Customs ponders actions after port disasters.

WHILE THERE HAS been a great deal of attention paid to preventing a terrorist attack at a U.S. port of entry, there is a renewed focus in the Department of Homeland Security to determine what happens in the aftermath of a disaster.

DHS officials, speaking at Customs and Border Protection's annual trade symposium, admitted the topic has received scant attention in years' past. However, they devoted one session to "recovery and restoration" this year.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and the possibility of pandemic flu, point to the fact that the threats go beyond the doomsday "nuclear weapon in a shipping container" scenario.

Rear Adm. Brian Salerno, director of inspection and compliance for the U.S. Coast Guard, said recovery must involve a partnership between all levels of government and the private sector so trade can resume as quickly as possible. That is different from the immediate response of "putting out fires and saving lives," he said. This period can take months, or even years. However, the goal is to mitigate the damage done to the U.S. economy.

The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 required DHS to focus on recovery. The maritime infrastructure recovery plan spells out in broad terms how the different agencies will work with industry to keep goods flowing.

Katrina taught the government that more detailed terms are needed, Salerno said. The ripple effects can go beyond DHS' purview. Midwest grain growers who use barges to move their products down the Mississippi were abruptly cut off from their main ports. Roads and highways that lead to ports, where DHS has no authority, can become clogged, he noted.

And if one port is shut down, will industry redirect its shipments to a secondary harbor? If so, that would require the redeployment of federal inspectors to handle an increased workload.

"We must communicate early and often," said Tom Bush, acting executive director of CBP's office of anti-terrorism.

To eliminate any confusion on who will be in charge in the event of a disaster, the SAFE Port Act of 2006 designated the commandant of the Coast Guard as the leader who will prioritize which ships will be allowed to dock and in what order.

Stuart MacPherson, director for emergency preparedness and health and safety for Canada's Border Services Agency, took part in a recent exercise in Detroit to test recovery and response at a port. The flow of people may be as important as the flow of goods, he pointed out. For example, there is a large number of Canadian nurses who work in Detroit, but live across the border, he said. Steps have been taken to ensure they receive priority to cross in the event of a public emergency.

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