Category: Emergency Preparedness

5 Steps for Hurricane Preparedness and Facility Resilience

As the Atlantic hurricane season looms, businesses must take proactive measures to protect their facilities from the potentially devastating impact of severe storms. With experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicting a range of 12 to 17 named storms in 2023—with five to nine of them being hurricanes, including one to four Category […]

Louisiana Awards Schools Over $20M for Security Upgrades

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) has awarded over $20 million to harden the perimeters of K-12 schools across the state. The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) approved the LDOE’s Stronger Connections Grant program allocations to 39 traditional public and public charter systems. According to the LDOE, the funds will be used […]

A Three-Part Strategy for Workplace Violence Programs

In August of 1986, a postal employee threatened with losing his job walked into a post office with a mailbag full of guns and ammunition and opened fire. He did not say a word—he just started shooting and killing. Six postal workers were wounded, and 14 were killed. That was one of several shootings that took […]

Webinar Watch: FM NOW Sessions on Secure Buildings

On Tuesday, June 20, make sure to join your colleagues and expert panelists for our FM NOW: Secure Buildings virtual summit! The FREE educational sessions will cover critical topics for facility security, including system integration, live events, and active shooters. Can’t make it to the live webinars? No worries! All registrants also receive a link […]

Tech That Can Improve Emergency Lockdown Protocols

The rapid growth of technology has bettered our world in countless ways, some that we probably hardly ever consider. One of these is the amount of safety we have access to if we choose to access it. Another thing that technology has done is give us access to news anytime we want it. Through social […]

What’s Ahead for this Hurricane Season?

June marks the official start of hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30. But how many of these potentially dangerous storms should we expect (and prepare for) this year? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released its 2023 Atlanta Hurricane Season outlook, which forecasts a “near-normal” season. Specifically, the agency predicts a 40% chance of […]

Infographic: Why Do Building Codes Matter?

Facilities managers should understand the importance of meeting current building codes, both when constructing and when maintaining safe and sustainable facilities. This infographic offers key reasons why building codes matter, courtesy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). To read more about building codes and how they are updated, be sure to check out “Back […]

Colorado Passes ‘Landmark’ Law on Wildfire Resiliency and Building Codes

On May 12, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed SB23-166, a new law establishing a Wildfire Resiliency Code Board to enhance building codes, bolster fire-resistant construction, and protect against wildfire risks in the state’s wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and International Code Council strongly supported SB23-166 and have praised its passage, […]

K-12 School Safety Toolkit Aims to Boost Bystander Reporting

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) have released the K-12 Bystander Reporting Toolkit, a new resource to support K-12 schools in strengthening school safety reporting programs and encouraging bystander reporting among students and the broader school community. The toolkit offers simple strategies and guidance K-12 […]

Infographic: 6 Ways to Protect Your Facility from Arson

Part of a facility manager’s job is fire safety, which includes protecting life and property in a building from fire. In recognition of Arson Awareness Week, which is the first full week of May, here are 6 ways to protect your facility from arson. For more ways to protect your facility from fire, read Facilities […]