Security-Drills
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Today, Maritime security is
more important than ever before.
Not only must we keep
our ship safe at sea,
we must keep a careful
watch on who comes aboard,
what comes aboard, and where to
anticipate potential security
threats.
Shipboard security relies on
the vigilance of the officers
and crew-- paying attention.
Using your eyes, your
ears, your common sense,
and your knowledge of
the security measures
required by your
ship's security plan.
Ship's security plans
cover all the aspects
of who does what onboard
during a security incident.
Who reports to who, and
who have responsibilities
to do certain things
under various scenarios.
We'll introduce the
ship security plan
as the basis for your
procedures, training,
and exercises that
increase your vigilance.
We'll explain how to properly
conduct the security drills
and exercises required
to conform to security
regulations, and we'll get
expert commentary from Captain
Richard Softye, formerly of
the United States Coast Guard,
and an expert on vessel security
procedures and regulations.
A ship's security plan is
actually a living document,
because it can be used
in various scenarios.
When the ship is
under way at sea,
there are certain
parts that are used.
When it's coming
into a port, there
are other aspects of
the plan that get used.
And then once you're
in port is the time
when you have to integrate
with the shoreside facilities
for security.
OK, so I'll give the duties.
Regular drills and
exercises are designed
to create lifelike situations
to test a crew's readiness,
reactions, and response.
And they're required by law.
Drills test specific
procedures, like access control,
for instance.
And must be conducted at
least every three months.
Exercises involve
more components,
and the coordination
between the components,
and must be conducted
at least once a year.
An example of a drill might
be just testing one component,
such as communications.
In a drill,
mustering the troops,
having them go to their stations
and report in via radio,
can be a drill.
Exercises are tests of a
vessel's security plan,
but pull all the
components together
of communications, coordination,
resources, and then
ultimately how they respond.
Conducting drills and
exercises is the responsibility
of the ship security officer.
The key document used
in planning, executing,
and recording the results of
these drills and exercises
is the ship security plan.
The first step in
initiating a security drill
is a communication
with the captain,
proposing a drill or exercise.
Good morning, captain.
Good morning.
So, as we discussed,
today is the day
we're doing our
quarterly security drill.
The drill, or the
exercise, is completely up
to the ship security
officer, who
usually discusses
the elements for that
with the captain on board.
The drills can be as
extensive or as minimal
as is necessary for the security
of that particular ship.
Yes, last time we had
bomb threat drill,
so this time probably we will
look at the maritime security
level one, to raising
to a security level
two, and what is the extra
duties people have to do.
The second step in
initiating a security drill
is to choose and propose
a scenario for a drill.
A bomb threat, for instance.
Yes, according to plan
here, surveillance equipment
will be operational for
the drill, of course.
In planning a drill, proposing
a scenario for a drill,
it's important to consider
whether that scenario might
involve raising the maritime
security level, also known
as the MARSEC level.
Raising the security level
involves additional procedures,
and an increased level of
awareness and activity.
An increase from maritime
security level one
to maritime security
level two could
be invoked by the US Coast
Guard for the potential
of an incident, such
as a terrorist threat
to a particular segment
of the industry,
or for a particular port.
MARSEC level one is simply
the current or normal state
of security.
Level two is an elevated state,
prompted by a potential threat.
Level three is
the highest level,
and usually prompted by
a very specific threat.
Level two would be an
elevated level of security,
if there happens to be a
potential breach of security
at a waterfront facility.
It can be the potential
of a hazardous material
being on board the vessel.
It can be based on
some communication that
has been learned by or has come
to the ship from the outside.
So captain, as we look at the
restricted area scenario--
For a ship's officers and
crew, a raised security level
means greater vigilance,
additional precautions,
and practice carrying these out.
When you're in port, the US
Coast Guard captain of the port
usually determines what
level of security you're ate.
And when it goes
from one to two,
that's when you go to
the vessel security plan,
and invoke those
changes that elevate
the security for that vessel.
In the third step, the
captain informs the shore
and other interested personnel
listed in the security plan
that a drill is planned.
Hello, this is the captain
from Westward Olympia.
Am I talking to a
company security officer?
It's crucial that everyone be
aware that a drill is taking
place-- including the
time it will begin,
and notification of everyone
involved when it is completed.
In the fourth step, the captain
or ship security officer
announces the drill
to the ship's company.
Your attention, please.
This is a drill.
I repeat, this is a drill.
Drills and exercises
usually involve both action
and instruction.
Individual crew members have
predetermined jobs to do,
or are instructed
in what jobs to do.
Drills, since they are to
perform individual tasks
under the vessel
security plan, it
is up to the vessel
security officer
to make that
determination-- who's
going to be participating
in a particular drill.
When you're looking
at an exercise,
that's usually participation
by as many crew members
as are possible.
In the fifth step, the crew
musters, and the drill begins.
Well, we're going to
run a few drills today.
We're going to do check
restricted areas-- those of you
know which of you are
supposed to do that one.
We're going to do a
search accommodations,
and also we're going
to search below decks.
It's very important, you test
and you drill the shipboard
personnel, that you go from the
various levels from one to two,
from two to three, because that
is the time-- if it's real--
that you don't want to have
to question what should we do?
So duty officer,
would you please
assign different crew members
to each of these drills?
OK, so I'll give the duties--
[? Rysell ?] and [? Moniah, ?]
you'll go under the
[INAUDIBLE] portside.
Drills are exercises involving
a change in security or MARSEC
level-- meaning added
responsibilities for officers,
as well as crew,
including communications
with shoreside security,
company ownership,
and other key individuals listed
in the ship security plan.
In step number six,
ship's officers
are in communication with
key shoreside personnel.
[RINGING]
Warehouses communication
center, what is your emergency?
Comm center-- this is--
This involves alerting emergency
services onshore or in port--
from police to fire crews--
and particularly port facility
security personnel.
OK, Olympia, you're
having a drill.
All right, so as we know, today
we're doing to do a drill.
And the crew knows that we're
going from marine security
level one to marine
security level two.
In the event of a change
in security level,
it's necessary for the
ship security officer
to meet personally with
his shoreside counterpart
to formally change the
declaration of security,
and discuss their
coordinated response
to the elevated threat.
One of the essential parts of
testing your vessel security
plan is communication,
and who you contact.
When you're under way
at sea, the only person
that you are obliged
to contact immediately
is your company
security officer.
When you're in port,
you have the obligation
to not only contact the
company's security officer,
but also the
facility that you're
moored to, and also the local
law enforcement officials.
Your security plan will
contain specific measures
to take in the event
of a security threat.
However, no matter what
the drill, the steps
are pretty much the same-- a
decision by the captain and SSO
to initiate a drill, choosing a
scenario, informing the shore,
announcing the drill
and mustering the crew,
and establishing communications
with the people onshore.
Controlling access may be the
single most important security
precaution we can take,
when a ship is in port.
Controlling access typically
means attention to the gangway,
and who's attempting to board,
and asking for and checking
proper identification.
In the case of an
elevated security level,
this may mean personal
search, and requiring
an escort for access, as
well as watching the dockside
more carefully.
Standard access control
would be a gangway watch,
and the main gate watch.
In this case, we saw
an elevation of that
to more stringent, sweeping,
and looking at vehicles coming
through actually at the ship.
We had additional security
guards being stationed,
and onboard, an additional
security person at the gangway
to assist in that
access control.
Good morning.
Everything is OK?
Yeah, everything is OK.
Yeah, nobody out--
no outside or inside.
OK?
OK.
If there is a suspension that
dangerous or illegal items may
have come aboard with a
crew member or a guest,
searching the accommodation
may be necessary.
Searching the
accommodation requires
gaining access to quarters,
and asking permission
to search if those are occupied,
conducting a thorough search,
and then reporting the results.
When you look at the
sweep of a vessel,
it could be looked at in a
couple of different ways.
When you're looking through
accommodation spaces,
you're looking at things
a little bit different
than you would in
machinery spaces.
For instance, in a
combination space,
you might be looking
for an individual, where
in other spaces you
might be looking
for the planting of a bomb.
One of the most vulnerable
spaces on a ship
is below decks, where human
cargo, illegal cargo, or even
explosives might be hidden.
Searching below
decks should usually
be done in pairs,
especially if it involves
climbing or other hazards.
Crew members should be given
assigned areas to search.
Adequate lighting is crucial,
with backup power and batteries
available.
Maintain radio
contact at all times.
Crew members would have to have
their assigned areas that they
would have to
search, whether it be
searching for-- in the case
of a bomb threat-- a bomb,
or searching spaces for persons
that are unauthorized to be
in that space.
[INAUDIBLE]
Yeah, we're OK, [INAUDIBLE].
We're at number
nine [INAUDIBLE].
[INAUDIBLE]
Ships have certain areas
where access is restricted.
Usually these
restrictions are posted,
and often the spaces
themselves are locked
to prevent unauthorized access.
Checking restricted
areas requires
that crew members are assigned
specific areas to check.
They must know the proper
status-- is the space locked
or merely closed off?
They must check
locks for security
and report their
results immediately.
[INAUDIBLE]
The ship security
officer will note down
any instances where there
are lapses in security,
and record them in
his final report.
Crew members in port must always
be aware of possible intrusions
by unauthorized boarders.
Usually in port,
but even at sea,
when there is a
danger of piracy.
The exterior sides of
the ship, and any points
of unauthorized access,
must be carefully checked,
and the crew should be
trained in techniques
for repelling boarders.
To prepare for
repelling boarders,
crew members must have assigned
areas of responsibility,
and assigned tasks, such
as unrolling, hooking
up, and using fire hoses.
Crew members should work in
teams, or at least pairs,
whenever possible.
The strong water
pressure of a fire hose
can be an effective, nonlethal
way to repel boarders.
Crew members have certain
responsibilities in drills
and exercises.
Both of them would
be based on tasks
that must be performed, given
to them by the superiors.
Such as laying out fire
hoses for repelling
boarders-- that
would be something
that the crew would have to do.
On a modern ship,
effective communication
is more important than ever.
That's doubly true in the
event of a security emergency,
or heightened security, or even
during a drill or exercise.
First, you must check
regular equipment-- radios,
telephones-- to ensure
it's operating correctly.
Then check special contacts,
like emergency phone numbers,
to make sure they
are in service.
Check emergency equipment, such
as special phones or buzzers,
and any devices that might be
used in special conditions,
such as during a power
failure or blackout.
A drill can test
just communications,
where you have various
crew members go
to the far extremities of
the ship and report in.
Or it can be as extensive
as having communications
built in with a search.
As essential as the preparation
and execution of a drill
are to your success,
the conclusion
of a drill or exercise can be
its most important learning
element.
In the seventh step in
conducting a security drill,
the captain or ship
security officer,
announces to the crew-- and to
any shoreside participants--
that the drill is over.
Your attention, please
your attention, please,
the drill is over.
I repeat, the drill is over.
In the eighth step in
conducting a security drill,
the crew and officers
involved are asked
to convene for a debriefing.
This is usually conducted by
the ship security officer,
and may include the captain
and the other officers.
It's extremely
important at the end
of both the drill
and an exercise,
that the ship security
officer conducts a debrief
with those participants.
The obligation that that
security officer has
is to take a look
at all the changes
that may be necessary to improve
the vessel security plan.
The security officer
listens carefully,
and encourages feedback.
It's important not
only that everyone
improves their
performance, but also
that they feel their
input is useful.
In the ninth and final step in
conducting a security drill,
both the captain and the
ship security officer
document the drill or
exercise in the ship's log,
and the SSO's record book.
In addition to
the log book entry
that the captain or
the security officer
may make in the
official logbook,
there's also the requirement to
have additional records talking
about those drills
and exercises,
recording the date,
the participants,
the particular scenario, the
response, and any improvements
that might be necessary as
a result of all the debrief.
Thorough documentation of
security drills and exercises
is important for a
least two reasons--
it's a source of
learning and experience,
helping to improve performance,
and refine the vessel security
plan.
And it's your
record of compliance
with the US Coast Guard,
and other port state control
authorities.
The documentation of both
security drills and exercises
is important, because the
port state control personnel
will come in to
look at it, to see
if it is, in fact, in
compliance with the ISPS codes,
and-- in the United States--
the Maritime Transportation
Security Act.
These final three steps are
essential to completing a drill
or exercise-- announcing
the conclusion of the drill,
debriefing with the crew, and
then documenting your results.
Good luck with your
own security drills.
Use them as a
source of learning,
team building, and
improved performance.