A B737 captain ffdo was notified by the passenger service agent that armed agents were on board; how...

Narrative:

Fams did not properly identify themselves to the PIC. I was available in the cockpit throughout the entire boarding process. The operations agent let me know she had 2 fams; I idented myself as an ffdo to operations; boarding began; and I noticed that general boarding was in progress without the fams coming forward. I asked the a flight attendant if the fams ever showed and was told they were in the 3RD row. I asked the fam lead to come forward and questioned why they didn't identify themselves. I was told they were no longer required to do so effective (4 months ago). This wasn't/isn't my understanding and we discussed the issue. The fam returned to his seat. I went upstairs to the operations agent to ask what her understanding of the fams procedure was referencing notifying the flight crew; and she had the same understanding that I had. Fams must identify themselves to the PIC. I quickly called the chief pilot; let him know what was going on; and was told he wasn't aware of anything allowing fams to board without checking in with the captain. We left the gate. Using my cell phone; I called the operations control; idented myself as an ffdo; giving my cred number; and asked if fams were assigned to my flight. They were assigned to the flight confirmed by operations control. Fams must adhere to current policy of notifying the captain/PIC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 CAPT FFDO WAS NOTIFIED BY THE PAX SVC AGENT THAT ARMED AGENTS WERE ON BOARD; HOWEVER FAMS NEVER CAME FORWARD TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO THE CAPT.

Narrative: FAMS DID NOT PROPERLY IDENT THEMSELVES TO THE PIC. I WAS AVAILABLE IN THE COCKPIT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BOARDING PROCESS. THE OPS AGENT LET ME KNOW SHE HAD 2 FAMS; I IDENTED MYSELF AS AN FFDO TO OPS; BOARDING BEGAN; AND I NOTICED THAT GENERAL BOARDING WAS IN PROGRESS WITHOUT THE FAMS COMING FORWARD. I ASKED THE A FLT ATTENDANT IF THE FAMS EVER SHOWED AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE IN THE 3RD ROW. I ASKED THE FAM LEAD TO COME FORWARD AND QUESTIONED WHY THEY DIDN'T IDENT THEMSELVES. I WAS TOLD THEY WERE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO DO SO EFFECTIVE (4 MONTHS AGO). THIS WASN'T/ISN'T MY UNDERSTANDING AND WE DISCUSSED THE ISSUE. THE FAM RETURNED TO HIS SEAT. I WENT UPSTAIRS TO THE OPS AGENT TO ASK WHAT HER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FAMS PROC WAS REFING NOTIFYING THE FLT CREW; AND SHE HAD THE SAME UNDERSTANDING THAT I HAD. FAMS MUST IDENT THEMSELVES TO THE PIC. I QUICKLY CALLED THE CHIEF PLT; LET HIM KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON; AND WAS TOLD HE WASN'T AWARE OF ANYTHING ALLOWING FAMS TO BOARD WITHOUT CHKING IN WITH THE CAPT. WE LEFT THE GATE. USING MY CELL PHONE; I CALLED THE OPS CONTROL; IDENTED MYSELF AS AN FFDO; GIVING MY CRED NUMBER; AND ASKED IF FAMS WERE ASSIGNED TO MY FLT. THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO THE FLT CONFIRMED BY OPS CONTROL. FAMS MUST ADHERE TO CURRENT POLICY OF NOTIFYING THE CAPT/PIC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	806137
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	806137
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company FAA Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

A B737 captain ffdo was notified by the passenger service agent that armed agents were on board; however fams never came forward to introduce themselves to the captain.