Chamber urges businesses to be on guard against terrorism

Jace Radke

Friday, Dec. 3, 2004 | 11:08 a.m.

The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce's 10 ways businesses can help keep Southern Nevada safe.

1. Know your vulnerabilities and risks.

2. Train employees to recognize potential threats.

3. Take what you hear and see seriously.

4. Pay attention to details.

5. Do not stereotype.

6. Keep internal communications open.

7. Review your own security procedures.

8. Develop an emergency plan.

9. Form an industry organization.

10. Establish a network to communicate information.

On the Web -- www.lvchamber.com

The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and law enforcement agencies have teamed up to remind Southern Nevada workers that they can serve as extra sets of eyes and ears to help prevent a terrorist attack.

The chamber has mailed to 10,000 local businesses posters featuring 10 ways for businesses and their employees to be more vigilant as part of the chamber's Business on Guard initiative.

"We need the help," Sheriff Bill Young said at a news conference to announce the initiative Thursday. "We know five of the 19 (Sept. 11) hijackers were here, but in the aftermath all we really had to go on was the local businesses they visited -- a car rental agency, an Econo Lodge and a Starbucks.

"If we had employees a little more in tune someone may have picked up on something with that group."

Young called the initiative, "a good start on the kinds of efforts needed in the community."

Among the tips on the posters are developing an emergency plan, paying attention to details and assessing vulnerabilities.

Joe Thomas, general manager of Cintas, a company that provides uniforms, said that businesses may not even realize that they could be providing a service that terrorists could take advantage of.

"You have to be aware of the potential risks and hazards that your agency presents," Thomas said. "An example from my business is that we have to verify who we are selling to.

"You don't want to have someone who is not supposed to have a uniform get a uniform and have access to a secure area."

Kara Kelly, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Chamber, said that staying vigilant is mandatory for Las Vegas businesses.

"As the largest business organization in the state we're dedicated to keeping the economy strong, and to do that we have to be the eyes and ears that are out there on the front lines everyday," Kelly said.

Young said that because there are not enough police officers in the community, any help from employees is doubly appreciated.

"We need to interweave this kind of information through the community so that we can prevent a terrorist event," Young said. "If, God forbid, something happened here the ramifications would be devastating to the community."

The poster also includes numbers for the FBI, Metro Police and the Nevada Department of Public Safety, and is available on the Internet at www.lvchamber.com.