Page 20 - Port of Baltimore Magazine May/June 2011

[20] The Port of Baltimore ■ May/June 2011 To subscribe or renew, visitwww.marylandports.com
partners both public and private
to keep the Port of Baltimore as
a leader in this regard.”
A goal of Maryland Gov.
Martin O'Malley since taking
office has been to make
the Port among the top U.S.
ports for security. According
to MPA Executive Director
James J. White, “We are
extremely fortunate at the
Port of Baltimore to have
excellent cooperation and
effort from Coast Guard Sector
Baltimore. Capt. O’Malley is
an outstanding leader and his
team is a key reason why our
Port has made such significant
progress in the area of port
security in the last few years.”
Commander Kelly Post, Chief
of the Prevention Department
at Sector Baltimore, notes
that a key to Port security is
“developing a culture among the
Port that security is important.”
“We can’t be out there all
the time,” she added. “The
helicopters and cutters are good
visibility for us, but more of the
action in Port safety and security
takes place behind the scenes.”
Following the terrorist
attack on 9/11, the International
Maritime Organization, an
agency of the United Nations
with 169 member states,
amended its code to include
security measures. The U.S.
Congress passed the Maritime
Transportation Security Act,
detailing security regulations for
ports. The Coast Guard enforces
compliance with specifics set
forth in both measures. “But it’s
the facilities and the vessels
and the people who use the Port
who secure it,” Post noted.
The Coast Guard provides
spot checks for safety and
security, requires facilities
to undergo an annual
inspection and helps set up
security exercises that involve
responding to a breach of
security or safety. Additionally,
at least twice a year at the Port
the Coast Guard participates
in Multi-Agency Strike Force
Operations (MASFO). In
conjunction with a dozen other
federal agencies, the Coast
Guard arrives unannounced at a
facility and checks everything
(Continued on page 22)
Keeping the Port of Baltimore safe and secure involves meetings
to discuss the findings of inspections such as those conducted
by, photo at right, Marine Science Tech 3 (MST3) Angela Ford and
MST1 Tyler Krulla.
KATHY BERGREN SMITH
The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) has
developed a rigorous fire safety inspection
program with the assistance of the Maryland
State Office of the Fire Marshal and the U.S.
Coast Guard.
“The goals of our program are two-fold —
prevent fires from starting, and if one does start,
lessen its impact on employees and buildings,” said Frank Fennell,
Fire/Life Safety Inspector for the MPA. “Even a small, smoky fire
can be devastating in terms of damaged or ruined lost cargo.”
Education and training is provided to MPA staff and offered
to terminal tenants and their employees. “Most of the areas
within the terminals are leased, and we work cooperatively
with these tenants to educate them on fire/life safety issues to
protect employees and property,” said Barbara McMahon, MPA
Manager of Safety, Environment and Risk Management. “We’re
not the inspection police, but part of an effort or a team to
Safety
Goes
Hand in
Hand with
Security
COURTESY OF US COAST GUARD