Private Sector Provides Recommendations on Preparedness Standards

Title IX of Public Law 110-53 "Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007" requires that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) establish voluntary emergency preparedness standards for the private sector. Several organizations, including ASIS International, have issued a report to DHS reflecting the concerns of private industry. The group also includes Disaster Recovery Institute International, National Fire Protection Association, and Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc.

 The report notes that there are a variety of successful approaches to preparedness and that individual companies should be able to choose which plan meets itsneeds. In the report, the group warns that small and medium-sized companies will need more assistance than large organizations in developing preparedness standards and that best practices should first be developed for smaller firms. The next step, according to the group, is to create evaluation tools to determine which programs are most cost effective.

The report highlights existing best practices and guidelines as descriptive of the requirement put forth in the law. It also suggests that organizations that are in conformity with existing best practices and guidelines should be considered compliance with Title IX of P.L. 110-53.

The report also notes that this is an unfunded mandate.