Security Message from Diane Williams, NASA GSFC Director of Management Operations
Colleagues:
As noted in Mr. Diaz’s message to employees concerning increases in the
Center’s security posture, GSFC is moving to Force Protection Condition
Charlie (Modified), which is our response to the Department of Homeland
Security’s raising of the nation’s security to Level Orange. Many of the
details outlined below are specific to Greenbelt, and employees at the
Wallops Flight Facility, IV&V Facility, and other remote locations
should expect to receive site-specific guidance. The enhanced security
measures, which will be effective Thursday morning, March 20, include
the following:
– Visitor access will be limited to individuals who are essential to
the conduct of official business.
– The processing of all visitors (including individuals picking up
temporary badges) will be moved to the Visitor Center starting at 6:00
a.m. on Thursday, March 20. Until the national threat level is
decreased, visitor processing will be conducted at the Visitor Center
during the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. After 6:00 p.m. on weekdays
and at all times on weekends and holidays, visitor processing will be
conducted in Building 9 (Main Gate). Depending on visitor arrival times,
employees escorting visitors need to meet them at the respective
location. In an effort to minimize inconvenience, employees are
encouraged to notify their visitors of these new procedures.
– Effective March 20, requests for temporary badges will not be
accepted by the GSFC Security Office (GSO) unless the vouching forms are
signed off by the respective Director of or his/her Deputy. The GSO will
not accept vouching forms from Division/Lab Chiefs, Branch Heads, or
employees. Without such approval, regardless of the length of the visit,
all visitors must be escorted. The one exception to this policy is that
requests for temporary badges already submitted to the GSO will be
honored.
– Effective March 20, retirees seeking to access the Center will be
processed the same as any visitor, as outlined above.
– Effective March 20, all requests for visits to the Center by foreign
nationals (including Permanent Resident Aliens) processed by the
International Visit Coordinators must be approved by the respective
Director of or his/her Deputy. Specifically, the Director of or his/her
Deputy must sign the bottom of GSFC Form 24-17 (Information Concerning
Foreign National’s Visit to GSFC) in place of the name and signature of
the Principal Contact. Visit requests for foreign nationals must meet
time constraints established by the International Visit Coordinators
(i.e., visits by foreign nationals from non-designated countries must be
submitted at least 10 days in advance; visits by foreign nationals from
designated countries must be submitted at least 30 days in advance).
– Tours of Center facilities are cancelled unless specifically approved
by Ms. Judy Bruner, Special Assistant to the Director for Safety and
Security.
– Employees will not be able to turn onto Aerobee Road (first left
inside the Main Gate).
– Vehicle inspections will be resumed. All individuals in possession of
temporary, non-picture, badges will be subject to a vehicle inspection.
All picture-badged employees will be subject to a random vehicle
inspection.
– Colloquiums may continue to be conducted; however, all invited
visitors must be escorted by a picture-badged employee who is a U.S.
citizen.
– Security Officers will be establishing random Center checkpoints to
ensure that employees are properly wearing their NASA/GSFC badge(s) and
that visitors are either properly badged and/or escorted.
– Suspicious packages or activities should be reported to the Security
Force at x6-8661.
The Center has an Emergency Preparedness Program that is being
continually reviewed and improved. There are several subjects regarding
emergency preparedness that are relevant to currently publicized risks.
Employees should be knowledgeable of their immediate work areas and any
emergency procedures established for their buildings. Your attention is
encouraged to the following:
– Employees should review their work areas and identify the primary and
alternate exit routes that are available from their building. Employees
should perform a similar review at their homes and any facilities they
visit.
– Buildings on the Center that house 10 or more people have established
Emergency Action Plans. Employees should ensure they are aware of
building-specific procedures such as assembly points and special
procedures for hazardous operations. Employees may contact their
respective Facility Operations Manager.
– The Center has emergency procedures to respond to a variety of
threats. In the event of an actual emergency, the Center will activate
routine incident response procedures and/or Emergency Management Task
Group (EMTG), as the situation warrants.
Typically, the evacuation of a single building is accomplished using the
building evacuation alarms (repetitive evacuation bells or horns).
Center-wide evacuation will be announced through management phone trees,
e-mail, and word-of-mouth within a building. This system may be used to
evacuate one or more buildings depending on the circumstances of the
emergency.
Under certain conditions, the Center may elect to use the
“shelter-in-place” concept, which is a short-term measure designed to
use a facility and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate people
from a hazardous outdoor environment. The decision to “shelter-in-place”
will be communicated via management phone trees, e-mail, and
word-of-mouth within a building. Specific information related to the
hazard and actions that people should take will be included in the
notification to employees.
Individual preparedness for natural and man-made incidents is very
important. Employees should develop plans and be prepared for incidents
that may affect them both at work and home. Each employee should
consider compiling an emergency kit (including flashlights and
battery-operated radios) tailored to personal needs. Employees should
remember to include any prescription medications they may be required to
take. In addition, employees should consider establishing a
communications plan with their families in case an emergency prevents
them from getting together.
Some Internet web sites recommended for general emergency preparedness
information are:
http://www.goprincegeorgescounty.com/Government/AgencyIndex/OEP/domestic
prep.asp?h=20
Please remember to check the GSFC Internal Home Page for the latest
updates to information contained in this e-mail. The updates will be
posted either on the main home page or under SAFETY AND SECURITY QUICK
LINKS, so be sure to check both locations.
For questions regarding Security-related matters, please call the GSO at
x6-7233. For questions regarding Safety or Emergency Preparedness
matters, please call x-6-6295.
Diane Williams
