Evaluating Readiness: A Must-Do Security Assessment Security InfoWatch (10/30/14) Bernard, Ray It is not uncommon for readiness requirements to go undefined and unaddressed in a security context, leading to the possibility of security being caught flat-footed and unprepared for emergencies and other events. There are numerous factors that can lead to a low readiness state, such as not having readiness as part of the overarching business culture, failing to keep readiness conditions up-to-date, or losing readiness in the shuffle of organizational change. To change this, it is important to maintain readiness plans, including documentation, for various possible scenarios. A good readiness plan will list the states of readiness that need to be established and define their requirements, and identify what response capabilities need to be maintained and what steps must be taken to ensure this maintenance. A readiness plan should include a readiness validation schedule including inspections of equipment and materials, verification and validation of training and certification status, and outlining exercise drills to be used to gauge and maintain performance levels. Readiness assessments are necessary in numerous areas, but two of the most important are evacuation and shelter-in-place scenarios and security technology roll outs. The need for the first is self-evident, but many organizations are often caught unprepared for new technology and therefore it is important to have a readiness assessment in place.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 17:15:04 +0000