Freeport

Following received from USCG Houston/Galveston Sector // furthering their initial EBOLA MSIB. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jessica.M.Galarza@uscg.mil [mailto:Jessica.M.Galarza@uscg.mil]
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2014 1:18 PM
 Subject: EBOLA- USCG Vessel Targeting and Screening Procedures
Importance: High

Good day;

Recently, our office has received inquiries concerning the Coast Guard's (USCG) screening process for the Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Virus. On August 08, 2014 Sector Houston-Galveston established an active vetting process and developed protocols for screening crewmembers and vessels arriving from ports in Western Africa. We are working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), and other Federal, State & local port partners to ensure the safe and secure arrival of passengers and crews into U.S. Ports.

Sector Houston-Galveston was one of the first U.S. Ports to implement the new Ebola Targeting and Arrivals Screening Tool and the maritime pre-arrival medical questionnaire.  We also alerted the port community of our proactive stance by releasing MSIB 14-14, through Homeport, using the CDC guidance and concurrence. The USCG's national guidance is to screen all vessels arriving from countries known as Ebola points of origin dating back to the last 05 ports of call. A longstanding MOU remains place between the DHS and Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate any actions that may involve personnel boarding the vessel or handling potentially ill patients.

From the date of the initial implementation, Sector Houston-Galveston and the local CDC Quarantine Station have shared this collaborative effort/process (screening tool/questionnaire/MSIB/QRC) with other USCG Units and partner agencies. Since inception on August 08, 2014 more than 35 foreign vessels have been screened as potential vectors by Sector Houston-Galveston. To date, all results have been negative.

Please feel free to contact LCDR Carrero (Chief of Inspections Division) at eric.m.carrero@uscg.mil, LCDR Griffin (Chief of Waterways and Facilities Division) at navin.l.griffin@uscg.mil or myself if you have any concerns.

Respectfully,

CDR GARY M. MESSMER
CHIEF OF PREVENTION
USCG SECTOR HOUSTON-GALVESTON, TX
281-464-4747 (office)