Titan consistently maintains communication with our public sector partners to review active threats and resources.  The Chicago Police Department, Crime Prevention & Information Center (CPIC) issued the following in the latest Private Sector Situational Awareness Bulletin.

Situational Awareness and Security Preparedness

As the City of Chicago begins to enter framework for reopening, we are asking our Public/Private sector partners and faith-based community members to remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings and report any criminal or suspicious activity immediately to your local law enforcement agency.

Given the nature of mass gatherings, predicting who will attend and what their motivations will be is difficult and unreliable. It is possible that individuals unassociated with the group will imbed themselves to exploit the group’s emotions and/or incite acts of violence.

The following options for considerations are listed to assist the City of Chicago’s private sector in creating a safe and secure environment.

Options for Consideration

• Secure items that can be easily used to cause damage such as construction materials, outdoor seating, tables, garbage containers, etc.
• Have security conduct outside sweeps and look in areas where items could be secreted such as in planters, bushes, and dumpsters. If anything is found of a suspicious nature, immediately report it by calling 911.
• Identify alternate egress and ingress for building occupants and first responders. If main entrance is not accessible, ensure that alternate access location is communicated via 911, and if safe to do so, have someone positioned to guide first responders to area of needed assistance.
• Identify alternate vehicular and pedestrian pathways in the event of roadway or sidewalk impediments.
• In the event of criminal behavior, utilize CCTV systems to capture relevant behavior and secure it for follow-up investigation.
• Review existing security plans and procedures to ensure they address issues such as shelter in place and/or lock-down procedures.
• If you observe any suspicious activity contact 911

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).

Re: Titan’s Civil Disturbance Support

Dear Clients and Contacts:

As the City of Chicago, and surrounding areas continue to navigate through volatile protest activity, Titan Security remains positioned to support our clients during these challenging times. 

• Titan’s 24/7 Security Operations Center is active to take all calls at any time and can be reached at (312) 902-3400.
• Titan’s Director of Emergency Management Services, former OEMC, Certified Emergency Manager, and Vice-Chair of the BOMA/Chicago Preparedness Committee, is leading our communication efforts including gathering and providing information to our clients and team members.
• Titan’s Managers including Senior Leadership team members are active and visiting sites to support staff and clients.
• Titan’s Field Supervisors remain active in marked vehicles to respond to incidents and support onsite staff members.
• Titan Electronics Service Technicians are active and available to service any electronic security equipment that may have been impacted by recent activity.
• Titan is working with our active CPD partners to provide Off-Duty Law Enforcement support.

The protest activity that started on Friday, May 29, 2020 resulted in a series of events beyond the reasonable control of Titan including street closures, partial lockdowns, and suspension of public transportation through the Chicago Loop area.  In response to these events, Titan’s managers have taken extraordinary measures including but not limited to the items below, which may result in additional billing for our services during this time:

• Transporting security officers to and from work in company and personal vehicles;
• Arranging ride share or taxis for security officers to and from work;
• Coordinating parking for security officers that were able to drive to work; and
• Modifying schedules to ensure coverage is in place, even if it required overtime.

As we continue to prepare for ongoing protest activity, the safety of Titan’s employees, as well as the safety of our clients and their visitors, remains Titan’s top priority.  Titan’s Senior Leadership Team and our Safety Committee continues to work with our public sector partners to pivot our operations as necessary to support our clients and team members throughout these events.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding security coverage or Titan’s Civil Disturbance Support, please contact your Titan representative or the Titan office at (312) 902-3400.  We will continue to communicate with you via email and at http://securechicago.com/posts/.

Sincerely,

David Pack
President
Titan Security Group

Thoughts and Analysis by Tom Henkey
Director of Emergency Management, Titan Security Group

The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has had an enormous impact on American businesses. The overall economy, and the private sector in particular, is resuming operations in fits and starts. This uncertainty has sent the stock market into an unprecedented state of whipsaw ups and downs.

Much has been written about the disease itself, about mitigation and containment efforts, and about where to find the most current information on the outbreak. There can be no question that we are still in midst of an extended coronavirus outbreak that is likely to include one or more additional waves of widespread illness.

And yet it is not too early in this crisis to begin considering what the recovery phase will entail. Like all disease outbreaks before it – even worldwide pandemics – this coronavirus will reach a peak before its impact begins to decline. That decline could be due to the virus going dormant, to new and more effective treatment of symptoms, or ultimately due to an effective vaccine. Or our society could simply learn to live with it, adapting to a new seasonal risk to public health with social distancing and other mitigation measures.

This much is clear: at some point, we’ll need to get back to some semblance of normal. Kids will return to schools and employees will return to work. Store shelves will be fully restocked and supply chains will realign.

But what will that “normalcy” look like? And how do we get there?

The recovery process begins long before such steps actually occur. It is born during preparedness and prevention phases, and during continuity planning efforts prior to any emergency, such as a disease outbreak. It continues through the mitigation and response phases of emergency management, gaining steam as stakeholders express a need and desire to resume full operations.

The recovery process truly begins with taking an honest assessment of current status and needs. This has already begun even while the response phase is ongoing, still very much in the midst of the crisis event. Yet it might be best thought of as an “exit strategy” for transitioning towards normalized business operations in a controlled manner. Even if an organization has lagged behind in making such preparations prior to an incident or disruption, much progress can be made even late in the game. A few considerations:

• Identify core and essential functions. Prioritize absolutely key functions and activities that must be completed. This process will make it much easier to set specific objectives for when and how to achieve crucial organizational goals.
• Consider an internal Recovery Team. Designate a small group of operational professionals to achieve the core recovery objectives. A willingness to actively share expertise facility-wide or organization-wide matter as much as title or rank.
• Solidify your supply chain. Logistics is clearly one of the most important elements during any crisis. This initial recovery phase is the time to audit and improve the supply chain for critical materials – vital insurance against future disruptions.
• Contact key representatives to gauge intent and expectations. You know who your “go-to” points of contact are for every tenant or stakeholder. Now is the time to proactively reach out to get input on their plans and needs for ramping up business.
• Establish distancing measures for building common areas. Social distancing will be a part of the recovery process. Effectively communicating expectations may include elements such as email blasts, floor markings, and additional signage.
• Pre-determine trigger points for resuming services/staffing levels. Use this period of relative calm to set later decision points, such as when to add supporting staff, to allow access to common areas, to adjust access-control restrictions, etc.
• Assemble welcome-back messaging and expectations. This is also the time to control the message that employees and customers receive as they return to work, by crafting specific communications using your desired tone and content.

Finally, when it is time to go full-speed once again, you’ll likely require further assistance. Helpful federal resources include:

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continuity planning
https://www.ready.gov/business-continuity-plan

https://www.ready.gov/business-continuity-planning-suite

Helpful professional organizations include:

Business Resumption Planners Association of Chicago
https://brpa.wildapricot.org/

Business Continuity Planners Association
https://www.bcpa.org/

Disaster Recovery Institute
https://drii.org/

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).

Thoughts and Analysis by Tom Henkey
Director of Emergency Management, Titan Security Group

Long-term and systemic disruptions of any kind are quite rare. Hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and wildfires can be devastating to surrounding communities, yet almost never negatively impact the entirety of the American economy. They are, instead, largely regional events with some national implications.

A communicable-disease pandemic has proven to be an exception. COVID-19 has made immediate and extensive impacts on our economy and on our social behaviors. Perhaps the only analogs we may envision are a large-scale bioterrorism attack, or a widespread and extended failure of the electrical grid.

Such massive disruptions must be addressed by prevention, preparedness, and mitigation. If they are allowed to take place, and we find ourselves in a largely reactive respond and recover mode, then we are acknowledging that such massive social and economic impacts are inevitable.

Author Michele Wucker coined the phrase “Gray Rhino” to refer to events such as pandemic disease. At its core, the concept is the opposite of the widely referenced “Black Swan” event – a disruption so unexpected and unpredictable that it remains essentially unforeseeable. A gray rhino is a different type of animal entirely. In her 2016 book of the same title, Wucker defined the term as “the big, obvious thing that’s coming at you.” It is the risk that is entirely predictable, but fails to be acted upon.

Such as a pandemic.

Public health experts have been warning society for literally decades that a widespread outbreak of communicable disease was a “when” and not an “if.” It was a gray rhino bearing down on us, yet getting very little attention in terms of planning or preparation. We got gored because we failed to be proactive.

And yet this collective mistake offers us all an opportunity to absorb several critical lessons learned, and to improve our prevention, preparedness, and mitigation efforts for the next time. Because there will be a next time. Some obvious takeaways:

Put a subject matter expert in charge. The RAE concept works. The person with the responsibility, authority, and expertise to make educated and actionable decisions is the person who should be in charge of the overall effort. For a pandemic, this points to a senior Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) official, a highly regarded former Surgeon General, etc.

Establish a clear chain of command. The pandemic response in the U.S. showed us what a confused and ineffective mess our society becomes if no formal system is established to address a crisis. Aligning federal, military, state, local, and private-sector resources into a formal, efficient structure is vital to success.

Structured logistics and distribution. Perhaps the most important lesson from the coronavirus outbreak is that logistics are everything. The systemic lack of planning and structure that led to a chaotic and counterproductive bidding war among state and local governments and medical providers for critical supplies serves as a perfect example of how not to manage a supply chain.

Cross-sector collaboration is mandatory. Another obvious shortcoming in the preparedness for and initial response to this pandemic was a lack of collaboration. Involving unique and varied resources and skillsets including the private sector and military is absolutely mandatory for future crises. It is vital to have such agreements in place before a crisis emerges.

Fixed and reliable communications channels. During this pandemic, confusing and contradictory messaging from the federal government caused unnecessary inefficiencies and cost lives. The designated subject-matter expert placed in charge of the nation’s response must be the key conduit of concise, reliable, and truthful information during a period of crisis.

Identify the other rhinos. Just because you’ve tamed one beast doesn’t mean there are not others roaming around. We cannot afford tunnel vision. For example, hurricane season begins in the U.S. in less than two months, and climate change has created sea levels and weather patterns we simply have not seen before. We need to be proactive in our assessment and planning for predictable large-scale hazards in the future.

In essence, now is the time and place for unified, decisive, and innovative leadership across all sectors. A vital portion of that responsibility lies in performing an honest after-action review of our preparation for and response to the coronavirus pandemic, and rapidly applying the lessons learned to the next crisis. And there is always a next crisis.

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).

In these unprecedented times it remains important to stay vigilant and if you see something, say something. This is a summary from a portion of the recent Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of Private Sector, document “Multi-Agency Partners Collaborate to Mitigate Community Violence.”

The occurrence of a violent incident is generally represented as the culmination of a gradually escalating behavior pattern from a troubled person. Certain behaviors and actions can help when evaluating a threat of impending violent behavior. However, organizations should evaluate the totality of aggressive behavior, message delivery, and other relevant circumstances when forming a threat assessment or a notification to law enforcement.

Below are certain behaviors and actions that are common in pre-event violence planning:

• Recent and significant grievance, injustice, personal loss, or humiliation; real or simply perceived.
• Statements/behaviors which seem to indicate end of life planning or an interest in destructiveness.
• Contextually inappropriate behavior, intense interest in previous violent attacks or mass shootings.
• Sudden withdrawal from life patterns, absence from work without explanation, failing to appear for an appointment, cessation of medications.
• Sudden onset of impulsive, reckless behaviors that may suggest desensitization, dehumanization, or a lack of concern for future consequences.
• Fixation, pre-occupation, or efforts to physically approach an apparent target/victim; stalking, evidence of items left for the target (such as flowers), evidence of surveillance, or attempts to breach or circumvent protocol, safety or security measures.
• Recent acts of experimental aggression, including trespass, animal cruelty, or vandalism.
• Drastic changes in appearance such as a shaved head, a large number of tattoos, contextually inappropriate law enforcement or military costuming, sudden weight loss or gain, cessation of hygiene, or a sudden unkempt appearance.
• Preparation of statement, leakage warning behavior to a third party, or farewell writings, including social media manifestos, or videos.

Additional Resources

United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Behavioral Analysis Unit. 2017 “Making Prevention a Reality.” A practical guide on assessing and managing the threat of targeted violence and contains concrete strategies to help communities prevent targeted violence. https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/making-prevention-a-reality.pdf/view

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).

Titan’s primary approach to ensure the safety and health of our team members and to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus is to encourage employees to stay home when sick and to practice proper social distancing and hygiene measures as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the workplace and at home.

The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies).  The CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and to help people who may have the virus, and do not know it, from transmitting it to others.

Titan’s expectation is that all of our team members should be able to practice social distancing measures in the workplace.  However, if you would prefer that Titan staff members also wear face coverings at your property, we can now provide cloth face coverings for a pass-through cost of approximately $10 per covering.

Note that the cloth face coverings we can provide are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators.  Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.  The cloth face coverings are blue, black, or brown in color, are limited in quantity, and may take a few days or weeks to be provided onsite.    

If you are interested in having Titan staff members wear cloth face coverings at your property, for the additional pass-through cost of $10 per covering, please contact your Titan representative or the Titan office at (312) 902-3400. 

To access the CDC guidance resource for the Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19, visit:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

What can be done right now to prevent the spread of the coronavirus? Per guidance from subject matter experts such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Chicago Department of Public health (CDPH), hygiene and social distancing are the best tactics for individuals and organizations to undertake at this point in the outbreak. Wash your hands frequently, utilize approved cleaning products and sanitizer on high-contact surfaces, do not touch your face, do not gather in groups of ten or more and keep at least six feet of distance from others when possible.

How do we tell rumor from fact at this time? There are certainly a lot of rumors and misinformation circulating about coronavirus and the governmental response. Trusted resources and subject matter experts such as the CDC and CDPH can be referenced via the links listed below. Announcements by senior elected officials and public safety authorities can be considered reliable sources. Forwarded text messages or emails and social media websites have proven to be extremely unreliable sources of information during this outbreak and should not be further forwarded or shared.

What has Titan done to prepare for a pandemic? Aligned with industry best practices, Titan has written and implemented a corporate emergency operations plan (EOP) and a business continuity plan. Both documents assist senior leadership in decision making and asset allocation during crises such as a pandemic.

What is Titan’s policy for staffing during a pandemic? Titan will work with our Clients to meet baseline security requirements for a given facility. In the event of a widespread or other major disruption Titan may implement the following measures:

• Reducing staffing to minimal coverage per location
• Implementing 12-hour shifts for security personnel (note that overtime generated due to this step would be billable)
• Suspending non-essential building activities (weekend training classes, etc.)

What does the Governor’s “stay-at-home” directive mean? Travel restrictions for non-essential personnel were put in place by Governor Pritzker effective March 21. For security professionals, this has very little impact. Public transportation, roads, hospitals, grocery stores, and gas stations remain open. We are approved to travel to and from our workplaces and will continue to provide a safe environment at our buildings. Other vital functions such as police, fire, property management, engineering, and delivery drivers are also authorized to travel as needed.

Is there a credentialing system to get back into the city? It is highly unlikely that City authorities will place extreme access-control measures on the CBD. If any such restrictions were applied, law enforcement would coordinate reentry to this area once the Incident Commander had deemed it safe to return. Chicago utilizes the FIMS/CP3 system to identify critical infrastructure partners, and the emergency contacts listed in the system would be prioritized for reentry.

What comes next? The current viral outbreak could be disruptive to businesses for weeks or even months. Many companies will continue or expand their work-from-home policies, and expand their use of technology such as remote videoconferencing. Security and property management professionals should continue to:

• Follow guidance from subject matter experts such as the CDC and CDPH
• Actively monitor reliable sources of information
• Initiate and follow their business continuity plans

Online Resources

• Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
• IDPH: www.dph.illinois.gov
• CDPH: www.chicago.gov/coronavirus
• DHS: www.dhs.gov
• FIMS/CP3: https://operations.chicagopolice.org/FIMSPublic

On behalf of all of us at Titan, I hope this note finds each of you and your loved ones safe and well during these complex times.  As the State of Illinois, and the country, finds itself facing this critical national emergency, the federal government, as well as state and local governments are issuing guidance and taking actions to restrict public interaction and commercial activities.  The forms of such actions to date include restrictions on business operations and Stay At Home orders.

To ensure public safety and the safe operation of businesses and other facilities that are open, and protect the assets and inventory of those business that may be temporarily closed, it is standard practice that these restrictions exempt private security companies and the provision of security-related services from such restrictions.

The recent State of Illinois COVID-19 Executive Order No.8 defines security as essential under the Critical Trades section of Essential Businesses and Operations.  As such, Titan will remain operational throughout the duration of this Stay at Home order.

Please note that we continue to take steps to ensure the safety and health of our team members.  All non-essential personnel have been ordered to work from home.  Sick or ill team members are required to stay home.  Team members that have been diagnosed with a positive COVID-19 test, experiencing symptoms similar to COVID-19, or believe they have come in contact with anyone that believes they are infected with COVID-19 are required to notify their supervisor or Titan HR and stay home.  All training classes are being conducted virtually, when possible, or limited to ten (10) or fewer people with proper social distancing measures.

All Titan team members should carry their Titan issued identification card and their State of Illinois issued Permanent Employee Registration Card (PERC) at all times when on post, or when in route to/from work. This is not only state law, but identifies them as a security professional whose presence is essential for the safe operation of the facility they support. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding security coverage or safety measures for your site, please contact your Titan representative or the Titan office at (312) 902-3400.  We will continue to communicate with you via email and at http://securechicago.com/posts/.

In these uncertain times, jurisdictions across the country are considering what steps they are going to implement to stop the spread of transmission of COVID-19.

As you contemplate additional policies and procedures to implement within your organization, consider these tips to help you prepare for and mitigate future impacts:  

• Monitor messaging from subject matter experts like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH)
• Examine “soft lockdown” protocols for all facilities, including pedestrian doors and loading docks
• Verify the building automation system control capabilities for all facilities
• Review CP3 database basic building information and emergency contacts
• Audit your facility emergency operations plan (EOP) and emergency contact lists

Titan’s emergency planning services capabilities include the creation of a facility-specific, all-hazards emergency plan. Every one of our current emergency services Clients has a core pandemic response guide included as a portion of their emergency operations plan document. Contact Titan’s Director of Emergency Management, Tom Henkey at [email protected] if we can provide additional insight or assistance.

COVID-19 Resources

COVID 19 Preparedness Checklist for Property Professionals

• BOMA International has released a COVID 19 Preparedness Checklist, to help property professionals navigate this public health concern.

Business and Workplace Resources

• Interim Guidance for Business and Employers (US CDC)
• Guidance for Preparing Workplaces on COVID-19 (OSHA) Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations (US CDC)
• The City of Chicago issued Guidance and Support for Covid-19 Restrictions on Restaurant Dining and Taverns.

Employment Laws and COVID-19 Health Emergencies

• COVID-19 or Other Public Health Emergencies and the Fair Labor Standards Act Questions and Answers) – US Department of Labor
• COVID-19 or Other Public Health Emergencies and the Family and Medical Leave Act Questions and Answers – US Department of Labor
• Pandemic Preparedness in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act – US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• COVID-19 – Occupational Health and Safety Administration

Titan Security Group is closely monitoring the ongoing developments of the COVID-19 virus, otherwise known as the “coronavirus”. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has advised that the COVID-19 virus has entered a phase of community spread in the United States. While it’s difficult to predict the course of the virus, Titan has a company-wide Emergency Operations Plan in place to ensure best practices are followed in this rapidly evolving scenario. 

Immediate Steps we are Taking:

• Communicating with clients and employees through direct email correspondences and posts via www.SecureChicago.com.
• Staying engaged with state and local health departments.
• Distributing informational flyers to all sites on resources and best practices related to transmission.
• Requesting sick employees to stay home and encouraging sites to separate a sick employee upon arrival or in a situation where sickness is apparent.
• Hiring and training additional backup staff.
• Conducting training classes virtually, when possible, or limiting classes to ten (10) or fewer people with proper social distancing measures.

Additional Steps May Include:

• Reducing staffing to an agreed upon minimal coverage.
• Suspending non-essential building activities (e.g., weekend training classes, etc.).
• Implementing 12-hour shifts for security personnel (Please note: overtime generated due to this step may be billable).
• Increasing use of mobile patrols and remote monitoring capabilities, if applicable.

Steps for Property Managers to Take:

• Promote health and safety measures by proactively implementing and communicating applicable information on best practices, prevention, and health resources on the COVID-19 virus.
• Prepare for a potential health emergency scenario resulting in reduced security staff available for your site.
• Review cleaning protocols in common areas and revise as necessary to meet the growing need for extra precautions.
• Communicate building procedure or process changes related to COVID-19 developments to tenants and vendors.

Do you have Questions?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding security coverage or safety measures for your site, contact your Titan representative.

As with any virus, you can protect yourself and others by:

• Washing your hands regularly with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze—remember to wash your hands afterward.
• Avoiding close contact with sick people. If you are sick, stay home from school or work for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.
• Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.

Resources:

We are reaffirming the significance of following the recommended best practices of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) for health and hygiene. Online resources for COVID-19 are available through both agencies (see below). The CDPH also has a hotline available by calling 312-746-7425, available Monday through Friday during business hours or call 311 during evenings, weekends, and holidays.

• BOMA International COVID-19 Preparedness Checklist
• Chicago Department of Public Health: www.chicago.gov/coronavirus
• Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
• Guidance for Businesses and Employers on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Guidance for Schools and Institutions of Higher Education on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Guidance for Faith-Based Community on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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).