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In recent years, many organizations have taken a fresh look at their emergency plans to be sure that they cover the range of potential incidents. While high-profile incidents of terror such as school shootings and bombings at public events have raised this awareness, other events ranging from flooding and power outages to fires and broken water mains have also interrupted operations for a much greater number of businesses.

Since 1999 when two students shot and killed 13 people and wounded 21 before killing themselves at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., security solutions have been on the radar for secondary schools. In 2012 the tragic shooting of 20 first graders and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., reminded schools around the country just how vulnerable they could be — inside and out — prompting renewed interest in lockdown solutions. But in the rush to placate parents and communities, many schools have put in place systems that were less than thought out. Many others are still in the thinking and planning stages.

Although 2015 seemed like the year of data breaches, it was also the year that the Internet of Things (IoT) achieved real traction. Key management systems and most other advanced security solutions can now be integrated with the networked security system (i.e. identity management, access control, IP video surveillance, intrusion and other systems) to strengthen risk management strategies.

The shift from manpower resources to technology as a main line of defense is having a significant impact on an organization’s physical security strategy, and nowhere is this more true than in the medical/healthcare industry. From video surveillance to access control to video management systems, technology solutions are playing an increasingly important role in keeping our hospitals safe for patients, staff and visitors.

Colleges and university campuses are tasked with providing safe and secure places for students, staff and visitors, with protection of school assets. In the United States, the University of Wisconsin (UW) in La Crosse has turned to automated key control, for secure storage for keys.