Transit Security Newsletter

Palisades Transit Security Newsletter

A Publication by Palisades Group USA Palisades Consulting Group, Inc. www.palisadesgroup.com/PGUSA 91 West Clinton Avenue, Tenafly, NJ 07670

Volume 2, Number 1 January 16, 2003

Subscribe/Unsubscribe National Update Current Homeland Security Threat Level: Yellow—“Elevated: Significant Risk of Terrorist Attacks.” See http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020312-5.html for more information on the Homeland Security Advisory System.

TSC hosts 2003 National Teleconference Series on “Emerging Standards for Transit Security and Homeland Defense” The Transit Standards Consortium (TSC) will continue to host its monthly national teleconference series on emerging standards for Transit Security and Homeland defense in 2003. The next teleconference event will be held Wednesday, January 22, 2003 from 1-2:30 pm EST and will focus on “Security for Wireless Applications in Transit.” Stuart Kelly, Chair of the IEEE 802.11 wireless communications standards committee will be the guest speaker. Tom Sullivan, President of Transit Systems Design, Inc. will be the Moderator. Among the discussants will be Jim Kemp, Manager, Advanced Public Transportation Systems, NJ Transit and Robert Gave, Communications Systems Manager Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority. All transportation professionals are invited to participate in the teleconference. Register at: http://www.tsconsortium.org/TSC2003/NationalTeleconSeries/TeleconSeries2003.htm.

U.S. Transportation Leader Acts to Stop Screeners' Union Effort The leader of the Transportation Security Administration says collective bargaining for federal screeners is "not compatible" with the fight against terrorism. The official, Adm. James Loy, the under secretary of transportation for security, said he was authorized by Congress to thwart unionizing activity in the interest of national security. "Fighting terrorism demands a flexible work force that can rapidly respond to threats," said Admiral Loy, who cited his legal authority under the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, approved within two months of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. See article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/10/business/10UNIO.html?tntemail1.

Connecticut's bus drivers are joining police, firefighters and paramedics on the front lines of anti-terrorism preparation. Scores of transit officials gathered last week in Hartford with police, fire crews, civil-preparedness directors and others to discuss ways that buses can be protected against terrorism and used in large-scale evacuations. See article at: http://www.ctnow.com/news/local/hc-safebuses0109.artjan10.story.

Officials consider faster ways to alert U.S. to terrorism Television sets suddenly turning on in the middle of the night, Internet messages or nontraditional telephone rings may be the next way Americans are alerted by the government they are under attack by terrorists. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) in 1997 replaced the Emergency Broadcast System that historically warned that "this is only a test," but lawmakers say new technology is needed to give Americans faster and more practical information. See article at: http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20030110-90194169.htm.

Palisades Team Activities On Sunday, January 12, 2003, Palisades Team Member Larry Johnson briefed the ASCE Transportation Security Committee on “Perspectives on Terrorism and Transit” at the committee’s meeting at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

On the same day, Palisades Team Director Eva Lerner-Lam presented “Port Security: Issues and Challenges for Asia and the West” at the North American Chinese Oversea Transportation Association/Washington Chinese Transportation Professionals Association Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. A copy of her presentation can be downloaded at: http://www.palisadesgroup.com/presentations.htm.

Palisades Transit Security Newsletter Sponsor News George Washington University Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management, in conjunction with The International Emergency Management Society, is sponsoring a two day workshop, January 28-29, 2003 in Washington, DC, to discuss topical concerns and issues regarding transportation safety and security. On Tuesday, expert speakers and panelists will make presentations to the plenary session. On Wednesday, there will be small group sessions on the topics of transportation safety and security. For additional information please refer to http://www.tiems.org. [The GWU Institute is a Palisades TSN sponsor. For more information about how your organization can help support this Newsletter, please contact [email protected].]

Palisades Transit Security Newsletter is published twice monthly as a free service to the transit community. Publisher: Eva Lerner-Lam ([email protected]) Editor-In-Chief: Ellen Thompson ([email protected]) Contributors: Said Easa, Ed Fuller, Lee Goldstein, Ken Harvey, Mimi Hwang, Larry Johnson, Jim Kemp, George Kovatch, Ronald Libengood, Michael McAfee, Greg Miles, Frank Montes de Oca, Kevin O’Brien, Al Pierce, Robert Previdi, Russ Rogers, John Schiavone, Mark Stewart, Barbara Thomson To Subscribe or Unsubscribe, contact: [email protected] A Printer-Friendly copy of this Newsletter can be downloaded from the Palisades Security Team website: http://palisadesgroup.com/PGUSA/Newsletters/Jan.16.2003Vol.2No.1Final.doc