Elevation of Threat Level Draws Attention to ASIS International Threat Advisory System Response Draft Guideline.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- ASIS International (ASIS), the preeminent society for security management professionals worldwide, invites companies and security personnel to revisit its Threat Advisory System Response Draft Guideline, or TASR, now that the Department of Homeland Security has decided to raise the threat level for the financial sectors in New York, Washington, D.C., and Newark, N.J.

Released in November 2003 as a draft for public review and comment, the guideline is designed to help businesses and other institutions respond effectively to advisories issued by the Department of Homeland Security. The draft guideline provides security heads with an understandable and incremental process--each successive color building upon its predecessor--which augments the Homeland Security Advisory System. TASR is a tool both applicable and understandable to the private sector--manufacturers, financial institutions, healthcare service providers, utilities, and other entities. It is also intended to provide sufficient detail to be of practical use to the public in general.

Last November, Robert Liscouski, Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection at DHS, said, "The TASR will help DHS build a baseline understanding of what the private sector can do to fulfill its responsibility to help protect our nation's critical infrastructure and business base." He continued: "I have had the opportunity to review the ASIS guideline, and feel it will be extremely helpful to the private sector. This work is among the best I've seen, as it is easy to understand and implement."

The comment period for this guideline ended in January, and the final guideline is expected to be released in August. For more information, or to download the guideline, go to http://www.asisonline.org/guidelines/guidelinesthreat2003.pdf.

ASIS International (ASIS) is the preeminent organization for security professionals, with more than 33,000 members worldwide. Founded in 1955, ASIS is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness and productivity of security professionals by developing educational programs and materials that address broad security interests, such as the ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits, as well as specific security topics. ASIS also advocates the role and value of the security management profession to business, the media, government entities, and the public. By providing members and the security community with access to a full range of programs and services, and by publishing the industry's number one magazine -- Security Management -- ASIS leads the way for advanced and improved security performance.