Federal security regulations for chemical plants proposed
Dec 27, 2006
The Department of Homeland Security has proposed new regulations that would require chemical companies like DuPont and Dow Chemical Co. to tighten security at their U.S. plants.
The rules, which stem from concerns that an attack on chemical plants could prompt a deadly spill or explosion, would require companies to put in place a buffer zone outside the facilities, require personnel background checks and allow the DHS to perform site visits....
Investigators to target airport security
Dec 27, 2006
Teams of federal agents could be prowling airport perimeters next year as congressional investigators scrutinize federal efforts to safeguard planes, tarmacs and runways.
The federal investigation will focus on perimeter security technology, background checks, training and planning -- all topics in a 2004 report critical of the Transportation Security Administration....
DHS urges Americans to practice emergency preparedness
Dec 14, 2006
As the world counts down to a new year, nearly half of all adults in the country will make at least one New Year's resolution. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is urging Americans to make a resolution to prepare themselves, their families and their businesses for emergencies...
DHS traveler assessments may violate Congressional ban
Dec 14, 2006
Officials are debating whether the Department of Homeland Security's computerized risk assessments of international travelers violate a specific ban that Congress imposed on the agency's spending for the past three years...
U.S. to begin testing inbound cargo for nuclear materials
Dec 14, 2006
Beginning early next year, cargo containers bound for the United States from six foreign seaports will be screened for dangerous nuclear materials. The screening effort will be the first phase in a program intended to expand the scrutiny of shipments before they reach American ports...
Survey shows high levels of interoperability
Dec 14, 2006
Communications interoperability throughout the U.S. is on the rise, according to results from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) nationwide survey of first responders and law enforcement...
Technology panel backs down on restricting RFID
Dec 14, 2006
A technology advisory panel to the Department of Homeland Security has toned down its objections to radio frequency identification in the latest version of its report on the subject...
Procurement Close-up: DHS drowning in paperwork
Nov 30, 2006
Rails may be the answer in Midwest emergencies
Nov 30, 2006
Passenger rail service was discussed as a possible resource in planning for large-scale emergencies during a recent Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission meeting in St. Louis.
During the meeting, a report was distributed that concludes if improvements are made to the region's passenger rail system, rail can play a vital role in emergency evacuations of large metropolitan areas and supply delivery in the event of a disaster, the Columbus (Neb.) Telegram reports....
Congressional Democrats lining up security issues
Nov 30, 2006
Better communication systems, improved rail security and more rigorous oversight are high on the list of Homeland security issues Democrats plan to examine when they assume control of Congress in January.
"You'll see a committee that is not afraid to take on tough issues," Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the incoming chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told The Associated Press in an interview....
Air travelers will soon need a passport to enter U.S.
Nov 30, 2006
Virtually all air travelers entering the United States beginning Jan. 23 will need to show passports -- even U.S. citizens, the Department of Homeland Security has announced.
Until now, U.S. citizens, travelers from Canada and Bermuda, and some travelers from Mexico who have special border-crossing cards for frequent visitors were allowed to show other proofs of identification, such as drivers' licenses or birth certificates....
Chertoff promises interoperable communications in one year
Nov 30, 2006
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has said that the nation's 35 highest-risk cities must have systems enabling first responders to communicate in a disaster by the end of next year, Newsday reports. Every state must have such a system by the end of 2008, he added.
"The bottom line is we have to be able to communicate during a disaster," Chertoff told more than 1,000 state and local Homeland security officials assembled at the Washington Hilton. "We're going to get it done."...
Cargo screening tests to begin in Seattle
Nov 16, 2006
The Department of Homeland Security will begin testing air cargo screening technologies this fall at the Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) International Airport as part of its previously announced $30 million Air Cargo Explosives Detection Pilot Program (ACEDPP). The purpose of the Sea-Tac testing is to better understand the technological and operational issues associated with detecting hidden persons or explosives that could be in air cargo....
