Ed Merkle leads technology success story at Virginia Port Authority

Sep 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Carol Carey

Teamwork among department managers is crucial for success, Merkle says. “The executive director sets goals, and the team applies them. Managers pass down the goals to their line people. In general, we're measuring our performance — shipping volume, number of transactions, time-length of the transactions and their efficiency.

“So security must fit into these standards. Security breaches can impact the ISO measurement because they delay traffic flow. Theft is one of the measurements, as are the reliability of our systems, of every sensor.”

The process of documentation and security management have recently been improved with the installation of a new security management system that can help keep track of “every sensor.”

“We have brought together all our surveillance systems with a security management software system by ORSUS called the Situator,” Merkle explains.

Stevenson, whose company installed the ORSUS system, explains that it “has enabled port security personnel to better manage terminal and facility access control, perimeter security and enforcement and closed circuit television monitoring.”

Merkle notes that the Situator brings together information from security sensors throughout the VPA. “Because we cover three geographically diverse areas (the three maritime terminals) we're receiving sensor and video information from many sources, including a 10-mile perimeter, gate complexes, restricted area buildings, doors and hallways,” Merkle says.

It is now possible to monitor all these points - more than 100 access control devices - from a central area. “The Situator takes information from all these sensors and puts it through a rules-based analysis and alerts the dispatcher when there are concerns. The system presently integrates video and access control; we will soon be integrating fire alarm and smart perimeter systems as well,” Merkle says.

The ORSUS system is a cornerstone of the newly constructed Port Command Center (PCC). Merkle is currently implementing a $2.3 million DHS “Port Command Center” grant (which is actually 75 percent federal and 25 percent VPA funded).

When developing important projects, Merkle looks for input from other VPA managers, his senior staff and other port security specialists. He has overseen the development of the PCC by looking at the work of other maritime ports. As a member of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), Merkle enjoys the twice-yearly meetings during which information is freely shared by other Port security managers.

“Even though ports are competitive, security is not a competitive business,” Merkle says. “At our AAPA meetings, we share information on lessons learned. What's working and what's not working? I knew other people were also working on their command centers. I took our security integrator, IT people and senior port police staff and we visited a number of ports to get input for the PCC.”

The team visited ports in Corpus Christi, New York, Houston, Charleston and the Bridge Port Authority in Niagara Falls, N.Y. They looked at such things as workstation configuration, methods of operator communication, room layout, noise levels and climate control.

The new Port Command Center was well worth the effort, he says. “We came up with a hybrid of the various sites we looked at, constructing a brand new room within an existing building.”

In addition to the inclusion of the ORSUS system, other upgrades to the PCC include an improved video-screen configuration. Each operator has four video screens at his or her station along with three shared projection screens. Other additions, which were part of a nearly $100,000 construction project, include a new dispatcher console, communications equipment, computers, flooring, electrical upgrades and furniture.

Merkle is a 51-year-old native Virginian who, when he isn't working, enjoys reading thrillers and spending time with his wife, a fourth-grade teacher, and two daughters, ages 16 and 24.

Given the demands of his job, it's not surprising that Merkle spends eight to 10 hours daily in his office, and “lives with a Blackberry and laptop at home.” He did attempt to turn off the Blackberry during a recent cruise vacation, but, “after day five, I contacted the office.”

While his dedication to safety and security at Virginia's Port Authority isn't likely to change with a change of place, the new security management should make the task of “contacting the office” easier.

“I now have access to what the dispatcher is seeing at any given time. I can see what the status of security at the Port is by looking at one screen, even on vacation,” he says.

Other Honor Stories

• Emphasis on service drives success for Planned Security's Dino Iuliano
• Robert Achenbach lifts security profile at First National of Nebraska
• Wendy Nather builds-in information security at Texas Education Agency
• Shawn Reilly combines guards and gadgets at Greenville hospital

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© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

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