The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded $1,941,285 in federal grant funding for several projects at Port Canaveral, under the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP), to protect the Port’s critical infrastructure from terrorism and other security threats.

The Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) is slated to receive $1,357,020 in federal funding for two projects to help bolster safety and security at Port Canaveral.

(Welcome to Port Canaveral – Central Florida’s premier gateway for global commerce! See how Port Canaveral can help deliver your cargo to market faster and easier, by leveraging its location, growth potential, expertise, and resources to expand its world-class cargo operations. Courtesy of Port Canaveral and YouTube.)

The federal funding will be supplemented by a 25% Canaveral Port Authority cost share match to improve the Port’s port-wide risk prevention programs, threat mitigation efforts, and security response service capabilities.

“Safety and security is a primary mission for Port Canaveral, and these awards signal great confidence in our Port from our Federal partners,” explains Port CEO Captain John Murray.

“We have a critical requirement to protect and maintain our infrastructure and operations.”

“Grants like these are important funding to help us employ new resources and latest technologies to augment our security measures with an enhanced ability to detect and respond to threats.”

This new Port Security Grant Program funding was awarded for two Port Canaveral security enhancements.

The Port’s Cybersecurity Vulnerability Reduction Project was awarded an $884,520 Port Security Grant Program grant to support a $1.18 million project to substantially elevate and enhance Port Canaveral’s cybersecurity posture with additional information security personnel and services, resulting in a more secure and resilient Port area.

A Port Security Grant Program grant for $472,500 was awarded to allow the CPA to purchase a new Security Rapid Response Boat.

This new vessel will be a 33-ft. “Life Proof” boat operated by Brevard County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) and equipped with up-to-date features and technology to respond to and support current and future waterside security needs at Port Canaveral including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives (CBRNE).

(See a security rapid response boat in action, similar to the vessel that will be custom-built for the Canaveral Port Authority. Courtesy of Life Proof Boats and YouTube.)

“Port Canaveral is a major economic engine for Central Florida, expanding every year, and this funding is important to assisting the Port with enhancing safety and security for passengers and cargo operations,” added Congressman Bill Posey.

Furthermore, the Canaveral Pilots Association was awarded $584,265 in Port Security Grant Program grant funding to purchase a new response boat with high-tech, modern communication and sounding equipment to assist with emergencies and hurricane recovery operations at Port Canaveral.

Supplemented by a 50 percent cost match share by the Canaveral Pilots Association, the grant funding will also support engine repower and technology upgrades to two existing pilot boats.

The new multi-missioned vessel will be purpose-built with surveillance capabilities for rapid response to safety and security incidents, first responder transport, multi-agency response situations, and supplement a multi-layered response to Port Canaveral safety and security.

The Canaveral Pilots Association serves Port Canaveral as State and Federally licensed pilots and maintains close cooperation and coordination with the Canaveral Port Authority,  the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, and federal and local law enforcement agencies to provide for the safe, secure, and efficient management of ship traffic in and out of Port Canaveral.

Port Canaveral was one of over 30 U.S. ports awarded FY 2022 federal funding from FEMA’s $100 million Port Security Grant Program program, which provides grants to ports on a competitive basis each year.

The program’s priority is to protect critical port infrastructure, enhance maritime domain awareness, improve port-wide maritime security risk management, and maintain or re-establish maritime security mitigation protocols that support Port recovery and resiliency capabilities.

The Port Security Grant Program grant is made available by DHS and administered by FEMA to strengthen infrastructure and support ports’ efforts to achieve the National Preparedness Goal established by FEMA.

Since the September 11th attacks, Port Security Grants have helped the nation’s seaports enhance measures to increase security and protect vital transportation hubs and maritime borders.

PureTech Takes Best Maritime Perimeter Protection Solution in 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards 

American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now in its Seventh Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.

PureTech Systems (First of Six)

• Best Perimeter Protection Solution

• PureActiv

• PureTech Systems has been recognized with a record Six 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards for it’s PureActiv fully integrated automated outdoor wide-area and perimeter protection system.

• PureActiv integrates with a vast array of short- and long-range perimeter sensors such as radar, buried or on-fence fiber detection systems, and ground sensors either singularly or in a combination to provide just the right level of protection to cost-effectively meet the most secure perimeter requirements.

  And PureActiv delivers among the highest probability of detection with the lowest nuisance alarm rates for securing facilities, infrastructure, and borders.

(See a brief introduction to PureTech’s PureActiv automated outdoor wide-area and perimeter protection system in action. Courtesy of PureTech Systems and YouTube.)

PureTech Systems (Second of Six)

• Best Long Range Surveillance Solution

• PureActiv for Borders

• Controlling national borders is an important part of a nation’s security, and the ability to effectively monitor vast areas in varied weather conditions and terrain, while accurately identifying potential threats at great distances is a complicated scenario.

• The solution calls for knowledgeable personnel and accurate sensors that work together to quickly assess a situation and enable border agents to effectively intervene.

• Ideal for Border Security, the PureActiv Automated Perimeter Intrusion Detection System enables detection, and classification of intruders up to 6 miles away.

• Once PureActiv automatically identifies an intruder, the system has the ability to automatically track them and quickly provide accurate intruder location on a GIS map to the end-user.

(The MVSS platform utilizes PureTech Systems’ PureActiv software as its central command and control, providing AI enhanced video detection and classification, user interface display, and sensor collaboration logic for the surveillance suite. The suite consists of visible and thermal cameras, laser illuminators and range finders mounted on telescoping masts located in the back of commercial pickup trucks. Courtesy of Fox 5, PureTech Systems, and YouTube.)

PureTech Systems (Third of Six)

• Best Maritime Perimeter Protection Solution

• PureActiv

• Our nation and the world depend on safe and efficient shipment of goods around the globe. 

• Threats to seaports and the resultant potential loss of lives and economic losses due to service interruptions make it imperative that seaports throughout the world are properly protected from terrorist and safety-related events. 

• PureTech’s PureActiv wide area and perimeter protection solutions help Port Authorities improve the safety and security of seaports with a tangible return on investment, and automates the protection of land and water-side perimeters to help ensure the safety and security of personnel and critical assets. 

• By detecting intrusion events at the perimeter before they result in more catastrophic events, loss of life, and operational downtime, port authorities, and law enforcement can intervene to deescalate situations and quickly return to normal operations. 

• The PureActiv system provides detection, alerting, and proactive deterring of potential safety and security events, which helps protect lives, cargo, and critical assets. 

PureTech Systems (Fourth of Six)

• Best Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence

• PureActiv

• PureActiv AI Auto-verify Analytics eliminates 95% of nuisance alarms from radar, fence sensors, and motion video analytics.

• With expertise from 16 years of real-world deployments and cutting-edge innovation, PureTech Systems patented Video Analytics are AI Deep Learning and Geospatially boosted and provide among the highest in probability of detection, and lowest in nuisance alarm rates for electronically securing perimeters around facilities, infrastructures, and borders. 

(See how PureActiv’s deep-learning trained automated perimeter protection system includes intrusion detection, auto-verification, PTZ Auto-follow, and invoking non-lethal acoustic deterrents. Our enhanced capabilities detect, geolocate, classify and track intrusions, alerting only on verified threats ensuring near-zero nuisance alarms with market-leading detection rates. Courttesy of PureTech Systems and YouTube.)

PureTech Systems (Fifth of Six)

• Best Video Analytics Solution

• PureActiv

• Key benefits of PureActiv AI Deep Learning Geospatial Video Analytics include:

  • Automatically detects, classifies, geolocates, tracks and alarms only on Objects of Interest.

  • Technology backed up by 13 patents and over 16 years of innovation and field training data.

• • Lower total cost of ownership when considering infrastructure cost and maintenance,

  • Effective in the most challenging of outdoor conditions.

  • Uses Convolutional, Neural Network Deep Learning, and Geo-spatial data for high fidelity classification.

  • Longest detection ranges in the industry (over 5 miles)- requires fewer cameras.

  • Higher accuracy – Industry-leading Probability of Detection and low Nuisance Alarm Rate.

  • Simplified configurations support rapid deployment.

  • Image Stabilization.

• • Autonomous PTZ camera lock-on-target tracking enhances situational awareness.

  • Object geo-location on map enhances situational awareness.

  • Combines with other detection sensors (radar, fence, ground, etc.) for most demanding applications such as nuclear power plants.

• • Seamless integration with market-leading VMS systems including Genetec,  Milestone, PureActiv AlertView, and others.

  • Easily scales to fit your needs today and tomorrow.

  • Camera agnostic- deploys on edge devices and/or servers.

PureTech Systems (Sixth of Six)

• Best Mobile Tech Solution

• PureActiv Rapid Deploy Virtual Perimeter

• Scalable to small and large perimeters, the new Rapid Deploy Virtual Perimeter Unit (RDVPU) provides a temporary or permanent virtual perimeter protection system that requires very little deployment time.

• The smart and effective protection system uses a wireless connection to transmit alarms and video to a co-located or remote command and control center and is enhanced with the use of radar, a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera, and optional loud hailers and light deterrents.

• The RDVPU is equipped with PureTech’s patented AI and geospatially boosted video analytics, PureActiv, which provides among the highest probability of detection while maintaining near-zero nuisance alarms.

• Additionally, the RDVPU is solar-powered, needing little to no backup fuel, thus providing an environmentally friendly protection system that does not require ground penetration and has no impact on local wildlife.

(See a PureTech Rapid Deploy Virtual Perimeter Unit Deployment in Action. Courtesy of PureTech Systems and YouTube.)

• *PureTech Systems was recognized with Multiple Awards Wins in the 2020 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program, and also won a Platinum ‘ASTORS’ Award in the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.

Last Weeks to Enter Nominations in 2022 ‘ASTORS Homeland Security Awards

Final Nominations are being accepted for the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards at https://americansecuritytoday.com/ast-awards/.

Comprehensive List of Categories Include:

Access Control/ Identification	Personal/Protective Equipment	Law Enforcement Counter Terrorism
Perimeter Barrier/ Deterrent System	Interagency Interdiction Operation	Cloud Computing/Storage Solution
Facial/IRIS Recognition	Body Worn Video Product	Cyber Security
Video Surveillance/VMS	Mobile Technology	Anti-Malware
Audio Analytics	Disaster Preparedness	ID Management
Thermal/Infrared Camera	Mass Notification System	Fire & Safety
Metal/Weapon Detection	Rescue Operations	Critical Infrastructure
License Plate Recognition	Detection Products	COVID Innovations
Workforce Management	Government Security Programs	And Many Others to Choose From!

Don’t see a Direct Hit for your Product, Agency or Organization?

Submit your category recommendation for consideration to Michael Madsen, AST Publisher, at: mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.

Homeland Security remains at the forefront of our national conversation as we experience an immigration crisis along our southern border, and crime rates that are dramatically higher than before the Pandemic across the United States.

These challenges have become a national priority with an influx of investments in innovative new technologies and systems.

The pinnacle of the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon, an exclusive, affordable, gourmet, full-course plated meal event, in the heart of New York City, held at the International Security Conference & Exposition (ISC East) since it’s inception in 2017.

And who better to address the aforementioned challenges, and initiatives to meet today’s threat landscape than Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner (DEAC) Diane J. Sabatino of the Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the opening keynote speaker at the much-anticipated 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon, on Wednesday, November 16th, 2022.

As the DEAC of the Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Mrs. Sabatino leads more than 31,000 employees and oversees an annual operating budget of $6.5 billion.

Register for the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Luncheon Today

(Hear a recent interview with Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner (DEAC) Diane J. Sabatino held at Identity Week Europe on leveraging biometric comparison technology in U.S. air, maritime, and land border environments for the security of passengers, enhancing the customer experience and limiting the transmission of biological pathogens while respecting personal privacies and educating the public as the CBP further expands the implementation of biometrics to keep up with threats to the aviation and other border sectors. These new technological tools are there to automate administrative functions so that the most valuable component of the process, the officers, are able to focus on critical issues as they arise. Courtesy of evie kim sing and YouTube. Posted on Jul 13, 2022.)

Enter, American Security Today, the #1 publication and media platform in the Government Security and Homeland Security fields with a circulation of over 75,000 readers and many tens of thousands more visiting our AST Website at www.americansecuritytoday.com each month.

The continually evolving ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program will emphasize the trail of Accomplished Women in Leadership in 2022, as well as the Significance and Positive Impact of Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in our Next Generation of Government and Industry Leaders. #MentorshipMatters

So be on the lookout for Special Guests, Presenters, Book Opportunities, and Attendees at the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon in November of 2022 in NYC!