The curriculum, developed by the Office of Emergency Management and the New York Police Department with the assistance of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, deals with modern security concerns and includes segments on terrorism, evacuation procedures and coordination with police, fire and emergency personnel during a crisis. Trainees will receive instruction on the history of terrorism, examine case studies of previous terrorist attacks and their responses as well as receiving briefings on identifying different types of explosives devices and fake identifications. The training will be conducted by off-duty NYPD officers and recently retired instructors from the New York Police Academy.

In addition to providing training sessions to their security officers, Fisher Brothers and Vornado have agreed to compensate their workers in lost wages for participating in the program. The cost of operating the program is being shared through an agreement between Local 32BJ and the Realty Advisory Board.

"While innovative technology and security systems make buildings more secure, there is no substitute for proper training and employment standards," says Fisher Brothers senior partner Ken Fisher.