Security Trade Associations Highlight Need to Maintain Key Infrastructure During COVID-19 Pandemic

The Security Industry Association (SIA), the Electronic Security Association (ESA), and The Monitoring Association (TMA) have released a joint statement to keep their members informed about the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, the three organizations reaffirmed their commitment to their members, and stressed that they will continue to advocate for electronic security and life safety industry providers as the situation evolves.

They also noted that electronic security providers will have an important role to play as federal, state, and local governments respond to the pandemic. The trade organizations called particular attention to the list of “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” detailed in the latest guidelines from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). That list includes many services that fall under the electronic security umbrella.

For example, some electronic security providers support and maintain the communications and IT systems that industries like energy and healthcare rely on to conduct their own operations. Those industries provide vital services during a pandemic, so companies that allow them to run at full capacity are equally vital to the cause.

With that in mind, the statement advised security providers to prioritize critical infrastructure, and to allocate resources and personnel based on those CISA guidelines. It then went on to highlight how those providers can help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus. The security industry fulfills a number of core functions, including equipment manufacture and distribution, wireless and satellite operations, and database maintenance and data transfer. It also covers the installation, maintenance, and repair of essential communications systems.

The statement should help establish a road map for security companies moving forward. However, it won’t undo the economic disruption already caused by the coronavirus. The ISC West security tradeshow has been pushed back to the summer. The KNOW Identity Conference and the CNP Summit have similarly been postponed until a later date.

–

March 23, 2020 – by Eric Weiss