Economic downturns typically result in an influx of foreclosed, vacant, idle, and even completely abandoned properties. This affects a range of business sectors—including habitation and office facilities, factories, schools, hospitals and retail.

“Do more with less.” That’s pretty much the message security managers and IT directors hear these days. On the one hand, security now ranks high on the agenda of most organizations; on the other, shrinking budgets pose a real challenge to deploying the security and surveillance systems they need. Fortunately, when you take a deeper and longer-term look at the economics of surveillance systems, a different picture can emerge — one that makes a lot more sense from a financial point of view.

Protection is a core mission of the security department, whether protecting facilities, people or assets. Now it's time for security to embrace an additional protection mission and to incorporate it into every aspect of security operations. Let's look at how the security department can help to protect the environment.

Our nation's continued budget woes are taking a toll at all levels of government, including local cities and counties that are struggling with higher costs, lower tax revenue collections and sometimes dwindling state and federal aid. The result is a need to look for lower-cost and less-labor-intensive ways to address a range of government security and law enforcement needs. When governments downsize, technology is a tool to help fill the gap.

Our nation's continued budget woes are taking a toll at all levels of government, including local cities and counties that are struggling with higher costs, lower tax revenue collections and sometimes dwindling state and federal aid. The result is a need to look for lower-cost and less-labor-intensive ways to address a range of government security and law enforcement needs. When governments downsize, technology is a tool to help fill the gap.

According to “Joint Commission Perspectives,” a 2009 survey revealed that the most common types of Joint Commission standards citations given to hospitals were for Life Safety Code violations. In fact, Life Safety Code-related violations were the first, second, fourth and sixth most frequently cited, includinf failure to maintain an egress as well as failing to to protect people from smoke and fire (source: Joint Commission Perspectives). These findings are likely in part to be the result of The Joint Commissions’ increased focus in this area and the addition of Life Safety specialists to the inspection team.

The number of tablet owners continues to soar, making it difficult for manufacturers to keep up with demand. New tablet owners are increasingly business users, particularly within industries such as retail, banking, and healthcare. Estimates indicate that 25 percent of tablet sales in 2011 will be made by enterprises, leading some to call 2011 the year of the enterprise tablet. All estimations aside, a tablet’s ability to provide mobility and flexibility is irrefutable, and businesses are noticing. But can tablets be deployed in an enterprise without sacrificing security?

Louis Barani, World Trade Center Security Director for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, will keynote this year’s Security 500 Conference on November 1 in New York City.

Security breaches can cost organizations millions of dollars, and those costs could be followed by lawsuits, insurance claims, and hefty fines. Just as important are the devastating effects on company reputation and customer trust that could extend far into the future. A 2008 study by the Ponemon Institute, which researches information security policy and data protection, found that after a breach of credit card data businesses lose 31% of their customers.