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| A Primedia Property | |
| January 27, 2005 | Vol. 1 No. 2 |
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Table Of Contents DHS plans RFID tests at land borders Hutchinson to resign; Bush to nominate new deputy secretary Government information sharing gets poor grade Homeland security at home: Safety tips ADVERTISEMENT iCLASS Meets Government Standards HID supports GSC-IS V2.1 with fully-compliant iCLASS contactless smart card readers that are available to output the FASC-N in multiple configurations, providing versatility to support both existing and new access control systems. Standard communication protocols make it easy to replace existing access control card readers with HID GSC-compliant card readers. http://www.hidcorp.com/products/iclass/ In the News DHS plans RFID tests at land borders The Department of Homeland Security's US VISIT program, designed to track foreign visitors, will add testing of radio frequency (RF) technology at U.S. land borders. The technology will be tested at a simulated port this spring. By July 31, 2005, the testing will begin at the ports of Nogales East and Nogales West in Arizona; Alexandria Bay in New York; and, Pacific Highway and Peace Arch in Washington. The testing or "proof of concept" phase is expected to continue through the spring of 2006. The optimal technology, DHS reports, will allow for a unique and automatic identifier issued to pedestrians and visitors crossing in vehicles. The benefits of deploying RF technology at the land border allows for the automatic recording of visitors' arrival and departure. For more on RFID technology and its use in the military supply chain, see the December 2004 cover story from GOVERNMENT SECURITY: "RFID at the DoD" at www.govtsecurity.com Hutchinson to resign; Bush to nominate new deputy secretary Asa Hutchinson has resigned his post as undersecretary in charge of border and transportation security after being passed over twice by the White House to be Homeland Security Secretary. Hutchinson is believed to be considering a run for Arkansas governor next year. Earlier this month, President Bush tapped federal appeals court judge Michael Chertoff as his second nominee to head DHS and its 180,000 employees. The president's first choice, former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, withdrew shortly after he was nominated in December. Bush has also announced he plans to nominate former deputy Transportation Secretary Michael Jackson to replace James Loy as Deputy Homeland Security Secretary. Jackson, currently chief operating officer of AECOM Technology Corp., served as Deputy Secretary of Transportation from 2001 to 2003. Government information sharing gets poor grade Poor information-sharing both inside and outside government is threatening Homeland security, congressional investigators say. U.S. Comptroller General David Walker adds that federal agencies including DHS may need to declassify some security intelligence to break down information roadblocks to state and local authorities. "Many aspects of Homeland security information sharing remain ineffective and fragmented," according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress. A lack of security information sharing was one of four new problem areas added to a list of 25 high-risk government programs identified by the GAO in the report. Specifically, the report notes, information from fingerprint databases was shared between the Homeland Security and Justice departments at a "slow pace" in 2004. It also found that an initial information-sharing plan by DHS has yet to be accessed by all 34 networks that the GAO says need to be included. Homeland Security spokesman Brian Roehrkasse disputes the findings, pointing to daily DHS bulletins that alert federal, state, local and private-sector officials of possible security threats. He also noted a fingerprint information database, shared with the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol, that had led to the arrest of more than 8,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records as of late last year. Homeland security at home: Safety tips The Department of Homeland Security and the Homeownership Alliance, a coalition of housing industry and advocacy groups, has released a new emergency preparedness guide targeted at homeowners. The guide recaps some basic tips, such as what to keep in an emergency supply kit and how to set up a "phone tree" to contact family members and friends during a terrorist attack or natural disaster. It points to items such as flashlights, batteries and duct tape for greater preparedness. The guide advises parents with young children to make sure their schools or day care centers have emergency plans and adequate stocks of food, water and other supplies. The booklet also contains guidelines for determining whether a biological, chemical or nuclear attack has occurred. Signs of a chemical attack include watery eyes and trouble breathing. The effort is part of Homeland Security's "Ready" campaign to educate the public about emergency preparedness. The government has also worked with broadcasters on similar outreach efforts. Visit www.ready.gov for more information. News You Can Use Five simple rules for perimeter security: * Start with a comprehensive plan that incorporates what violations and intrusions have been experienced and/or that may occur; * Create a physical barrier or obstacle to reduce the ease of penetration or intrusion through the perimeter; * Consider integrating two or more technologies to ensure greater protection and reduce costly false alarms; * Use good video surveillance practices and new technologies; and * Use an integrated security management system solution to bring higher levels of response and automation to the perimeter security -- resulting in greater overall effectiveness and longer-term cost effectiveness. This list was excerpted from an article in the December issue of GOVERNMENT SECURITY, entitled "The First Line of Defense". It is available at www.govtsecurity.com Procurement Watch
Events Feb. 3-4 AAAE 14th Annual Airport Emergency Response School Ft. Myers, Fla. Organizer: American Association of Airport Executives www.airportnet.org aaaemeetings@airportnet.org Feb 6-8 Feb. 7-11 Feb. 9-10 Feb. 14-16 Feb 16-17 Feb. 23-25 Feb. 23-25 March 1-3 New Announcements from GOVERNMENT SECURITY magazine Coming in the February issue: First Responder Technologies Expanding the abilities of professionals on the front lines Now on www.govtsecurity.com December 2004 Browse our latest issue at your leisure |
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