Region 9 Chemical Security Team Helps Partner Secure Facility
On Aug. 25, amidst the lapse in regulatory authority of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), Brenntag North America Inc. Senior Director of Security and Safety Matt Fridley reached out to Kelly Murray, associate director of CISA’s Office of Chemical Security, to request assistance with addressing a security issue at one of his company’s previously regulated locations. Fridley was concerned about the growing encampment of unsheltered persons adjacent to the perimeter of his facility located in a small jurisdiction in Los Angeles County, California.
Recognizing the potential impacts to the facility, AD Murray responded by promptly contacting the Chemical Security team in Region 9 for support. The team immediately reached out to the local protective security advisors and chemical security inspectors in the area to leverage existing relationships between CISA and other federal, state, or local government partners. Chemical Security Inspector (CSI) Scott Minikus was one of the first to step up to offer his support.
Prior to joining CISA, CSI Minikus honorably served in the U.S. Navy and retired after 25 years in law enforcement at the City of Long Beach. He currently serves as the Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Cypress and has been an active member in his community in the greater L.A. County area. Initially, CSI Minikus visited the facility to contact the operations manager and assess the conditions in real time. After evaluating the encampments and the health and safety of the homeless, it was apparent that the overall security of the facility, its infrastructure and personnel, as well as the long-term security of the encampment residents were in jeopardy. Through consultation with the facility’s operators, it was determined that the necessary course of action was to remove trespassers and their encampments from the facility’s perimeter fence line, which also bordered the Union Pacific Railroad’s right-of-way, and to assist the homeless with compassion and empathy.
What ensued over the next several days was possible thanks to the relationships CISA field personnel establish and cultivate as part of their mission to serve the American people. CSI Minikus was able to reach out to local law enforcement, private sector and other federal partners to establish a team comprising two law enforcement agencies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Union Pacific Railroad; a ground transportation security inspector from the Transportation Security Agency; two caseworkers from CityNet Outreach; and two caseworkers from Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). Both CityNet and LAHSA offered a multitude of services to assist the unsheltered population, which included housing, food, medical and mental health care, among other services. Union Pacific Railroad construction contractors, which included eight operators and a supervisor assigned to the cleanup operations, manned a small fleet of excavators and dump trucks.
On the morning of Sept. 6, the team arrived at the facility and covered four square miles of railroad track by foot and vehicle, most of which bordered the subject facility and another chemical facility located directly south of the primary facility to engage with individuals living in the encampments and offer services. In all, the construction crew removed six tons of debris, which included hazardous waste from around the facility and adjacent areas. Additionally, during the clean-up operation, CSI Minikus requested one of the excavator operators to replace eroded areas with dirt to shore up the perimeter fence line. Even additional repair is still needed, this effort provided a significant amount of cost savings in both personnel hours and materials to the facility and will slow or stop any further erosion to the perimeter fence line.
In addition to mitigating the security concerns for the facilities, it was of utmost importance to the entire team and company representatives that care be provided to the affected unsheltered persons. Caseworkers from CityNet and the LAHSA were able to provide several of the individuals with housing, food vouchers, medical care, and transportation to reconnect with family, friends, or other personal resources.
This story highlights the very important relationships that CISA has fostered with its stakeholders, partners and local law enforcement to address a potentially dangerous situation.
“We cannot thank you enough for all the time you put into helping us!” said Fridley. “Our employees, our facilities and our communities are safer because of your efforts. This example needs to be the blueprint of how any sector needs to communicate and work with our partners to deal with this ever-growing threat.”
CISA continues to lead the federal government with its unique public-private partnership model and serves as an example for what is possible when trusted relationships exist.
Photo caption:
The CISA Region 9 chemical security team assisted Brenntag North America Inc. secure its chemical facility by connecting the company with local law enforcement, social services and partners to address the homeless encampments threatening the property.
