Welcome to my first blog post.I've been thinking of doing something like this for awhile but to be honest, it usually fell off the end of my ongoing to-do lists. COVID-19 has caused many disruptions to our everyday lives and I am no different. It has altered the way we live, work and interact with one another.
Through the peaks and valleys of the physical and emotional rollercoaster this has been (living in Nova Scotia we've had a tough couple of months beyond just the pandemic), I've tried to use the time to be productive from a personal and professional perspective. This blog is one of those outcomes. I hope you find it an interesting read and look forward to future posts with tips, trends and my take on issues facing our safety and security.
I’ve decided to name it “Countermeasures" which is defined by Merriam-Webster as an action or device intended to stop or prevent something bad or dangerous. In today’s world, many threats face our organizations and people. However, as a human race, it is in our DNA to find countermeasures to respond to potential danger. In the field of security management, we specialize in advancing technology, sharing new knowledge and finding solutions to minimize risks, prevent problems and avert those threats.
Having been a consultant for most of my nearly 25 years in the IT and Physical Security industries, I've been privy to many evolutions in technology, processes and standards. As an example, I would certainly say I benefited professionally from moving into the physical security management space in the mid-to-late 2000's as the analog-to-digital convergence and then, conversion began. Recently, there has been a push to more effectively use analytics (AI as a lot of folks like to call it but that's a story for possibly another blog) or the cloud for various Software as a Service (SaaS) options. Given the recent threats caused by the pandemic and the economic impact related to security technology projects, many manufacturers have been re-tooling to adapt to the now much higher demands around health care and the very anticipated post-COVID work environment. Since March, approximately 90% of my discussions with clients have centered around two areas: temperature tracking and contact tracing. Thermal CCTV manufacturers have swung their marketing from use for perimeter detection at long range by heat signature to focusing on the temperature gathered by the sensor at relatively close range. Software manufacturers who normally would use such technology as Real Time Location Services (RTLS) for tracking assets or for safety in industrial facilities are now endorsing them to ensure social distancing as well as tracking interpersonal interaction. The solutions are numerous and so are the claims as all rush to market to capitalize. Not all solutions are effective and many have already been uncovered as misleading while some have volunteered that they can't meet expectations. Caveat Emptor - buyer beware. If you are in a situation where you are wondering what solution may work for you or just to get a better sense of what is on the market, please feel free to drop me a line at cclarke@csquaredpm.ca. I'd be happy to chat and share my thoughts and experiences with you with no upfront commitments. As an ASIS-certified professional, part of me giving back to the community is to share reliable information and to educate. I hope you were able to take some value from my thoughts and I hope you check in next time.
'Til then... Stay safe!
Chris
