Expedite Expo 2011 First Observer class Expedite Expo

[TeamCaffee]

This is the second year Doug Morris will be attending the Expedite Expo to teach the First Observer Class. I attended last year and found the subject matter to be very interesting and why becoming a First Observer is important to our line if work. There is no cost for this workshop.

Saturday, July 23, 2011


9:00 am - 'First Observer Program – Highway Security'
Doug Morris - Director of Safety and Security Operations for OOIDA
Location: Franklin Room 1

Here is a little information on this taken from the OOIDA home page:


First Observer ™ is a highway security program, funded by FEMA and administered by TSA. Its mission is to promote the security of our critical infrastructure within the United States by training people to observe, assess and report risks and security breaches.

The sheer number of professional truckers constitutes a powerful deterrent force. First Observer will give you and thousands of other truckers the training you need to effectively spot suspicious activities that could possibly be terrorist related and report those events to a coordinated intelligence center.

First Observer

 

[LDB]

Overseen by TSA. Are they going to teach us "the grope"? On a serious note, is this the old Highway Watch program repackaged and renamed?

 

[TeamCaffee]

No it is nothing like what I learned from Highway Watch.

 

[moose]

, is this the old Highway Watch program repackaged and renamed?

No !
the HWY watch program was a payoff to the ATA,
this one is just plain and simple Gov. money paid to privet sector to run a TSA program that teaches us to keep our eyes open and call a call center and NOT 911.
once OOIDA introduced the 1st Observer i called them and asked them to keep their hands off those kinds of Gov. money.
OOIDA will be better off without the 1st observer.
same goe's to the Expo.

Eyes on the Road: First Observer Takes Over for Highway Watch - Truckinginfo.com

 

[TeamCaffee]

The class is worth attending for anyone as it gives you ideas of what to watch for while we are traversing the country. Even where we live on what to watch for and why it is important to be observant.

Doug went through a series of the lead up to the Oklahoma City bombing that to me was fascinating and how many times they were reported BUT they could not connect the dots using 911. The most important information I received was how 911 is different then First Observer.

An hour very well spent.