ANSI-HSSP Summit Focuses on Perimeter Security

June 3, 2005
Presentations and panels discussed perimeter controls, personnel verification; workshop formed to develop standards

More than 120 professionals, experts and leaders in the area of perimeter security gathered for a summit and standards workshop meeting of the American National Standards Institute's Homeland Security Standards Panel (ANSI-HSSP) on May 17, 2005. The events, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Lockheed Martin, Nomadics and Digital Power Capital, focused on the practical challenges and emerging solutions relating to perimeter security for critical facilities.

The presentations delivered during the course of the day addressed security technologies and systems needed to complement and enhance guards, gates, and personnel verification. Panel sessions were devoted to the areas of Civilian Targets on the Front Line, Real-World Examples: Federal and DoD Perimeter Protection, Expanding the Perimeter, Guarding Portals – Sensing Invisible Threats and Integrating & Synthesizing. The agenda and presentations from the summit are available on the ANSI-HSSP website.

Following the summit, an ANSI-HSSP workshop was convened to examine the role emerging for perimeter security standards. This initial meeting began the process of identifying existing standards and guidance documents being used, and where gap areas exist. A task group was formed to further define this important homeland security standards area and the appropriate steps forward.

"We were very pleased with the turnout for summit and workshop and the interchange of ideas that occurred over the course of the day," stated the ANSI-HSSP program manager, Matt Deane. He continued, "The summit presentations and question and answer sessions teed up the key issues and challenges in the area of perimeter security and we are fortunate to have a dedicated group of individuals on our workshop task group to examine how standards can help meet some of these challenges."

Anyone wishing to receive further information on this ANSI-HSSP workshop, or to participate in other HSSP activities, should contact Matt Deane via email at [email protected].