Products and Services
Homeland Security Releases Risk Self-Assessment Tool for Convention Centers, Hotels
By Matt Alderton
February 14, 2012
Because they host hundreds of thousands of people at events on any given day, convention centers, hotels, racetracks, stadiums, arenas and theme parks are at an increased risk for terrorist attacks and natural disasters, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has released an updated version of its Risk Self-Assessment Tool (RSAT), it announced this month.
Developed by DHS' Office of Infrastructure Protection, RSAT is a free online risk-assessment tool that's designed to help facilities identify, evaluate and diminish threats and vulnerabilities, including exposure to foreign and domestic terrorist attacks, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires.
"The impact of terrorist attacks and natural hazards on transportation, stadiums, hotels and other commercial facilities around the world underscores the need for serious assessments of security and preparedness measures in the United States," DHS said in an announcement.
Facilities that register for RSAT supply basic information — including the size, attendance, capacity and primary uses of their facility, as well as information on their facility's security procedures and potential threats — and receive two complimentary reports in return that they can use to identify and prioritize areas where protective measures, training and procedures are most needed. The first report, a self-assessment report, provides detailed information on the strengths and weaknesses of facilities' existing security, as well as opportunities for additional protection measures. The second report, a benchmark report, shows facilities how they compare to buildings of similar size and use.
"DHS encourages all facility managers to take steps to fully evaluate their protective measures and determine where their facilities may be vulnerable," said DHS, which recommends that facilities use RSAT once a year to evaluate the impact of any new threats and to assess the effectiveness of current security and protective measures. "You should also consider reassessing whenever there is a change in a particular threat, a situational change, a special event, recent security incidents or something that exposes your facility to a threat that has not been considered or evaluated previously. Risk assessment, in other words, should be an ongoing process."
To learn more about RSAT, contact
RSAT@hq.dhs.gov. Or, register online at
https://rsat.anl.gov.