- Sep 12, 2001: The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) establishes a dozen diver teams as part of quick-response teams to help with port & offshore security
- FBI concern: terrorists will learn underwater skills
- Any place with water in its jurisdiction may have risks: recreational, commercial, shipping or industrial
- Underwater security is the responsibility of local police and other agencies in most cities…
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- USCG Underwater Port Security unit and the DHS Intelligence division create a course for all divers
- Divers are taught how to search for and identify "underwater hazardous devices" or explosives that might be placed on ship hulls, bridges or piers
- USCG encourages port-based dive teams to take advanced training courses in underwater security
- USCG doubles its total number of divers by 2007
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- More than 600 divers have been trained and given a skill set to search underwater hulls and sweep ports
- Divers come from small volunteer fire company units as well as big-city operations responsible for underwater security at commercial shipping ports
- Grant money is given to homeland security divisions to buy equipment, including boats, sonar systems and underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs)
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"For the first time in the (scuba) industry, we have a malicious threat to manage."
- Steven Orusa of the International Association of Dive Rescue Specialists |
