• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Nevada Business Magazine

The Decision Maker's Magazine

Subscribe Now!

  • Subscriptions
    • Print
    • Mobile App
    • Email
  • Features
    • New This Month
    • View Issues
    • Cover Stories
    • Feature Stories
    • Industry Focus
    • Building Nevada
    • Special Reports
    • Press Release Wire
    • Nevada Industries
  • Departments
    • A Matter of Opinion
    • Around the State
    • Business Indicators
    • Commentary
    • Commercial RE Report
    • Crossfire
    • Expert Advice
    • Face to Face
    • Free Market Watch
    • Inside Politics
    • Power of Attorney
    • Profit & Loss
    • Speaking for Nevada
    • Tech.knowledge.me
    • The Last Word
    • Vital Signs
  • Planning Calendar
  • Advertising
    • Advertising Info
    • Advertising Staff
    • Submission Requirements
    • Online Advertising
  • Events
    • NBM Events
  • Contact
    • Contact the Staff
    • Contact Form
  • Connect
    • Business Directory
    • Press Release Wire
    • Business Calendar
    • Submit Listing
    • Post Press Release
    • Add Your Event
    • Sign Up
    • Log In
You are here: Home / Features / Cover Story / Homeland Security and Defense in the Silver State

Homeland Security and Defense in the Silver State

October 1, 2015 By John Seelmeyer Leave a Comment

Homeland Security provides an important framework that ensures that key elements of Nevada’s economy continue to thrive.Regardless of what a grumpy traveler delayed by airport checkpoints may tell you, Homeland Security provides an important framework that ensures that key elements of Nevada’s economy continue to thrive.

During the first seven months of this year, approximately 11.5 million people came through security checkpoints on their way to board flights at McCarran International Airport, an increase of a half million travelers from the previous year. Meanwhile, the 981,000 travelers who came through security at Reno-Tahoe International Airport during that time represented a 21.4 percent increase from a year earlier.

It’s not just the 29 percent of domestic visitors to the Silver State who travel by air who rely on assurances of secure travel. Manufacturers and others involved in import and export trade pay growing attention to security — but they also want it handled expeditiously so air-cargo shipments aren’t delayed.

Some companies are finding revenue opportunities within the Homeland Security infrastructure, and others are racing to develop technologies for the next generations of security.

In fact, every company, great and small, that works in Nevada benefits from efforts to provide a safe and secure environment, said Caleb Cage, the Homeland Security advisor to Governor Brian Sandoval. Business owners and managers can focus on work rather than being constantly concerned about terrorism threats.

Finding the Balance

For most Nevadans, airport checkpoints remain the most visible manifestation of Homeland Security, and play a large role in keeping Nevada’s economy on track. “We want to ensure the safety of travelers. It’s a huge focus of the Nevada Homeland Security Commission,” said Cage.

While state law requires outreach efforts to keep the public informed about security risks, outreach in the tourism sector requires a careful balancing act of ensuring the safety of travelers without causing unnecessary alarm. “When visitors come here, we want them to know they are secure. And they should be able to enjoy their vacation, too,” said Cage.

The Reno airport is a good example of this balance. Visitors often comment about the Tahoe-inspired architecture and decor that stretches from the main entrance through the gateway areas, but are unaware of the 330 security cameras that keep a close eye on everything that’s happening inside the facility.

Tourism executives, particularly, have become aware of a myriad of unusual security issues that accompany some visitors to Nevada, and have learned to cope with them. A key element of the Reno-Tahoe tourism economy, for instance, is represented by the thousands of bowlers who arrive for events at the National Bowling Stadium. Many of them have cooked up homemade rubbing potions that they apply to their bowling balls to bring them luck and better scores.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) takes a dimmer view of those homemade potions and certainly doesn’t view them as lucky. The airport works closely with the organizations that sponsor bowling tournaments to get the word out and hopefully reduce the potential ire of bowlers. Burning Man, an annual festival held in Black Rock City, presents its own set of security challenges for the Reno airport. Each year, large trash bins appear outside the airport at the end of the Burning Man Festival, allowing travelers to deposit potentially troublesome items, no questions asked, before they reach security.

The continued national economic rebound, the strength of the domestic and global tourism sectors and the surge of meetings and convention business in Nevada all put pressure on the TSA to protect security personnel and move passengers efficiently through checkpoints at the state’s major airports.

Staffing and Improvements

It’s not just the air-travel business from Nevada airports that’s stretching TSA resources. Airport security checkpoints are getting busy across the country.

Nationwide, the number of passengers screened so far this year is up nearly 5 percent from a year earlier. That translates into an additional 20 million passengers and an additional 8.7 million bags moving through security screenings. The air-security agency posted its busiest single day since 2007 on July 31 when it screened 2.33 million passengers and crew members nationwide.

Las Vegas gets particularly close attention. The federal government has ranked Southern Nevada, with its flood of visitors every day of the year, as number 24 in its listing of high-threat urban areas nationally. The federal government recently doubled its funding of Homeland Security efforts in the Las Vegas area.

Because the hospitality industry in Nevada is so closely attuned to the creation of hassle-free vacations and business trips for the state’s guests, the potential inconvenience of longer security lines at airports will get quick attention.

Reno-Tahoe International Airport completed a $27 million upgrade of its security checkpoint and passenger gateway areas in March 2013.

Marily Mora, president and chief executive officer of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, said the project dubbed by airport executives as “the checkpoint of the future” improved the experience of passengers who previously lined up at individual checkpoints in each of the airport’s concourses. The project also allows for the addition of new security-screening technology. The checkpoint is meeting its goal of improving the experience of passengers.

A recent survey found that travelers gave the airport a score of 6.47 on a seven-point scale for security, and gave the airport a 6.29 rating for their overall experience.

Expedited Services

Meanwhile, the TSA is using everything from big data to big dogs to keep the checkpoint lines moving quickly. Big data comes into play with the expedited screening that TSA provides to some passengers who are flying on one of the 12 airlines that participate in the TSA Pre-check program.

The agency electronically analyzes the information that passengers provide when they reserve their flights and conducts a real-time assessment of their risk. Low-risk passengers are sent to an expedited checkpoint where they are allowed to leave on their shoes, belt and light outer jacket during the screening process. Some passengers keep their laptop in its case and keep allowable liquids or gels in a carry-on bag.

Other travelers, who don’t want to roll the dice on the big data-driven program ,can enroll at either Las Vegas or Reno’s TSA Trusted Traveler program that provides consistent use of the TSA Pre-check service.

For the more than 3 million overseas visitors who come to Nevada each year, the U.S. State Department’s Visa Waiver Program is reducing travelers’ hassles while ensuring security. Strongly supported by the U.S. Travel Association, the Visa Waiver Program allows visitors from 38 nations to enter the United States without a visa and stay for up to 90 days.

The travelers are required to complete some paperwork through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security before they leave home, and they’re required to buy a round-trip ticket on an approved airline. The Electronic System for Travel Authorization paperwork pre-screens foreign travelers against no-fly and terrorist databases.

While those initiatives rely on big data, a team of big dogs keeps lines moving at McCarran International Airport, especially during peak travel times.

The passenger-screening canines and their handlers walk as casually and unobtrusively as possible around passengers at checkpoints. The dogs are trained to detect explosives — still the biggest threat to aviation safety — in a busy airport environment and quickly pinpoint the source of an explosive odor.

If a canine doesn’t detect an explosive odor on McCarran passengers, they’re flagged into the Pre-check line.

For all the technologically based new programs, travelers nationwide began reporting longer wait times at security checkpoints late this summer. TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger recently acknowledged that the agency’s staff has been taking greater care in screening passengers, and added the agency always leans toward increased security as it balances the desires of travelers to get through security quickly.

The private sector also saw opportunities in those lines at security-checkpoints.

CLEAR, a New York City company, launched its advanced biometric identity system at McCarran International Airport late last year. The technology, certified by the Department of Homeland Security, allows CLEAR members to use their fingerprints and the iris of their eyes to verify their identify. The company, which charges $179 a year, says its members get through security checkpoints across the country in an average of less than five friction-free minutes.

The program has been a hit in Las Vegas, said Caryn Seidman-Becker, chief executive officer of CLEAR. “The response from the city, airport and scores of travelers who go through McCarran every day has been overwhelmingly positive,” she added.

Economic Factors

The successful efforts to diversify Nevada’s economy — most notably, the ongoing work to strengthen the advanced manufacturing and logistics sectors — spotlights another important role that Homeland Security plays in the state.

As Nevada manufacturers and distributors enjoy growing demand for their products domestically and worldwide, the security of air cargo and the efficient screening of shipments becomes a growing concern for exporters, importers and domestic shippers.

Federal law requires screening of all air cargo before it’s transported, and the numbers are big at Nevada’s two primary airports.

McCarran International Airport handled 217.5 million pounds of air cargo in 2014. FedEx accounted for more than 101 million pounds, while UPS accounted for another 32 million pounds, but 15 traditional carriers also handled air cargo at McCarran.

At Reno-Tahoe International Airport, cargo shipments totaled nearly 130 million pounds, a sharp 6.7 percent increase from the previous year.

To keep that freight moving smoothly, TSA in the past three years has been using what it calls an “ABCD” approach to intelligently look at potential risks. The four factors examined by the agency and the shipper include:

A) Appearance of the shipment, including signs of tampering, damage or stains.

B) Behavior, including nervousness, unusual questions or odd behavior, of individuals associated with the shipment.

C) Context of the shipment, as TSA staff make sure that the routing and the commodity make sense.

D) Documents such as air waybills as inspectors look for signs of forgery, odd special instructions, and also for any missing paperwork.

Cargo that doesn’t carry indications of risk is cleared, but if a shipment raises any signs of risk, inspectors set the cargo aside while they call the shipper or open a box to inspect the contents.

At the Reno airport, TSA-trained dogs accompany airport police in cargo areas to help identify risks and keep air shipments moving quickly. Cage described the TSA program as a cornerstone of the efforts of the Sandoval administration to attract international trade and encourage the growth of new and existing companies in Nevada. “Our mission is to ensure that Nevada is a safe place to do business,” he said.

Secure cargo moving efficiently will be particularly important this autumn, as the big distribution centers operated by companies such as Amazon meet an expectedly strong surge of holiday orders.

Job Creation

Homeland Security has directly spurred creation of new jobs in Nevada. Nevada Nanotech Systems Inc. of Sparks, for instance, was founded in 2004 to commercialize a unique sensor technology developed at the University of Nevada, Reno. Some of the small company’s early work was supported by the Department of Homeland Security, which was interested in the use of the technology in screening applications. The company now has widened its focus to include a range of industrial, manufacturing and healthcare applications in addition to uses in security.

Some companies have found more direct opportunities within the Homeland Security framework at Nevada’s commercial airports. For instance, the 60 Nevada-based employees of Leidos Holdings Inc., a Reston, VA company with offices in Las Vegas and Reno, handle the maintenance of TSA security systems.

Disposal of oversized liquids and other prohibited items confiscated from passengers at security checkpoints, meanwhile, is handled by the Nevada offices of Clean Harbors Inc., headquartered in Norwell, MA.

Cage added that Nevada’s Office of Homeland Security is working to coordinate its efforts with a wide range of private-sector organizations. Members of the Nevada Broadcasters Association, for example, have played an important role in public information about programs to reduce terrorism risk. The “See Something, Say Something” campaign has relied heavily on the help of local broadcasters.

Other industry groups have met with state and local emergency-management and homeland security officials in recent months to coordinate their efforts, Cage said. A growing portion of those meetings has been devoted to protection against the cyber-security threats faced by the private sector as well as government.

In fact, when state officials decided a few weeks ago how to invest $7 million in federal Homeland Security funds, they gave top priority to efforts to protect from cyber threats. Looking forward, this could potentially create new positions within the security and defense sector.

It’s clear that the issue of security is an important one for the state of Nevada both in creating jobs and, especially, in ensuring that the state remains an attractive and safe venue for tourists and residents. At the forefront, both private and public agencies are hard at work to help provide that safety while balancing the need for efficiency.

Filed Under: Cover Story Tagged With: Black Rock City, Burning Man, Caleb Cage, Caryn Seidman-Becker, Clean Harbors Inc., CLEAR, FedEx, Governor Brian Sandoval, Homeland Security, Leidos Holdings Inc., Marily Mora, McCarran International Airport, National Bowling Stadium, Nevada Broadcasters Association, Nevada Homeland Security Commission, Nevada Nanotech Systems Inc., Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Silver State, The Electronic System for Travel Authorization, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. State Department’s Visa Waiver Program, University of Nevada Reno, UPS

Sponsored Features

Sponsored Features

Sierra Nevada CollegeEntrepreneurship, The Arts, and Science at Altitude

Businesses Investing in Technologies, LandscapesSave Money and Water

Water System Renewal ProjectsHelp Maintain Community’s Prosperity

Thomas & Mack Company Swims into Water SavingsWith Landscape Conversion

Advertise With Us

Advertise With Us. more details ►

Primary Sidebar

Credit UnionsCommunity Banking

Industry FocusAttorneys

Strategic PlaysGolf Course Communities Widen Amenities

2019 NAIOP Southern NevadaBus Tour

Nevada News & PR Wire

  • RSAR Releases November 2019 Existing Home Sales Report

  • U.S. Bank Invests $50,000 in Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada

  • Local Artist Unveils Inspirational Mural for SafeNest Shelter Families

  • Southern Nevada Home Prices Stay the Same for Two Months, Still up from Last Year

  • Two Years in a (R)ow!!

  • Nevada State College Hosts Building Naming Ceremony

  • Sunrise Children’s Foundation Thanks Community – Receives $10,000 Donation from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield

  • Home Fair Brings Services to Active Adult Community in Henderson

  • On Giving Tuesday, Non-Profit, Project Marilyn, Recognizes Community Supporter to Help End Period Poverty

  • Elite Medical Center Becomes First Nevada Hospital Accredited to Administer Groundbreaking Treatment for Postpartum Depression

  • Small Business Offers Creative Spin on Catering Expands in Las Vegas Market

  • Northern Nevada Medical Group Hires General Cardiologist and Two Physician Assistants

  • Defeating the Odds: Reflection Bay Golf Club Named Top Golf Destination in Las Vegas

  • Market Research and Strategy Firm S2 Research Publishes Research Guide for Marketers

  • Helix Electric Raises $25,500 at Annual Charity Golf Tournament

  • Dermody Properties Grants $25,000 Annual Thanksgiving Capstone Award to Food Bank of Northern Nevada

  • Nevada REALTORS® Hire Attorney Christal Park Keegan

  • Northcap Commercial Arranges Sale of Rancho Mirada Apartments for $17,319,762

  • Lizbeth Alvarez From KPS3 Earns Certificate in Principles of Public Relations

  • Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada Hosts 3rd Annual Lunchboxes & Learning: Swimming with The Big Fish!

  • Serving Our Kids Foundation Delivers 500,000th Weekend Food Bag to Student — Nonprofit Achieves Milestone in Food Insecurity Battle for Kids Who Don’t Qualify for Government Programs or Other Services —

  • Time and Ally Financial Honor Las Vegas Dealer – Steven Olliges Wins National Recognition for Community Service and Industry Accomplishments at NADA Show

  • St. Vincent’s Food Pantry Will Provide More Than 6,500 Holiday Meals Through the Annual Feeding Families Food Giveaway Event

  • RE/MAX Realty Affiliates Agent Terri Cole Awarded CLHMS and GUILD Status

  • RE/MAX Realty Affiliates Agent Sam Olson Earns CRS Designation

  • Established Culinary Management Launches Pop-Up Kitchen Dinner Concept Called the Test Kitchen at the Stove Las Vegas

  • MassMedia Earns Prestigious Pinnacle Award

  • Northcap Commercial Arranges Sale of 4187 & 4203 Silver Dollar Ave Apartments for $1,756,000

  • Desert Radiology Supports Families in Need Through Thanksgiving Donation

  • PRSA Sierra Nevada Chapter Launches Better PR Podcast

  • First Independent Bank and Hot August Nights Foundation Coat Collections Provide Winter Coats for Local Children

  • GLVAR Making Its Biggest Donation yet to Annual 98.5 KLUC Chet Buchanan Show Toy Drive

  • Real Estate Attorney Evan Champa Joins Holland & Hart in Reno

  • FEA Consulting Engineers Ranked Among Top 10 in the U.S. BD+C’s 2019 Giants 300 Report

  • Goodwill® of Southern Nevada Announces Addition of New Board Member

  • Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM 99 Las Vegas) Announces 2020 Board Members

  • Construction vs. Cancer 2020 at Silverton

  • SCA Helps Lottery Address Budget Cuts with Promotional Risk Management Solutions

  • Vegas PBS Launches New Brand for the Digital Age

  • New Study Finds Vegas PBS’ Digital Media Resources Boost Young Children’s Science and Engineering Learning

  • Save Red Rock Announces Permanent Ban on Shooting in Lovell Canyon

  • Northcap Commercial Arranges Sale of Alpha Gardens & Villas Apartments for $14,407,366

  • Community Leaders Raise More Than $170,000 to Fight Breast Cancer

  • 800 Local Students to Volunteer at 23 Nonprofit Organizations for Faith Lutheran’s Middle School Service Event

  • Northern Nevada’s Best Maintenance Professionals Compete in the Nevada State Apartment Association’s Maintenance Mania 2019

  • Adam’s Place Announces New Child Life Specialist

  • Recognized Industry Leader Jason Kremer Joins Konami Gaming as Vice President of Studio Operations

  • Kathryn Harper Putting People Skills to Work as Gatski Commercial Real Estate Services’ Newest Property Manager

  • Corry Casteneda From Dickson Commercial Group Receives CPM Designation

  • Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada Announces New Board Member Ken Janssen

  • Nevada State College First to Offer Speech-Language Pathology Master’s Degree in Southern Nevada

  • Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada Receives Season’s Largest Food Donation

  • Nevada State Apartment Association’s Maintenance Mania 2019 Competition Winners

  • Colliers International | Las Vegas Announce Multiple Senior-Level Promotions

  • Nevada State Bank Claims “Best in State” Honor Again for Third Year

  • Wells Fargo Supports Youth Across the State by Funding the Jobs for Nevada’s Graduates Program

  • Naylor & Braster Receive Best Law Firms Distinction for Fifth Consecutive Year

  • JC Yeh Joins IREPLV as Medical Property Advisor

  • Awards Gala Will Focus on Fighting Hate, Honoring Community Partners

  • Allegiant Electric Appoints Alfredo Murua as Project Manager

  • Las Vegas Based TRU Development Chooses Technogym to Outfit State of the Art Fitness Center for KAKTUSlife @dean martin

  • Nevada State College Announces New Dean of Students

  • Nevada Business Advisors Changes Business Landscape for Entrepreneurs

  • The Nevada Population Health Conference 2019

  • CSN to Dedicate Student Union to Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson

  • WGU Offers $250,000 in Scholarships for Graduate Business Programs

  • House of Blues and the Las Vegas Rescue Mission to Partner during National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week

  • SilverSummit Healthplan Partners with Vegas Golden Knights to Fight Hunger in Southern Nevada with Three Square Food Drive & Event

  • Colliers International | Las Vegas Announces Two New Associates

  • Now Through Dec. 7, Seniors in Carson City, Douglas, Lyon, Storey, and Washoe Counties Can Enroll for Superior Health Benefits with Prominence Health Plan’s Medicare Advantage Plan

  • Eastgroup Properties Acquires $25.5m Newly Constructed Industrial Park

  • Brass Cap Development Completes $25.5 Million Industrial Park near Allegiant Stadium

  • Helping Our Brothers and Sisters Receives $25K from Cox Charities Golf Tournament

  • New Program Will Assist Nellis Air Force Base Airmen Transition to Public Sector Careers

  • Joeleene Opens in Downtown Summerlin

  • Sixx Gun Music to Open in Las Vegas

  • Broadway Star & Las Vegas Headliner Travis Cloer Announces New Album “Here’s Travis Cloer”

  • Camino Verde Group Acquires Two Las Vegas Apartment Communities

  • Nevada State Bank Holds Denim Drive for Reno Rodeo Foundation

  • MiT National Land Services Appoints Marco Antonio Walton as Director of Business Development for Nevada

  • Charter School Association of Nevada Elects Legacy Traditional Schools’ Deputy Superintendent as Board President

  • New Personal Injury Firm “Sam & Ash” Takes the Pain out of Personal Injury Cases; Team Vows to Hold Insurance Companies Accountable

  • Veterans Village to Hold 8th Annual Veterans Day Celebration Featuring Rock ‘n’ Roll Legend John Fogerty

  • Real Estate Veteran John D. Ramous Joins Dermody Properties as Partner in Nevada

  • RSAR Releases October 2019 Existing Home Sales Report

  • Hali’s Angels – the Hali Gillin Group Represents Buyer on Most Expensive High Rise Sale of 2019

  • Nevada State Bank Kicking off 60th Anniversary Year by Collecting Toys and Bikes for the 98.5 KLUC Toy Drive

  • Dr. Neil Gokal Awarded Honorary Pi Alpha

  • Konami Gaming Steps up Its Support for U.S. Veterans – Leading Casino Games & Technology Developer Seeks to Create More Channels for Military Veterans to Enter the Gaming Space

  • IREPLV Increases Medical Real Estate

  • Community and Industry Leaders Discuss Future of West Henderson

  • Southern Nevada Home Prices Stall to Start Fall, Though Still Higher Than Last Year

  • Longtime Las Vegas Public Relations Firm Rebrands to Connected Communications

  • Colliers International | Las Vegas Announces Alexia Crowley as Associate Vice President

  • CommCap Advisors’ Matthew Hoyt Receives NAIOP’s Developing Leader Award

  • Lipson Neilson’s Sandra Glazier to Speak on “Electronic Wills in the Digital Age” Webinar Sponsored by the American Bar Association

  • Angelina Scarcelli Awarded CCIM Designation

  • Cucina Lupo Opens for Business on Tuesday, Nov. 12

  • Four Elementary Schools Begin Food Drive Challenge for Hungry Kids, Nov. 4-8 — Community Invited to Help Fund Weekend, Thanksgiving Food Bags Delivered Through Serving Our Kids Foundation —

  • Northcap Commercial Arranges Sale of 2301 Wengert Ave Apartments for $1,700,000



 
Submit Your News & PR
Submit Your News & PR

Business Connection

Business Connection Portal

Log In Sign Up

Business Connection Portal

Log In Sign Up

Nevada Business Calendar

  • NPHY Holiday Giving and "It's a Wrap" Holiday Block Party
    December 14, 2019 9:00 am

    Location: 4981 Shirley St, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USA

    More details...
  • St. Jude’s Ranch for Children’s 13th Annual Night of Lights
    December 14, 2019 5:00 pm

    Location: 100 St. Jude’s Street Boulder City, NV 89005

    More details...
View Full Calendar ►

Nevada Business Directory

Featured Businesses
Find a Nevada-Based Business Submit Your Business

Nevada Industries

Architects & Engineers
Arts & Culture
Banking
Commercial Real Estate
Construction
Credit Unions
Economic Development
Education
Financial Management
Healthcare
Human Resources
Insurance
Law
Manufacturing
Marketing
Media
Mining
Philanthropy
Residential Real Estate
Rural Nevada
Sports
Tax Planning and Accounting
Technology
Telecom
Tourism
Transportation
Utilities

Footer

Subscriptions

  • Print Subscription
  • Mobile App
  • E-mail Subscription

Editorial

  • Features
  • Departments
  • Events

Advertising

  • Advertise
  • Submission Requirements

Connect

  • Contact
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2019, Business Link LLC dba Nevada Business Magazine and Nevada Business Journal. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions
Nevada Web Design services by Nevada Central Media using Genesis Framework by StudioPress