TSA's PORT SECURITY TRAINING EXERCISE PROGRAM (PortSTEP)

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was given a mandate to provide the Nation with guidance on projecting a forward-leaning, comprehensive security posture with which to minimize the risk of terrorist attacks on our transportation infrastructure. TSA was further tasked as the responsible agency for providing a unified, professional, and simple training and response exercise mechanism that the private and public transportation sector can rely on to focus, hone, and expedite prevention, response, mitigation, and recovery activities.

The Port Security Exercise Training Program (PortSTEP) was established as the mechanism to accomplish this task. The program develops port security exercise and evaluation services and solutions for maritime industry partners under the guidance and direction of the TSA. TSA, in association with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), assembled a Program Team to provide strategic support, planning, and analytical and technical services for the delivery of a series of port security training exercises for the transportation security community.

The PortSTEP program will deliver a total of forty port security training exercises over a 36 month period between April 2005 and October 2007. These exercises are coordinated with jurisdictional Area Maritime Security (AMS) Committees and include a mix of basic tabletop, advanced tabletop and functional exercises.

In support of this program, CRA will provide a series of sixteen basic or advanced tabletop exercises. These exercises bring together government and industry stakeholders including all of the transportation modes within the port footprint, including passenger, freight, and infrastructure components for marine, rail, highway, mass transit and pipelines.

Exercises follow the basic Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) methodology. A series of planning meetings take place in advance of the exercise that dentify exercise objectives, scope and requirements. Active participation from AMS Committee members and industry representatives is critical to a successful exercise program. Use of the AMS Plan (AMSP) as a guide to exercise development insures that committee members and corresponding stakeholders are familiar with existing plans, policies and procedures directed by the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Compliance with the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) requirements as well as the International Ship and Port facility Security Code (ISPS) are also reviewed.

Upon completion of the exercise, a robust evaluation and after-action report (AAR) is written that includes a plan of action to systematically correct deficiencies identified during exercise play. The AAR serves as the tool for communicating to the port community recommended actions to strengthen port readiness, and is provided to the local port committees for implementation.

Click HERE to contact Kyle Massey or call 703-562-1010 to discuss how CRA can assist you with exercise development.