MSST LA/LB & LASD Prepare for Terror Attack
Below is an excellent report on USCG MSST 91103 partnering with the Los Angeles County Sheriff (LASD) to increase their unit’s options for inserting on non-compliant and opposed boardings. It’s a major score for the service to have identified and partnered with an agency that owns a Sikorsky Sea King helicopter in the nation’s largest port by container volume. The Sea King, which according to the report has a crew/passenger capacity of 20, is a significant increase over the USCG’s organic HH-60 Jayhawk, with its capacity of nine. Being able to put double the guns on target in the event they are needed will go a long way toward resolving whatever problem presents.
One issue brought up by the KTLA anchorman is why it took so long post 9/11 for this partnership to happen. The reporter answers by stating beaurocracy and certification requirements delayed the process. With this successful evolution, leadership across all levels of government should realize the value of this added capability in LA and start cutting through the red tape in their own areas.
The Coast Guard and the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department want to make sure they’re ready for any possible threat to the L.A. ports. “Maybe they find a nuclear device or a bomb and they need to get on and render it safe” says L.A County Sheriff’s spokesperson Nicole Nishida. It’s called fast-roping or vertical insertion from a helicopter onto a moving vessel in the ocean. And it’s dangerous because unlike rappelling there is no harness, no attachments, just raw strength. You have to hold on with your hands and stop with your feet.
The helicopter: L.A. County Sheriff’s. The crew: U.S. Coast Guard. Commander Charlene Downey of the U.S. Coast Guard says “what we are doing is leveraging resources… having airlifting capability right in our own backyard.” The two entities have been training together for months. And even though it’s a drill it’s still not easy. There have been lots of bruises, broken bones, even broken noses during drills. But they say the mission is to get it right so they’ll be ready just in case.
