InfoGram

November 10, 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.

CIP for Civil Unrest

The rioting in nearly 300 cities and towns across France has captured the world's attention. Most leaders of America's Emergency Services Sector (ESS) have seen televised broadcasts showing the destructive work of vandals who killed one civilian, and injured numerous police, firefighting, and emergency medical personnel. The gangs of youths even prevented paramedics from transporting the critically ill, pelted rescuers with rocks, and torched waiting ambulances.

The EMR-ISAC has heard the concerns of some ESS leaders, owners, and operators who expressed concern about local readiness and tactics for civil unrest operations within the United States. With so much emphasis appropriately placed on all-hazards preparedness, particularly terrorism, many municipalities may not have considered civil unrest or massive rioting as potential hazards to local critical infrastructures. Undoubtedly, the current state of emergency in France demonstrates how an outbreak of urban unrest can easily degrade local critical infrastructures and disrupt essential services.

Accepting the possibility for large-scale civil unrest precipitated by socio-economic reasons or man-made and natural disasters, the EMR-ISAC compiled critical infrastructure protection reminders, some of which were extracted from the September 2004 issue of "Homeland First Response." The following recommendations are intended primarily to protect the personnel and physical components of emergency organizations:

• Formulate a coordinated multi-disciplinary plan before executing any actions.
• Ensure first responders are thoroughly briefed and prepared to be victims of violence.
• Enforce use of the "buddy system" and prohibit personnel from getting separated.
• Maintain continuous communications with all responding agencies at lowest levels.
• Assert controls over emergency vehicles and equipment that can be used by rioters.
• Use rapid attack procedures to get into and out of "at risk" areas.
• Avoid non-life-threatening emergency responses-if possible-in areas controlled by rioters.
• Plan multiple ingress and egress routes when responding to life-threatening incidents.
• Leave vehicle and trash fires unattended if the situation warrants.
• Always be prepared to quickly evacuate an incident scene.

Thefts of Explosives

Last month, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) released its study regarding the thefts or disappearance of explosives from state and local government facilities. The report raises concerns about the vulnerabilities of government and privately owned explosives storage facilities throughout the United States. Many of these sites are not required to be licensed or inspected by regulatory agencies.

Moreover, several explosive specialists allege that security at some of these storage facilities is lax; therefore, they are susceptible to theft for personal use or possible mayhem. Some security experts believe these sites could easily jeopardize the operations and safety of local critical infrastructures and the citizens of nearby communities.

To prevent a disaster connected to known or unknown explosive storage facilities, the EMR-ISAC encourages the senior leaders of emergency departments to ascertain the location and security status of any explosives sites within their jurisdiction. It would also be prudent to consider appropriate response operations for various scenarios involving explosives storage sites found within jurisdictional limits or adjacent municipalities.

Public Health Preparedness

The University of Minnesota Center for Public Health Preparedness, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Association of Schools of Public Health, has developed a series of free awareness-level online emergency preparedness training modules.

The content is applicable to a wide range of public health emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters, emerging infectious diseases, and bioterrorism. Topics include disaster mental health, special populations, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), decontamination, isolation and quarantine, contact investigation, and disease surveillance. Based on recent InfoGram entries about flu pandemic preparations and responder protection, the EMR-ISAC recognizes that free, easily accessible training materials could be useful to the departments and agencies of the nation's Emergency Services Sector.

Individual modules take approximately 20 to 40 minutes to complete and can be studied in any order. Participants should allow 4 hours for the complete series, including the final quiz. Each module explains concepts, terms, and procedures that relate to basic emergency preparedness. Multi-media modules use text screens, screens with audio, interactive screens and learning exercises with feedback. To begin the modules, log on to http://www.sph.umn.edu/umncphp/phet.html, complete the optional participant data form, and take the 15-question true/false and multiple-choice pretest. The website also describes system requirements for taking the course and explains how module completion contributes to the development of a subset of the Bioterrorism/Emergency Readiness Competencies created by Columbia University and the CDC.

Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance

A program that provides equipment and technical assistance directly to selected jurisdictions has just opened an application period that continues until January 2006. The EMR-ISAC suggests that the chief officers and emergency managers of the Emergency Services Sector consider this funding opportunity to bolster critical infrastructure protection.

The Homeland Security Commercial Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP), operated by the DHS Office of State and Local Government Coordination & Preparedness (SLGCP), helps smaller communities to acquire and use commercially available equipment to prevent, deter, and respond to terrorist attacks.

CEDAP's equipment offerings consist of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), rescue tools, thermal imaging, night vision and video surveillance tools, chemical, biological and radiological detection tools, information technology and risk management tools, and interoperable communications gateways. In May 2005, CEDAP awarded more than $2 million in equipment, technology, and training to 214 localities across the country.

To view the CEDAP Briefing Book that contains guidelines and an executive summary, visit http://www2.rkb.mipt.org/contentdetail.cfm?content_id=83219. This Responder Knowledge Base website requires a free registration to view the guidelines and apply for the program.