For security leaders, an emergency preparedness plan isn’t just a requirement; it’s a critical component of organizational resilience. Disasters, whether natural or human-caused, can disrupt operations, compromise safety, and expose vulnerabilities. A well-structured plan ensures rapid response and mitigates risk. Below are key elements that should be taken into consideration when creating a robust plan:

1. Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment. Identify threats specific to your business environment, such as power outages, severe weather, active shooter scenarios, or cyber disruptions.
2. Establish clear communication channels. During a crisis, timely alerts and accurate information are essential. Integrate mass notification systems and ensure frontline security teams have reliable communication devices and well-understood communication protocols.
3. Ensure evacuation plans are clear. Establish evacuation routes and assembly points. Ensure that plans are regularly reviewed, practiced, and communicated to all parties within your business.
4. Back up resources & systems: stock emergency supplies, verify backup power systems, and confirm access control measures remain functional under stress conditions.
5. Prioritize training and drills. Security guards and staff should practice evacuation procedures, lockdown protocols, and incident response steps regularly. Realistic training exercises build confidence and reduce chaos when seconds matter.

By embedding these elements into your security operations plan, your company strengthens its business continuity and protects people and assets. Emergency preparedness is a strategic imperative for every organization.

Contact Inter-Con to help you update your emergency preparedness plans.

Workplace violence in healthcare is becoming a growing crisis. Recent data from National Nurses United reveals that 81.6% of nurses experienced some form of workplace violence in 2023, ranging from verbal threats to physical assaults. Nearly half (45.5%) reported an increase in incidents compared to the previous year.

For security leaders, these numbers emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive violence-prevention strategies, risk assessments, and incident response protocols. Security Guards in hospitals and clinics must go beyond basic healthcare/hospital security protocols. Specialized de-escalation training, preparedness for mental-health–related behaviors or patient agitation are critical—especially in emergency departments, behavioral health units, and other high-stress environments. Security Guards should be trained to recognize early warning signs, intervene before escalation, and protect both staff and patients.

A strong, visible security presence combined with patrols and clear reporting channels can deter aggression and enhance safety. Protecting healthcare workers also reduces turnover and mitigates costly absenteeism. According to The Burden of Violence to U.S. Hospitals | AHA, workplace violence costs hospitals millions annually in lost productivity.

Ultimately, integrating security teams into a holistic prevention plan—one that prioritizes mental-health awareness, conflict resolution, and rapid response—is essential for patient safety and organizational resilience.

Contact Inter-Con to help you with your Healthcare security needs.

As winter sets in and temperatures drop, security programs face increased challenges that require proactive planning. Extreme cold and heavy snow don’t just disrupt operations; they create real risks to physical security, business continuity, and overall safety.

For frontline teams, clear protocols are essential. Security Guards should be equipped with insulated gear, high-visibility layers, and reliable communication devices to maintain situational awareness during snow, ice, and low-visibility conditions. Rotating posts more frequently can prevent cold-related injuries like hypothermia and frostbite, while regular check-ins ensure officer well-being.

Security leaders should reinforce emergency response procedures for power outages, frozen access points, and delayed first-responder support. Conducting winter-specific risk/threat assessments helps identify vulnerabilities such as icy walkways, obstructed cameras, or weakened perimeter barriers.

Equally important is preparing for increased incidents like slips and falls, stranded vehicles, and after-hours access requests. By integrating winter hazards into your security operations plans, you create resiliency that protects people and property assets.

With the right planning, training, and real-time oversight, your team can operate safely and effectively all winter long.

Contact Inter-Con Security to learn more about how we can help you stay prepared.

The holiday season brings increased travel and, with it, heightened security risks. For security leaders, proactive planning is essential to protect employees, assets, and sensitive information during this busy period.

Risk Assessments

Start with risk assessments tailored to the holiday period and travel. Identify potential vulnerabilities such as unattended facilities, reduced staffing, and increased cyber threats targeting remote access. Reinforce physical security protocols for offices and parking areas, ensuring access controls and surveillance systems remain fully operational.

Employee Travel

For traveling employees, emphasize situational awareness. Encourage staff to avoid sharing travel plans on social media, keep devices secured, and use encrypted connections when accessing company networks. Lost or stolen devices are a common holiday risk – be sure to implement clear protocols for quick reporting and mitigation.

Transportation Safety

Transportation safety matters too. Advise travelers to park in well-lit areas, lock vehicles, and keep valuables out of sight. For international trips, provide guidance on local security conditions and emergency contacts.

Communication Plan

Finally, a strong security culture depends on strong communication plans – quick updates and clear escalation paths. By integrating these measures into your security operations plans, you reduce exposure and ensure business continuity—even during peak holiday travel.

Stay vigilant, stay prepared, and keep your team safe this holiday season.

In today’s complex social and political climate, protests and rallies have become increasingly common near government buildings, commercial centers, and corporate campuses. While most demonstrations remain peaceful, even well-intentioned events can quickly disrupt operations, threaten employee safety, or cause property damage.

For security leaders, the challenge is not if these events impact your organization, but when. Preparation is key. Below are some helpful tips to consider:

• Conduct a Risk Assessment: Collaborate with your security services provider or corporate security team to conduct a risk assessment. Mapping potential protest routes, identifying access points, and determining ingress and egress points can be very helpful. Intelligence-gathering and monitoring tools can also help track planned demonstrations and assess crowd sentiment.
• Reinforce Access Control: When a protest or rally is happening near your business, tighten access control procedures. This includes badge credentialing, stationing security guards at all entry points, and ensuring that CCTV surveillance systems are fully operational and monitored.
• Develop Strong Communication Plans: Ensure employees know what to do, where to go, and how to stay informed if a protest escalates. Security leaders should coordinate closely with law enforcement and facility management to share information.
• Train Security Guards: Provide specific training on crowd management, de-escalation techniques, and emergency response protocols.
• Protect Critical Infrastructure: Secure parking lots, loading docks, and any high-value or sensitive areas. Whenever possible, install temporary fencing or barricades to prevent vehicle intrusion.

Protests and rallies will continue to be part of today’s landscape. Organizations that are well-prepared and vigilant can protect their people, assets, and reputation. Inter-Con Security can help your business prepare.

For new security decision makers, a strong risk assessment is the foundation of every effective security program. It identifies vulnerabilities, prioritizes threats, and informs measures that reduce operational, financial, and reputational risk. Below are key steps to formulating an effective and robust risk assessment:

1. Conduct a threat identification analysis. Evaluate internal and external risks from theft and workplace violence to cyber breaches, supply-chain disruptions, and natural hazards. Engage cross-functional department leaders and frontline employees to ensure all potential threats are listed.
2. Perform a vulnerability analysis. Review physical security protocols, access-control systems, lighting, surveillance coverage, visitor management, and guard-force deployment. Identify gaps that could allow unauthorized access, safety incidents, or business interruption.
3. Assess likelihood and impact. Using a simple risk-matrix approach, categorize each threat as low, medium, or high. This helps security teams allocate resources strategically and justify budget decisions to senior leadership.
4. Translate findings into a clear risk-mitigation plan. This may include enhancing patrol routes, adding security guard staff, upgrading cameras, improving cybersecurity training and practices, revising emergency procedures, or training employees in situational awareness.

An effective risk assessment not only strengthens your overall security posture but also empowers security leaders to drive informed decision-making and build a safer, more resilient organization.

In recent years, active shooter incidents have become a tragically familiar risk across workplaces, schools, public venues, and even hospitals. According to CNN and Gun Violence Archive, there have been 331 mass shooting events YTD (through October 5, 2025) alone in the U.S. 

Training, preparation, and the proper security protocols are key for your organization when the unthinkable happens. Below are suggestions to put in place before, during, and after an incident with your security teams.

Preparation & Prevention (Before an Incident):

• Conduct threat assessments and security audits: examine entry/exit points, vulnerable zones, parking lots, blind spots, etc.
• Install physical security layers: access control, which can include badge screening, turnstiles, metal detection, and weapons screening when feasible. Investigating technologies like cameras, mass notification systems, etc., as an additional layer.
• Train staff in active shooter response: not just lockdown but options protocols (run, hide, fight) and coordinated drills.
• Define communication and evacuation plans: building-wide announcements, clear emergency roles and responsibilities, and evacuation plans with multiple egress paths.

Response & Control (During an Incident):

• Act decisively: within your training and authority.
• Execute the Run, Hide, Fight Options mindset: support escape, when possible, direct occupants to safe zones, and engage only if there is no other choice.
• Maintain situational awareness: monitor attacker movement, changing conditions, and lines of fire.
• Coordinate with backup security teams and law enforcement: relay real-time intel.
• Prioritize life safety by helping occupants and assisting the injured: If needed, provide first aid or life-saving trauma care until medical help arrives.

Post Event & Recovery (After the Incident)

• Account for occupants and provide status to first responders
• Assist law enforcement: with witness statements, CCTV footage, building layouts, etc.
• Secure the scene and preserve evidence when possible.
• Conduct after-action reviews: what worked, what failed, lessons learned. Revise training protocols and physical security measures based on lessons learned. Conduct refresher training regularly.

With proper training, regular drills, and coordinated planning with facility leadership and law enforcement, Security Guards can save lives and mitigate chaos when seconds count.

Inter-Con can help your company with conducting a risk assessment for your business and ensure your security coverage is ready and right for your business.

PRESS RELEASE

September 29, 2025

Contact: [email protected]

New Orleans, Louisiana. — September 29, 2025 — Inter-Con Security announced that it was awarded last evening the coveted Outstanding Contract Security Company (Guarding) Award at the OSPA’s and will be a sponsor at tonight’s Women in Security /Next Gen Reception.

 “The company is honored to have been recognized by the security industry at this year’s OSPAs Award Ceremony and is very proud to be a sponsor of this evening’s ASIS Women in Security/Next Gen Reception,” said Henry Hernandez, President and CEO of Inter-Con Security.

Founded in 1973 by U.S. Army Veteran and retired LAPD Detective Lt. Enrique “Hank” Hernandez, Inter-Con has nearly tripled in size over the past three years to become one of the largest and fastest-growing security companies, employing over 37,000 employees. This recent growth has been entirely organic, and Inter-Con has neither acquired nor merged with any other security company in its 50-year history. Inter-Con remains 100% owned by the Hernandez Family, making it one of the largest family-owned, certified Minority Business Enterprises in the United States.

Mr. Hernandez added, “Inter-Con’s tremendous growth over the last several years would not be possible without the incredible people on our team who go above and beyond to support our clients and communities every day. The diversity of perspectives and skills within our organization significantly contributes to our ability to innovate and succeed in supporting some of the most complex, high-requirement programs in the world. We are incredibly proud to have won this year’s Outstanding Contract Security Company (Guarding) award.”

About Inter-Con 

Inter-Con is a global provider of fully customized, high-touch integrated security solutions. Inter-Con is a 100% Hispanic-owned, certified Minority Business Enterprise, and is the largest minority-owned and operated security company in the world, employing over 37,000 people across North and South America, and Africa.

Parking lots are among the most high-risk areas for preventable incidents, making proactive security measures and strong situational awareness essential. For both security leaders and frontline Security Guards, reinforcing safe behaviors can significantly reduce threats from accidents and potential personal safety concerns.

One simple way to improve parking lot security is by promoting proper backing procedures. Security officers should lead by example: perform a full 360-degree check, use mirrors intentionally, avoid relying solely on backup cameras, and pull ahead into spaces, when possible, vs. reversing in. Slow, controlled movement minimizes blind-spot collisions and helps maintain safe traffic flow—key elements of any effective security strategy.

Personal safety matters just as much. Encourage employees and visitors to stay alert, avoid distractions, and keep keys in hand when walking to their vehicles. If an employee or visitor feels unsafe, they should ask for a security escort to their car. Strategic patrol routes, adequate lighting, and a visible security presence all help deter crime and reduce vulnerability to opportunistic offenders.

Preventing carjackings requires both deterrence and readiness. Security Guards should watch for suspicious behaviors such as loitering near vehicles and position patrols in high-risk areas. Quick reporting protocols and strong team communication enhance emergency response times and reinforce a culture of vigilance.

By focusing on backing safety, personal protection, and carjacking prevention, security leaders can strengthen parking lot security and create safer environments for everyone.

Inter-Con is here to help with improving your security protocols. Contact us today.

PRESS RELEASE

August 27, 2025

Contact: [email protected]

San Diego, CA – August 27, 2025 – The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) has earned the Gold Standard Award for Security from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the agency’s highest honor for excellence in transit safety. Out of 6,800 transit systems nationwide, only two were recognized in 2024, and Inter-Con Security is proud to serve as the trusted security partner for one of them. 

This award highlights the strength of MTS’s partnership with Inter-Con Security, a globally recognized leader in protective services. As one of the largest private security companies in the United States, Inter-Con has a proven record of delivering customized solutions for transit systems, government agencies, and critical infrastructure. With highly trained officers, advanced technology platforms, and comprehensive risk management strategies, Inter-Con continues to raise the bar for transit security nationwide. 

The TSA Gold Standard Award is earned through rigorous evaluations across categories such as strategic planning, training, public outreach, and technology use. Inter-Con’s ability to deploy professional, highly trained officers, paired with MTS’s ongoing commitment to innovation, distinguished San Diego as one of the safest and most secure transit systems in the country. 

Together, MTS and Inter-Con are redefining security excellence in public transportation, ensuring millions of riders every year can travel safely and with confidence throughout the San Diego region. 

Learn more here. 

About Inter-Con 

Inter-Con Security is a global provider of fully customized, client-focused integrated security solutions. As a 100% Hispanic-owned, certified Minority Business Enterprise, Inter-Con is the largest minority-owned and operated security company in the world, employing over 37,000 security professionals across North America, South America, and Africa.