DALLAS — The Foundation for Advancing Security Talent (FAST) is kicking off its third annual celebration of the security industry’s “unsung heroes” with National Security Technician Day on Thursday, Jan. 23.
The daylong honoring of security technicians jumpstarts FAST’s focus on those who work behind the scenes to install access control systems, video surveillance cameras, fire and intrusion control panels and everything else that helps to keep people, places and things safe and secure.
It culminates by honoring the 2025 Security Technicians of the Year at the 2025 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) in Atlanta in June.
FAST board chairperson Kerri Sutherland calls National Security Technician Day “one of the best days of the year for technicians in the security industry.”
“We started this three years ago to really recognize all of the security technicians,” she says. “They don’t always get the recognition that they deserve because they are the basis for our industry. Without them, nothing would be installed, nothing would be fixed.
“We really wanted to get a day just dedicated to them to give them the recognition that they deserve,” says Sutherland.
Inside FAST’s Third National Security Technician Day
There are several ways for companies across the security industry to get involved with National Security Technician Day, ranging from a shoutout on social media using #NationalSecurityTechnicianDay to bringing donuts and coffee or toolkits to them at their offices to taking them out to lunch and much more. SAGE Integration, for example, is hosting an awards ceremony for its technicians.
Other ideas include personalized thank you notes, a small gift card or care package, or an appreciation video post on social media.
Some members of the FAST board will be participating in a live broadcast at around noon Eastern time to honor what security technicians bring to the industry and talking about some of the celebrations in their honor across the security industry, says Sutherland.
FAST, which focuses on connecting talented workers with companies in the security industry, is seeking donations to continue running several of its ongoing initiatives, says Sutherland. The organizations was founded as a partnership between the Security Industry Association and Electronic Security Association.
“We’re hoping that everybody gets involved, even if it’s a simple shoutout to their text or a quick email company-wide, so that all technicians are recognized and know that it’s their day,” says Sutherland. “Just a simple recognition goes a long way.”
If you know a security technician who deserves to be recognized for his or her work in our ongoing National Security Technician Day Q&A series, please contact digital editor Craig MacCormack at [email protected].