Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel from across the nation gathered in Miami recently for the agency’s 2019 Region IV All Hazards Preparedness workshop.
The two-day effort, which was slated ahead of this year’s hurricane season, involved dozens of law enforcement personnel, emergency management professionals and practitioners from across the region.
“Leveraging best practices and enhancing partnerships is critically important as part of preparedness and response efforts before the next major disaster strikes,” Diane J. Sabatino, CBP Region IV lead field coordinator, said. “As the nation’s largest law enforcement agency, CBP personnel from Florida and around the nation are often called in to action during complex national emergencies and work tirelessly to help those in need.”
The sessions focused on emergency management procedures and included strategic breakout discussions related to incident management efforts utilizing the Lead Field Coordinator (LFC) construct. Briefs focused on major and complex incidents, area command and the dynamics of local, state and federal partnerships.
The CBP’s Florida Office of Field Operations includes more than 2,500 front-line federal officers, agricultural specialists, and trade and mission support personnel who secure more than 1,200 miles of the coastal border and providing travel and trade facilitation.
U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and Office of Field Operations (OFO) teams from Region IV deploy during major disasters providing specialized expertise, equipment and helping those in need.