CEAS Frequently Asked Questions

HOW IS CEAS ACTIVATED?
In an emergency, public safety officials must determine that granting limited access to the affected area is safe before CEAS can be activated. When appropriate, the City of New York will activate the system and notify members through local media. NOTE: Public safety officials managing restricted areas may limit or deny access to CEAS cardholders at any time due to changing conditions.

WHAT KIND OF CREDENTIALING DOES CEAS OFFER?
Given the diverse needs of businesses in New York City, the CEAS program provides different credentialing options.

• Standard Card: a photo ID that provides acccess to a specific location for a specific individual.
• Flex Card: a credential that provides access to a location with no assigned employee. This card allows companies to grant access to employees who become spontaneously critical.
• Multi-Facility Card: is made available to participants with multiple worksites within a given jurisdiction.  [Card allocations are granted on a limited basis.]
• All Area Access Card: a photo identification card that is issued to a specific individual critical employee and/or essential service provider for access to ALL participant facilities within the sponsoring jurisdiction. [Cards are allotted only with the direct approval of the City.]
• State Insurance Adjuster Program: Provides “C” level Flex Cards for insurance adjusters who apply through the NYS Insurance Department. This allows maximum flexibility for insurance companies who may be required to bring in adjusters from out of state.

WHICH EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE ENROLLED IN CEAS?
Credentialed employees should be those who best protect and secure your assets. Consider needs such as damage assessment, technology shutdowns, critical data and document retrieval or removal, and physical protection and building restoration when selecting employees for enrollment.

HOW DO I ENROLL MY COMPANY IN CEAS?
You can enroll your company in CEAS online at www.ceas.com. Before enrolling, it is important to gather some information that will simplify online enrollment and training processes:

• Designate a coordinator who will be responsible for administration of the program within your company.
• Determine the company location(s) to enroll in the program.
• Identify which employees will take part in CEAS at each location.
• Create employee lists with e-mail addresses for each facility you will need to access.
• Determine which employees will require access to multiple facilities and identify the facilities they will need to access.

WHY ARE ONLY BUSINESSES ALLOWED INTO THIS PROGRAM?
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.