InfoGram

September 8, 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.

Remaining Prepared and Vigilant

The catastrophic results of Hurricane Katrina have reverberated throughout the United States causing a major social, economic, and political distraction. This undesirable situation, combined with the ongoing huge deployment of national resources (e.g., personnel and materials) to the Gulf Coast, raises appropriate questions regarding the nation's security posture and vulnerability to a terrorist attack or another nature event. For example, while so much attention is being directed necessarily to Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, what is the current status of preparedness and vigilance for the next man-made or natural disaster?

Terrorism specialists are expressing concern that Hurricane Katrina "may have softened the ground and created an environment that, at least for a short time, would give domestic and transnational terrorists favorable circumstances for an attack." They communicated some trepidation that radical fundamentalists may attempt to capitalize on America's distracted and weakened status by "kicking it when it's down."

Hurricane Katrina destroyed a lot of critical infrastructure in the three states directly impacted by the storm. Additionally, it caused the degradation or disruption of critical infrastructure in a larger part of the country. Considering the possibility for another calamity, the EMR-ISAC recommends that departments and agencies of the Emergency Services Sector continue critical infrastructure prevention and protection actions undeterred by recent events, and remain vigilant for suspicious activities by those intent on destroying this nation and its people.

Initial Lessons Learned

Efforts to collect lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina have begun, particularly those pertaining to the Emergency Services Sector (ESS). Since the hurricane season continues through 30 November, the EMR-ISAC will share pertinent information to promote the protection of the ESS critical infrastructures. It should be understood, however, that the following edited observations from multiple unofficial sources will likely apply for most hazards in addition to hurricanes:

• Determine in advance who declares an evacuation, under what circumstances, and how it is conducted.
• Resolve in advance how to get food, water, and other basic supplies for survival and continuous operations.
• Consider all hazards and a wide variety of scenarios when deciding what will trigger actions before and during an incident.
• Conduct tests and make adjustments to ensure communications connectivity and interoperability with automatic and mutual aid partners.
• Examine how the organization can adapt to a large range of scenarios and bring innovation to bear on unexpected events.
• Decide how all public and private participating agencies will be aligned in a central plan with specific responsibilities that support a common goal.
• Institutionalize the National Incident Management System and Incident Command System.
• Train, practice, rehearse, and do it again.

CDC Offers New Post-Disaster Safety Guidance

Given the many health and safety hazards facing Emergency Services Sector and other response personnel deployed to the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has made new information available on its website.

Posted within the past week is information on these topics: Infectious Disease; Mental Health; Electrical Hazards; Interim Immunization Recommendations for Emergency Responders; Interim Health Recommendations for Relief Workers; and, Electrical Safety and Generators.

To protect the most precious of all internal critical infrastructures-personnel-the EMR-ISAC recommends reviewing these useful documents at the following link: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/index.asp.

NCJRS Presents Newly Designed Website

The National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, has announced a complete redesign of its website with a new URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov.

In addition to subscribing to receive various publications and electronic newsletters, visitors to the website can access one of the largest criminal libraries and databases in the world. The site offers extensive reference and referral services as well as a new feature, "Search Questions & Answers." It also has answers to hundreds of questions on such topics as criminal justice and NCJRS services. Another new feature is "Spotlight," which lists topics of current interest, e.g., gangs, along with facts and figures, legislation, publications, programs, training and technical assistance, grants and funding, and related resources for each highlighted topic.

A recent check of the site further revealed information on additional money available for bulletproof vests, and the release of the Third Status Report to the Attorney General on Body Armor Safety Initiative Testing and Activities.

Always available at the site is information about first responder communications, terrorism, and 911 centers, etc. Enter the URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/AlphaList.aspx, and search for "first responders," more than a dozen publications available as PDF documents, free photocopies, or both, are presented.