News for the Hospitality Executive |
New AHLEI Hotel Security and Anti-Terrorism Training Program
Orlando, Florida, April 2011—The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), in collaboration with Cardinal Point Strategies, leading security experts, hospitality industry leaders, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has created an exclusive hospitality industry training program designed to raise employee awareness of security and terrorism issues. Eye on AwarenessTM—Hotel Security and Anti-terrorism Training, offers web-based, interactive hotel anti-terrorism and security awareness training to line-level lodging employees, who are considered front line observers of possible suspicious activity. Calling the program an “unprecedented initiative,” Paul Goldenberg, CEO of Cardinal Point Strategies, a risk management consulting firm working in national security, government affairs, and professional development and training, explained that Eye on AwarenessTM identifies and closes critical training gaps in the hotel industry and also complements the “If You See Something, Say Something™” program from the Department of Homeland Security. “The Educational Institute is excited that our alliance with Cardinal Point Strategies and the hospitality industry’s senior global security officials has resulted in such a powerful training program,” stated Robert L. Steele, III, CHA, AHLEI president and COO. “We want all line-level employees to feel confident that with the proper background knowledge and a keen sense of observation, they can play a vital role in keeping their property and guests safe.” The Eye on AwarenessTM training program provides hotel employees with the knowledge needed to recognize, report, and react to suspicious situations at their properties. It teaches them how to understand those activities and report them. The program is geared toward all employees who may have contact with guests, including housekeeping, maintenance, front desk, guest services, food and beverage, transportation, and parking. “Think of training in a different way—from the perspective of a terrorist. Terrorists train too… they run training camps to develop their skills, they produce manuals and guides, they hold webinars for their affiliated members. If they are putting so much effort into their training, can we afford to be doing any less? That’s the security training challenge we face,” said Mark Sanna, vice president of corporate security, Hyatt Hotels, who was a leading member of the team that developed the Eye on AwarenessTM program. The course focuses on suspicious activity reporting, and what types of activities are suspicious. It also includes information on recognizing suspicious packages. While most of the content is aimed at preventing incidents, the program also instructs employees what do in an active shooting situation, including how to stay alive and assist others. The online training program includes interactive, multimedia lessons enhanced by review questions that assess employee comprehension. After an initial launch limited to the United States, AHLEI will offer the program to its global markets. For information or to view a demo, visit www.ahlei.org/eyeonawareness or contact your sales representative at 800-752-4567 or 517-372-8800. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call 407-999-8100. About American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institution Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Educational Institute’s mission is to support AH&LA by becoming the preferred provider to the lodging industry, hospitality schools, and related hospitality industries both domestically and internationally by developing and providing quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality professionals. |
Contact:
Elizabeth Johnson
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