February 2019 – Top News in the Security and Risk Industry

There’s a lot going on in the world of physical risk and vulnerability, and it’s nearly impossible to keep up with the latest news and developments. We’ll keep you informed with the best content to keep your organization safe and secure.

Check out the top news and headlines from the past month—including must-read details on the solutions to school shootings, boosting your consulting business, and spotting hidden winter fire risks in your building.

Is The Physical Security Industry Doing Enough To Prevent School Shootings?

Via Security Informed. Realistically speaking, how effectively are we solving school security issues? The truth is, we don’t know. There is a gaping lack of knowledge and research related to school shootings. The lack of hard numbers means schools risk spending scarce resources on measures that don’t have positive real impact on school facilities. So what do we do about that?

Our take: School fires are 76 times more common than shootings in American schools, but only about 2% of all school fires cause any injuries, let alone a fatality. It is critical that we start using objective data to reduce the severity of school shootings as successfully as we’ve reduced the severity of school fires.

What to Know About the Difference Between Sales and Marketing

Via Security Sales & Integration. It’s important for security business owners to know how sales and marketing processes differ. Although they both serve to increase sales, they are two separate sides of a single coin. To get the best results, you need to understand how they work together to increase your company’s profit.

Our take: Security professionals aren’t natural salespeople or marketers. You’re an expert in security, and you’d probably ignore sales and marketing altogether if you could get away with it. Check out our articles to help you get a better handle on boosting your business.

• 6 Simple Steps to Win More Security Clients in 2019
• 5 Steps to Upsell Your Security Services Without Being Sleazy
• Basic Marketing Tools That Build Your Security Business

NFPA 1: Addressing Winter-related Fire and Life Safety Hazards in the Fire Code

Via NFPA.org. If you live where the winter season brings snow, ice and arctic temperatures, you need to consider how winter weather can impact fire and life safety hazards. Building owners, facility managers and fire inspectors need to pay special attention to these winter fire and safety issues.

Our take: Most companies are serious about protecting their people at work, but very few think about how risk changes from season to season. Risk and vulnerability are dynamic—they change daily. One of the reasons for that is the seasonal risks that extreme temperatures and weather patterns can bring. Be aware of your winter-related building issues.

How to Improve School Security with Limited Budget

Via Security Magazine. Because most school districts face limited funding, it can seem nearly impossible to look beyond budget restraints when addressing security issues. By identifying areas of improvement, school officials can develop a security plan and act on it in order to better protect their environment without breaking the bank.

Our take: In the wake of last year’s school shootings, state and federal governments released millions of dollars in funding to beef up school security. Unfortunately, most schools are in danger of misspending that funding. So how do you make the most out of your funding for school security? Start with a school security committee.