Tammy Nolette, ITA International, LLC.
RANDOM ANTITERRORISM MEASURES – Security for work and home
When you think of security, you most likely think of police officers, guards, and the pass offices around Hampton Roads. Security is not only important at our job sites, but also a very important role in our personal lives as well. Everyone plays a role in security, in one form or another. There are precautions that can be taken to be secure at work, school, the mall, home, almost anywhere we go. Terrorist attacks, active shooters, and cybercrimes have increased significantly in our country. During the year we attend new or refresher mandatory trainings in security and I highly encourage you to look and share with others any additional training.
One method to deter possible terrorist attacks at the worksite is RAMS (Random Antiterrorism Measures). My favorite reason for performing RAM’s is that it protects the warfighter. RAMS are usually scheduled and approved by main department heads. RAMS are when personnel (security or otherwise) perform various tasks on different days and times, for varied allotted time periods. Below are some examples that can be chosen as often as required:
- 100 % ID checks – Check each person, entering facility, legal identification and make sure the person has proper badge for your building / facility (if required).
- Perimeter patrols to check for unlocked doors that should be secured.
- Check recycle bins to make sure that there is no classified information.
- Check perimeter fences for any intrusions.
- Check secure rooms- Ensure that locks are engaged. Make sure there are no signs of tampering.
- Vehicle inspections- 100% vehicle inspection of compartments, engine area, cab area, undercarriage (if applicable for vehicles entering premises).
RAMS, I believe, is beneficial to any organization. RAM’s ultimately is used to reduce vulnerability to terrorist acts. In my opinion, RAM’s is a great deterrent to insider threats and thief’s. When randomly monitoring the personnel exiting and entering your property and buildings, it sends the message that you never know when someone will be watching and protecting assets.
Random security measures can be practiced with your family at home or in the public as well. When in public ask your kids or spouse if they can identify where the exits are. Ask them if an active shooter was to enter the property, what would they do? I read an article that when a police officer brings his son to the grocery store, he has his son assess the store before entering the store. The police officer describes how less than 30 seconds can impact your life. He tells his son to step back a moment and survey the scene. He asks his son to look into the store and see if anything seemed out of place. Is the clerk behind the counter? Do people shopping look like they are doing business normally or do they look scared? If everything appears normal then enter the store. If something seems out of place, do not enter the store. These simple steps that the police officer is teaching his son could potentially save his life one day.
As everyone is responsible for their own security, I encourage you to take advantage of free trainings or possible exercises for Active Shooter in your area. You can check with your civic leagues, most cities have free preparedness trainings, as well as the FBI. Also, I encourage you to look up Suspicious Activity reporting (formerly 7 signs of Terrorism), to help identify signs of suspicious behavior.
Some communities offer Police Citizens Academies that provide free training that allow people to see what our police officers do. You can Google “Police Citizen Academy” in your hometown to see if your community offers one. Three links that I recommend for helpful insights on what to do in an active shooter scenario:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VcSwejU2D0 or http://search.dhs.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=dhs&query=active+shooter or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10IzrmisQTM
The third link was produced by the FBI, “The Coming Storm”. It is an educational video on a school shooting, behind the scenes, and actions needed throughout the whole event.
Personally, I believe there is no room for complacency in security. You should not assume that someone else called in a suspicious activity or that someone else will question a person that is in an area that they are not allowed to be in. Remember, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” Benjamin Franklin.
About The Author
Tammy Nolette is a Personnel Security Assistant for ITA International, LLC. Tammy has worked in shipyard security for 8 years. She is also a board member of CPAAAN (Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association of Norfolk), a member of CERT of Norfolk (Community Emergency Response Team), and InfraGard. Tammy also has her HAM radio technician license (KM4CSI).
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