A professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville is stressing the importance of his students being aware of their surroundings Thursday following rising safety concerns.
“Driver safety is a concern,” John Ploxa said. “These drivers want to go home to their families.”
Ploxa teaches commercial driver students to be aware of their surroundings, protecting themselves and their cargo.
He teaches drivers to keep an eye on people surrounding their vehicles to see if they are watching them or if they are following them to potentially breach the security of the vehicle and possibly take or place something inside.
“In a situation like that, check your seals,” Ploxa said. “Make sure they are not broken. If they are, report it and call dispatch.”
Around 10 a.m. Thursday, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was notified of a potential security breach at the Jaxport Blount Island Marine Terminal.
During routine security questions at the gate, officers say one of the security officers became concerned about a truck trying to come through. Officials say there were concerns relating to a bomb.
“In the current international environment we are in now, rightfully so, kind of a heightened state of alertness,” said Lt. Shawn McCormick with JSO.
The truck was cleared and no threat was found, JSO said.
If you see something, say something—that’s a point security officials and law enforcement preach in the midst of international tensions.
“It takes everybody’s eyes and ears to make sure we are all safe,” Lt. McCormick said.
Security officials have not released what lead to that suspicion, but it was not taken lightly.
Commercial drivers are also on a heightened awareness at this time.