Emergency Preparedness News articles from November 2004

Emergency Preparedness News archives from November 2004

Memo to the next President.(Slants & Trends)(relationships between government terrorist warnings and Gallup data rating George W. Bush)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... MEMO TO THE NEXT PREISDENT: We always thought it was true, and now sociology has confirmed our sense: homeland security scares tend to inflate our view of the President's leadership. Sociologist Robb Willer of Cornell University noticed the...

Interoperability project debuted; may set standard for emergency response.(Emergency Interoperability Consortium)
November 2, 2004... With the goal of getting "the right information into the right hands at the right time," a consortium of responders and representatives from industry and academia gathered last week to demonstrate the Emergency Data Exchange Language (EDXL)....

TSA tests backscatter technology for detecting explosives on ferries.
November 2, 2004... TSA recently teamed with the U.S. Coast Guard and Delaware River and Bay Authority to test an explosives detection technology on vehicles boarding the Cape May-Lewes Ferry that runs between the Delaware and New Jersey coasts. TSA said the test...

Updates for emergency managers.(National Mutual Aid Glossary of Terms and Definitions)
November 2, 2004... FEMA has released two updated disaster management tools, the National Mutual Aid Glossary of Terms and Definitions, which provides terms for equipment, teams, and personnel used in disasters, and Resource Typing Definitions--II, which...

DHS budget exceeds bush request, but falls short of responders' ideal.(Congressional Update)(Department of Homeland Security)
November 2, 2004... Congress has provided DHS with almost a billion dollars more in its fiscal year (FY) 2005 budget than President Bush requested (EPN, Feb. 10, p. 17), but not all parties agree that adequate funding has gone to the programs with the greatest...

FY04 Disaster Supplemental Conference Amendment.(Pending Legislation)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... FY04 Disaster Supplemental Conference Amendment has been approved by the House and Senate. A "Christmas tree" bill in the classic sense of the phrase, this election year bill will send $13.8 billion to those stricken by natural disasters,...

Public Transportation Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.(Pending Legislation)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... Public Transportation Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (S. 2884) has been passed by the Senate. The bill would authorize $2.37 billion in DHS grants for a wide array of capital security improvements to public transportation networks including...

Public Transportation Terrorism Prevention and Response Act of 2004.(Pending Legislation)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... Public Transportation Terrorism Prevention and Response Act of 2004 (H.R. 5082) has passed the House Transportation Committee. This bill also would require a transit security memorandum of understanding between DHS and DOT (see preceding item)....

National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004.(Pending Legislation)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act of 2004 (H.R. 3980) has been passed by the House. Authorizes $22.5 million in FY06 and $25 million in FY07 to FEMA, the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the...

New guide available for HazMat information.(Hazardous Materials Guide for First Responders)
November 2, 2004... The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) recently finished compiling its Hazardous Materials Guide for First Responders, the result of an extensive study of available resources in case of the release of toxic substances and other hazmat events. ...

Building codes prove big boost in hurricane mitigation, cleanup.
November 2, 2004... Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne--the four hurricanes that hit Florida within a six-week span this summer--wreaked havoc on buildings in the state totaling billions of dollars. Despite those estimates, engineering and remedial experts told...

Free equipment, training, tech support offer low-cost responder readiness.(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... DHS's Office of Domestic Preparedness and the First Responder Institute in Burtonsville, Md., have launched the Homeland Defense Equipment Reuse program to provide radiological detection equipment and other first responder gear--as well as...

Flu vaccine shortage warrants action at federal level, say emergency docs.(Pending Legislation)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is contending that the flu vaccine shortage, combined with the current overcrowding of hospital emergency capacity, could create "the perfect storm" of a healthcare crisis this winter and...

Center for the Commercialization of Advanced Technology.(Grant & Contracts)
November 2, 2004... CENTER FOR THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY (CCAT) is soliciting applications from industry and academic research institutions to support a broad range of technologies that address DHS and Department of Defense needs. Technologies...

The Department of Health and Human Services.(Grant & Contracts)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES has awarded two contracts totaling $55.2 million to fund vaccine development for two potential bioterrorism agents--plague, and tularemia. Avecia Biotechnology, Ltd., of Manchester, England, won a...

Pharmathene, Inc.(Grant & Contracts)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... PHARMATHENE, INC., a privately held biotechnology company in Annapolis, Md., has put together $50 million in venture capitalist funding to continue development of ToxBlox, a potential inhibitor of the anthrax toxin that would be given to...

The Department of Defense.(Grant & Contracts)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DoD) has awarded International Biometric Group LLC (IBG), New York, and Michigan State University a six-month contract to develop a system that will combine results of multiple biometric products such as iris, face,...

TSA.(Grant & Contracts)(Transportation Security Agency)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... TSA has committed $1.7 million to the Maryland Aviation Administration for improvements to the checked baggage screening system at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. The funds will pay for explosives detection machines at the...

TSA is purchasing five explosives detection trace portal machines for $731,500 from Smiths Detection of Pine Brook, N.J., for delivery in early 2005.(Grant & Contracts)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... TSA is purchasing five explosives detection trace portal machines for $731,500 from Smiths Detection of Pine Brook, N.J., for delivery in early 2005. Passengers will stand in the portal as several quick puffs of air are released and the portal...

Flight school threat.(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... FLIGHT SCHOOL THREAT. In an effort to thwart terrorism, TSA has begun requiring security threat assessments for non-citizens seeking training at U.S. flight schools. Non-citizens must provide TSA with fingerprints, biographical data, and what...

Firefighter fatalities.(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... FIREFIGHTER FATALITIES. FEMA has released Report on Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2003, detailing the circumstances of the 111 responder deaths that occurred that year. Also included: special reports on alcohol use in the fire...

Bioterrorism.(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... BIOTERRORISM. The United States is ill-prepared for the "profoundly serious threat" of bioterrorism and natural epidemics, according to a report from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the Sarnoff Corp. Researchers interviewed 30...

Emergency understanding.(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... EMERGENCY UNDERSTANDING. Approximately one in two voters (55 percent) is aware that hospital emergency rooms are overcrowded and say government should increase funding to address the crisis, according to a survey by the American College of...

Workplace security.(Homeland Security Assessment Manual: A Comprehensive Organizational Assessment Based on Baldrige Criteria)
November 2, 2004... WORKPLACE SECURITY. The American Society for Quality (ASQ), has released the Homeland Security Assessment Manual: A Comprehensive Organizational Assessment Based on Baldrige Criteria. The book provides a hands-on manual on how to use the...

Maritime violators.(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... MARITIME VIOLATORS. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has updated and made available its list of ships with an excessive number of safety and/or security deficiencies and nations that have not submitted reports to the International Maritime...

Canadian mail security.(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... CANADIAN MAIL SECURITY. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has informed patrons that mail sent to Canada must include the full name and address of sender and recipient on the envelope or entry will be denied. The stricter requirements for...

Passport enforcement.(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... PASSPORT ENFORCEMENT. Beginning Oct. 26, DHS began requiring travelers applying for admission under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to have a machine-readable passport. Border patrol officers can, at their discretion, admit a traveler once...

Sequencing tragedy.(World Trade Center collapse)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2004... SEQUENCING TRAGEDY. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has released a detailed report on the sequence of the World Trade Center towers' collapse and new information on fire and evacuation findings and responder command and...

Calendar.(Calendar)
November 2, 2004... Nov. 9: A Symposium on Physical Security Protection, Washington, D.C. A how-to symposium on planning and implementing physical security solutions for environments ranging from campuses and stadiums to entire cities. Contact: Maria...

Black box warning.(Slants & Trends)
November 16, 2004... BLACK BOX WARNING labels approved by the Food and Drug Administration must appear on packages of Dryvax smallpox vaccine manufactured by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. because the drug has been linked to acute myopericarditis--inflammation of the...

Responders get valuable rating tool to evaluate detection gear accuracy.
November 16, 2004... First responders frustrated by the performance of anthrax detection products now have a DHS-recommended set of criteria by which to measure a method's accuracy. The anthrax evaluation criteria are only the first in a series DHS intends to roll...

DHS facial recognition standard first of many biometric criteria.(Department of Homeland Security )(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... DHS has adopted its first biometric facial recognition standard, created to set the technical criteria that manufacturers use to design equipment such as cameras and facial recognition software. The DHS standard is consistent with...

FCC rules VoIP falls under federal jurisdiction; leaves E-911 for future.(Federal Communications Commission, Voice over Internet Protocol )(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services are interstate and therefore not subject to the traditional state public utility commission (PUC) regulation of local telephone service, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ruled. As...

TSA seeks to 'fill gaps' in air cargo security, emphasizes all-cargo carriers.(Transportation Security Administration)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... TSA has released its Air Cargo Security Plan for public comment, proposing rules to tighten security measures throughout the air cargo supply chain. Requirements would cover airport operators, aircraft operators, foreign air carriers, and...

Judge halts DoD vaccination program, rules FDA must seek public comment.(Department of Defense, Food and Drug Administration )(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... A federal judge has issued an injunction against the Department of Defense's (DoD) mandatory anthrax vaccination program for U.S. troops because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not properly evaluate the vaccine's effectiveness...

World must 'prepare in advance' for 'highly favorable' influenza conditions.(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... "The current outbreak of H5N1 [avian influenza] has provided a stark warning signal that conditions are highly favorable for the emergence of a pandemic virus," according to a statement at the end of a high-level, informal World Health...

Company aims to conquer diagnostic alert market with flexibility, simplicity.
November 16, 2004... When Larry Olmo, president and chief executive officer of System Excelerator in Crofton, Md., analyzed the diagnostic alert market, he observed an empty niche. "There were software-intensive products that did a nice job, but were incomplete,"...

Financial sector raises preparedness, DHS lowers threat level to yellow.(News Roundup)(Department of Homeland Security )(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... DHS last week lowered the threat level from Code Orange (high) to Code Yellow (elevated) for the financial services sectors in New York City, northern New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. DHS noted that "permanent protective measures are in place...

Coast Guard security missions threatened by engine trouble.(News Roundup)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... Upgrade delays on the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) fleet of workhorse helicopters, the HH-65 Dolphins, are subjecting air crews to risks as they perform missions such as port security, search and rescue, and marine safety, according to the DHS...

Fire task force advises upgrading wildland urban interface standards.(News Roundup)(San Diego Regional Fire Prevention and Emergency Preparedness Task Force)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... The San Diego Regional Fire Prevention and Emergency Preparedness Task Force completed its report on measures to prevent wildfire damage like that in Southern California in the fall of 2003 that destroyed more than 739,000 acres, 3,631 homes,...

Nuclear plants beef up security; doubts remain over verification.(News Roundup)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... Nuclear power plants have met their Oct. 29 deadline for putting stepped-up post-9/11 security plans in place, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the industry's trade organization. Doubts remain in Congress, however, that the...

Disability preparedness: good news, bad news.(News Roundup)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... A nationwide Harris survey commissioned by the National Organization on Disability (NOD) found that 69 percent of emergency managers in states and large, mid-size, and small cities have incorporated the needs of the disabled into emergency...

Companies bet that analysis + visuals equal effective flood damage solutions.(News Roundup)(DHI Water & Environment)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... Citing the $4 billion in average annual flood damage costs, two companies have begun combining their mitigation and watershed management technologies to help stem the growing loss of life and property caused by flooding. DHI Water &...

The American Red Cross.(Grant & Contracts)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... THE AMERICAN RED CROSS has issued a request for applications (RFA) to non-profit agencies that offer mental health and wellness services to children and youth exposed to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Youth Recovery & Resilience grants will...

The Department of Health and Human Services.(Grant & Contracts)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS) has awarded the first contract under Project Bioshield, which allocates $5.6 billion over 10 years for research and production of vaccines and antidotes for bioterror agents (EPN, Aug. 24, p....

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.(Grant & Contracts)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES (NIAID) has awarded 14 contracts worth more than $73 million to fund the Large-Scale Antibody and T Cell Epitope Discovery Program, an initiative to develop vaccines, therapies, and...

Dialogic Communications Corp.(Grant & Contracts)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... DIALOGIC COMMUNICATIONS CORP. (DCC), Franklin, Tenn., has chosen three winners in its 2004 Homeland Security Grant Program. Broken Arrow Police Department, Oklahoma; Hollywood Police Department, Florida; and Rocky Mount, N.C., will receive free...

Fire command update.(U.S. Fire Administration )(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... FIRE COMMAND UPDATE. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) is now offering a Web-based version of its Incident Command System (ICS) Self-Study, 2nd Edition. The program was designed to provide all first responders with a basic explanation of ICS,...

Emergency vehicle safety.(U.S. Fire Administration )(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... EMERGENCY VEHICLE SAFETY. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has released copies of its recently completed Fire Service Emergency Vehicle Safety Initiative report. The study contains detailed recommendations for standardized operating...

Fallen officers.(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... FALLEN OFFICERS. The FBI has reported the felonious death of 52 officers in the agency's Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted in 2003. The report revealed that 14 officers were killed during traffic stops or pursuits, 11 were killed in...

Air/marine integration.(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... AIR/MARINE INTEGRATION. In an effort to integrate air and marine law enforcement personnel and missions into the same organization, DHS's Office of Air and Marine Operations (AMO) has been transferred intact from U.S. Immigration and Customs...

CSI participants.(Container Security Initiative)(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... CSI PARTICIPANTS. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has announced that the Port of Gioia, Italy, is the 31st operational port under the Container Security Initiative (CSI) (EPN, Aug. 24, p. 127). Other recent participants include Naples,...

Food security.(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... FOOD SECURITY. The Food and Drug Administration has revised its Compliance Policy Guide to rules requiring advanced shipping notice for imported foods. Geared towards inspectors, the guide contains information that shippers may find useful in...

Cluing in kids.(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... CLUING IN KIDS. Students' disaster knowledge appears to decline after the fifth grade along with their overall ability to react to disaster situations, according to a study done by the American Red Cross School Safety Initiative (SSI). Phase 1...

Preparedness in a kit.(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... PREPAREDNESS IN A KIT. The American Red Cross has teamed with Home Depot to sell Ready Gear, an emergency kit containing items recommended by Red Cross to aid two adults for 72 hours during disasters. A July 2004 Red Cross study indicated that...

Police checkpoint search unjustified without terror suspicion, court rules.(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... The threat of a post-9/11 terrorist attack is insufficient justification to search protesters unless officials have "some reason to believe that international terrorists would target or infiltrate" the group, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of...

Florida judge approves settlement in class action Zylon vest lawsuit.(Brief Article)
November 16, 2004... In the ongoing legal actions created over the effectiveness of Zylon protective vests, Florida State Circuit Judge Bernard Nachman of Jacksonville has approved a settlement agreement proposed by the Southern States Police Benevolent Association...

'Coherent leadership'.(Slants & Trends)(homeland security)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... 'COHERENT LEADERSHIP'--that is what is still lacking in Congress when it comes to homeland security, according to Rep. Curt Weldon (R.-Pa.), a member of the Select Committee on Homeland Security. Weldon told the 4th Global Homeland Security...

Success equals strategic security, advises global business consultant.(Greg Pellegrino)
November 30, 2004... The businesses that will succeed in the future are those that already have "a much keener awareness of the strategic implications security has--it's an economic driver," according to Greg Pellegrino, global managing director for Deloitte...

Marine CBNR Force seeks to inspire field confidence in fellow responders.(U.S. Marine Corps' (USMC) Chemical-Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF))(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... Col. Dwight Trafton, commanding officer of the U.S. Marine Corps' (USMC) Chemical-Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) said he is hoping his unit is someday put out of business because it is no longer needed. The fact that the CBIRF...

Public safety communications summit goes global on interoperability, VoIP.
November 30, 2004... Technology and terrorism have gone global, and those responsible for public safety "should be able to think less parochially" as well, declared an international gathering of public safety communications leaders convened earlier this month in...

APEC member countries renew efforts on MANPADs, port security, diseases.(Man-Portable Air Defense Systems)
November 30, 2004... Preventing terrorists' use of weapons of mass destruction, boosting port security, and stymieing infectious diseases were high on the agenda of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit held earlier this month in Santiago, Chile. ...

How-to help for NIMS.(National Incident Management System Integration Center)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... The DHS/FEMA National Incident Management System (NIMS) Integration Center has posted on its Web site a template for a basic NIMS Implementation Plan. NIMS aims to provide a consistent nationwide approach to preparing for, responding to, and...

Expert identifies high-altitude nuclear terrorist attack as a 'plausible' threat.(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... The next terrorist attack may well involve a nuclear weapon, but not one exploded on the ground, according to Henry Kluepfel, head of the Commission to Evaluate the Threat of High Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) to the United States. Kluepfel...

DHS unveils second round in ready campaign; child's perspective featured.(Department of Homeland Security)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... DHS has launched a second public service campaign to drive home the necessity for families to be prepared in case of a terrorist attack or other emergency, this time emphasizing preparedness from the viewpoint of children. The new public...

U.S./EU panel adopts measures to expand container security.(EPN News Roundup)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... The European Union (EU)-U.S. Joint Customs Cooperation Committee has adopted new measures to strengthen maritime container security. Specific items include: * Minimum requirements for European ports wishing to participate in the Container...

GAO highlights remaining gaps in post-anthrax postal security.(EPN News Roundup)(Government Accountability Office)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... Despite being in the security spotlight since the anthrax attacks, core U.S. Postal Service facilities inspected by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) "revealed a number of security problems," according to a GAO report. These...

ACLU sues over 'behavioral profiling'; says TSA will take practice nationwide.(EPN News Roundup)(American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts has filed suit in Suffolk Superior Court challenging the constitutionality of a "behavioral assessment" program adopted by the Massachusetts Port Authority and the Massachusetts state police...

NIH Institute and six partners will sequence flu genomes.(EPN News Roundup)(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has launched an influenza genome-sequencing project along with six scientific research partners. The project will reveal the complete genetic blueprints of thousands of...

Computer model simulates outbreak; scientists study response strategy.(EPN News Roundup)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... A group of scientists from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) is focusing on developing a computer model to combat the H5N1 strain of bird influenza virus. The researchers explained that by simulating the outbreak of the...

USFA partners to increase the safety of firefighters working on roadways.(EPN News Roundup)(United States. Fire Administration)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... Keeping firefighters safe while they perform emergency operations on roadways is the aim of a partnership among the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), the Federal Highway Administration, and the International Fire Service Training Association....

FEMA brings responders up to speed on handling multiple casualty incidents.(EPN News Roundup)(Federal Emergency Management Agency)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... FEMA has developed a new online independent study course for Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel who must respond to multiple casualty incidents. The four-hour web-based course addresses preparedness planning; incident management;...

DHS.(Grants & Contracts)(Department of Homeland Security)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... DHS has updated its 2005 Forecast of Contract Opportunities, which includes projections of contract actions above $100,000 that small businesses may be able to perform. Detailed projections with appropriate contacts can be downloaded at...

TSA.(Grants & Contracts)(Transportation Security Administration)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... TSA has announced that it will hold an open, competitive bidding process for its Integrated Logistics Support contract. The contract, to be awarded in February, will provide maintenance for metal detectors, X-ray machines, and Explosives Trace...

DHS Office for Domestic Preparedness.(Grants & Contracts)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... DHS OFFICE FOR DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS (ODP) has announced 136 grants totaling $10.2 million in round 23 of the fiscal year 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. The grants will help local California fire departments purchase equipment,...

FEMA.(Grants & Contracts)(Federal Emergency Management Agency)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... FEMA has rolled out a $6.7 million program to purchase new trucks for its Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) to speed their response time for disasters to within 12 hours. The 93 trucks will be delivered over the next year to 31 DMATs to...

DHS Science and Technology Directorate.(Grants & Contracts)
November 30, 2004... DHS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORATE has awarded full-tuition scholarships with stipends to 105 college juniors and graduate students studying engineering, science, and math. DHS created the program to encourage students to pursue...

Exclusive maritime airwaves.(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed designating VHF maritime Channels 87B and 88B for exclusive ship Automatic Identification System (AIS) use domestically, in keeping with the international allocation of those channels for...

Secure Canadian waters.(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has issued Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular No. 12-04 to provide guidance on security compliance and enforcement for U.S./Canadian boundary and coastal waters. Contact: USCG, (202) 267-2978,...

National Guard stretched.(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... The Army National Guard's preparations to deploy units for overseas missions have left nondeployed units short one-third of critical equipment they need for war, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. On top of the...

Pinpointing destruction.(hurricane destruction )(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory used computer models to predict "with uncanny accuracy" how this season's Florida hurricanes would affect electric power restoration across storm-damaged areas, according to Energy & Infrastructure...

TWIC testing underway.(Transportation Worker Identity Credential)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... TSA has begun testing the technology and business logistics involved in implementing the Transportation Worker Identity Credential (TWIC) Program at the Port of Long Beach Container Terminal. Testing will expand to 34 sites in six states over...

Private screener option open.(airports)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... TSA began Nov. 19 to accept applications from commercial airports that wish to switch from federal to private security screeners. TSA took over airport screening and hired a federal workforce in the wake of 9/11. Applications will be evaluated...

Secure flight final.(passenger name record dats)(Brief Article)
November 30, 2004... TSA has issued a final order requiring air carriers to provide historical passenger name record (PNR) data to test Secure Flight, the agency's new pre-screening program to match PNR data against the Terrorist Screening Center Database (EPN,...