InfoGram

May 8, 2003

NOTE: This InfoGram will be distributed weekly to provide members of the emergency management and response sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures. It has been prepared by NATEK Incorporated for the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. For further information, contact the Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) at (301) 447-1325 or by email at emr-isac@fema.dhs.gov.

CIP: An Aggressive Defense

Critical infrastructure protection (CIP) is the business of protecting the people, physical entities, and cyber systems that are indispensably necessary for the survivability, continuity of operations, and mission success of emergency response departments or any organization. The discipline exists to ensure that critical infrastructures remain intact and operational at all times despite natural and man-made attacks. Its exclusive focus is on expending resources for only that which really, really needs protection.

The CIPIC proposes that CIP activities should seize the initiative from domestic and international criminals as well as from natural disasters. CIP is aggressive because it is a means of taking the battle to the homegrown and foreign terrorists and changing their behaviors. The proper protection of critical infrastructures has the potential to disrupt terrorist planning and demoralize their people before they perpetrate any crimes. Where it is efficiently applied, CIP can develop a new "mindset" among terrorists that their actions will be futile and not yield the results they seek.

CIP is a defensive tactic when included as a crucial component of emergency management. Target hardening during the mitigation phase, training and equipping during the preparedness phase, and an effectively coordinated response should all guarantee that critical infrastructures are superbly defended against the formidable adversaries among humans and within nature.

Implementing CIP can also eliminate the potential for fraud, waste, and abuse when applying scarce resources to protect people, things, and systems that truly require protection. Contact the CIPIC at usfacipc@fema.gov for more information about CIP as an important ingredient of emergency management.

Tornadoes Attack

American people, property, and infrastructures of the nation's midsection were again assaulted by nature between 4 and 7 May. According to CNN Headline News, 135 tornadoes ripped through several states killing 40 individuals, injuring countless numbers of people, destroying hundreds of buildings, and leaving thousands without essential utilities.

The extensive death and devastation from these tornadoes continue to reinforce the necessity to accept nature as a serious threat to the business of CIP. Although the CIPIC is presently unaware of the actual degradation or destruction of critical infrastructures caused by this horrendous weather, the fact remains that previous natural disasters have incapacitated critical infrastructures as recently as the weekend of 9 to 11 November 2002, during the deadliest outbreak of tornadoes for any November in recorded history.

As states, counties, and municipalities pursue resources to protect their critical infrastructures from terrorism, the CIPIC recommends concurrent consideration of countermeasures for those localities susceptible to any type of severe weather activity. It is only prudent and appropriate to apply CIP to mitigate and prepare for the adverse effects of nature attacks in addition to terrorism and hazardous material accidents.

Funding for CIP

A week ago, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, announced that nearly $1.5 billion has been made available to the states and localities to help emergency first responders pay for planning, training, equipping, and exercising, in addition to other costs associated with enhanced security measures implemented during the heightened threat period.

Of the $1.5 billion, $200 million is specifically designated to reimburse the costs incurred by the states and cities to protect critical infrastructures during the time when the Homeland Security Advisory System was at Level ORANGE (High). These funds have a base plus population formula. Each state must pass 50 percent of allocated funds to their municipalities to bolster the capabilities of local first responders.

States will have until 30 May to complete and submit their applications, which are available on the web at: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. Look for the FY2003 State Homeland Security Grant Program - II.

Interview with Director Michael F. Byrne, Office of National Capital Region Coordination for Emergency Response at the Department of Homeland Security

CIPIC: What do you consider the roles of firefighters and emergency medical personnel in the local effort to prevent terrorist attacks?

Byrne: Traditionally, most prevention activities fall to our law enforcement officials. Typically, they are the ones engaged in intelligence and information gathering and sharing, and physical protection. However, terrorists seek to exploit our vulnerabilities, to hit us where we are weak. So to the extent that we prepare our firefighters and emergency medical personnel for an act of terrorism or a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) incident, we are reducing our vulnerabilities, which ultimately reduces the opportunities that terrorists have to do us harm.

Additionally, by building the capability to respond to any type of event, terrorism or other, we are also building public confidence in our response capability. Building confidence in our public officials, the decisions they make, and belief in the preparedness and capabilities of our responders help take the terror away. That's a prevention activity that is as important as any other.

CIPIC: What advice do you have for fire/EMS chief officers regarding their participation in homeland security with extremely limited resources?

Byrne: Help is on the way. The Federal Budget for fiscal year 2003 presents many opportunities for local responders to get more resources. It is important, however, that the local fire/EMS chief officer coordinate with their states so that the resources are used in a way that is efficient, effective, and coordinated. We do not want fire or police departments purchasing equipment or developing plans and procedures that are not compatible or interoperable with their surrounding jurisdictions.

Resource opportunities include, but are not limited to:

• $1.5 billion in State Homeland Security Grants through the Office of Domestic Preparedness (ODP) for planning, equipment, training, and exercises.
• $200 million through ODP to reimburse the costs incurred by the states and cities for protecting critical infrastructures.
• $800 million for selected jurisdictions that are part of the Urban Area Security Initiative.
• $750 million in Assistance to Firefighter Grants through the U. S. Fire Administration. (http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fire-service/grants/afgp/grants.shtm)

Additional information can be found in the Department of Homeland Security website at: www.dhs.gov.

CIPIC: How can local and regional coordination and mutual aid among emergency first responders be improved?

Byrne: The best way to improve regional coordination and mutual aid is to plan, train, and exercise together. There really is no substitute to actually working together. The importance of regional coordination and mutual aid cannot be overstated. The threats we are faced with today often require a response with specialized resources. We cannot and should not build specialized resources in every jurisdiction or community. That just does not make sense! We can, however, build regional or shared capabilities and workout all the details on how we would help each other and work together.

These concepts of regional coordination and mutual aid are among the big themes found in the National Strategy for Homeland Security. Recent presidential guidance, Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) - 5 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/02/20030228-9.html), also emphasizes these concepts and actually tasks the Department of Homeland Security to develop a system to provide a consistent national approach for federal, state, and local governments to work effectively and efficiently together.