Terror thoughts dominate ASIS convention

Oct 1, 2001 12:00 PM, Larry Anderson

Convening weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks first took their toll, the annual meeting of the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS) in San Antonio on Oct. 1-4 still felt the effects of post-terrorist shock waves. In the aisles of the accompanying trade show, attendees compared their recent experiences passing through airport security checkpoints — in many cases it was their first travel experiences since the airports reopened. Others didn't make the trip at all.

The crowds were smaller this year at the ASIS show — or did it just seem so because the convention floor plan was so spread out?

In the exhibit booths themselves, and in the seminars taking place nearby, there was serious talk. How can the security industry protect the nation from future terrorist attacks? What tools are available to help? Television cameras were humming on the exhibit floor, and local TV stations were filled with coverage about the show and its product offerings. Breathless local anchors confirmed what everybody in the industry — and outside it — has known since the Sept. 11 attacks: Security is big news. Considered in the context of providing helpful information and products in the weeks following the terrorist attacks, this year's ASIS show could not have been more timely.

Few complained about the thinner crowd, and there was a consensus that what the attendance lacked in numbers it more than made up for in quality of attendee. One exhibitor interpreted the trend toward higher-level attendees as an indication that security has moved up in importance on most corporate agendas. “We have a mandate from customers to improve the levels of security at their companies,” said Frank Abram, general manager, Panasonic Security and Digital Imaging Systems, Secaucus, N.J.

Reacting to current events, ASIS spread the word in advance of the show about its anti-terrorism programs, which included a speech by William Cohen, former U.S. Secretary of Defense. ASIS sponsored a full-day program Oct. 3 to address the need for reliable information on terrorism and related subjects.

Cohen called the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon “a defining moment for the United States.”

“Will it happen again?” he asked. “The answer is yes.” Cohen cited the report of the Hart-Rudman Commission on National Security that predicted “multiple terrorist attacks by people who use weapons of mass destruction, and chemical and biological weapons.”

“What we need is an enlightened, educated discussion of threats, not panic,” he said, and suggested that the proper response to the attacks should be “controlled rage.”

TECHNOLOGY TO THE RESCUE

How various technologies can improve security at the nation's airports and elsewhere was a common theme among suppliers exhibiting at the show.

For example, Viisage Technology, Littleton, Mass., a face-recognition and technology company, teamed with Rapor Inc., New Britain, Conn., a developer of security portal systems, to exhibit a security solution applicable to airports and other locations. Mounted above the sophisticated Rapor door, the Viisage face-recognition technology was programmed to signal the door when it recognizes a face that should not be granted access. The door remains open until it gets the signal, and then closes suddenly and directs the individual to exit to the side. On the day after the show, Viisage announced it will install one of the systems in a U.S. airport. Rapor's systems have recently received FAA approval.

Another ASIS exhibitor, Israeli company NICE Systems Ltd., offered digital video recording solutions applicable to airport security. The video systems could be used with the company's digital voice logging systems, for example, to provide expanded applications to help protect airlines from terrorists.

Once established in an airport, NICE Systems' digital recording platform can accommodate additional value-added applications, according to the company. NICE Systems also announced the MJPEG-4 next generation compression algorithm to provide better storage utilization over limited bandwidth. “We can help airports upgrade their security capabilities by adding thousands of artificial eyes,” said Haim Shani, president and CEO, NICE Systems.

THE INDUSTRY'S NEW CLIMATE

When talk turned to how the terrorist attacks would affect future business prospects for the industry, the mood was grimly optimistic — and cautious. Observers expect business to increase in the months following the terrorist attacks, not just at airports, but at all businesses newly awakened to the scary possibilities and threats previously considered too unlikely to bother with.

The industry can expect an immediate upsurge in interest among end-users looking to do something — anything — to improve their security standing. Suppliers interviewed at the show contended that the industry will need to react carefully and responsibly to this initial rush of business.

Suppliers must provide for customers' long-range needs rather than indulge in short-term profiteering. The industry's effectiveness in meeting customer needs in the near-term will set the tone for continued increases in businesses in the longer-term as end-user companies digest the implications of the recent attacks and design thoughtful security plans, according to ASIS exhibitors.

If the mood at the ASIS show is any indication, the industry's response to current events will be thoughtful and sensitive — not greedy. If security businesses are in a position to prosper in the wake of tragedy, they will also be challenged to do the right thing.

Several companies are providing technology already. Identicator Inc., El Segundo, Calif., is providing airports with its LE-10 Inkless Fingerprinting System to help with background checks. Also, CAP Index Inc., Exton, Pa., is donating its crime vulnerability reports to companies in the World Trade Center and surrounding neighborhoods. The database reports and site maps will be available to help evaluate the potential for violent crime at potential new locations.

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For additional coverage of the ASIS show — including product coverage — check out our Security Beat e-mail newsletter and our web site at securitysolutions.com

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© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

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