The Coast Guard is trying to regain its Cold War proficiency in
dealing with weapons of mass destruction attacks and outfitting
crews to be better prepared for possible toxic exposure while conducting
security missions.
From new ship designs to equipment for boarding crews, the focus
on weapons of mass destruction is imperative in the face of the
21st century threats. However, there was a concerted effort to trim
that capability after the Soviet Union collapsed. “The threat
was seen coming from Soviet missiles with biological or chemical
agents on them,” says Cmdr. Matthew Gimple, executive officer
of the USCG Cutter Mellon. “After September 11, when we understood
the threats were closer to home, that perspective changed.”
Now that port security is again at the forefront of the national
security agenda, the Coast Guard is again finding itself preparing
for, and trying to halt, weapons of mass destruction attacks. Since
2001, new equipment has been trickling into the hands of Coast Guard
boarding crews to detect and protect them from chemical, biological
and radiological weapons. These new devices are generally off-the-shelf
items, rather than the hand-me-down gear from the U.S. Navy that
traditionally used to protect the ship.
“Whenever we get something new, we get excited,” said
Ensign Ken Burgess, the Mellon’s damage control assistant.
“We keep getting this interesting stuff for the boarding teams,
so if there’s a chance we’ll get hit, we’ll be
ready.”
New equipment creates a need for training those who might need
to use it. Burgess is in charge of that training and he receives
CD-ROM packages months in advance of the gear’s arrival. There
are also secure websites for technical support.
USCG boarding crews are outfitted with a six-piece kit, including
detectors and protective gear, in case they encounter radiological
or chemical threats. For example, in January, the crews of the USCG
cutter Mellon received brand new nerve and chemical agent detectors,
as well as personal radiation isotopic sensors and chemical charcoal
skin washes. The new devices are much smaller, more rugged and easier
to maintain, which is a welcome change from the outdated gear. Also
on the Mellon, each crewmember has a fitted mask that is stored
in a decontamination hallway with their names taped onto the bags.
Another new piece of equipment, delivered to Coast Guard ships
in 2004, are confined space entry kits, designed to warn boarding
crews against dangerous gasses. These analyzers measure oxygen levels,
explosives, hydrosulfides and carbon monoxide. One key feature is
a system that can measure air quality using a thin plastic tube,
which can be dropped or inserted through hatches.
Basic training is standard on all USCG ships, but when they deploy
to high-risk areas, the level is increased. Deploying to the Persian
Gulf warrants a higher level of readiness than a counter-narcotics
mission.
Recent budget decisions emphasize this shift in focus. The President’s
proposed Department of Homeland Security 2006 budget includes a
$7 million increase for equipping the Coast Guard with radiological
and nuclear detection and protection gear, says Cmdr. Scott Decker,
deputy office chief with the USCG’s office of defense operations.
The funds are meant to increase the detection and response capability
of maritime safety and security teams (MSSTs) in Chesapeake, New
Orleans and San Diego. The scramble after 9/11 meant reshuffling
the equipment within the Coast Guard. In the aftermath, gear from
ships like the Mellon was distributed to MSSTs.
Also funded in the increase is the outfitting the 378-foot and
270-foot cutter fleets with Specific Emitter Identifiers, high-resolution
detectors that can identify the presence of radiological materials.
Replacements for the cutters—the national security cutters
that are being built under the aegis of the Deepwater program—are
being reconfigured to operate in a contaminated environment. Reverse
pressure chambers to purge toxins from the ships, as well as sophisticated
decontamination chambers, are being included in the design.