climate. And that by itself is no small feat.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.