Joel Thacker, fire safety and security professional, has been named the new Executive Director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

Security leader Pamela Brown shares best practices she’s learned over a 40-year career in healthcare safety, from maintaining resilience through organizational shifts to emphasizing the value of women in security.

Thanks to smarter new fire panels and retrofitting of existing fire prevention equipment, a significant medical complex is now much safer. 

Take a look at how 170 years of fire and life safety continue to guide present-day solutions and preparedness.

Catastrophic fires that result in property damage costing at the least $10 million, otherwise known as large-loss fires, are a growing concern due to inefficient fire protection systems and climate change.

 A fire in 2013 that began in the attic of a Colorado sorority house burned for hours before anyone detected it, resulting in a million-dollar loss. Why? The three-story, wood-frame house had no fire detection system, and a sprinkler system covered the living spaces but not the attic. 

Your job title is Security Director, Director of Corporate Security or Chief Security Officer, yet most likely your role entails more than security. As the economy continues its downward trend, corporations have eliminated new positions, leaving open positions unfilled and combining positions. The person responsible for security is now responsible for much more including fire, life safety and safety. But a security director may not be as familiar with fire safety as they are with security matters.