Free Phone-Based Security Consulting Services Offered to Katrina-Affected Museums

Sept. 20, 2005
CPPG and subsidiaries to offer over-the-phone discussions with museums, historic sites, libraries and others affected by Katrina

Orlando, FL - The Cultural Property Protection Group, Inc. (CPPG), the nationally recognized security services firm in the U.S. specializing in museums and cultural properties, announced today that effective immediately, it will provide free security consulting services to those museums, historic sites, libraries and other cultural institutions that are victims of Hurricane Katrina.

CPPG and its consulting and engineering subsidiary Steve Keller and Associates, announced that they will provide free phone consultation for the next six month to non-profit cultural institutions in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana that were badly damaged by Katrina.

Wilbur Faulk, Executive Vice President of CPPG made the offer to impacted institutions in the spirit of community and recovery. Faulk said, "As so many other people, our management team has felt somewhat helpless as we watched this tragedy unfold. This is our company's small way of showing support for these institutions and the affected communities that have suffered losses integral to our combined cultural heritage. We will not accept any payment for these services." Faulk, a nationally known expert in disaster planning and former Director of Security for the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Getty Trust, said that the requests would be handled through the consulting and engineering subsidiary Steve Keller and Associates.

Steve Keller, President of Steve Keller & Associates said, "It is our hope that some of what we have learned along the way will be of some help to our colleagues. Many of these institutions are facing serious vulnerability.

For example, power may remain out for sometime and many institutions need emergency repairs to their security systems. It would be especially rewarding if it turns out we are able to help any of our colleagues. We will provide the consulting by telephone due to scheduling and logistics.

Once we become aware of any request for assistance, either Wilbur, me, or an appropriate member of our professional staff will respond as soon as possible to assist in any way we can." Keller has been a security consultant exclusively for museums and cultural properties for nearly 20 years and is the former Director of Security for the Art Institute of Chicago.

One other CPPG subsidiary, Horizon Institute, is making a similar offer. Keller stated "If you are a previous customer of Horizon Institute and have purchased training materials at any time in the past and these materials have been badly damaged or destroyed by Katrina, we will replace them free of charge and will pay the shipping costs, as long as the product is still available."

Eligible cultural institutions should phone the Ormond Beach office at (386) 673-5034 or email [email protected] between 9:00 AM and 5:00 pm (EST) weekdays.