Signing off for now....
Well, the winds of
change are blowing! Bill has an new adventure in front of him and will
be leaving us to fend for ourselves for a while. He has gotten the call
to mobilize to serve this great country of ours. Stay safe, good luck,
and thank you Bill for your service!
<>
Human Factors Engineering and the Safety/Security Equations
Nationwide attention
has now focused on vulnerabilities in the security industry.
Increased security efforts are supported by various technologies
provided by the U.S. government (e.g., metal detectors and machines to
detect weapons in carry-on luggage or explosives in checked luggage or
cargo). Ultimately, however, the effectiveness of the process has and
will continue to depend on the performance of the human operator.
Thus, people continue to be the key line of defense.
The primary goal of safety and security is frequently to ensure
something does NOT happen. But people are not good at understanding
non-events. There is often no re-enforcement for non-events and
so each of these ‘little’ victories go by unnoticed and unremembered
whereas the one spectacular failure is the topic of endless scrutiny.
Individuals responsible for security are thus faced with the on-going
problem of vigilance or sustained attention. Human
performance is key in keeping vigilant and providing the scrutiny that
is needed. Human Factors Engineering addresses these issues in
order to optimize performance.
See you next month!
Jovanni
<>
Release Date:
March 27, 2008
For Immediate
Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
Department of State: 202-647-2492
WHTI
Land and Sea Final Rule (PDF, 151 pages - 4.8 MB)
Washington
State's Enhanced Drivers License Notice (PDF, 6 pages - 308 KB)
The U.S.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of State
(DOS) announced today the final rule for the land and sea portion of
the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), a core 9/11 Commission
recommendation. The WHTI final rule requires travelers to present
a passport or other approved secure document denoting citizenship and
identity for all land and sea travel into the United States. WHTI
establishes document requirements for travelers entering the United
States who were previously exempt, including citizens of the U.S.,
Canada and Bermuda. These document requirements will be effective
June 1, 2009.
"We are on
course to implement and enforce the Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative which is an important step forward in securing the
homeland," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. "Limiting
and standardizing the types of documents presented will result in a
more secure and efficient border. We will continue to encourage
cross-border travel and trade while at the same time decreasing
identity theft and fraud."
In addition to
the release of the WHTI final rule, DHS is officially designating the
Washington State Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) a WHTI-compliant
document. As of March 24, Washington State had already scheduled
more than 18,600 appointments for EDL interviews and issued more than
6,400 EDLs.
DHS is
publishing the WHTI land and sea final rule more than a year in advance
of its implementation to give the public ample notice and time to
obtain the WHTI-compliant documents they will need to enter or re-enter
the United States on or after June 1, 2009.
Many
cross-border travelers already have WHTI-compliant documents such as a
Passport or a Trusted Traveler Card (NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST), or a
Washington State EDL. The Department of State is already
accepting applications for the new Passport Cards and additional states
and Canadian provinces will be issuing EDLs in the next several
months—all of which are options specifically designed for land and sea
border use.
Beginning June
1, 2009, DHS will institute special provisions that allow school or
other organized groups of children ages 18 and under who are U.S. or
Canadian citizens to enter the U.S. with proof of citizenship alone.
Over the next
14 months, the Departments will be conducting public information
campaigns to inform U.S. and Canadian citizens about the new document
requirements. These campaigns will include special outreach to
residents of border communities who may be most impacted by the new
document requirements. DHS and DOS are working with the Canadian
government to ensure widespread and consistent communications on both
sides of our land borders.
This
announcement comes two months after January 31, 2008, when DHS ended
acceptance of oral declarations alone of identity and citizenship at
the land borders. Since that time U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19
and older have been asked to present proof of identity and
citizenship. Children ages 18 and under are currently asked only
to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.
The changes
that took place in January marked the beginning of a transition period
intended to prepare the public for WHTI implementation on June 1,
2009. This common sense approach is designed to lessen the impact
on individuals and allow time for travelers to become accustomed to the
change and obtain the appropriate documents.
Upon
implementation of WHTI, travelers will be required to present a single
WHTI-compliant document denoting both citizenship and
identity when seeking entry into the United States through a land or
sea border. Standardized, secure and reliable documentation will
enable Customs and Border Protection officers to quickly and accurately
identify travelers at land and sea ports of entry. The WHTI
secure document requirement is already in place for all air travelers.
Both the EDL
and the Passport Card will contain security features to prevent
counterfeiting and will include vicinity Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) to help speed the entry process at the land borders.
The WHTI land and sea
final rule and a notice on the Washington State EDL will be sent to the
Federal Register for publication. Specific information on
documentation requirements may be found at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/ready_set_go/. For general
information on WHTI or other travel-related programs, please visit www.dhs.gov or www.travel.state.gov.
<>
Upcoming
Event/Opportunity
The Haz Mat
Investigations Program, HIMI-07, June 23-27, 2008, to be presented at CSTI in
San Luis Obispo, has received twenty-four scholarships from the CA Hazardous
Materials Investigator's Association, CHMIA. Please review the
eligibility requirements and contact person for scholarship
considerations prior
to forwarding this announcement to your local and State agencies.
We can forward a flyer application with additional course information if you
would like to get more information.
All scholarship
application requests are to be forwarded to CHMIA C/O John Pedersen by email:
pedersj@earthlink.net or phone: (408)
858-0254
SCHOLARSHIP
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Twenty-four full
scholarships are available to Peace Officers, Public Health
Officers, Environmental Health Officers/Specialists, Hazardous Materials
Specialists of a Public Health or
Environmental
Health Agency
or Fire Department, and employees of a water or air pollution control
agency whose duties are related
to enforcement of environmental
laws and regulations who are employed by the State of California,
the Counties and Municipal Subdivisions of the State of California.
For scholarship information contact John Pedersen at (408) 858-0254 or
on-line at pedersj@earthlink.net.
As we mentioned above, Bill is getting mobilized and will be greatly
missed. Stephen has made the transition to the Washington D.C.
area and is doing well.
We are continuing to do consulting work with cities and businesses and
if we don't have an office in your area, we will wither try to help
over distance (using the internet and travel) or help you to find the
right person in your area. As our business grows, we want you to
know that we are committed to ensuring that we provide the same level
of expertise and service to which you are accustomed. We work
with people who are interested in making their business, community or
jurisdiction safer, and not just people who want someone to help spend grant
money. We make the world safer. It's our reason for being,
our passion and if we're not doing that, then the project isn't right
for us. If we can make the world safer, there isn't a more
committed passionate
As always, if you are interested in working with us directly to make
your community, business, or agency safer, please contact us at: info@oursafetowns.com.
Remember, Keeping
Our Chemical Facilities Safe has been published, and is now
available! We will provide free updates to all purchasers when we
revise the book after DHS releases their guidance. Click here
to purchase your copy! See you next month!
What
To Do If You Spot Suspicious Terrorist Activity
If you see
suspicious behavior, do not confront the individuals involved.
Take note of the details:
S -
Size (Jot down the number of people, gender, ages, and physical
descriptions)
A -
Activity (Describe exactly what they are doing)
L -
Location (Provide exact location)
U -
Uniform (Describe what they are wearing, including shoes)
T -
Time (Provide date, time, and duration of activity)
E -
Equipment (Describe vehicle, make, color etc., license plate, camera,
guns, etc)
Suspicious activity
is often recalled after an event. We must train ourselves to be on the
lookout for things that are out of the ordinary and arouse suspicions.
Keep in mind, those who commit terrorist acts:
- <><>Usually
live among us without appearing suspicious while planning and preparing
for their attack. They may be your neighbor, student or friend.
- Often they
will need training or equipment that will arouse suspicion.
- Need to
conduct surveillance on possible targets and gather information on the
planned attack location.
<><><><><
style="font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif;">
<>
All of these things
make terrorists vulnerable to detection, by those watching for certain
characteristics.
earn to recognize the difference between normal and abnormal behavior.
It can be a fine line. Stay alert in your daily travels and routines
and get to know:
<>
Staying alert is NOT
about becoming paranoid. Staying alert is being aware of one’s
surroundings. Be alert to indications of possible trouble. They may
include:
- <>
A local activity
that could indicate problems in your community.
- <>
One of the clues
that led to the recent break-up of a terrorist plot was that several of
the cell members were spotted celebrating in an apartment complex on
the anniversary of 911.
- <>
Previous
activity or crimes.
- <>
Controversial
issues being debated.
- <>
Suspicious
thefts.
<> <>
For more
detailed information, visit: http://www.nationalterroralert.com/suspicious-activity/
We also have a copy
of the video: The
Seven Signs of Terrorism on our resources
page.
Did
You Know?
President Bush yesterday tapped veteran prosecutor Kenneth L. Wainstein to serve as his White House homeland security adviser as he moved to
name another key counterterrorism official and defuse criticism that he
has left important positions unfilled.
Bush also named Michael E. Leiter
to be director of the National Counterterrorism Center, the principal
intelligence organization for analyzing terrorist threats and
conducting operational planning for counterterrorism efforts. Leiter,
previously the center's deputy director, has been serving as the acting
director since his predecessor, John Scott Redd, resigned last fall.
Both Leiter and Wainstein are well
regarded in the legal and intelligence communities, but the prolonged
search for replacements in the two positions has drawn notice among
homeland security experts. Bush's last homeland security adviser, Frances Fragos Townsend, announced her resignation in
November, though she remained on the job until January.
Newsweek reported this week that Bush was rebuffed in
several attempts to fill the job. White House officials declined to
comment yesterday.
"It's about time," said David
Heyman, director of the Homeland Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. While
competent officials have been minding the store for the last several
months, he said, "two things the president doesn't want are new threats
or even a new attack at a time when he has two chairs empty next to
him. . . . That doesn't look good."
As the new White House homeland
security adviser, Wainstein is responsible for coordinating
counterterrorism and homeland security efforts throughout the
government. He will chair the Homeland Security Council, a counterpart to the National Security Council.
In a statement yesterday, Bush
said Wainstein's experience with the FBI, where he once served as general counsel and chief
of staff, "has provided him with a clear understanding of the dangers
we face and the importance of ensuring that we have the necessary tools
to protect America."
Wainstein has deep roots in the
Washington legal community, where he first attracted public attention
as lead prosecutor in the gruesome 1997 slayings of three people in a Starbucks in Georgetown. He went on to serve as the U.S. attorney in
the District of Columbia.
For the past year and a half,
Wainstein has been the Justice Department's top counterterrorism official,
leading the newly formed National Security Division, which coordinates
information sharing among prosecutors and the intelligence community.
He has fostered a reputation as a
polished advocate for Bush administration positions. In recent months,
Wainstein has been a point person in the drive to renew the USA Patriot
Act and win retroactive legal protection for telecommunications
companies that assisted the government's warrantless surveillance
efforts. Congress has yet to approve the latter.
Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey yesterday applauded
Wainstein for nearly two decades of government service. "While I am
sorry to lose Ken as part of my leadership team, I can think of no
better choice to serve as the president's homeland security adviser,"
Mukasey said.
Wainstein emerged unscathed from a
scandal over the firing of nine U.S. attorneys, even as about a dozen
officials from the department's senior ranks resigned after
investigations had been launched.
Neil MacBride, a Democrat who
worked alongside Wainstein in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia,
said that Wainstein's background in prosecuting drug gangs in D.C.
parallels some of his national security duties.
"His background in electronic
surveillance and human intelligence in the form of informants . . . has
translated well," MacBride said yesterday. "He spent many years running
large-scale investigations and brings to the job many things that only
come from being a line prosecutor."
Wainstein, through a Justice
Department spokesman, declined to comment yesterday.
(Source: Washington
Post Website: www.washingtonpost.com)
Child
Drowning Prevention
In addition to
barriers and constant supervision, CPSC offers these tips to help
prevent drowning deaths:
<>
Since every
second counts, always look for a missing child in the pool first.
Precious time is often wasted looking for missing children anywhere but
in the pool.
Don't leave toys and
floats in the pool that can attract young children and cause them to
fall in the water when they reach for the items.
For above-ground and
inflatable pools with ladders, remove or secure the ladder when the
pool is not in use.
Even if children can swim,
it doesn't make them drown-proof. Always supervise children using the
pool.
For more information
about drowning prevention, read CPSC's Swimming Pool Safety
Alert (PDF),
Safety Barrier
Guidelines for Pools (PDF) and How to Plan for the
Unexpected (PDF).
(Source:
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, http://www.aspca.org)
