October 7, 2002—A private industry coalition of more than 100 chemical industry executives, led by the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA), met recently with former Virginia Governor James Gilmore and Major General Lawlor of the White House Office of Homeland Security to discuss new strategies to better secure the health and safety of our nation’s critical infrastructure.
“We all need to move to vulnerability-based planning to protect our critical infrastructure,” said Major General Lawlor. Partnership between the public and private sectors and flexibility to implement facility-specific countermeasures and information sharing among local, state and federal officials are the key ingredients to a successful security strategy, he said.
“Information sharing and communication among local, state and federal governments with the private sector is crucial to effectively improve security,” Gilmore said. “A national security strategy must allow for information sharing so all parties know what needs to be done on a situational basis,” he said.
Major General Lawlor stressed the need for a continued partnership between government and industry that supports the implementation of adequate security measures without imposing unmanageable financial burdens on small businesses.
Participants also discussed the importance of flexibility in determining a facility’s level of risk. “One-size-fits-all security regulation ultimately compromises the degree to which a facility can effectively create a secure environment,” said SOCMA President Ed Fording. “When companies have a hand in identifying the areas in which they should focus their attentions, the result is a better-fitting plan that creates a safer, more secure facility for the company and its neighboring community.”
For more information, contact SOCMA.
