Plenary Session to focus on private sector preparedness.
Press Release Summary:
On October 2, 2008, the ANSI Homeland Security Standards Panel will host 7th plenary session at U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC. Plenary will address Public Law 110-53, Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007, specifically Title IX on Private Sector Preparedness. Interactive panels will include Standards Involved in the Title IX Program, Accreditation/Certification Program, Business Case for Certification under PL 110-53, and Cyber Security.
Original Press Release:
Seventh ANSI-HSSP Plenary to Focus on Private Sector Preparedness
New York May 30, 2008
On October 2, 2008, the American National Standards Institute Homeland Security Standards Panel (ANSI-HSSP) will host its seventh plenary session at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC.
The 2008 plenary will address Public Law 110-53, the Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007, specifically Title IX on Private Sector Preparedness. The program will feature leaders from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security involved in the roll-out of the voluntary certification program for organizational preparedness and business continuity, as well as key private sector stakeholders linked to the standards involved, the accreditation/certification program, and the business case rationale.
Four interactive panels will focus the discussion over the course of the plenary:
Panel 1: Standards Involved in the Title IX Program
Under the terms of the Title IX program, DHS will adopt and utilize voluntary preparedness standards to assess private sector entity compliance with criteria for preparedness, disaster management, emergency management, and business continuity programs. Panelists will present and discuss some of the key standards being considered for usage within this program.
Panel 2: Accreditation/Certification Program
The second panel session will provide further details on the envisioned voluntary accreditation/certification program outlined in Title IX, as well as present the parallel experiences of being certified to a standard in another subject area.
Panel #3: Business Case for Certification under PL 110-53
A number of organizations, including the New York University (NYU) International Center for Enterprise Preparedness (InterCEP), have been examining the benefits and strategic importance of implementation and compliance with voluntary consensus standards. Panelists will address the business case for certification under the PL 100-53 voluntary program and provide first hand accounts from leaders within organizations faced with these responsibilities.
Panel #4: Cyber Security
As October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, this panel session will address some of the key issues facing businesses and the nation in the area of cyber security.
"The public sector involved in the Title IX voluntary private sector business continuity and preparedness accreditation and certification program will utilize this event to share information, and provide the latest updates on implementation," said Gordon Gillerman, public sector co-chair of the ANSI-HSSP and conformity assessment advisor-homeland security at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). "This HSSP plenary will be an excellent opportunity to engage in dialogue with all stakeholders during the course of the day's discussions."
"This event will highlight the vital role that standards and conformity assessment programs play in providing solutions to critical national priorities," said Christian Dubay, ANSI-HSSP private sector co-chair and vice president and chief engineer at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
"The plenary provides a unique opportunity for the homeland security, emergency preparedness, and business continuity communities to come together to discuss challenges, successes, and the future outlook of private sector preparedness," added Matt Deane, ANSI's director of homeland security standards. "Attendees of past plenary sessions have indicated that the dialogue, information sharing, and networking provided a strong platform for future collaboration."
Advance registration is required by September 15, 2008. Register online, or download a registration form. Information on sponsorship opportunities, registration fees, and further details are available on the ANSI-HSSP Plenary website.
For additional information, please contact Matt Deane (mdeane@ansi.org, 212.642.4492).
The American National Standards Institute launched the ANSI-HSSP in 2003 to assist DHS and those sectors requesting assistance to accelerate the development and adoption of consensus standards critical to homeland security. The panel has been active in addressing critical homeland security issues such as private sector emergency preparedness and business continuity, training programs for first responders, and such specific areas as perimeter security and biological and chemical threat agents. Ongoing efforts are examining standardization in transit security, emergency communications, and credentialing/access control for disaster management. Further information is available at http://www.ansi.org/hssp.
