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In cooperation with our cross-sector safety partners, Titan Security is monitoring the events around the 2022 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle, set to be held on Sunday March 20. The following streets will be closed to traffic between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. as runners pass through the area:

Parking on these streets will not be allowed starting at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday March 20. There will be limited vehicle access through Grant Park for the duration of the event, from 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 19, to approximately 3 p.m., on Sunday, March 20. The street closures will follow a “rolling pattern” so that as the last participant passes, the street will reopen and traffic will return to normal as quickly as possible. Please make adjustments to your schedule to avoid any inconvenience.

DuSable Lake Shore Dr., Ida B. Wells Dr. and N. Michigan Ave. will remain open throughout the weekend. To view a full map of all the closures and the routes for the Shamrock Shuffle, please visit the link below.

Click here for the Shamrock Shuffle race routes

Safety Tips Near/During Large Events

As always, if you “See Something, Say Something.” For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. To report suspicious activity, call 855-RPRT-2-S4 (855-777-8274).

About Titan Security Group

Titan launched in 1994 with a vision for a better way to provide security services to the Midwest. Today, Titan is one of the largest security companies in North America, scheduling approximately 80,000 hours per week, employing more than 2,000 security staff, and have enjoyed over twenty-seven consecutive years of successfully serving our clients across a wide range of industries. Titan delivers results to clients through flexible, customized security solutions, and superior customer service. The Titan approach combines traditional security staffing with electronic security systems to provide integrated and efficient, customized security solutions from a single source.

In coordination with our cross-sector safety partners, Titan Security is monitoring the following anticipated special events, protests, and demonstrations.

Upcoming Activities

Notes/Analysis

* = The St. Patrick’s Day parade will be preceded by the dyeing of the Chicago River at approximately 9:30am, this year extending slightly west to Wolf Point
** = Multiple pro-Ukrainian demonstrations have been taking place on short notice in or near the Loop, including pedestrian marches and car caravans

*** = March 29 is the one-year anniversary of the death of Adam Toledo; spontaneous protests or demonstrations likely in addition to the listed event

Safety Tips Near/During Protests

As always, if you “See Something, Say Something.” For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. To report suspicious activity, call 855-RPRT-2-S4 (855-777-8274).

About Titan Security Group

Titan launched in 1994 with a vision for a better way to provide security services to the Midwest. Today, Titan is one of the largest security companies in North America, scheduling approximately 80,000 hours per week, employing more than 2,000 security staff, and have enjoyed over twenty-seven consecutive years of successfully serving our clients across a wide range of industries. Titan delivers results to clients through flexible, customized security solutions, and superior customer service. The Titan approach combines traditional security staffing with electronic security systems to provide integrated and efficient, customized security solutions from a single source.

Titan Security was pleased to attend the monthly meeting of the Chicago Public-Private Task Force (CPPTF) on the morning of Thursday, March 10, helping to represent the cultural properties and commercial high-rise sectors. The group, co-chaired by the Office of Emergency Management and Communications and ChicagoFIRST, brings together organizations and associations from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors to address common concerns.

About Titan Security Group

Titan launched in 1994 with a vision for a better way to provide security services to the Chicagoland community. Today, Titan is one of the largest security companies in North America, scheduling approximately 80,000 hours per week, employing more than 2,000 security staff, and have enjoyed over twenty-seven consecutive years of successfully serving our clients across a wide range of industries. Titan delivers results to clients through flexible, customized security solutions, and superior customer service. The Titan approach combines traditional security staffing with electronic security systems to provide integrated and efficient, customized security solutions from a single source.

“Thought Leadership” by Tom Henkey, CEM
Director of Emergency Management

Given what has taken place between March 2020 and March 2022, you may be forgiven if you can’t quite recall what “normal” was like.

After all, the past two years have seen a massive international disruption in the form of a viral pandemic, driving a global economic recession. We’ve had widespread civil unrest and mass demonstrations, extreme weather patterns, plus unprecedented political violence in our nation’s capital. And now we have the largest conflict in Europe since World War II (on top of simmering civil wars in Syria, Yemen, and Ethiopia).   

“The only thing constant is change” is a maxim for a reason. After an extended period of relative stability, we seem to be living in very unsettled times. And there appear to be no immediate solutions to these widespread foreign and domestic crises.

There are many, many different lenses through which to examine these challenges. Political. Public health. Financial. International relations. Cultural. Societal. And this would merely scratch the surface.

Yet from a strategic organizational perspective there is one striking commonality: the status quo is not a fixed point. In other words, change has been the one constant over the past 24 months. The organizations and entities which have adapted and evolved during this period have been those which enjoyed relative success. Organizations which were overly rigid in their perceptions or actions have been those which suffered the most.

If we are to truly take the long view, the most valuable lesson from these volatile times may be the importance of understanding that status quo is not the norm. In other words, we cannot presume that the most critical factors in our operation are fixed and unchanging. On the contrary, we should be looking at how large-scale disruptions in one part of our operations may impact the whole. Preparedness and flexibility are emerging as invaluable traits.

The recent Russian aggression in Ukraine is a prime example. The two nations had been involved in a significant border dispute since Russia seized and annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, and started a proxy war leveraging Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens in the eastern portion of the country. The situation was deeply disruptive locally and cost thousands of human lives, but its significant impacts did not extend beyond the immediate region.

That all changed in the last week of February when Russian artillery shells screamed across the border into Ukraine, followed by columns of tanks and armored personnel carriers. A regional conflict very suddenly became the world’s problem. Locally, the status quo did not hold.

Germany openly provided lethal aid and weapons systems to Ukraine, its first such international shipment in at least three decades. Finland and Sweden are now publically considering joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to bolster their defenses against Russian aggression. More than one million refugees streamed out of war-torn Ukraine into neighboring states in just one week of conflict. Regionally, the status quo did not hold.

Sanctions and massive financial penalties were quickly leveled against Russia, from across the political and geographic spectrum. Alliances which stood unchallenged for decades suddenly shifted as the clear and obvious aggressor faced pariah status at the United Nations. In an already unsettled global market, oil and grain prices skyrocketed as two key producers and distributors actively fired shells at one another. Internationally, the status quo did not hold.

The real lesson for organizations large and small is that a distant conflict can have massive impacts on local, regional, and international levels. This interconnectedness is what makes global political and economic systems resilient and functional (most of the time). It also means that any organization that failed to prepare for an alternate shipping route, alternate grain supply, or a spike in fuel costs was going to be in for a true and lasting shock.

We don’t yet know if we have truly turned a corner on the COVID pandemic. We can’t be sure that we have seen the worst of the civil unrest or political violence here in the U.S. We cannot be positive about how the outcome of the invasion of Ukraine will affect long-term commodity prices and availability.

But we can be assured that change is a constant. And we can be certain that organizations truly preparing for shocks and disruptions will fare better in the long term.

In cooperation with our cross-sector safety partners, Titan Security is monitoring the events around the City of Chicago’s 2022 St. Patrick’s Day Parade and River Dyeing, set to be held on Saturday March 12. The following activities around the celebration are listed below.

Road Closures

Beginning at 8:00 a.m. Columbus will be closed from Roosevelt to Monroe, along with the cross streets, until the end of the parade at approximately 2:30 p.m.

River Dyeing

Taking place from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The dyeing will be extended compared to previous years, extending slightly west to Wolf Point.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The Parade will begin at 12:15 p.m. starting at 700 S Columbus and will end at Columbus and Monroe at approximately 2:30 p.m.

*We will provide any updates as information becomes available and/or changes regarding the St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

Shammrock’n the Block Party

Old St. Patrick’s Catholic Church located at 700 W Adams Street in Chicago will be holding their annual St. Patrick’s Day party on Saturday March 12 from 12:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Archer Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The Archer Avenue parade steps off at noon at 53rd Street and South Oak Park and proceeds south on Oak Park to Archer Avenue; east on Archer to Narragansett; south on Narragansett to 5600 S. Narragansett. The parade is expected to conclude at 2 p.m. and will benefit “Get Behind the Vest,” a Chicago Police Memorial Fund effort, to provide bullet proof vest covers to police officers.

South Side Irish Parade – Sunday, March 13

The South Side Irish Parade steps off at noon at 103rd and Western Avenue, marching south to 115th and Western Avenue. Parking restrictions in the area begin at 8 a.m. and will remain until 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, but anyone parking in the area that day should read signage before parking. Expect parking restrictions on both sides of the street from 103rd to 112th Streets along Western Avenue. The staging area is located on Western Avenue from 99th to 103rd Streets and Bell to Maplewood Avenues. Street closures along the parade route as well as the staging area begin as early as 9 a.m. The parade is expected to end at 3 p.m., the disbanding area is located on Western Avenue from 115th to 119th Streets. For additional details, visit southsideirishparade.org.

Northwest Side Irish Parade – Sunday, March 13

The parade steps off at noon at Onahan School, at 6634 W. Raven St. proceeding south on Neola Avenue to Northwest Highway and north to Harlem Avenue in the Norwood Park neighborhood. Northwest Highway will be closed to vehicles at 9am. Parking restrictions are in effect along the route beginning at 7 a.m. and continue through 1:30 p.m. Both sides of the street on Neola, Raven, Northwest Highway, Normandy Avenue, Imlay, Neva, Palatine and Natoma along the route will be affected. For additional details, visit northwestsideirish.org.

Safety Tips Near/During Protests

As always, if you “See Something, Say Something.” For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. To report suspicious activity, call 855-RPRT-2-S4 (855-777-8274).

About Titan Security Group

Titan launched in 1994 with a vision for a better way to provide security services to the Midwest. Today, Titan is one of the largest security companies in North America, scheduling approximately 80,000 hours per week, employing more than 2,000 security staff, and have enjoyed over twenty-seven consecutive years of successfully serving our clients across a wide range of industries. Titan delivers results to clients through flexible, customized security solutions, and superior customer service. The Titan approach combines traditional security staffing with electronic security systems to provide integrated and efficient, customized security solutions from a single source.

The continuous threat of cyber attacks on essential services, public safety and business systems remains at a high level as many organizations across the country have been impacted by incidents in the past few years. Foreign governments, like Russia, have used these cyber attacks as a key component in their objectives which has led to disabled or destroyed critical infrastructure.

Many of these cyber attacks have come with the assistance of tactics featuring misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM) to shape public opinion, undermine trust, amplify division, and sow discord. In connection with these objectives, suspicious links and phishing emails surrounding information classified as an MDM have been utilized to gain valuable information of individuals and organizations around the world.

The United States’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released detail on what steps can be taken by all persons to mitigate foreign influence that targets critical infrastructure and personal information. The action steps explained by CISA around developing a plan to combat these MDM tactics can be broken down into five stages: Assessment, Identification, Fortification, Engagement and Development.

Assessing the Information Environment

If there are specific MDM topics that are impacting your business sector, evaluating them and the impact they can have on your operations is the first step to understanding the potential threat. Next, learn how and where your stakeholders and customers receive information. By using these channels to understand what information they are taking in and how you can communicate with them, better allows you to respond to MDM activity and act as the trusted information source. Lastly, always be monitoring any changes to activity related to your sector or even your own organization. Be on the lookout for unusual changes such as a sudden increase in tags, followers, search inquiries, or other increases in contacts to your organization.

Identifying Vulnerabilities

Once any threats have been assessed, attention should then turn to what vulnerabilities could be exploited by these MDM tactics. CISA recommends thinking about common questions or points of confusion that people have about your sector or operations and then establish a criterion around evaluating the severity of such attacks.

 

Meanwhile internally, educate staff on securing any personal accounts including social media so they are aware what information is visible. Also, remind them to practice smart email hygiene and avoid clicking on or sharing any suspicious links that could make them or the organization vulnerable.

Hackers assist in surveillance or reconnaissance and provide opportunities for destructive attacks. Hijacking accounts and defacing public
facing sites can be used to influence public opinion. Organizations should be aware of cyber risks and take action to reduce the likelihood and impact of a potentially damaging compromise.

Fortify Communications Channels

Having a well thought out communication plan before MDM incidents occur can be the difference in how much you are impacted by such an event. Establish clear communication channels with stakeholders, employees, and customers to make verified sources clear and easily accessible. Ensure that these channels are well secured, have multi-factor authentication enabled and that unauthorized persons do not have access to post to those channels.

Engage in Proactive Communication

Engaging with clear, consistent, and relevant communications with the appropriate audiences is an effective way to maintain security, build public confidence and get ahead of any MDM threats that may exist. Encourage the use of professional networks and other organizations to amplify this messaging, resulting in a strong network of trusted voices within the sector. You will also want to use this time to look at ways to improve your communication including utilizing new platforms and opportunities to expand your reach.

Develop an Incident Response Plan

If your organization is impacted by any MDM tactics, it’s vital a plan is in place to respond to such situations. Establish a point person to oversee the process and any associated crisis communications. Other roles and responsibilities for ensuring a successful plan include responding to media inquiries, issuing public statements, internal communications, engaging stakeholders, implementing additional security measures.

While building this plan, consider what the current coordination processes are for identifying potential MDM incidents, controlling the information surrounding subject, and the channels utilized to position your organization as a trusted voice.

TRUST Method from the CISA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shields Up Guidance for All Organizations from CISA

CISA recommends all organizations—regardless of size—adopt a heightened posture when it comes to cybersecurity and protecting their most critical assets. To learn more on preparing for foreign influence tactics, visit CISA’s report on all the steps that can be taken here: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/cisa_insight_mitigating_foreign_influence_508.pdf

For more information on additional actions organizations and individuals can take to ensure they are not the victim of a cyber-attack, visit www.cisa.gov/shields-up.

About Titan Security Group

Titan launched in 1994 with a vision for a better way to provide security services to the Chicagoland community. Today, Titan is one of the largest security companies in North America, scheduling approximately 80,000 hours per week, employing more than 2,500 security staff, and have enjoyed over twenty-eight consecutive years of successfully serving our clients across a wide range of industries. Titan delivers results to clients through flexible, customized security solutions, and superior customer service. The Titan approach combines traditional security staffing with electronic security systems to provide integrated and efficient, customized security solutions from a single source.

The Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago (BOMA/Chicago) announced Dave Pack, Titan Security Group’s President and CEO, as its 2022 Affiliate Member of the Year at their annual TOBY/Gold Circle Awards Ceremony on Thursday February 17th at the Mid-America Club in Chicago.

2022 is the 13th year that BOMA/Chicago has held its Gold Circle Awards, honoring individual excellence within the Chicago commercial real estate community. Nominees were judged on a wide range of criteria, including their professional accomplishments, involvement in BOMA/Chicago and positive impact on Chicago’s commercial real estate community.

Pack was recognized by BOMA/Chicago for leading his team of essential workers in implementing thermo-scanning and other innovative technologies to ensure the safest environment for staff, tenants, and guests during the pandemic. He supported policy changes paired with customer service training and thoughtfully handled challenging situations including civil unrest.

Under Pack’s leadership, Titan Security Group continues to expand their subject matter experts and training teams to include former law enforcement and hospitality professionals. This move has ensured greater insight and thought leadership along with a luxury workplace experience for Titan’s tenants and visitors. Dave also serves as the “eyes and ears” for the Titan building portfolio, liaising with city officials and first responders, to provide timely and critical communications. An engaged member of BOMA/Chicago, Dave is a BOMA/Chicago Education Partner and Emerging Leader Partner, a supporter of the BOMA/Chicago Foundation endowment campaign, and an active member of the Preparedness Committee.

About Titan Security Group

Titan launched in 1994 with a vision for a better way to provide security services to the Chicagoland community. Today, Titan is one of the largest security companies in North America, scheduling approximately 80,000 hours per week, employing more than 2,500 security staff, and have enjoyed over twenty-eight consecutive years of successfully serving our clients across a wide range of industries. Titan delivers results to clients through flexible, customized security solutions, and superior customer service. The Titan approach combines traditional security staffing with electronic security systems to provide integrated and efficient, customized security solutions from a single source.

In cooperation with our cross-sector safety partners, Titan Security is aware of the following anticipated demonstration activities and public events in the coming days.

Anticipated Protest/Event Activity

  • Thursday, February 24 at 3:30pm, 219 S Dearborn (Dirksen Federal Building), Group will gather for their cause “Stand in Solidarity with the Laquan 9”
  • Saturday, February 26 at 11:00am, 50 W Washington (Daley Plaza) to 500 N Michigan (Bosnian Consulate), Group will gather/march for their cause “Bosnian & Herzegovinian Independence Day March”
  • Saturday, February 26 at 12:00pm, 180 N Stetson (Canadian Consulate), Group will gather for their cause “Stand with Canada. Stand for Freedom.”
  • Monday, February 28 at 9:30am, 121 N LaSalle (City Hall), Group will gather for their cause “Press Conference for Student and Community COVID Safety”
  • Friday, March 4 at 5:30pm, 230 S Dearborn (Federal Plaza), Group will gather for their cause “Justice for Laquan and All Those Murdered by Police – DOJ Indict Van Dyke!”
  • Saturday, March 5 at 11:00am, 201 E Randolph (Millennium Park), Group will gather for their event “March Scream at the Bean”
  • Saturday, March 5 at 3:00pm, 435 N Michigan (Tribune Tower), Group will gather for their cause “Solidarity with Ukraine – Russian Antiwar Activists”
  • Sunday, March 6 at 2:00pm, 50 W Washington (Daley Plaza), Group will gather for their cause “Protest Against Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine” *
  • Tuesday, March 8 at 3:00pm, State and Jackson (DePaul University), Group will gather for their cause “We Refuse to Let the U.S. Supreme Court Deny Women’s Humanity & Decimate Their Rights!”
  • Thursday, March 10 at 8:00am, 1 E Erie (Chinese Consulate), Group will gather for their cause “Tibetan Uprising Day – Protest at Chicago’s Chinese Consulate”
  • Saturday, March 12 at 12:30pm, 700 S Columbus to 100 S Columbus, Group will gather/march for their event “2022 Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade” **

Notes/Analysis

* = Note that a smaller “feeder march” may meet at Millennium Park prior to the rally at Daley Plaza on March 6

** = The St. Patrick’s Day parade will be preceded by the dyeing of the Chicago River at approximately 9:30am, this year extending slightly west to Wolf Point

Safety Tips Near/During Protests

As always, if you “See Something, Say Something.” For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. To report suspicious activity, call 855-RPRT-2-S4 (855-777-8274).

About Titan Security Group

Titan launched in 1994 with a vision for a better way to provide security services to the Midwest. Today, Titan is one of the largest security companies in North America, scheduling approximately 80,000 hours per week, employing more than 2,000 security staff, and have enjoyed over twenty-seven consecutive years of successfully serving our clients across a wide range of industries. Titan delivers results to clients through flexible, customized security solutions, and superior customer service. The Titan approach combines traditional security staffing with electronic security systems to provide integrated and efficient, customized security solutions from a single source.

EDITORS’ NOTE: This alert was updated Thursday, February 17th at 6:50 a.m. to reflect the NWS downgrading the storm from a Winter Storm Warning to a Winter Storm Advisory.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Winter Storm Advisory for Cook County on February 17, 2022.

Titan Security Group has been alerted that NWS has issued a Winter Storm Advisory for Cook County that is in effect from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. CT on Thursday February 17, 2022. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 4 inches are expected with winds gusting as high as 35 miles per hour.

If you must travel, please take additional time to prepare for the weather conditions and use caution. Plan on slippery road conditions. Patchy blowing snow could reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.

For an update on the latest road conditions from the Winter Weather Advisory, please visit gettingaroundillinois.com for a live map of the roads near you.

Additional details on this alert may be found via the NWS web portal for Chicago, which is updated on a regular basis: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=41.88625500000006&lon=-87.62230999999997

About Titan Security Group

Titan launched in 1994 with a vision for a better way to provide security services to the Midwest. Today, Titan is one of the largest security companies in North America, scheduling approximately 80,000 hours per week, employing more than 2,000 security staff, and have enjoyed over twenty-seven consecutive years of successfully serving our clients across a wide range of industries. Titan delivers results to clients through flexible, customized security solutions, and superior customer service. The Titan approach combines traditional security staffing with electronic security systems to provide integrated and efficient, customized security solutions from a single source.

Titan Security is a proud participant in the leadership of the BOMA/Chicago Preparedness Committee, dedicated to the safety of high rise commercial structures in the City of Chicago. Minutes from the most recent monthly meeting of the group on February 15, 2022 are shared below.

ABOUT BOMA/Chicago

BOMA/Chicago is a trade association that has represented the interests of the Chicago office building industry since 1902. Membership includes approximately 240 commercial office, institutional and public buildings and about 170 companies that provide commercial building services to support operational excellence. BOMA/Chicago members constitute approximately 80 percent of all rentable office space and more than 98 percent of rentable space in Class A buildings downtown.

About Titan Security Group

Titan launched in 1994 with a vision for a better way to provide security services to the Chicagoland community. Today, Titan is one of the largest security companies in North America, scheduling approximately 80,000 hours per week, employing more than 2,000 security staff, and have enjoyed over twenty-eight consecutive years of successfully serving our clients across a wide range of industries. Titan delivers results to clients through flexible, customized security solutions, and superior customer service. The Titan approach combines traditional security staffing with electronic security systems to provide integrated and efficient, customized security solutions from a single source.