Author Archive

Offshore Facilities: Growing Vulnerabilities in the Maritime Environment

Any opinions expressed in the preceding article represent their own views and are not necessarily the official views of the U.S. Coast Guard.Offshore energy platforms, which are vital to help the United States meet its energy requirements, not only are growing in number but also create unique security challenges. Using

Rescue 21 Update: Advanced Comm Capabilities for the New Century

Mayday! Mayday! The internationally recognized distress call for mariners and aviators; however, if no one hears the call, help will not be dispatched.  The U.S. Coast Guard has been taking steps to make sure that their ships and shore stations do hear the call, whenever and wherever it is sounded,

COTPs Updating Port Plans to Combat Maritime Terrorism

Successfully combating maritime terrorism within a U.S. port requires a coordinated effort among federal, state, local, and private-sector security forces. To coordinate the multi-force effort required involves extensive joint planning, well ahead of time, between and among the numerous stakeholders involved. In accordance with guidelines mandated in the Maritime Transportation

Rocks, Shoals, Obstructions, and the SAFE Port Act

The SAFE Port Act – officially called the Security and Accountability For Every Port Act, which was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 2006 – addresses a broad spectrum of port-security matters that had not been adequately covered by previous laws, including the Maritime Transportation Act of 2002.  One aspect

The Next Wave of Synergy in Port/Maritime Security

Synergy, fusion, jointness, unity of effort – all are important characteristics to the success of the multi-agency operations needed to ensure the security of ports in the United States – but those laudable characteristics also are difficult to achieve, particularly when a broad spectrum of agencies control their forces from

Important Gains Registered at Small-Vessel Security Summit

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hosted a “National Small-Vessel Security Summit” conference in Arlington, Va., last month that could lead to several important changes in the nation’s maritime-security posture. Small vessels – i.e., those less than 300 gross tons – have been a vehicle of choice for terrorists

USMA’s CTC Addresses Global Terrorism Threat

When the words “West Point” are mentioned, the names and exploits of famous generals such as Grant, Eisenhower, and Patton come to mind along with visions of crisp fall days, duty, honor, country, as well as an institution, the U.S. Military Academy (USMA), that is as much of America’s fabric

Port Security Exercises and Training: A Formidable Curriculum

As explained on the U.S. Transportation Security Agency’s website, PortSTEP (the Port Security Training and Exercise Program) was established as a partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard to improve “the intermodal transportation industry’s ability to prepare for and contend with a Transportation Security Incident.” The program is in that context

Guarding the Great Lakes: Athena and the Northern Maritime Border Initiative

The U.S. northern maritime border poses a significant challenge for U.S. and Canadian law-enforcement agencies. The Great Lakes border between the two nations, which extends over 1,500 miles, and the Saint Lawrence Seaway teem with commercial and recreational traffic routinely moving back and forth between the territorial waters separating the

TWITTER

Follow Us

Get Instant Access

Subscribe today to Domestic Preparedness and get real-world insights for safer communities.

ARchives

Article Out Loud – Securing Cities: The Fight Against Local Level Cyberthreats

  Full article by Michael Breslin, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, October 2, 2024. In this feature article, a cyber investigations specialist with extensive law enforcement experience describes how cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. At the local level, it forms the bedrock of the collective digital safety and

Article Out Loud – Thwarting Terrorist Threats at Home

  Full article by Richard Schoeberl, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, September 25, 2024. In this feature article, a terrorism expert with over 30 years of law enforcement experience revisits the events leading up to the September 11 attacks. Although the U.S. has not experienced another terrorist attack

Article Out Loud – Responder Fatigue – A Growing Concern

  Full article by Dan Scherr and Tanya Scherr, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, September 18, 2024. In this feature article, two public policy administration experts address a growing concern about responder fatigue. Emergencies require immediate action by people trained to extinguish fires, treat injuries, protect the public,

Article Out Loud – Crisis Communications – Reaching Teens and Young Adults

  Full article by Barrett Cappetto, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, September 18, 2024. In this feature article, a pipeline controller responsible for coordinating control center security and operational readiness shares some crisis communications research. Generation Z and millennials encompass almost half of the world’s population, and their

Article Out Loud – AI and 911 Call Systems: A New Ally or a Hidden Risk?

  Full article by Michael Breslin, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, September 11, 2024. In this feature article, a retired federal law enforcement senior executive describes how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the landscape by increasing efficiencies and risks. As unexpected events can strike at any moment, the

Article Out Loud – Security in and Around D.C. – Following the Informational Dots

Full article by Catherine L. Feinman, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, September 11, 2024. In this feature article, the editor-in-chief of Domestic Preparedness shares her key takeaways from a recent interoperability summit focused on Preparing for the 60th Presidential Inauguration. Public safety agencies shared their lessons learned from the

Article Out Loud – National Preparedness Month 2024: Talk About It

  Full article by Ian Pleet, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, September 4, 2024. In this feature article, an emergency management professional highlights the country’s preparedness goals and identifies available federal resources. By educating and empowering individuals and families to prepare for emergencies, communities can better position themselves

TWITTER

Follow Us

Get Instant Access

Subscribe today to Domestic Preparedness and get real-world insights for safer communities.

Translate »