Public Safety and Security Committee Projects


Public Safety Working Group

December 2007 - The PS&S Committee Public Safety Working Group was established to cover three main areas of concern in public safety: (1) implementation of Safety Management Standards, (2) mass terminal evacuation, and (3) movement area training.  The working group has kept apprised of these matters continues to review key issues in these areas, including the development of draft guidance by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on transponders for airfield vehicles, developmentof draft guidance by DHS on pandemic planning and the pilot testing of new Safety Management System procedures in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. 

View more information on the Safety Management Systems.

Aviation Credential Interoperable Solution Task Force

December 2007 - ACI-NA PS&S Committee has established an Aviation Credential Interoperable Solution Task Force (ACIS) in response to a request from TSA for assistance on this matter to review and comment on the agency’s preliminary ACIS Program.  According to the preliminary ACIS plan, TSA would provide airports with a credential/card that contains biometric information that will determine access control privileges set by the airport.  ACI-NA was asked to identify and provide key considerations with regard to the population of individuals who would receive the credential, policies, process, technology considerations, operational impacts, and stakeholder concerns regarding ACIS.  The ACIS program is for universal access across airports, similar to access across all modes under the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Program.


Next Generation Airport Security Regime Or Sida II Task Force

December 2007 - Working proactively with the TSA, the PS&S Committee established a task force (SIDA II Task Force) to develop recommendations and concepts for the next generation airport security regime and what changes should be made to securing the Security Identification Display Area (SIDA), including background checks, access control systems, and airside response and surveillance.  The SIDA II Task Force’s proactive input will help ensure that airports positions are proactively considered and included before any changes are made.  The working effort has three phases.  The SIDA II Task Force recently completed Phase One mad Phase Two.  The first round of comments concerned short term actions such as the incorporation of a biometric access control system and installing advanced video surveillance technology into Secured Areas at airports. The second phase included a review of airport security measures that could be take in the medium term, such as advance background checks and perimeter screening.


Screening Partnership Program Task Force

December 2007 - At the request of ACI-NA members and TSA Administrator Hawley, this task force is developing suggestions to improve the program for those airports that would like to participate or consider participating.  The Screening Partnership Program (SPP) provides airports with the option to use private vendors for screening, but SPP screening is under a contract between the TSA and vendor.  Staff has completed a survey and issued a report outlining the views of airports on various SPP issues.  Staff has also established a task force that is in the process of reviewing options and developing suggestions for improvement.  Additionally, ACI-NA has provided input to the GAO on their study regarding the SPP.


Security Improvement Task Force

December 2007 - This task force is considering ideas and suggestions for security improvement/ reform to the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) and other security rules and requirements.   

 

Airport Security Infrastructure Guideline Documents

December 2007 - TSA has provided several guidelines documents that are “living” documents that are to be updated and improved as appropriate.  The PS&S Committee, in coordination with other associations, has an ongoing effort to ensure TSA updates these documents in a timely manner and works with the industry.  These documents include the  Recommended Security Guidelines for Airport Planning, Design and Construction,  Planning Guidelines and Design Standards for Checked Baggage Inspection Systems, and Security Checkpoint Layout Design/Reconfiguration Guide.  Also, the PS&S Committee is participating in the development of the updated airport access control standards document that is being prepared by the RTCA-207 committee.  This document is expected to be final by February 2008.

 

For more information, contact Safe Skies Alliance.

 

TSA Coordination With Airports On Deploying VIPR Teams

December 2007 - ACI-NA and PS&S Committee members have worked with TSA to clarify protocols for Visible Intermodal Protection and Response (VIPR) teams.  There are concerns about how these teams operate in the airport environment and TSA has provided conflicting information to airports about how VIPR teams operate. The PS&S Committee has been working with the TSA to ensure Federal Security Directors are reminded that they are to coordinate with airport managers and law enforcement both prior to implementation and during implementation of VIPR activities at the airport.  In addition, ACI-NA has worked with the TSA to clarify that the legal opinion provided by TSA Counsel on VIPR teams was a broad statement, but that actual VIPR team operations will follow the process that TSA Operations and TSA airport liaison has set out, including how vehicle inspections would be conducted.


Air Cargo Security

December 2007 - In coordination with the Air Cargo Subcommittee, the PS&S Committee has assisted in preparing the “Air Cargo Security Chapter for the Air Cargo Guide Handbook.”  This chapter will include basic security concepts; roles of all the parties involved including airports, aircraft operators/air carriers, indirect air carriers, shippers, trucking companies and couriers, TSA, and USPS; threat to air cargo security; general regulatory/statutory schemes; and ICAO standards. The Air Cargo Guide Handbook is a living guidebook for airport cargo managers or anyone who is interested in learning all aspects of airport cargo operations and management.


Notam Improvement

December 2007 - ACI-NA is working with the FAA and other aviation industry representatives and NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) system developers to develop Industry Requirements for a Digital NOTAM submission system.  Safety issues have arisen with the current NOTAM reporting system, including incorrectly reporting when runways would be closed for repair.  This effort is intended to remedy NOTAM problems, including developing a future operational concept that will permit a candidate NOTAM to be digitally submitted directly from the airport or FAA to help ensure accuracy. 

 

Risk-based Security Methodology Development

December 2007 - Representatives of the PS&S Committee have been working with TSA to develop a methodology to aid TSA and the industry in assessing security risk.  This has included determining avenues of threat and corresponding response.  This system will aid TSA and airports in responding quickly and efficiently to threats, including airport specific threats. 



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