Q: What are the costs associated with the CEAS Card? A: Rather than charge a yearly fee to the participating companies, all costs associated with the program (cost of producing the cards, training, website, administration, IT development, etc.) are built into the cost of the cards. By allocating all program costs on a per-card basis, costs are distributed equitably, with small businesses paying a relatively small fee for their few employees and large organizations paying more, commensurate with their number of critical employees. CEAS is administered by BNet, which is a Type C Corporation under Section 501 of the NYS Not-for-Profit Corporation Law.
Q: Does the government profit from the CEAS program?
A: No. The City does not receive any profit from the CEAS program. Businesses are crucial to the City's and the nation's economic well-being. The City is providing this tool for businesses to gain quicker access to their facilities to mitigate potential long-term damage and financial loss from a disaster.
Q: Why has it taken so long to put the CEAS system in place?
A: CEAS was first developed for Buffalo, New York. The City of New York started discussions with BNet in 1999. The events of 9/11/01 delayed efforts to implement the system. Since that time, the CEAS program has been updated and improved. The CEAS pilot at the end of 2003 tested the technology and production of the credential cards. The actual program begins with downtown Manhattan, expanding to midtown Manhattan, and then to surrounding areas. This is to insure that the program is implemented correctly.
Q: How do you insure that terrorists don't get the cards?
A: The card would not be of practical use to anyone with ill intent as it does not allow any form of restricted access until after an event occurs. BNet does confirm the legitimacy of the company; however, the onus is on the business to vet its employees' backgrounds and to insure that they are appropriate holders of the CEAS credential.
Q: Will the police recognize my CEAS card when I present it?
A: Yes, the NYPD has developed written procedures to implement CEAS and to train officers to recognize the card.
Q: What happens if I present my card but the police officer denies me access?
A: CEAS cardholders will always comply with a police officer's decision to deny access, whatever the reason given. Keep in mind that access may be limited or denied at any time during activation due to changing conditions. If during an official CEAS activation there appears to be confusion regarding enforcement of the system, comply with the police request and call BNet at 212-599-1599 or, outside of New York City, 888-353-BNet (2638).
Q: Will CEAS provide access to the bridges and tunnels?
A: The MTA, Port Authority, and NYPD are partners in the CEAS program. Assuming that the bridges and tunnels are secured and deemed safe, access may be granted.
Q: How will we know when restricted areas become open to CEAS cardholders?
A: The Mayor will authorize activating CEAS. Public media announcements will be made of the activation, so please tune in to your local news outlets. BNet is also developing an e-mail notification system to inform corporate coordinators of a CEAS activation.
Q: Who controls access and how will they know and be trained to give CEAS cardholders access when appropriate?
A: The Mayor will authorize activating CEAS, but public safety officials, primarily the Police, control access at the site. They are trained to recognize the CEAS credential along with the different levels of access. It is important that the CEAS credential holder carry a second form of photo identification, preferably corporate- or government-issued ID. Keep in mind that enforcement of the system is by police officials at the site. Access may be limited or denied at any time during activation due to changing conditions.
Q: Does CEAS offer any guarantees for access?
A: No. Even if CEAS is activated, access may be limited or denied at any time by the police due to changing conditions. The CEAS credential only provides access into the restricted area; if you do not own your facility, your building's management may deny you access inside the facility. Although access is not guaranteed, CEAS offers your business the best potential for access during an emergency. BNet recommends that companies discuss access with their building managers in advance.
Q: I have outside vendors that are critical to my business recovery. How do I get them in?
A: Businesses can sponsor employees from their critical vendors. Sponsored vendor credentials are counted towards your company's allocated number of credentials. A vendor may also apply on its own as an individual business entity as long as it is listed as a vendor by a company participating in CEAS. Critical vendors must be only those who are essential to immediate business recovery needs.
Q: What is a Level C "critical industry" and why do they have priority access?
A: The designation of Level C critical industries allows firms that are deemed part of the "national critical infrastructure" by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) priority access into a restricted area. Municipalities may stipulate industries as Level C if they are deemed vital to the local economy. Municipalities are NOT required to allow Level C access first and may choose to allow all levels of access at once depending on circumstances.
Q: What is BNet, and why did the City partner with BNet?
A: BNet was created as a result of federal (FEMA) and New York State (SEMO) initiatives to establish emergency management partnerships between the public and private sectors. The BNet Board of Directors and public-sector Advisory Board are comprised of volunteers from businesses and government agencies across New York and its bordering states. These volunteers worked together to design a system that met the needs of businesses while maintaining appropriate controls for public safety. The City partnered with BNet because the CEAS system offered a cost-effective method to resolve the historic problem of preventing unnecessary access into a restricted area, while allowing necessary access to achieve business and economic recovery.
Q: Wouldn't it be cheaper if the City provided this service instead of BNet?
A: No. System development, management, and oversight would be far too costly to the City. BNet as an organization is better equipped to amortize system and program startup costs as well as maintenance costs across implementations in several cities and regions.
Q: Are BNet or the City liable if a CEAS credential holder gets injured while in the restricted zone?
A: By participating in the CEAS program, companies agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City of New York and BNet.
Q: What types of companies currently participate in the CEAS program? A: A diverse array of businesses currently participates in the CEAS program. These include organizations from the financial services, insurance, building/ property management, pharmaceutical and bioresearch industries, to name a few. Small and mid-sized companies such as law, accounting and professional service firms also participate.
Q: What type of work is involved for the businesses participating in CEAS?
A: Businesses must identify coordinators, who will be responsible to administer the program at the corporate level. Coordinators will screen and determine appropriate employees to apply for the credential. They must also manage the distribution, collection, and turnover of credentials, maintaining an accurate accounting of their credentialed employees. All cardholders must be trained using the BNet web-training tool. Businesses must also comply with specific requirements related to liability insurance coverage and indemnification as set forth by the City and BNet.
Q: What type of employees would you recommend as CEAS credential holders?
A: First consider the people who protect and secure your assets following an emergency. There is no guarantee how long you may be allowed in the restricted area, nor may the situation allow occupation of your workplace for a significant stretch of time as conditions may be prohibitive or deteriorate. Therefore, we suggest that you first consider your immediate needs for activities such as damage assessment, technology shutdowns, critical data and document removal, and physical protection and building restoration.
Q: Why are only businesses allowed into this program and not residents?
A: Businesses are allowed access on a small scale and for specific purposes. Residential recovery and repopulation will be handled separately by the City's public safety agencies.
Q: Many of my employees live outside of the City. Will the CEAS card be valid in other states or counties?
A: Use of CEAS credentials is established by written agreement between BNet and an authorizing municipality. Other municipalities may recognize the credential when allowing traffic through their jurisdiction, but, without an agreement in place with a bordering municipality, travel restrictions may still apply. The State of New Jersey has recently decided to use CEAS on a statewide basis, and Westchester County has approved further development of CEAS. Both programs are in the early development stages. BNet is also in discussions with officials from Stamford, Connecticut, with the aim of bringing Southeast Connecticut into the system.
Q: If restrictions are also placed in the areas surrounding New York City, will CEAS cardholders be able to get access to get into the City?
A: Perhaps. If alternate means of accessing the City are not available, the City may ask adjoining jurisdictions to honor the credential for passing traffic. Remember, the CEAS credential is intended for use during serious emergencies and not to avoid inconvenience when alternate means of access are available.
Q: Are similar services offered by other vendors?
A: Not to our knowledge and not in the means currently available from BNet, and at no cost to a municipality.
Q: When can I use my CEAS card?
A: The card becomes a valid instrument of access only after the system has been officially activated following an event within the municipality that results in restricted public access to an area. Even then, access is limited to those cardholders who work in or are assigned to the restricted area.
Q: What is a Flex Card and do I need to have one?
A: Flex Cards are an option to businesses in New York City for companies that may have a spontaneous need to get a non-permanently (Standard Card) credentialed employee into the restricted area. The Flex Card is intended to provide an additional level of flexibility to a firm during a crisis. Flex Cards must be carried with another form of corporate ID.
Q: Why do Flex Cards cost more than Standard Cards?
A: Flex Cards require stricter management control for BNet and the municipality because they can be used by anyone. Flex Cards cost more also because web-based training may be utilized for more employees than the number of cards that are being requested. This provides added value to your organization by enabling more of your employees to be eligible to use a CEAS card; however, it also adds to the software application costs for the program to maintain the extra user IDs and training access IDs in the system.
Q: Will the CEAS credential be used for special events?
A: Currently there is no plan to use CEAS credentials for general access during special events. If a large-scale emergency occurs during an event, there is the possibility that CEAS may be activated and used.
Q: How long is the cardholder training? A: The time required for CEAS card training is approximately 30 minutes.
