Category: Articles

Free or non member articles

Security driver Journal

ISDA’s Security Driver Journal is your essential resource for continuing education and benchmark research, all designed to improve your skillset and advance your business.

The Journal is a twice-monthly educational email publication containing articles written specifically for the Security Driver/Secure Transportation community delivered to your inbox.

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Jet Tracking Problem and Surveillance Detection Solution

In June of 2020, a young student at the University of Central Florida created a Twitter bot using Raspberry Pi and an algorithm to process jet tracking data left publicly accessible by the US Federal Aviation Administration. In early 2022 the possibility of bypassing the confidentiality of private jet travel was made public by news coverage of exchanges between Elon Musk and the student.

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Future of Secure Transportation

The Future of Secure Transportation - International Security Driver Association

For those responsible for their principals’ safe and secure transportation, 2022 will create unprecedented challenges brought on by the computer chip shortage, the increased use of connected vehicles, and the changing landscape of the automotive industry and the EP/Secure Transportation profession.

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The Issue of Certification

The Issue of Certification - International Security Driver Association

I get the impression that many of those working in the profession or trying to work in the profession do not understand the concept of a Professional Certification. Many practitioners want a standard, but they want the standard to meet the curriculum of the training program that they attended – that is not how it works.

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Dynamic and Human Driving Tasks

The Human Driving Task is defined as a person who drives a particular vehicle and who, in a vehicle equipped with an automated driving system, exchanges the dynamic driving task with such a system as necessary during vehicle operation.

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Tires and Tire Pressure

Tires and Tire Pressure

The reason we spend a lot of time talking about these subjects can be found in a comment made by a Bridgestone engineer – “Tire pressure affects every aspect of the tire, including the load-carrying capacity, tread contact patch shape—where the tire touches the road—and size and handling characteristics.” 

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ISDACenter.Org Certification in Executive Protection

wo topics of discussion that can dominate social media are certification and the state of training in the executive protection and secure transportation industry. In reality, certification and training are inseparable. There is a need for standardization in the Executive Protection profession.

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Four New Books by ISDA Members

Four New Books by ISDA Members

Over the past year, ISDA Members published four books that have significantly impacted the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Profession. It is indicative of the quality of the ISDA Membership.

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Vehicle Cybersecurity

Vehicle Cybersecurity

According to a report from Upstream Security, there were at least 150 automotive cybersecurity incidents in 2019, a 94 percent year-over-year increase since 2016. This trend is unlikely to reverse any time soon with more communication methods built into new vehicles, including massive over-the-air update technologies.

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Catalytic Converter Thefts

Catalytic Converter Thefts

Your vehicle has a precious metal container infused with a precious metal that is selling for about $28,000 per ounce right now; that’s 15-times the price of gold. The metal is Rhodium, and the container is your Catalytic converter.

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ISDACenterOrg New Mercedes Guard Car

Known by its full name as the Mercedes-Benz S680 Guard 4Matic. It is available with a long wheelbase. The sedan has been engineered to receive VPAM VR10 certification. VR10 is the highest certification ballistic standard available to civilians. VPAM means a complete vehicle was tested and certified. Basically, It’s the highest level with regard to ballistic protection for a civilian vehicle.

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Distracted While Marketing

Distracted While Marketing

We know that drinking and driving and texting and driving are dangerous and are hazardous to your health and the health of those who share the road with you.

But we need to add another scenario to the distracted while driving series, driving while marketing.

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ISDACenter.Org Vehicle Ambush In Mexico and Surveillance Detection

Data says 65% of attacks occur while in or near a vehicle. How much of your time do you spend on training that mitigates the massive risk of vehicle attacks?

For close to 50 years, we have preached the need for surveillance detection, situation awareness, and armored vehicles. We are still talking about incidents resulting from a lack of surveillance detection, situational awareness, and armored vehicles.

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The ISDA YouTube Channel

ISDA YOUTUBE CHANNEL and Playlists

We invite you to subscribe to the International Security Driver Association YouTube channel.

Along with posting our own content, we post videos that would be of interest to Executive Protection secure transportation practitioners.

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ISDA COVID-19 Center

ISDA has created the COVID-19 Secure Transportation and EP Information center. In the Center, readers will find articles – data, and metrics that can assist practitioners working in the Secure Transportation and Executive Protection profession. Our goal is to help the community navigate its way through the problems created by the pandemic.

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EPST Magazine December 2020

The December issue of the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Magazine has seven articles covering all aspects of the Secure Transportation, Executive Protection profession, and the Business of Executive Protection.

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ISDA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

We’ve had an influx of new members over the last few months; our new members represent all sectors of the profession and spread across the globe.

But there is one new member that I would like to bring to your attention; his name is George Sardelis.

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In case you missed it, ISDA has re-launched its much-acclaimed podcast – Executive Protection and Secure Transportation News. Every week we share secure transportation and executive protection knowledge, headlines, trends, educational content, and announcements from the International Security Driver Association and SecurityDriver.Com A new episode is published every Tuesday at 12 PM. You can find it in your favorite podcast app.

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EXECUTIVE VEHICLES ARE CHANGING - ESC

At one time, when bad things happened, it was all up to the driver to control the vehicle. The person holding on to the steering wheel made all the decisions. The driver was the algorithm that determined the outcome of the event.

Now computers control executive vehicles, and in an emergency scenario, accident, or vehicle violence, the executive vehicles rely on the computer algorithm to control the vehicle.

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All security drivers need a firm foundation in defensive driving and vehicle dynamics. After all, if you can’t drive, you can’t escape a potentially dangerous situation.

Being a professional security driver means having the ability to drive out of a situation and having the knowledge to use the vehicle to its fullest potential, whatever the weather or vehicle type.

Many security drivers will use a different type of vehicle from on task to another, requiring them to understand the many intricacies and types.

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As someone who has worked in the Executive Protection (EP) industry for more than 40 years, and have operated a licensed EP/Security/PI agency providing Executive Protection and Protection Driving for 30 years, I felt compelled to talk about this topic to clarify some of the issues regarding independent contractors (IC) and employee (1099 vs W2) status as it pertains to our industry.

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Surveillance Detection – Not Much Has Changed

From Moro in the late ’70s, to Herrhausen in the ’80s, and Reso in the ’90s, and more recently Omar García Harfuch in 2020, there has been a common denominator. In each of these attacks, surveillance detection has played a significant role in the scenario’s outcome.

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Science of Driving - What if - scenario base driver training

Many times, when we examine a vehicle ambush, the discussions will always ask the question “What If.” What if the driver moved the steering wheel a half a second sooner – applied the brakes a second earlier – made a decision quicker – had the ability to use more of the vehicle capability.

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security driver training and braking

We strongly suggest that anyone who attends a Security Driving training program is measured in accordance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 135. This is the standard that is used to measure vehicle braking performance. As a security driver, you must be able to perform at a much higher level than “minimum” (it is what you get paid to do).

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Marketing by Innuendo

Security Driving Marketing by Innuendo

Over the last few years there have been a few training providers and security driver instructors that use the standard and methodology I created, and by association attach me to their training or instructor credentials. Some have used the phrase “Scotti-Certified Instructor.” With some, that may be correct, but the question is “When did I teach them?” So let me set the record straight.

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To get a better understanding of the Dangers of Distracted Driving, we can use a phrase associated with security and security driving – “The Kill Zone.” Although the term Kill Zone is used by the security community, it can also describe any scenario that creates an emergency for the driver and passengers. Not looking where you are going for 2 to 3 seconds falls into that category.

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