Plano Fire-Rescue Chief Sam Greif has been appointed to serve as Chairman of the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Terrorism & Homeland Security Committee.

In the 19 years that have passed since Sept. 11, 2001, Americans have seen significant increases in counterterrorism security in public venues, including more security guards, closed-circuit TV cameras, metal detectors and bag checks. A study by the USC Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events (CREATE) finds out that people are still willing to pay more for increased security at public venues almost two decades later.

Meet the United States Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) – a federal agency that can serve as an exemplar model on how to interface with public safety responders, domestically or abroad.

Workplace violence is on the rise. In May, there was an active shooter event in Virginia Beach, where a disgruntled city employee murdered 12 of his co-workers. As the debate for sensible gun-control continues, gun laws alone will not stop the next massacre.

Congressman Pete Visclosky (D-IN) announced that the Department of Homeland Security has awarded grants through the Port Security Grant Program to assist the Port of Indiana – Burns Harbor.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced $35 million in funding opportunities for a new DHS Center of Excellence (COE) for Terrorism Prevention and Counterterrorism Research (TPCR). 

National capabilities for terrorism prevention — options other than traditional law-enforcement action to respond to the risk of individual radicalization to violence — are relatively limited, with most relying on local or non-government efforts and only a subset receiving federal support, according to a report from the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC).

A group of British politicians want companies to pull advertising from firms that fail to tackle terrorism.

Thirty-five countries pledged Tuesday to turn international guidelines on nuclear security into national laws, including France, Britain, Canada and Israel. This move is aimed at preventing terrorists from acquiring nuclear material. The initiative also commits countries to open up their security procedures to independent review – a further step toward creating an international legal framework to mitigate risks of nuclear terrorism.

The United States is advising airlines with direct flights serving Russia to be aware of the possibility of explosive materials concealed in toothpaste or cosmetic tubes. Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said the Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin to airlines flying to Russia warning of the potential threat. The bulletin said that officials believed that the explosives might be used during flights or smuggled into the city of Sochi, where the Winter Olympics begins this week.