InfoGram

December 13, 2001

NOTE: This InfoGram will be distributed weekly to provide members of the emergency services sector with news and information concerning the protection of their critical information systems. For further information please contact the U.S. Fire Administration's Critical Infrastructure Protection Information Center at (301) 447-1325 or email at usfacipc@fema.gov.

Importance of Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP)

Communities throughout the United States have been warned to remain on a heightened state of alert due to the possibility of more terrorist attacks within our national borders. Municipal leaders, therefore, have been challenged to decide which local infrastructures require protective measures to ensure continuity of operations. The CIPIC advises that those mission critical physical and cyber systems, which will have catastrophic results if not intact and operational, are the infrastructures to be considered for the application of countermeasures. The CIP Process, temporarily available in draft form from the CIPIC, can assist with making the determination of what to protect now or later.

By protecting critical infrastructures, albeit only those credibly threatened and vulnerable, community leaders persuade adversaries that their municipalities are fully capable and prepared. An important justification for the practice of CIP is the tremendous deterrent value in having terrorists perceive that the community has protected its infrastructures. It is widely accepted that for most people, including terrorists, "perception is reality," even if it is a false impression.

Response to Stress

The 7 December weekly report by the International Association of Fire Chiefs included a commentary regarding the impact of constant "high alerts" for public safety professionals. The article said: "fire service and emergency service managers should keep in mind that firefighters and paramedics cannot remain at a 'high-state of alert' indefinitely." Although high stress has become almost routine for emergency first responders, especially since 11 September, the American Psychological Association cautions that personnel should not remain in this status for too many days.

Psychologists explain that the human body has a three-stages response to stress that occurs with every stressor it is exposed to-whether you are aware of it or not:

• Alarm Stage. The body becomes mobilized to meet a threat. It produces chemicals (known as hormones) that travel throughout the body and gets it ready to fight the challenge or run from it. As a result of this chemical discharge the heart rate increases, breathing rate elevates, blood pressure rises, muscles become tense, etc.
• Resistance Stage. As stress continues the body tries to come to terms with the threat. The person may appear normal. However the body continues to secrete higher than normal amounts of hormones that provide a continuing source of energy. This excessive production of hormones also causes susceptibility to infection by weakening the body’s defenses against invading illnesses and diseases.
• Exhaustion Stage. The human body cannot be under stress for too many days without the chance to escape the stressors and recuperate. If the stress is not moderated by good sleep, relaxation, exercise, social support, etc., then the body will lose its ability to combat stress. Irritability, malaise, confusion, depression, and even collapse will be the likely physiological and psychological consequences for most people.

Taking care of the exceedingly invaluable critical infrastructure-personnel-is the fundamental premise of leadership and management. And understanding the physiological and psychological effects of stressors that they experience is absolutely fundamental to taking care of personnel. Therefore, the CIPIC suggests that department leaders and managers genuinely support the physical and psychological hardiness of their firefighters and paramedics by actively promoting stress reduction techniques.

Federal CIP Support

Many state and local officials have resisted warnings from the White House to increase security. They are balking at the potentially high costs associated with CIP simply because their state or local government cannot afford it. "We just aren't financially geared up for this level of what is really a national defense expenditure," said Governor Angus King of Maine. "The question for us is where do you stop with providing security?" (Coincidentally, the CIP process was developed at USFA to help answer this question.)

At the National Conference of State Legislatures on 6 December, Tom Ridge, director of the Office of Homeland Security, pledged that the federal government would provide greater financial resources and support to state and local governments. He said his office is designing a long-term, comprehensive national strategy that will involve state and local governmental participation as well as help from the private sector. The Office of Homeland Security will look at merging federal agencies or agency functions and will implement a multiyear budget across agencies.

Former Governor Ridge told conference attendees that most, if not all, states have moved to "repair cracks" in their emergency response plans. But he said lawmakers should seek and acquire federal government support to bolster their states' capabilities in areas including:

• Tools and training of their state and local fire, police, rescue, and public health agencies.
• Effectiveness of their communications systems and whether they are interoperable.
• Identifying critical infrastructures and assessing threats and vulnerabilities. (The CIPIC is the source of this assistance for fire/EMS leaders/managers.)
• Making sure their data systems are secure.
• Running �realistic exercises� to test their personnel and plans.
• Mutual aid pacts to keep resources flowing across municipal lines.

Internet Available Data

Our nation's heightened threat environment has generated concerns that information posted on the Internet regarding fire/EMS critical infrastructures could be used for malicious activities. Given these concerns, there have been numerous efforts to remove sensitive information from relevant websites. Nevertheless, may citizens argue that they have a right to know such information and it should remain publicly accessible.

Security concerns may not always be obvious when reviewing data for department websites. For example, a particular piece of information may seem harmless by itself, but when used in conjunction with other publicly available data, the aggregate could be advantageous to those who are looking for the vulnerabilities of possible targets.

When deciding what to post on a department website, the CIPIC recommends the exercise of common sense and the avoidance of information pertaining to personnel numbers and positions, specific internal details about stations, numbers and types of apparatus, available mission essential equipment, and existing communications assets.

Wireless Tracking Technology

The Wall Street Journal reported that Rhode Island is the first state to deploy wireless tracking technology in responding to emergency (9-1-1) calls. Known as "e9-1-1," the technology has the capability to track a caller’s position to within ten feet of their actual location. This new capability is the result of a massive project that involved coordination between three large industries: phone carriers, public safety agencies, and telecommunications equipment manufacturers. It is estimated that all of the 9-1-1 communications centers throughout the United States will employ this feature by the end of 2003. While Rhode Island is the first state-wide application of this new service, it is also already employed in St. Clair County (IL) and at Lake County (IN).