HOUSTON ASIS CHAPTER MINUTES

JUNE 25, 2003

The Chapter held a luncheon meeting at the Renaissance Hotel. Chairman Mike Crocker CPP presided. Sixty-seven members and guests attended.

Opening Prayer and Pledge: Mike Crocker led a moment of silence in honor of our Armed Forces.

Committee Activities:

Mike Crocker outlined a petition that was submitted to National to form a new Chapter in the Clear Lake area. Through cooperative effort and several conference calls with the lead petitioner, Lisa Davis CPP RVP and Mike, it was concluded that a Clear Lake subcommittee would be formed to address issues unique to that area. The petition for a separate chapter was withdrawn.

Certifications Committee: Darin Dillon CPP is the new chairman for the CPP Review program. Karim Vellani CPP will oversee the PCI and PCP programs. A special thank you was extended to Aramco for providing a meeting room. Rick Lisko CPP ARVP provided a $200 honorarium to the chapter on behalf of Allied Security, to underwrite guest lunches for new CPPs and student members.

Treasurer’s Report: Bob Cascino announced unprecedented earnings from this year’s Golf Tournament. Our donation to the UofHD-CJ Scholarship Fund will be $9300, which reflects a generous $1,000 contribution from AIG. This is a 70% increase over last year and 105% increase from the year before. Thanks were extended to all the members who participated and made the tournament a success. Copies of the treasurer’s report were distributed.

ASIS Foundation: Greg Walker explained that the Foundation provides scholarships and other benefits to the Chapter. The Houston Chapter has purchased a table (10 seats) for the Foundation Dinner at the National Conference. We were the first Chapter to reserve a table and will be given preferential placement. Members may purchase a seat back from our Chapter for $180. The Neville Brothers will be appearing.

Community support: A $500 donation was made to the Houston Police Bicycle Relay Team for the 22^nd Annual Ride from Houston to Edmonton. Donations benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. An international team left from M.D. Anderson Hospital on 6/24 and will arrive on the eighth day in Edmonton, Canada.

Annual Seminar: Richard Hill and Matt Silcox CPP reminded the Chapter of the seminar on August 12 & 13. The brochures with the registration forms were mailed last week. This information is also available on the web site. Continuing Education credits are available and Greg Walker will be teaching an ethics course. There is still space available for Exhibitors ($400 for 2 days) and high-speed internet access has been arranged. Contact Richard or Matt for details.

Membership: We now have 205 local Chapter members.

Law Enforcement Recognition Award: Presented by Mike Mallon

Our honoree this month was HPD Officer Pamela M. Slater. On August 17, 2002, Officer Slater was stopped by a citizen who stated that an apartment was on fire in the 9000 block of Kempwood. Officer Slater called the fire department from her cellular phone and ran in the direction of the apartment. As she approached the apartment, Officer Slater pounded on the doors of adjacent apartments to alert residents of the emergency. When she reached the burning apartment, Officer Slater felt the intense heat radiating through the door. Having knocked with no response, she grasped the doorknob and found the door unlocked. As she cautiously pushed open the door, dense smoke swirled towards her, obscuring her vision as she stepped inside. As the officer moved deeper into the apartment, she vaguely saw what appeared to be a white sock extending from the couch. She reached down and felt the body of the resident who had fallen asleep. Unable to waken the man, Officer Slater relied on neighbors to help her carry him outside to safety. Once outside, the man was quickly revived. HFD arrived and extinguished the fire, thereby limiting the damage to the apartment’s kitchen and living room and the apartment located below. The fire started in the kitchen where the man had begun cooking and had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for it to finish.

Officer Slater is no stranger to fires. In 1996, she and her partner successfully rescued a man from his burning vehicle just as it became totally engulfed in flames. Officer Slater’s quick and decisive actions have saved more than one life. Her genuine concern for the safety of citizens and willingness to place her own safety at risk is a testimony to her dedication.

The Chapter awarded Officer Slater a plaque in appreciation of her dedication and professionalism.

Speaker: Captain Kevin S. Cook, U.S. Coast Guard

Topic: Maritime Homeland Security Issues and Regulations

Captain Cook serves as Captain of the Port, Officer-In-Charge of Marine Inspection and Federal On-Scene Coordinator with responsibility for maritime security, safety and environmental protection for the Texas Ports of Houston, Galveston, Texas City, Freeport and the adjacent intracoastal and off-shore waters. In this regard, he commands Marine Safety Office Houston-Galveston with subordinate commands, Marine Safety Unit Galveston and Vessel Traffic Service Houston-Galveston. Additionally, for the purposes of maritime homeland security, Captain Cook commands the regional Task Unit comprised of all Coast Guard units and Navy patrol boats from Freeport, Texas eastward to Lake Charles, Louisiana, in which he coordinates nearly 800 personnel to provide security for the most economically critical petrochemical corridor in the nation. Captain Cook’s personal awards include the Coast Guard Achievement, the Coast Guard Commendation and the Meritorious Service Medals. He is also a recipient of the Vice President’s Hammer Award.

The Homeland Security Act moved the Coast Guard from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security. Under Transportation, the Coast Guard had to compete with the FAA and Highway divisions for funding. The Coast Guard is now the lead Federal Agency for Maritime Homeland Security resulting in increased funding, awareness and accountability. Since 9/11, networking between multiple agencies such as the Port Authority, law enforcement and individual companies, has never been stronger. Deployment of Coast Guard Cutters has become more flexible, extending along the entire East Coast rather than concentrating in Florida and Cuban waters.

The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 developed a national system for Marine Transportation Security; mandates port/vessel/facility security plans which includes background checks and identification requirements; the development of a Maritime Intelligence System; and links to new laws with field requirements for IMO regulations effective July 1, 2003. Prior focus was on prevention and response. Operationally, the greatest change since 9/11 is awareness, with increased focus on intelligence-gathering.

Captain Cook shared some statistics about our area.

The Houston Ship Channel is 53 miles long

There are over 180 designated waterfront facilities handling hazardous materials.

50% of U.S. gasoline is refined here: Shell has its largest refinery in the U.S.; Exxon and Mobil have their largest in the World; and Dow has their largest refinery in the western hemisphere.

The Houston Port is considered the 2^nd largest port in the World.

7600 deep draft vessels arrive annually

700 vessels transit daily

40 LPG tankers transit weekly

4 cruise ships operate weekly

Considered the 2^nd largest density of pleasure crafts

It is the #1 port for U.S. ship arrivals

It is the #1 port in the U.S. for foreign tonnage

The Coast Guard is responsible for vessel and facility inspections, port tracking, vessel traffic services, coastal awareness (weather issues), pollution response, marine licensing, marine investigation, Sea Marshals, port-wide security zones, and moving safety zones. Two Naval ships support vessel boarding and inspection.

Marine licensing requires greater background investigation to determine who’s working in the ports and determining prior criminal history. In the past, there were blanket visa waivers for the ship’s crew. However, these blanket waivers are no longer available for mariners and each crew member must apply. The majority of foreign crews must remain on board, often with armed security guards (per order of the INS). The TSA is working on developing transportation identity cards.

The Houston-Galveston Navigation Safety Advisory Committee is a federally mandated group that is part of a multi-agency partnership that meets monthly to exchange information. To demonstrate the cooperative network, Captain Cook shared a story of a multi-agency response to suspicious activity by a ship channel bridge that was fully resolved in less than 45 minutes from the initial call. As a final note, Captain Cook posted the National Response Center Hotline number for oil spills or security concerns: 800-424-8802.

Captain Cook was presented a plaque in appreciation for his time.

Our next meeting is Wednesday July 30, 2003. Please refer to the web site for further details.