Security and Emergency Management

Background:

The Highway Infrastructure Security and Emergency Management (HISEM) Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Program was initially established as the FHWA Security PCB Program, whose objective was to enhance the knowledge and understanding of security among that nation's highway workforce. In 2005, AASHTO and its Special Committee on Transportation Security (SCOTS) worked closely with the FHWA and the U.S. DOT's Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to identify states' highest priority needs in five areas:

1. Positioning a DOT to respond to a disaster.
2. Building a security/emergency response program.
3. Using existing operations to enhance security and emergency response.
4. Increasing the consideration of security and emergency response in engineering and construction.
5. Including security and emergency response in the transportation planning process.

The partnership developed a comprehensive plan to address those needs through training, technical assistance peer exchanges, and other forms of professional capacity building. Acknowledging the natural linkage between highway infrastructure security and emergency management processes, the Security PCB Program was transformed into the HISEM PCB Program in 2007.

The HISEM PCB Program is moving forward to both develop and coordinate access to key learning resources in security and emergency management for highway transportation professionals. The first major activity is the development of HISEM Training materials utilizing the Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) Program. The TPF Program is an innovative funding vehicle that allows federal, state, local agencies, and other organizations to combine resources to support research and projects that reflect priority needs. To date, a total of nine state DOTs and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have pooled resources to develop HISEM training materials. These materials will enhance the competency and capacity of transportation professionals in emergency transportation operations, infrastructure risk management, and evacuation planning. The HISEM PCB Program is leading the development of this training. In addition to guiding the developing of the training, each participating State will receive instructor manuals, student workbooks, and a train-the-trainer session (web-enabled audio conference) for their agency staff.

Contacts:

Dan Ferezan
FHWA Transportation Security
202-366-0507
Dan.Ferezan@dot.gov