When a disaster hits, the first wave of damage comes from the storm, flood or fire. The second wave comes after: looting, theft, and crews working in damaged areas with no one watching their backs. Disaster security services are built for that second wave.
AESS learned that firsthand after Hurricane Katrina.
What AESS did after Katrina
After Katrina, AESS provided field security for State Farm:
- Protecting State Farm adjusters as they went into damaged homes and businesses
- Preventing looting at homes and businesses
- Setting up tents and staging areas so field operations could keep running
Four lessons from disaster security work
- Security has to arrive with the first crews. The gap between the storm and normal police coverage is when most losses happen.
- Protect the people, not just the buildings. Adjusters, restoration crews and employees work in unstable, unfamiliar areas.
- Control the staging areas. Equipment, fuel and supplies draw theft as quickly as damaged storefronts do.
- Coordinate with law enforcement. Private officers work best as an extra set of eyes that knows when to call police in.
How AESS helps today
AESS provides rapid-deployment disaster and emergency security for natural disasters, civil unrest and other crises:
- Fast deployment of armed and unarmed officers, including off-duty police and military personnel
- Emergency readiness and business continuity planning
- Site and risk assessments of property, policies and procedures
- Protection for buildings, distribution centers and equipment
- Escorts, executive transportation and evacuation of employees and families
- Looting prevention, retail emergency coverage and incident command posts
Insurance carriers, utilities, retailers and logistics companies use AESS because disaster response has to travel to where the damage is.
Choosing Disaster Security Services: What to Look For
Most companies start looking for disaster security after something has already gone wrong. It pays to line it up in advance, so one phone call puts officers on the road. When you compare providers, ask about:
- Speed. How fast can officers reach your site after a storm, flood or fire, and who makes the call to send them?
- Licensing. Officers should be licensed in the state where they work. AESS officers are licensed in Wisconsin and Indiana.
- Armed and unarmed options. Some sites need a visible unarmed presence. High-value equipment or unstable areas may call for armed and unarmed security guards, including off-duty police.
- Protection for people. Adjusters, restoration crews and employees need escorts and check-ins while they work in damaged areas. AESS also provides escorts and executive protection when key people have to travel into the area.
- Clear reporting. Daily reports on who came and went, what officers found and what they did support insurance claims and police follow-up.
- A written plan. Posts, shifts, contacts and when to call police should be agreed before the first officer arrives.
Planning ahead also keeps coverage focused. When posts and shifts are named in advance, officers go where the risk is from the first day, and nobody is guessing about who is in charge on site. AESS can build security into your emergency readiness and business continuity plan, so it sits in the same playbook as your recovery steps.
The goal is simple: keep people safe and stop losses from growing while cleanup and claims work gets done.
Disaster Security Services FAQ
When should we book disaster security?
Before you need it. A plan agreed in advance lets officers deploy as soon as it is safe to reach the site, instead of after looting has started. If something has already happened, call anyway. AESS answers 24/7 at 630-943-2291.
Do you provide armed or unarmed officers?
Both. AESS deploys armed and unarmed officers, including off-duty police and military personnel. The right mix depends on the site, what is stored there and how stable the area is.
Who uses disaster security services?
Insurance carriers, utilities, retailers and logistics companies, along with property owners who need buildings, equipment and staging areas watched while damaged sites are repaired.
Need a security plan before the next emergency? Contact AESS or call 630-943-2291 for a free security assessment, 24/7.