Question of the Month: Do our holiday wish lists match? I still believe in Santa Claus and that there is still good in the world

When the publishers of the New York Real Estate Journal asked me to contribute to their publication this month I jumped at the opportunity. Another chance to get my message out, I thought. 

I’ll write something about how all stakeholders in the building design process must come together in the beginning of the project to address the criminal and terrorist threats to the occupants of the building. By planning against the threat(s) and using the design basis threats (DBT) approach the short-term costs in equipment and redesign are kept down and long-term cost in maintenance and monitoring by guard forces are reduced. 

Or I’d write about the need for the countermeasures to be in place before an event happens. Buying an alarm system or service after being robbed is like closing the barn door after the horse got away. You don’t have anything of value because the bad guy’s already stole it. 

Or maybe even about the fact that there are too many assets, both hard and soft targets, available and vulnerable. Each with its own risks and, let’s face it, there just aren’t enough resources to go around so some type of prioritized risk management would be needed. Then I could write about how to do that; by being impact centric, that is by focusing on the impact the loss of a particular asset would have on the owner, company, neighborhood or citizenry. By tackling the worst-case scenario, emergency planners would be able to apply mitigation strategies based on the impact and not necessarily event likelihood. All great subjects, I couldn’t miss!

So my mind was set. I’d mull these ideas around in my head and try to find the right angle. An angle that wasn’t negative, aggressive, or condescending. But I was having trouble because I’ve spent my whole life around bad stuff. I mean, just the mention of crime or terrorism is enough to turn most people off. I didn’t want to write about something that most folks felt uncomfortable around, especially during this holiday season. I’ve spent the first 45 years of my life chasing bad or preventing bad from happening. First as a policeman dealing with “knuckleheads,” then as a security/antiterrorism officer dealing with “the current terrorist threat” and during the later days of my government career as a risk analyst. When it comes to negative I’ve had my fair share and some of yours too. It would be very easy to see only the cruelty inflicted by those who have little regard for their fellow man but despite that, I try to maintain a positive attitude towards humanity and focus on the good in folks. 

So, in a sense, I still believe in Santa Claus, no, not in the physical sense, but in a theoretical imaginative and much broader context – in the belief that there is good in the world. 

Then on Monday night, “Thomas the wildfire” attacked Ventura – my town. Yes, attacked. I can say that because it gobbled-up everything as the Santa Ana winds pushed the fire along the hillside from east to west. As I stood in my yard watching the hill in flames I could only hope it wouldn’t spread to my neighborhood (and it didn’t – thank God). Fortunately for us, the fire remained about a mile away. Some of our friends and our neighbors on the hill where we used to live a few years ago were not so lucky. 

The recent fire, although almost apocalyptic if you had the misfortune of being one of those evacuated or had their house destroyed as many did, also brought out the very best of our community. Neighbors and strangers helping each with food, clothing, shelter and above all hugs and comfort. Little wonder the slogans #VenturaStrong and We-Ventura are being passed around now. Our neighboring town Santa Paula also hit by Thomas is now being called “Sant-us Paula.” How appropriate.

So, the two things on my list that should be on yours are compassion for each other and hope for the future. After all, we are all God’s children and thus, My Brother, I’ve got you.

Doug Haines, MPSE, is owner/CEO of Haines Security Solutions, Ventura, Calif.