A Decade after 9/11, ANSI-HSSP Tenth Plenary and Workshop Examine Homeland Security Standards Progress-to-Date and Path Forward

In the ten years following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the homeland security and emergency preparedness communities have taken enormous strides in improving the safety of citizens and critical infrastructure at home and abroad. But more remains to be done. A continual review of the standards, codes, and conformity assessment activities that contribute to a safer world is paramount to ensuring the security of people and the built environment.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Homeland Security Standards Panel (HSSP) will examine progress made in advancing homeland security over the past decade and discuss a continued path forward at its Tenth Plenary Meeting: Achievements from the Past Decade and Charting the Path Forward, to be held on November 9 in Arlington, VA.

In support of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate, the ANSI-HSSP works to accelerate the development of voluntary standards for homeland security and emergency preparedness. Recent work of the ANSI-HSSP has tackled aviation, borders and maritime security, crisis management, and global supply chain security, as well as emergency preparedness for small businesses and persons with disabilities.

The Tenth Plenary Meeting will review homeland security standards in the decade following 9/11, with moderated panels examining some of the standards that were developed, others on the horizon, and gap areas that may exist. The plenary will also feature speakers on the future of homeland security standards and potential areas for future ANSI-HSSP exploration. Participants will also view a poster exhibition highlighting standards contributions to homeland security.

November 10 Workshop
In conjunction with the plenary, the ANSI-HSSP will host a November 10 workshop: Standards for Disaster Resilience for Buildings and Physical Infrastructure Systems. Against the backdrop of existing standards, the workshop will examine areas where standards and codes are needed to further support physical infrastructure and building resilience in the United States.

The Tenth Plenary Meeting and workshop will be held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA. Agendas for the events are forthcoming; please visit the event webpage for updates.

Registration for these events closes on November 1, 2011.

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The ANSI-HSSP provides the unique opportunity for the homeland security, emergency preparedness, business continuity communities, and other stakeholders to come together to discuss current issues and challenges, strategic approaches, recent successes, and future outlooks. For more information, visit www.ansi.org/hssp.