InfoGram

February 6, 2003

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 infrastructures. For further information please contact the U.S. Fire Administration's Critical Infrastructure Protection Information Center at (301) 447-1325 or email at usfacipc@dhs.gov.

Terrorist Threat Continues

American emergency first responders and their critical infrastructures have not been challenged by a transnational terrorist event in seventeen months. Despite this comforting fact, the terrorist threat to the people and infrastructures of the United States continues. According to reports this week by the New York Post and USA Today, several counterterrorism officials said the threat of a large al Qaeda attack has increased recently. Although they have no idea about when or where an attack will occur, the terrorism experts provided several reasons why they suspect an attack is imminent: "a spike in threatening but vague al Qaeda intercepts, recent al Qaeda busts in Spain and Britain, and potential war with Iraq."

The 5 February issue of USA Today related that next week the FBI will deliver a classified report to Congress substantiating why al Qaeda still poses the most viable terrorist threat to America. The report will also detail the capabilities of other terrorist groups and identify the chemical and biological agents most likely to be used in an attack. It will additionally reflect investigators' belief that future attacks are more likely to be perpetrated by individuals or small groups.

With severely restrained resources, it is understandable that chief officers of first responders may not be moved to action by information regarding the perpetuating threat. Indeed, most department chiefs have already done whatever possible within their limited means. However, as a courteous reminder of the things that can be done with little money, time, and effort, the CIPIC offers the following proactive measures:

• Identify department critical infrastructures and apply low or no-cost countermeasures.
• Develop procedures to improve daily information sharing with other local responders.
• Determine local protocols for incident command and unified command as needed.
• Devise creative methods for emergency joint communications using existing equipment.
• Conduct time-efficient, inexpensive walk-through drills and tabletop exercises with all local responding agencies.
• Invite other local response organizations to observe or participate in full-scale department exercises planned for the future.

Local Emergency Planning Committees

If the threat of biological or chemical terrorism is increasing, then the CIPIC opines that local emergency planning committees (LEPCs) must consider this possibility when annually reviewing existing plans if not sooner. LEPCs should decide how to incorporate critical infrastructure protection (CIP) into their plans. CIP planning can be an extension of ongoing counterterrorism preparedness activities, and not necessarily an entirely new effort.

LEPCs were established originally to prepare and maintain comprehensive emergency plans regarding extremely hazardous materials. Most LEPCs are already addressing counterterrorism. However, time may be growing short for these committees to incorporate the protection of critical infrastructures into their community emergency plans.

The CIPIC suggests that the LEPC broad-based membership, including department chief officers of first responders, identify the infrastructures upon which community survivability and continuity of operations depend. Once it is determined that these infrastructures are both threatened and vulnerable, then the community stakeholders should ensure that their (LEPC) plans incorporate provisions to protect these few infrastructures during an emergency response. The message here is that infrastructure protective measures can be implemented immediately after an attack has begun as well as before it happens.

For example, in the event of a biological or chemical attack, plans should specify what agency or agencies will be responsible to quickly designate, establish, and secure a quarantine area or areas to which infected personnel will be directed and treated. This action will prevent the introduction of contaminants from entering medical centers and disrupting or terminating critical medical operations.

Wildfire Threat

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) recently announced that the dry winter in much of the interior West could bring an early start to another devastating wildfire season. Because weather forecasts for February through April call for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation, a NIFC spokesperson said, "right now it's looking pretty bad for the Pacific Northwest, Northern Rockies, and portions of the Great Lakes and the Ohio River Valley." Forest officials believe a new wildfire season could start in April or even earlier without significant snow or rain.

Local fire managers are preparing already to hire seasonal firefighters, assemble fire teams, conduct training, and negotiate vendor contracts, stated an officer for the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. He explained: "We're starting to develop contingency plans based on the idea that it could be another seriously dry season." He also advised that it is a good time to continue the fuels-mitigation work around homes and work sites. "People can do a lot to help themselves."

Where the probability exists for wildfires to destroy critical infrastructures, it would be prudent for LEPCs, including fire service leaders, to give this matter at least as much consideration as counterterrorism. Therefore, the CIPIC recommends that committee members seize the time now to identify community critical infrastructures vulnerable to wildfires. After identification, LEPCs should revise their emergency plans to include directions for the protection of these few infrastructures before or after a wildfire has erupted in the general area.

The National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has collaborated with the National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC) for the interim use of the National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System (NLETS) to provide more timely and complete threat and critical infrastructure protection (CIP) information to a larger segment of the fire and emergency medical services. NLETS is a sophisticated message-switching network linking local, State, and Federal agencies together for the expeditious exchange of interstate law enforcement and public safety related information.

According to this temporary arrangement, effective 17 February, when NIPC information is particularly applicable to firefighters and emergency medical personnel as determined by USFA, it will be forwarded by NLETS to police agencies with special directions. A message header will request that the information be disseminated as soon as possible to the local fire and EMS chief officers because of the nature of the information and necessity for preparedness. The information will always be limited to official use only and never for general public consumption.

Major law enforcement associations are being contacted by the NIPC to acquire their assistance in announcing this initiative throughout their membership and to obtain their support for its success. Therefore, USFA recommends that chief officers of the fire and emergency medical community take time now to discuss this development with their local police officials. Agreements should be concluded regarding how the transfer of this information will quickly and easily occur within their locality.

The USFA Critical Infrastructure Protection Information Center (CIPIC) will continue to develop CIP news and information technology for the fire and EMS sector during 2003. There are high expectations that this sector will have its own dedicated electronic messaging system in the near future. Once implemented and tested, the new USFA CIPIC List Server should eliminate the dependence on NLETS for sector-wide distribution of essential CIP information. Watch for more information about the USFA CIPIC listserv at the USFA website.

Please direct any questions or concerns to the CIPIC at (301) 447-1325 or usfacipc@dhs.gov.