System Security Awareness

While it is important to be prepared for emergency situations resulting from severe weather conditions, natural disasters and other unavoidable accidents, some vigilance on your part can help to prevent situations caused or created by people. From small-scale situations aimed at individuals or small groups, such as vandalism or theft, to larger scale incidents including bomb threats or other terrorist activities, your awareness of your surroundings can help actively prevent these events. As a transit employee, your vigilance can protect your system, the surrounding community, and yourself. Awareness and observation of your surroundings can keep your transit system and all of its components—environment, assets, employees, and customers—free from intentional acts and accidental incidents causing injury and damage. 

Prevention

Observe and report people, activities, and things that are out-of-place or out-of-the-ordinary:   

• Follow policies and procedures
• Look for and report system security weaknesses
• Practice good housekeeping
• Conduct vehicle inspections

Awareness

During daily work routines, check garages, stations, depots, and terminal for:

Suspicious Activity

Suspicious activity is   characterized by a combination of actions that    appear strange, inconsistent, or out-of-the-  ordinary for your work environment. Criminals   and terrorists often shadow their targets and
engage in surveillance before they attack. You will need to trust your instincts and your experience to determine what is suspicious.

Suspicious activity can be identified by considering:

• Where someone is (restricted area, hiding, loitering)
• When they are there (rush hour, off-peak hours, late at night)
• What they are doing (taking notes, watching)

Suspicious Objects

Transit systems deal with thousands of items left unattended or left in stations and on trains and vehicles each year. Although unattended packages are rarely linked to explosive  devices, they all represent a potential threat and need to be dealt with systematically.

When you observe an item, remember to consider:  

• What does the object look like (leaking, wires visible, warning note attached)?
• Where is the object located (hidden or out in the open)?

Suspicious Substances

Some chemical, biological, and radiological agents (CBR) may be visible while others can be colorless, odorless, and difficult to identify.  The most important thing to remember is that victims will exhibit the symptoms of exposure, particularly to chemical agents. Suspicious substances, including CBR agents, may be identified by observing: 

• Any unusual materials present (fine powder, residue, fog,  mist, oily liquid or odor).
• Two or more people and animals having any unusual symptoms (coughing, choking, vomiting, fainting, unconsciousness).