Office of Intelligence, Security and Emergency Response

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Program Activities

Preparedness Division

The Preparedness Division has three major program areas, Continuity Programs, International Programs, and Training and Exercise Programs.

Continuity Programs

Program Manager:  Charles Benard
Assistant Program Manager:  Keith Dixon

Summary: The Continuity Programs assure that essential functions can continue uninterrupted under all circumstances even if DOT’s headquarters building becomes unavailable during any emergency or situation that may disrupt normal operations. Continuity Programs include identifying and training personnel to staff alternate locations. The program office maintains alternate operating sites and identifies and trains personnel to staff these sites during emergencies.

The program office also provides guidance and technical assistance to the Operating Administrations for continuity programs, plans and locations and implements National Communications Systems Directive 3-10 for the Department.

Partner Agencies:  The Federal Emergency Management Agency and other Federal departments and agencies.

Stakeholders:  The Office of the Secretary, Crisis Management Center, Operating Administrations and their regional offices, Department of Homeland Security.

Major Projects:

• Inter and intra-agency Communications Tests
• Review of Operating Administration COOP Plans
• On-going renovation of the COOP site
• Recurring training and exercises

International Programs

Program Manager:  Lloyd Milburn
Assistants:        Bruce Graham, Intermittent Employee and Air Cargo Operations Expert
                        Eithne Clarke, Passenger Movement Expert
                        Lisa DeDecker, Aero-medical Evacuation Expert
                        Carole Panuccio, Airport Operations Expert
                        Stephen VanBeek, Senior Civil Aviation Policy Expert

Summary: The International Civil Emergency Planning Programs covers three main areas, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Tri-lateral Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) and the Department’s Reconstruction and Stabilization Initiatives  The Office of Intelligence, Security and Emergency Response is responsible for management of international civil emergency planning programs that develop plans and appropriate supporting technical arrangements for transportation services in response to international security crises.  The following are three of the key international civil emergency planning program elements for which the Program Manager has responsibility.
 
NATO Civil Aviation Planning Committee (CAPC):   The CAPC and the related sub-groups, comprised of representatives and civil aviation experts from NATO member and partner nations, are responsible for the civil aviation emergency planning process to acquire and deploy civil aviation resources to support NATO operations.  This emergency planning process is accomplished in coordination with United States Federal departments and agencies, and with NATO member and partner nations, as well as with NATO Military Authorities.  The planning process includes relevant crisis management arrangements, training and exercises for the planners and civil experts.  The program manager serves as the United States representative in the NATO CAPC and the related sub-groups to promote the national interest and provide leadership to resolve relevant issues in the acquisition and deployment of civil aviation resources and services. 

  In addition, the program manager represents the Department in committees and working groups for civil emergency response planning in accordance with the United States, Canada and Mexico Trilateral Security and Prosperity Partnership Action Plan and other international programs as directed.

Tri-lateral Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP): S-60 works with Transport Canada on mutually supporting cross-border activities. In this program S-60 develops and coordinates plans and programs, outlined in the SPP Action Plan, with Transport Canada Emergency Planning Staff.  A joint US/Canada Emergency Planning Committee for Civil Transportation (EPCCT) coordinates activities on both sides of the border.  Participants include representatives from DOT Office of the Secretary Staff, the Operating Administrations’ Emergency Coordinators and appropriate Regional Emergency Transportation Coordinators from the border Regions.  Departments of State and Homeland Security staff participate in the EPCCT discussions and activities.

OST cooperation with Department of State Reconstruction and Stabilization Initiative:  With the implementation of NSPD-44, S-60 works in coordination with the Offices of the Assistant Secretaries for International Transportation and Trade and Administration for Human Resources Operations, and in cooperation with the Department of State on developments in the Reconstruction and Stabilization program.  The elements of this program have civil emergency preparedness activities related to our NATO work program as well as the National Response Framework Emergency Support Function 1 -Transportation.

Partner Agencies: The Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security and Commerce are the principal partner agencies.

Stake Holders:  United States Government and its population; NATO Military Authorities; 50 NATO member and partner nations and other nations as directed by the North Atlantic Council and others as may be directed by the United States national authorities.

Major Projects:

• Plans for acquisition and deployment of civil aviation resources to support the military engaged in NATO operations.
• Monitoring the insurance market indemnification arrangements to ensure that airlift capability to support NATO operations is not impeded by a lack of war risk insurance.
• Training for aviation and other transportation experts to provide aviation and general transportation expertise in NATO crisis management situations, including the deployable Rapid Reaction Teams.

Training and Exercise Program

Summary:  The program objective is to sustain a robust training and exercise program based upon all-hazards emergency management to meet all preparedness, response, and recovery needs, including those for COOP/COG and the regional emergency transportation program.  This program integrates the requirements of the National Response Framework (NRF) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS) into DOT policies, plans, and programs. Additionally, it tests and validates these documents through training and exercises.  The Program Manager participates in the planning, conduct and evaluation of inter-agency exercises and prepares DOT representatives (up to and including the Secretary, as appropriate) for participation in major exercises.  The Program Manager also represents the Department at all interagency training and exercise meetings and the Homeland Security Council (HSC) Domestic Readiness Group (DRG) Exercise and Evaluation Sub-Policy Coordination Committee (E & E Sub-PCC) meetings. Lastly the Program Manager is assisting in the development of DOT training requirements for the new National Security Professional Development program (under Executive Order 13434) and Reconstruction/Stabilization training requirements of National Security Presidential Decision (NSPD - 44.

Partner Agencies:  Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other Federal departments and agencies.

Stakeholders: Operating Administrations, DOT Senior Officials, and Interagency community.

Major Projects:

• Key Exercises and Events for 2009 (New Administration Transitional Period)
• California State Exercise “Golden Guardian”; November 2008; Earthquake
• DOT Pandemic Flu Seminar for Pandemic Flu Coordinators; December 16, 2008
• Principal Level Exercise 1-09: January 13, 2009; Improvised Nuclear Device
• Presidential Inauguration Events; January 2009; Security Preparations
• Canadian Tabletop Silver; February 9-13, 2009; 2010 Winter Olympic Preparation
• DOT Senior Officials Exercise (SOE); February 18, 2009; Pandemic Influenza 
• Principal Level Exercise 2-09: April (TBD) 2009; Major Hurricane
• Principal Level Exercise 3-09: June 17, 2009; Preparation for NLE 09
• Continuity Exercise “Eagle Horizon”; June 17, 2009; Continuity Full Scale Deployment
• National Exercise (Tier II) “Empire 09”, June 1-5, 2009 : Disbursal Device (RDD)
• National Level Exercise 09: July 27-31, 2009; International Terrorism Prevention Focus
• National Exercise (Tier II) “United Support 09”: September  2009; Mass Migration
• Principal Level Exercise 4-09: September 2009; scenario to be determined by the Homeland Security Council

• Key Training Focus for 2008
  • National Response Framework (NRF)
  • National Incident Management System (NIMS)
  • National Security Professional Development (Training and Education)
  • DOT Emergency Response Team (ERT) Specialized Training
  • Reconstruction and Stabilization (R&S)
  • Continuity of Operations Planning and Government (COOP/COG)
  • National and DOT Pandemic Influenza Plan and Procedures
  • DOT Regional Emergency Transportation Coordinator and Representative Training (RETCO and RETREP)
  • Specialized Training for Transportation Intelligence Analysts