BOMA issues immediate safety action plan for building managers

September 14, 2001—On September 11, 2001, following the attack on the World Trade Center, BOMA issued an immediate plan of action for building managers through its new Emergency Preparedness & Response Web site. The course of action included:

1. Reassure your tenants with a written notice that you are undertaking an in-depth review of the security for the building. You will want to do this both as a matter of public relations and enhanced security awareness. Remember that security is everyone’s business. The more people you have looking out for potential criminal activity, the more secure you will be.
2. Tell your tenants that you are part of a nation-wide communications network through the Building Owners and Managers Association and you are on the alert for any information that would help secure their buildings.
3. Dont forget that BOMA has a revised Security and Emergency Planning Guidebook updated at the end of last year with check lists and background information to help you secure your buildings.
4. Review your security procedures carefully with security staff and key building management personnel. Look for:
1. Adequate access control procedures.
2. Make certain access control and intrusion detection hardware is properly installed and meets all functional specifications.
3. Ensure that your security personnel are adequately trained to recognize potential dangers.
4. Test communications for facility wide announcements.
5. Make a physical inspection of the building with your security director and facility engineer. You should be looking for:
1. Breeches of secured access points that may have occurred since your last inspection.
2. Dark areas and areas that provide poor visibility by human eye and your CCTV system, anywhere in your building, but especially in the on-site parking areas.
3. Suspicious looking containers, vehicles, or persons.
4. Housekeeping shortfalls, such as trash piles, debris, etc.
6. Assess your vulnerability. Do you have tenants with strong political, cultural, or financial affiliations? What extraordinary measures have you, or they, taken to ensure their safety?
7. Have a written policy regarding reporting suspicious people, things, occurrences to building security or building management. Disseminate this information again to all staff and departments, security personnel, building residents, tenants, and vendors who are frequently on the property,
8. Make certain security personnel include regular rounds to the on-site parking areas of the building. They should have an increased awareness for suspicious looking vehicles, and cars that have been parked without being moved for longer than 24 hours,
9. Consider installation of shatter-resistant glazing film on all vulnerable glass areas. They are many excellent blast-proof products on the market, including 3M safety film, and other security film products.
10. Follow up with a written notice to the tenants advising them of any changes in security policy or procedures as a result of your security review and assessment this day.
11. Review your fire and life safety procedures today. After you make any necessary changes and modifications, distribute this information to all tenants, residents, staff and departments.

The downloadable files include airplane collision information, fire threat information, sample fire plan, security checklist, and Disaster Recovery Yellow Pages.