InfoGram

April 7, 2005

NOTE: This InfoGram will be distributed weekly to provide members of the Emergency Services Sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures. 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.

IEDs: A Threat to Critical Infrastructures

Security experts believe that a chemical, biological, and nuclear attack by terrorists is not as likely as a one using an improvised explosive device (IED). They say it is easy to acquire explosives in most countries and even easier to manufacture an IED. The only requirements to construct and deliver an IED are "a willing perpetrator, very little money, and simple directions that are readily available."

Explosives are a popular weapon with terrorists and are covered in the al Qaeda training manual. The manual states, "Explosives are the safest weapon for the Mujahideen. Using explosives allows freedom fighters to get away from enemy personnel and to avoid being arrested." It further states that "explosives strike the enemy with sheer terror and fright."

Counterterrorism specialists acknowledge that the use of IEDs by domestic and transnational terrorists is a constant threat to America's vulnerable critical infrastructures. Additionally, terrorist groups are continuously developing new techniques and tactics in response to the defenses and protective measures already established for the nation's critical infrastructures. "They have learned how to disguise IEDs to hinder detection and may booby-trap the devices to detonate if disturbed."

To promote the awareness and planning by departments and agencies of the Emergency Services Sector (ESS), the EMR-ISAC provides the following brief summary of the most common IEDs as seen in greater detail within the Jane's Unconventional Weapons Response Handbook: (Note: This handbook cannot be accessed online; it must be purchased.)

• Pipe Bombs - the most common type of terrorist bomb.
• Incendiary Devices - innovations such as the "Molotov cocktail."
• Vehicle Devices - vehicles modified to deliver large quantities of explosives.
• Other Devices - items altered to conceal and dispense lethal damage.
• Projected Devices - mechanisms that launch explosively formed projectiles.

Emergency responders are considered "soft targets" by terrorists and are particularly vulnerable to IEDs. Therefore, the EMR-ISAC encourages the ESS leaders and trainers to ensure their personnel can recognize IEDs during the performance of duties, know what to do when an IED is suspected, and know who to immediately contact for safe removal and disposal.

Suspicious Inquiries

At increasing frequency throughout the United States, organizations of the emergency services and healthcare sectors are receiving visits by individuals claiming to be inspectors from official regulatory agencies. For example, these impostors have identified themselves as doctors, lawyers, chief officers, fire marshals, code enforcers, etc. Either with falsified identification or without showing any identification whatsoever, the impostors demand to see facilities and ask questions regarding personnel, plans, operations, resources, and capabilities. They will always quickly depart when challenged in any way. Unfortunately, on almost all occasions, the suspicious visitors escape leaving nothing behind except a visual description.

The EMR-ISAC urges emergency services and healthcare departments to train subordinates to attempt positive identification of the suspected impostors in order to aid a subsequent investigation. Specifically, every employee should be trained to automatically do as much of the following as possible:

• Request identification and make a photocopy.
• Contact local police before the visitors leave the premises.
• Obtain an accurate vehicle description and license plate number.
• Preserve any surveillance videotape that may exist.
• Submit a report to the National Infrastructure Coordinating Center (voice: 202-282-9201; fax: 703-607-4998; email: nicc@dhs.gov)

Emergency Operations Centers

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials steadfastly emphasize the regional interdependencies and associated vulnerabilities of the nation's critical infrastructures. They recognize that the close relationships among regional critical infrastructures providing for health, safety, and services are significantly dependent on location, environment, weather, redundancy, and security. DHS specialists also accept that many American cities and counties are experiencing inadequate funding, personnel and equipment shortages, insufficient training, and other obstacles to the protection of their critical infrastructures.

For these reasons, the EMR-ISAC recommends that municipalities of a county or counties within a particular geographic area synergize their strengths and weaknesses by constituting one emergency operations center (EOC) for all resident communities. Lessons learned indicate that a successful EOC will be a multi-jurisdictional and multi-discipline facility, which focuses limited resources and joint efforts to address common problems and manage day-to-day emergencies. An excellent EOC will include decision-makers from local government, all emergency services, as well as other public and private sector agencies such as health, transportation, communication, electricity, gas, oil, water, sewer, and more as appropriate and necessary.

The EMR-ISAC maintains that one regional EOC will facilitate an expeditious and meaningful sharing of expertise resulting in multi-agency emergency responses that are efficiently planned, coordinated, and executed. This should occur whether keeping track of snowplows or organizing actions for a natural disaster. Regardless, one capably staffed and suitably equipped regional EOC may have a much better chance of favorably dealing with critical infrastructure interdependencies and vulnerabilities during any power outage, massive flooding, hazardous material accident, terrorist attack, etc.

Interim National Preparedness Goal

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced the publication of the Interim National Preparedness Goal. The Goal will guide federal departments and agencies, state, territorial, tribal, and local officials, the private sector, non-government organizations, and the public in determining how to strengthen preparedness for terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. The Goal establishes readiness priorities, targets, and metrics. It will enable the nation to assess the level of preparedness, the degree of preparedness necessary, and how to prioritize efforts to close gap between existing and necessary preparedness levels.

The goal is an overarching statement of strategic intent. A DHS official stated: "It demonstrates our national will to work toward establishing overall readiness against current and future threats." The seven specific priorities for national preparedness contained in the goal follow:

• Initiate the DHS National Incident Management System and National Response Plan.
• Expand regional collaboration.
• Implement the DHS Interim National Infrastructure Protection Plan.
• Increase information sharing and collaboration capabilities.
• Improve interoperable communications.
• Strengthen the ability to detect and respond to weapons of mass destruction.
• Fortify medical surge and mass prophylaxis capabilities.

The 1 April 2005 DHS Press Release about the Interim National Preparedness Goal: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/press_release/press_release_0648.xml.