Reposted from Walden Security

Creating an inviting nightlife venue with a strong reputation starts by ensuring it is safe and secure for customers.

With their vibrant energy and bustling crowds, nightlife venues are an integral part of many cities, creating an enticing place for people to unwind and socialize. However, these businesses must ensure their patrons’ safety if they want to last. Adding simple measures like creating clear policies and procedures, maintaining a safe environment and hiring physical security helps current customers feel safe while also being attractive to potential new customers. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Clear and well-communicated policies and procedures are fundamental to maintaining security in a nightlife environment. Whether employees are servers, general managers or security personnel, all staff must be trained on the business’s policies, which should include: • Dealing with Difficult Customers • Responsible Beverage Service • Crowd Control • Active Shooter Preparedness • Sexual Harassment Awareness Every venue is unique and may require additional policies. For example, bars and clubs should train employees to deal with intoxicated people, while restaurant employees must understand proper food safety. Whatever unique training the business requires, ensuring employees are trained and up to date on company procedures gives businesses a solid foundation for becoming a reputable venue people want to return to. A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR CUSTOMERS A safe environment is a more attractive one for potential patrons. Therefore, creating a place where people feel secure should be a top priority for any business. Lighting: Good lighting inside and outside the building is one of the simplest ways to deter fighting, criminal activity or other disturbances. A well-lit exterior, including the entrance, sidewalk, and parking lot, helps customers feel safe while entering and exiting the business. Similarly, good lighting inside the building makes accidents less likely and allows staff to monitor the patrons. Layout: An easy-to-understand layout for the business will help control the crowd. Clearly marked entrances, exits, bar area, stage, VIP area, dance floor and other spaces the business has will help staff members monitor guest activity throughout the night. Staff Presence: A solid staff presence can also create a sense of security for guests. Well-trained staff, who look after the patrons and ensure any issues don’t get out of hand, will make customers feel safe and more likely to return. SECURITY PERSONNEL The security personnel at the entrance play a vital role in the nightlife scene. The presence of a security officer is often enough to deter people from committing crimes or causing a scene. They ensure adherence to the building’s maximum capacity, stop potentially problematic people from entering the facility and prevent guests from trying to sneak in. However, the need for nightlife security personnel goes beyond the front door. Security officers inside the building help control the crowd. An officer will also de-escalate if a fight or other disturbance occurs and keep the venue functioning. Whether it’s a bar, restaurant, club, concert venue or any other nightlife venue, safety and security must be a top priority. Maintaining a safe environment for customers will help businesses become a staple of their city’s nightlife scene.

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Tips for Termination Interviews

When doing a termination interview you have probably experienced some level of fear and worry about how to keep yourself and your people safe. There are many factors to consider: When do you host the meeting? Where to host the meeting? Who should be in the room? What is the right thing to say?   Have you asked these questions? Do you have the right answers?

If possible, using a conference room with more than one entrance is ideal. If that’s not possible, consider this set-up above. The idea here is that, if the subject gets angry and decides to leave, he can exit without walking too closely to anyone else. An enraged employee standing six inches behind you can do a lot of damage, even without a gun. The lead interviewer is also in a good position to exit quickly. Without two doors to the room, though, the secondary interviewer is in the least desirable position. That’s why two points of egress are best.

Learn more of our Top 10 Tips for Terminations at our upcoming webinar: Troublesome Terminations: Controlling the Confrontation August 21 | 11:00amCST

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Reposted from EMR-ISAC

The threat of wildfires in the wildland urban interface (WUI) is a subject of increasing national concern. Creating fire-adapted communities remains a key priority of national fire safety, prevention, and control policy in the United States. To support local fire departments and their communities in this charge, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) recently launched two new WUI fire awareness tools: 

• The WUI Fire Property Awareness Explorer. This application allows users to search addresses or communities to gain a contextual understanding of their area relative to the WUI and vegetative fuels.
• The WUI Fire Community Awareness Explorer. This dashboard provides a quick snapshot of counties or places in the U.S. and potential exposure to wildfire hazards for structures in the WUI. Users interested in building fire-adapted communities and resilience can quickly identify vulnerable structures or areas in their own community. These tools do not measure or convey risk. Rather, they are designed to provide awareness about the location of the WUI and local wildfire hazard exposure. The tools can support local fire departments and community stakeholders to apply consistent data in the implementation of community risk reduction, code adoption and enforcement, mitigation, and planning efforts.

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Reposted from EMR-ISAC

Virtual presentation and live demonstration hosted by FEMA’s Resilience Analysis Branch (RAB) to highlight the updates and improvements to the Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool. FEMA seeks to provide insight and guidance, especially real-world scenarios, to RAPT users as RAPT is updated and transitions to a new platform.

The 2024 update of the Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool gives users an enhanced experience with more accessibility, power and flexibility. RAPT’s improved functionality and updated data allow users of all GIS skill levels to combine layers of community resilience indicators, infrastructure locations and hazards to analyze resilience and preparedness for all phases of emergency management. 

This year’s RAPT update includes:

• Updated U.S. Census data: Latest American Community Survey five-year estimates (2018-2022). 
• Functional Enhancements: Moveable pop-ups, updated layer-lists and new ways to summarize data. 
• County Summaries: Provide at-a-glance information at the county level. 
• Take a Tour of RAPT: New walkthrough of RAPT built right into the website. 

FEMA will host interactive webinars on the tool, and each webinar will cover the same content. Please register for one of these 60-minute sessions. 

Advance registration is requested. 

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Reposted from EMR-ISAC

On July 23, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a notice in the Federal Register that it intends to hold a virtual, informal hearing on Nov. 12, 2024, to hear comments and testimony from the public on OSHA’s proposed Emergency Response standard. In February 2024, OSHA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to replace the “Fire Brigades” standard, published in 1980. The newly named “Emergency Response” standard would expand safety and health protections for emergency responders, including firefighters, emergency medical service providers and technical search and rescue workers. It would align these safety and health protections with current national consensus standards for workers exposed to hazards related to fires and other emergencies. The online hearing will allow stakeholders from across the country to participate. OSHA encourages first responders to join the meeting to share their opinions. OSHA held a public comment period that was originally scheduled to end May 6, 2024, but was extended twice in response to public demand. The comment period finally closed on July 22, although OSHA is still accepting public input via the Nov. 12 hearing. All comments submitted during the comment period can now be viewed within the docket associated with the proposed rule.

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Reposted from Afghanistan International

The Human Rights Defenders Assembly has issued a warning regarding the destruction of cultural artefacts by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Assembly has called on the international community to address this "cultural disaster" with urgency. In a statement released on Friday, it highlighted that the dissolution of cultural institutions and the severe restrictions imposed by the Taliban have inflicted significant mental and psychological distress on cultural figures and artists. The statement emphasized that these measures have led to widespread depression among those affected. The Assembly expressed deep concern about the dire economic and psychological conditions faced by displaced cultural figures in neighboring countries. They reported that the systematic eradication of cultural artefacts and extensive restrictions on cultural figures are central to the Taliban's agenda. The rich cultural heritage of Afghanistan, they warned, is at risk of being obliterated. The Assembly pointed out that Kucha Kharabat, once a vibrant hub of classical music and ghazal singers in Kabul’s first district, has now become desolate. The destruction extends to theatre buildings, cinemas, music venues, and art galleries. Additionally, the fine arts departments in universities and the National Institute of Music have been disbanded, and artistic groups have been dissolved.

The Human Rights Defenders Assembly has called for international cultural support institutions and organizations, including UNESCO, to intervene and address the catastrophic cultural situation in Afghanistan. They urged the member countries of the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council to activate "cultural diplomacy" to tackle this cultural crisis. Since the Taliban's return to power, music has been banned, resulting in thousands of artists and singers losing their livelihoods and being forced to flee the country. Over the past three years, there have been numerous reports of violent encounters between the Taliban and music listeners, with several singers being beaten and musical instruments destroyed. According to the Taliban, music is prohibited under Sharia law. The Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has issued directives to drivers, advising them to refrain from playing music.

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Save The Date

The IFCPP and Yale conference teams are pleased to provide an update to next year’s conference schedule. Please mark your calendars for May 3-8, 2025! The tentative schedule is now planned as follows:

Sat-Sun, May 3-4: Pre-conference networking activities and excursions (arrival on May 2 recommended)

Monday, May 5: Pre-conference educational workshops, Welcome Reception, exhibits

Tues-Thurs, May 6-8: Regular conference sessions and Yale activities

Friday, May 9: Departure

If you’re able to participate in the whole symposium, the conference team recommends arriving on May 2 and departing on May 9.

Stay tuned for schedule updates, featured sessions, and conference/lodging registration…

In need of some summer training for your staff at significant discounts? The IFCPP education team is very pleased to offer 50% off of all online training & certification through August 9^th! Check out all of IFCPP’s online offerings at: https://ifcpp.learnupon.com/store

 

Courses include:

Conflict Resolution

Certified Visitor Relations Specialist (customer-service-centric security for frontline staff)

Certified Institutional Protection Specialist and Manager (security officer, supervisor, and manager certification)

Entry Screening Considerations

Management of Aggressive Behavior (MOAB)

Collaborative Museum Collections Protection: Security’s Role in Bridging the Gap

 

Continuing Education Lectures include:

Making Patrols Work for You

Staying Out of Court, Litigation Avoidance

Guard Force Management

Fire System Detection & Suppression

Fire Risk Analysis & Control

The Role of Security in Disasters & Emergencies

Exhibit Protection Considerations

Security Technology

Incident Command

Internal Theft Protection

Hiring and Termination the Right Way

Emergency Management Planning

Active Shooter & Staff Awareness

 

Please contact us at office@ifcpp.org if you’d like to take advantage of the current promotion. Training purchases never expire, so discounted packages can be used for months to come!

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Is your IFCPP certification current? The IFCPP Education Team is currently updating its records and reaching out to those program graduates that may currently have lapsed certifications. IFCPP certifications are valid for a period of 2-3 years (beyond your original certification date or most recent re-certification). The Certification Team is pleased to offer two options for re-certification:

1) Apply for re-certification by application, which you can purchase online via our Learning Management System (LMS) for a nominal fee of $45, $65, or $95. When you make the purchase, you will need to download and print the application form, fill it out, and email it to office@ifcpp.org. After it has been reviewed and approved, you will receive your new digital certificate by email (valid for another 3 years). You can purchase the re-certification application here: https://ifcpp.learnupon.com/store

2) If you prefer, you can retake the course online as a refresher (for the same recertification fee). We’ll just need to re-activate your profile in the LearnUpon LMS, and manually re-enroll you in the course. 

If you would like to re-certify by application but need more credits to qualify, the online training courses available on our LMS include continuing education credits that can help you attain the points you need for recertification. Learn more using the link below. Don’t forget that special discounts are available for IFCPP active members.
https://ifcpp.org/Other-Online-Training

Please let us know if you have questions about your certification status, or if there is anything else we can help you with.

Reposted from Art Sentry

The Sentry Digest: July 2024

 

Enhance Safety of Collections During Special Events   Enhancing the safety of your collections during after-hours events is crucial to prevent accidental damage. Explore practical strategies from experienced museum security personnel that help museums safeguard their treasures.   Continue Reading

Improving Visitor Experience Through Collaboration   Discover how a holistic approach to safety, collections management, and visitor experience can transform museums, improving accessibility for visitors and ensuring the protection of exhibits.

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