RiskUKSeptember2017

Security Services: Best Practice Casebook
communication, trust and feedback between
the Metropolitan Police Service and the wide
range of private sector capabilities and
initiatives that have the common goal of
reducing risk and crime in support of the
London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime’s
Business Crime Strategy. There are full
expectations that this initiative will gain further
traction over the next 12 months.
Furthering the collaboration theme, back in
July the City of London Police, Land Securities
Group plc and ourselves launched a new
scheme that introduces Emergency Trauma
Packs (ETPs) for prominent buildings and
business premises in the Square Mile. The aim
of this initiative is simple: to augment the
ability of first responders and members of the
public to treat casualties in the event of a major
incident. The concept works in line with recent
recommendations from the London Resilience
Board that focus squarely on equipping
members of the public with the necessary tools
to help them save lives.
Each ETP is stocked with a collection of
specialist medical equipment to treat
casualties, with the location of the kits plotted
on a map such that operators in the City of
London Police’s Control Room are able to
instruct individuals on site in use of the packs
in the event of a major incident. By having fullystocked
ETPs on their premises, first
responders, businesses and members of the
public will have the tools readily available to
respond in the event of an emergency.
Application of knowledge
Superintendent William Duffy from the City of
London Police said: “First Aid that’s
administered within the first few moments
following an attack can be life-saving. Due to
the nature of major incidents, the public will
inevitably be at the scene. If businesses and
other premises in the vicinity have enhanced
medical equipment on site, we can give people
access to the tools needed to help them save
lives. The availability of these kits is a natural
accompaniment to the CitizenAid App that
launched at the beginning of this year. The
application of knowledge and simple skills in
the critical period immediately after injury can
mean the difference between life and death.”
The City of London Police isn’t paying for the
ETPs, but has given advice – alongside the
London Ambulance Service – on what should be
included. In the very short time the scheme has
been launched, over 300 ETPs have been
deployed across the City of London, while the
Met is rolling-out a similar scheme. It’s felt that
the initiative will grow right across the UK.
The cost of an ETP (which is estimated at
around £450) and its upkeep are the
responsibility of the purchasing business. Each
kit will be stored in a secure location within the
business premises. The host organisation will
appoint a designated key holder who can be
contacted on a 24/7 basis should the kit be
needed. ETPs will contain around 40 items
including face masks, batteries, ice packs,
goggles, adhesive dressings and eye pads.
Business continuity
ISO 22301 Business Continuity Management
Systems is a framework and roadmap designed
to help organisations understand the risks to
their business and prioritise threats such that
they can be mitigated and factored into
business planning. This document specifies the
requirements of a management system that will
enable an organisation to identify – and,
therefore, reduce – the impact of events that
would disrupt its normal operation.
Events such as fires, floods, natural disasters,
thefts or criminal acts, IT disruptions, staff
shortages or terrorist attacks can be identified
before instigating a recovery plan to minimise
disruption in the running of the host business.
By its very nature, a continuity planning and
management system such as ISO 22301 means
that specific problems can often be identified
before they happen. This allows the host
organisation to put plans in place that serve to
ensure the smooth running of all critical
business functions during times of crisis.
Certification to ISO 22301 affords firms the
ability to identify and mitigate current threats
and potential crisis episodes within the
organisation. It also helps to minimise the loss
and disruption caused by the impact of these
incidents, while at the same time ensuring the
smooth running of critical business systems. It
can assist in making sure that unavoidable
downtime is minimised and that recovery can
be as quick as possible. Importantly, it instils
confidence among customers and stakeholders
that you can deliver products and services to
them despite unexpected interruptions.
“The whole is greater than the sum of its
parts” is a phrase credited to philosopher
Aristotle. Never has this pronouncement been
more apt than in the context of security. We are
all the genesis of effective collaboration.
Paul Harvey MSyI:
Commercial Director of
Ultimate Security Services
“There are efficiency benefits to be realised. Investments
can be made once such that the wheel isn’t reinvented
over and over again. Increased participation leads to
enhanced community awareness”
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