Federal, state, local agencies conduct maritime security exercise in south Texas

united states coast guard 

 News Release  

July 10, 2017
U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas
Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas
Office: (281) 464-4810
After Hours: (832) 293-1293

Federal, state, local agencies conduct maritime security exercise in south Texas

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The U.S. Coast Guard will conduct an Area Maritime Security Training and Exercise Program tabletop exercise Wednesday in Brownsville.


This exercise will bring together federal, state, and local law enforcement and emergency management partner agencies in addition to regulated oil, natural gas, and chemical facilities to test the South Texas Area Maritime Security Plan and assess the response to security incidents.


Who:  Leaders from the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Patrol and the Port of Brownsville


What: An exercise to validate security measures and various interagency cooperative agreements


When: Wednesday, July 12, 2017 (media access will be limited to 10:30-11 a.m.)


Where: Auditorium of Keppel AmFELS 

20000 TX-48

Brownsville, TX 78521

AMSTEP is a community-based antiterrorism exercise program that was created to address the exercise requirements of the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. AMSTEP focuses on the preparedness for external, community-based, anti-terrorism measures covered by the South Texas Area Maritime Security Plan. To ensure all ports are exercised within the Corpus Christi zone, Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi conducts AMSTEP exercises on a rotating annual basis in each of its port regions.

Exercise Participants: U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security National Protection and Programs Directorate, Customs and Border Patrol Office of Field Operations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Cameron County Sheriff, Cameron County Office of Emergency Management,  Brownsville Police Department, City of Brownsville Office of Emergency Management, Port of Brownsville, Willacy County Sheriff, Willacy County Office of Emergency Management, Port Isabel San Benito Navigation District, Port of Harlingen, Maverick Terminals, Pilot Terminals, Citgo, Keppel AmFELS, Space-X, Transportation Security Administration, and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to the security sensitive nature of the exercise, this event is not open to the public. Unauthorized persons and media will not be permitted access during the exercise.

Media, upon arrival, will be required to check in with Keppel AmFELS security and be escorted to the auditorium.

Media will be given an opportunity to attend a question and answer session and complete live interviews from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Please contact Petty Officer 3rd Class Johanna Strickland, Public Affairs Detachment Texas, with any questions or concerns at (832) 293-1293 or PublicAffairsHouston@uscg.mil.

 

-USCG-