Waterway Awareness

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• USPS
• Waterway Awareness

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Why a Program

• 9/11 Changed Recreational Boating
• Waterways could be a target
• U.S. Coast Guard requesting support by all
  recreational boaters
• Participate in the Program
• All boaters
• All waterways

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Waterway Awareness Purpose

• Use the Eyes and Ears of Waterfront Users to
• Detect and
• Report suspicious activity.
• You Know What Is Normal and What Is Not

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Waterway Awareness Purpose

• We ask you to Adopt A Heightened Sense of
  Sensitivity Toward Unusual Events or Individuals
  you may encounter in or around
• PORTS, b) DOCKS, c) MARINAS,
• d) RIVERSIDES, e) BEACHES, or
• f) WATERFRONT COMMUNITIES.

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Common Sense Approach

• To protect our waterways
• Be alert
• Maintain a calm, common sense approach to
  handling a threat
• Heightened awareness communicates confidence

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What is Terrorism?

• Terrorism is a CRIME.
• It is not a crime to
• Have a strong set of beliefs that are outside
  mainstream ideology.
• Say something radical or inflammatory.

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Terrorism

• Might target
• National policy
• Local community
• Business
• Ethnicity
• Members of any specialty group

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Terrorist Objectives

• Several immediate objectives
• terrorists groups will attempt to gain through
  their acts -
• Fear, Panic
• Disruption of services
• Demoralization, Intimidation
• Embarrassment of our leaders
• Media attention one of their most important
  goals

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Who Terrorists Attack

• Sometimes they choose victims they perceive as
  enemies
• Other times they choose victims without any
  purpose
• There are no innocent bystanders

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Who Terrorists Attack

• They always choose targets after careful
  surveillance.
• Select targets that seem weak or unprotected
• Look for targets where people are not alert
• Pick the target and method of attack that will
  get them the greatest attention.

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Staying Alert

• How do we recognize the difference between normal
  and abnormal behavior?
• Know who your neighbors are
• Know what boats are normally in your marina, on
  your waterways
• Know what is appropriate in your marina

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Staying Alert

• Staying alert is not paranoia.
• Staying alert is being aware of ones
  surroundings!

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What is Suspicious Activity?

• Suspicious activity refers to, but is not
  limited to
• Activity which a reasonably prudent person would
  consider out of the ordinary or unusual
• Based on the facts and circumstances for that
  situation.

• From a report by the Commandant of the US Coast
  Guard

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What are some Suspicious Activities?

• Unusual requests for information
• Unattended vessels or vehicles in unusual places
• Unusual diving activity
• Unusual night operations
• Operating in or passing through an area not
  typical for such activity

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What are some Suspicious Activities?

• Anchoring in an area not typically used for
  anchorage
• Light signals between vessels
• Recovering or tossing items in water
• Transfer of people or things between ships or
  shore that seem unusual
• Operating a vessel in an aggressive behavior

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What are some Suspicious Activities?

• Unusual interest in high risk or symbolic targets
  such as
• Photographing
• surveillance camera(s)
• crash barriers at entrances
• bridge abutments
• access controls

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What are some Suspicious Activities?

• Drawing/sketching diagrams
• Annotating maps
• Excessive use of binoculars or nightvision
  devices

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What are some Suspicious Activities?

• Unusual requests for information
• For example
• Asking questions regarding timing of bridge
  openings
• Asking about security system

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Sensitive Information

• Before giving out sensitive information
• Know the individual and know they have a need for
  the information

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Where to look for Suspicious Activity?

• Under and around bridges, tunnels or overpasses
• Near commercial areas or services like
• a) Ports b) Security areas
• c) Public utility areas
• d) Fuel docks
• e) Cruise ships
• f) Marinas

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Where to look for Suspicious Activity?

• Near industrial facilities such as
• a) Power plants
• b) Oil, Chemical, or Water intake facilities
• Near military bases and vessels
• Government facilities or security zones.

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Recognizing Suspicious Activity

• Not a hard science.
• You need to rely on judgment
• It comes down to
• Experience
• Judgment
• Common sense

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Be aware of

• Be aware of people
• Acting furtively and suspiciously
• Avoiding eye contact
• Darting quickly when seen or approached
• In places they do not belong
• Having trouble communicating why they are in
  places where they do not belong
• Overdressed for the weather.

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Pay attention to

• Visitors
• Arriving and leaving at unusual hours
• Trying not to be noticed
• Acting in a suspicious manner
• Parking in an unusual distance from facility
• Unusual number of unrelated people living
  together.

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Providing an Accurate Report

• A) What to report
• B) Who to call
• Two key elements in giving a good report are
• Accuracy
• Timeliness

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Accuracy

• Accuracy means
• What you saw, nothing more
• Include the reason activity seemed suspicious
  even if the
• reason is It wasnt normal

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Timeliness

• After a certain period of time, the suspicious
  situation will change
• People leave or possibly alter their appearance

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Timeliness

• Report anything suspicious immediately after you
  observe it happening.
• VERY IMPORTANT

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What to Report?

• Provide details, create a word picture.
• Details carry weight
• Changeable details such as activity are
  important, but may not be the same once the
  officer arrives.
• Permanent details are very important

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Reporting a Person

• Include
• Hair - color, length, facial hair
• Race
• Age
• Gender
• Size height, weight
• Clothing
• Distinguishing marks scars, tattoos
• Disabilities

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Reporting a Vessel

• Include
• Type Power, Sail, Cruiser, Runabout
• Model
• Color paint, markings
• Size length
• Visible body/hull damage
• Stickers
• Accessories antennas, flags
• Registration - number, State of registration

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Who to call?

• Emergency Call local emergency number
• Usually 911 or U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Channel
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• Know in advance if you need to dial an access
  number for an outside line
• Non-Emergency call a non-emergency number. Know
  number in advance. Do not tie up 911.

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US Coast GuardAmericas Waterway Watch

• 24 hour number hot line number
• 1-877-24-WATCH
• (1-877-249-2824)
• ---------------
• National Response Center number
• 1-800-424-8802