TSA officers support a secure airport environment for police bomb squad.
Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS) brought bomb squad training scenarios to the checkpoint, building relationships and opening the door to information sharing between TSA, the U.S. Army and law enforcement.
TSA Colorado Springs hosted a pair of events in collaboration with Fort Carson U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists and the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) bomb squad. The events connected TSA with local partners to help increase security readiness and response to emergency situations calling for bomb squad specialty training.
“We all have the same mission,” said Lead TSA Officer Diana Faure. “Working together gives all organizations different perspectives, skills and knowledge of experts in various fields that would be impossible to experience otherwise.”
During one training event, U.S. Army EOD participated in a scenario simulating a real-world bomb hazard at an airport checkpoint. EOD unit soldiers were tasked with detecting, identifying and defusing the simulated explosives. Throughout the exercise, Transportation Security Specialist – Explosives (TSS-Es) provided feedback, and Army unit leaders evaluated the EOD performance.
The second training event focused on familiarizing canine units with the sights, sounds and smells of an active airport environment. TSA strategically placed training aids throughout the baggage handling areas, and the canine teams conducted search patterns to test their scent detection.
TSS-E Brian Glass offered his 16 years of TSA expertise to the participants alongside U.S. Army EOD to help police bomb squads and canine units.
“The exercise provided the CSPD Bomb Squad the opportunity to familiarize themselves and the canine teams with the environment of the airport during operations,” said Glass. “They were given access to an aircraft so they could see the challenges of operating in a confined space with robots, bomb suits and portable X-rays.”
The combined canine and bomb squad exercises spanned a total of four hours and provided a space for learning and asking questions about the scenarios in a low-risk environment.
“The training allowed me to interact with the bomb squad and learn what challenges they might face when responding to an actual IED,” said Glass. “Now I know what I can do to make their response easier and safer.”
From logistics to maintaining checkpoint integrity, TSA officers ensured a smooth and distraction-free environment for exercise participants.
“Training exercises like this simultaneously improve both the Army and the TSA's knowledge and understanding of the appropriate course of action during an emergency situation,” said TSA Officer Edward Adair. “It allows for the recognition of possible lapses in knowledge and a comprehensive review of appropriate standard operating procedures.”
By partnering with organizations beyond airport walls, TSA continues to stay ahead of the latest strategies for handling emergency situations. With the success of the event, planning is underway for future exercises, which may potentially expand to include other modes of transportation, such as pipelines, buses or trains, to further enhance security preparedness across a wide range of environments.
“There is a saying, ‘practice makes perfect,’” said Faure. “The more we as a team can practice and learn from each other, the better we will be at identifying and responding to future threats and protecting the nation.”
Kimberlyn Pepe, TSA’s Strategic Communications & Public Affairs