Fast Guard Security Services Launches National Awareness Campaign to Help Businesses Prepare Before the Weekend Begins

LOS ANGELES, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A Friday Security Readiness Protocol for Businesses Nationwide

The initiative encourages organizations to spend just a few minutes each Friday reviewing potential security vulnerabilities before the weekend, when staffing levels are often reduced and response times can become more critical.

The Emergencies Businesses Never Expect

Many of the emergency calls received by Fast Guard begin with a similar statement:

“We’ve never needed security before…”

Yet businesses across the country regularly encounter situations that require an immediate professional response, including:

Emergency Fire Watch servicesFire alarm or fire suppression system failuresEmployee terminationsHigh-risk executive terminationsWorkplace violence concernsThreat investigationsActive criminal incidentsProperty damageTrespassingConstruction site theftVacant building protectionEmergency event securityCamera installation and remote monitoringTemporary security staffingDisaster recovery operationsFire Watch Emergencies

One of the most common emergency requests involves Fire Watch services.

When a fire alarm, sprinkler system, or life safety system becomes inoperable, local fire authorities may require a continuous, documented fire watch until repairs are completed. Without an approved fire watch, many businesses cannot legally remain open.

Fast Guard provides trained fire watch personnel who perform documented foot patrols, monitor for fire hazards, assist with emergency evacuation procedures, and help businesses maintain compliance while repairs are underway.

Employee Terminations Require Planning

Another growing area of concern involves employee separations.

Job loss is one of life’s most stressful events. While the vast majority of terminations conclude peacefully, organizations increasingly recognize the importance of preparing for situations where emotions may escalate.

Economic pressures, organizational restructuring, workforce reductions, and performance-related dismissals can create difficult circumstances for both employers and employees.

In recent years, workplace violence incidents have highlighted the importance of having thoughtful, well-executed security procedures during higher-risk personnel actions.

Fast Guard Security Services has developed a professional employee termination response program designed to help organizations reduce risk while maintaining dignity and respect for everyone involved.

The company’s approach emphasizes:

Discreet security presenceProfessional communicationDe-escalationExecutive protection when appropriateProtection of employees and visitorsControlled accessSafe departure proceduresBusiness continuity

Fast Guard assists with more than 1,000 employee termination assignments each year, supporting organizations nationwide with customized security plans designed to reduce liability while minimizing disruption to the workplace.

Security After an Incident

Security is not only valuable during an emergency.

Many organizations choose to deploy visible security officers after an incident has occurred to help restore confidence, deter repeat criminal activity, reassure employees and customers, and support normal business operations.

Depending on the client’s needs, security services may be required for a single day, several weeks, or as part of a long-term protection strategy.

A Simple Friday Checklist

Fast Guard encourages businesses to ask these questions every Friday afternoon:

Are all fire alarm and life safety systems operating properly?Is emergency contact information current?Are there any scheduled employee separations next week?Are weekend construction projects secured?Will any facilities be vacant over the weekend?Are surveillance cameras operational?Is after-hours access properly controlled?Do managers know who to call if an emergency occurs?

A few minutes of preparation can help reduce risk and improve response when unexpected events arise.

When Minutes Matter

Fast Guard Security Services provides nationwide emergency response, including:

Emergency Fire Watch
• Armed and Unarmed Security Officers
• Employee Termination Security
• Executive Protection
• Event Security
• Construction Site Security
• Mobile Patrol Services
• Alarm Response
• Remote Camera Monitoring
• Temporary and Long-Term Security Staffing
• Disaster Response and Recovery

With a network of licensed security professionals across the United States and Canada, the company can mobilize qualified personnel rapidly to support clients facing urgent security needs.

Fast Guard Security Services is a nationwide provider of security guard services, fire watch, emergency response, executive protection, disaster recovery support, and workforce management solutions. Headquartered in Hollywood, Florida, the company serves commercial, industrial, healthcare, hospitality, retail, construction, government, and critical infrastructure clients throughout the United States and Canada.

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SOURCE Fast Guard Service

FORT COLLINS, Colo., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the new school year approaches, OtterBox is helping students stay protected, powered and connected with a collection of tech essentials designed for life on the go. Whether it’s protecting an iPad for note-taking and coursework, keeping devices charged through long days on campus or adding a touch of personal style to a smartphone, OtterBox’s back-to-school lineup is built to support students wherever learning takes them.

Daily commutes, crowded backpacks and busy schedules make durable iPad protection more important than ever. The rugged Defender Series pairs multi-layer drop protection with a versatile stand for reading, typing and streaming, while the Symmetry Series Folio combines a clear, scratch-resistant case with a protective folio cover, magnetic closure and multi-position stand. For those who prefer a sleek, minimalist design, the ultra-thin Profile Series offers reliable protection with soft-touch edges for added grip and a design that slips easily into backpacks and bags.

From early-morning classes to late-night study sessions, students need reliable power to keep up with busy schedules and multiple devices. OtterBox’s charging lineup includes a 67W Wall Charger paired with a 60W Cable USB-C to USB-C Standard Cable, which offers a compact multi-port solution for charging a laptop and other everyday devices. A 140W Wall Charger paired with a 240W USB-C to USB-C Extended Power Cable offers additional ports and power for charging multiple devices simultaneously. Additionally, the 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand keeps a phone, earbuds and smartwatch powered and organized in a single location, whether in a dorm room, apartment or study space.

Round out your tech kit with the Figura Series, a slim and lightweight phone case that combines trusted protection with a clean, modern design. Featuring added grip and camera plateau protection, Figura Series delivers everyday defense while adding a personal touch of style. Pair it with an OtterBox screen protector for enhanced protection against scratches, drops and daily wear.

Shop the OtterBox Back-to-School Sale July 24–August 1, 2026, and save up to 50% on select products. Exclusions apply.

OtterBox iPad cases, phone cases, screen protectors and power solutions are available now at OtterBox.com.

About OtterBox:
From humble beginnings in a Fort Collins, Colo. garage, OtterBox has spent over 25 years mastering the art of protection, delivering durable yet stylish phone cases that can go anywhere, do anything, so you can say ‘yes’ to everything. Whether you’re scaling mountains or simply surviving a Monday morning commute, OtterBox has you and your device covered.

It’s no surprise OtterBox is the #1 most trusted smartphone case brand in the U.S. From ultra rugged to effortlessly stylish, OtterBox helps you follow your ‘yes’ anywhere. 

OtterBox. Made for Yes.

At the heart of every OtterBox innovation is a commitment to create positive, lasting change. In partnership with the OtterCares Foundation, OtterBox says yes to giving back by inspiring kids to change the world through entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Employees say yes to giving back when they use 24 hours of paid time off each year to volunteer. Since 2011, OtterBox employees have logged more than 148,000 volunteer hours, contributing an estimated $3.8 million in value to local communities. Learn more about our yes at otterbox.com/givingback. 
 
For more information, visit otterbox.com.

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SOURCE OtterBox

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Quartz Manufacturers Alliance for America (QMAA) released a powerful video featuring quartz manufacturing workers from across the country calling for free and fair trade policies to save 100,000 American jobs. QMAA, a coalition of leading U.S.-based quartz slab manufacturers, are calling for strong safeguard remedies after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) found a huge flood of foreign imports had caused tremendous injury to the domestic quartz industry.

QMAA members are urging the Trump Administration to build on the ITC’s strong recommendation and address this major flood of quartz imports with a Tariff of 50% and a Reshoring Import Cap of 141 million square feet on imported quartz surface products. This will ensure a reshoring of the good-paying U.S. quartz manufacturing jobs stolen by companies who cheat U.S. trade law, distort competition and are decimating U.S. quartz manufacturing. Together, these trade remedies will provide the relief necessary to save the 100,000 jobs supported by the U.S. quartz industry.

The video features workers from LX Hausys, Guidoni USA and Cambria Company and is available here:
Save 100,000 American Quartz Jobs

Quotes from QMAA Quartz Manufacturing Workers
“This facility used to be a Husqvarna plant. Husqvarna closed down due to cheap foreign imports. There were over 1,000 people working here and all of a sudden…I’m worried I may see the same thing take place again.”
-Raymond Mack, Production Operator, Guidoni USA, Helena-McRae, GA

“Foreign countries, mainly China, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, have been circumventing and cheating the American market. We believe in the industry. We believe in the American working power. We just want to level the playing field, make it fair for everyone and everyone will benefit.”
– Daniel Vas de Melo SA, Business Development Manager, Guidoni USA, McRae-Helena, GA

“In order for us to continue to compete, we need a strong Tariff and Import Cap on imported quartz surfaces. That will ensure we can play on an even playing field. That’s all we’re asking for. I would hate to see cheap, imported quartz have a negative impact on families such as mine and the other families that we employ here.”
– Mike Morici, Vice President – LX Hausys, Adairsville, GA

“The surge of foreign imports has shocked the U.S. economy, and the market for surfaces. It’s taken prices down to unsustainably low levels for any domestic supplier. The result of that is we’re not producing as much as we should, we can’t hire as many people as we would like to, and we can’t grow our business in the way that we and our peers in the U.S. want to grow.”
– Andrew Eich, President and Chief Operating Officer, Cambria

“As these foreign imports flood the market, we lose the ability to create and sustain jobs that ensure good paying conditions for manufacturing workers. There will be over 100,000 jobs that have the strong potential to go away.”
– Jack Sundry, SVP Core and Lexus – Cambria, Southern Minnesota

Background
In September 2025, QMAA filed a Global Safeguard petition with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) under Section 201 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974. The ITC’s thorough investigation found serious injury to the domestic industry caused by a massive import surge designed to undercut American businesses. Quartz imports have surged by 78.3% within the past five years, leading to a nearly 20% decline in domestic production, factory closures and major job reductions.

A final safeguard decision from the United States Trade Representative is expected by Aug. 1, 2026.

About the Quartz Manufacturing Alliance for America:
QMAA is a coalition of U.S.-based, American quartz slab manufacturing factories, united with other industry leaders to support and strengthen the American quartz industry. QMAA is committed to ensuring a free and fair, competitive marketplace born of free enterprise that provides the opportunity to compete on a level playing field for American quartz slab manufacturing factories and their valued workers. We also believe this effort will have a positive impact throughout the entire quartz surfacing industry, including to the strong benefit of American stone fabrication shops and upstream suppliers of quartz minerals and resin. Learn more at: https://www.qmaa.org/

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SOURCE Quartz Manufacturing Alliance of America