Risk_Assesment

Steven Wade Phase 2/Intro to Security 11/28/2010 San Diego International Airport In this phase I will be addressing the security risk for San Diego International Airport that is located right outside of downtown San Diego, Ca in a rather busy congested area. When the attacks of 9/11 happened in September 2001, the Federal Government established strict and detailed security requirements that all air carriers and airport operators must comply with to guard against terrorist acts and other threats to civil aviation security. Security regulations and requirements have been designed and implemented to prevent or deter unlawful acts against civil aviation. These regulations include prohibiting persons from gaining unauthorized access to an aircraft or to restricted areas of the airport (any area where aircraft operate or park, to include: runways, taxiways, ramps, hangars, aprons and other aircraft parking areas). With this assessment we will talk of such a real life attack as what happened in 2001 and how it would affect every employee, the city of San Diego and surrounding areas, communities etc. And it is obvious that if such an attack happens to the airport as it has happened before, a lot of things are effected and lives change so it is most important we have security and safety measures in place to fight such an issue and since 2002 the Department of Homeland Security has went above and beyond to develop many regulations to assist in preventing anymore attacks on our nation. So with this said we will see what happens with this event takes place. Criticality Harm Definition Scale Insignificant No impact 0 Minor No extra effort required to repair 1 Significant Tangible harm/extra effort required to repair 2 Damaging Significant expenditure of resources required; Damage to reputation and confidence 3 Serious Extended downtime and/loss of ability to continue operations; Compromise of large amounts of service 4 Grave Permanent shutdown 5 The probability of San Diego International Airport being under a terroristic attack is at a medium status only that we have increased our awareness, but I believe it’s closer to high because of its unexpected nature as we seen in 2001; you never know when it could happen. Probability Probability Definition Scale Negligible Unlikely to occur 0 Very Low 2-3 times every 5 years 1 Low < = once per year 2 Medium < = once every 6 months 3 High < = once per month 4 Very High = > once per month 5 Extreme = > once per day 6 There are many factors that could play into the vulnerability of the airport because of its nature that criminal/terrorist realize that it has on people and what it could do to the nation. All three of the vulnerabilities are key in this, but terrorism is without a doubt the key factor. Vulnerability Type of Vulnerability Human Impact Property Impact Business Impact Internal Resources External Resources Total Breaches of Security 4 5 5 4 5 23 Workplace Violence 3 3 1 1 1 9 Terrorism 5 5 5 5 5 25 Risk = Criticality x Probability x Vulnerability Risk = 5 x 3 x25 Risk = 375 As you can see the risk factor for this threat was at 375, it is very high because this is a great threat to our society seeing that it would be a big disaster like it was back in 2001. So, that is why it is very important that we have a the Department of Homeland Security, which was enforced to help prevent such attacks. After conducting a survey and a risk assessment of the San Diego International Airport, there was plenty to base that the airport is a high security risk. Many things have been put in place to prevent any attacks on all airports as what we had happen in 2001 with events of 9/11; with this I took a day to go down to the airport and look around as well as talk to a few guards as well. While I was down I walked around the airport looking to at the facility and seeing what all security measures are in place to prevent terrorism attacks as well as to cease criminal deterrence within and/or around the airport. Security is of course at all time high at airports, but it really amazed me that all areas of an airport are highly observed and under close surveillance; my amazement was for the fact that areas that no longer exit are the main areas that they keep very close eyes on because they are aware that criminals may search for these type of areas to trigger an attack or use this as a way to get inside the perimeter of the airport and get to the planes and rig something up to it. They also have every gate dead-bolt locked and are only for authorized personnel use which is mostly by an ID card system that everyones has to abide to, to access many points inside the airport. I interviewed a couple of employees to find out if the ID card system was a legitimate way of preventing outside people from breaching their system ; both employees informed that the system is a very accurate way to deter criminals and that the airport hasn't had any issues with anyone trying to fake as an employee to access through personnel spaces. The airport is heavily guarded by local, federal and private agencies both inside and out of the facility. Many officers from the California Sheriffs Department patrol the outer perimeter of the airport to keep a physical eyes on the facilities dead spots that may not be seen by the surveillance cameras that they have in place, members of the Border Patrol are also on station to check for anyone who looks suspicious as if they are in the country illegally, San Diego Police Department patrols the inner cording of the airport along with private security guards to enforce and keep a lookout for suspicious activity that may be going on within the airport. After talking to one of the many law enforcement agency personnel, my question to him, was "What do you think can be done better to protect such a facility'"his reply was simply, " I believe that as a nation we have broaden our knowledge on what the criminals may try to do, but as long as we all (agencies) work together as a team, we will protect all property as we are supposed to because I believe that is the best deterrent to any criminal." As a security manager in today's airports, it's not necessarily easier to find ways to prevent crime, but since 9/11 a lot have measure have been drawn out in black and white by the Department of Homeland Security to give all agencies guidance on what has to be done to fight crime within the facilities