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.
The explosions and massive fire that occurred at a hazardous waste warehouse in October 2006 were followed last month by a similar explosion at a New England chemical plant. The Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) found, in reports of the incidents, planning and personnel protection insights for the critical infrastructure protection consideration of the Emergency Services Sector (ESS).
Ongoing investigation since the October incident (see October 19, 2006 InfoGram - Low-Profile Hazmat Sites) reveals that regulators repeatedly found handling violations in numerous hazardous waste storage facilities, typically failures to separate incompatible wastes that could mix and start a fire. Some storage facilities lack fire walls between storage bays or have no fire suppression systems. A problem that significantly endangers responders and stymies their operations at incident scenes is the lack of off-site backup copies of stored hazardous materials (hazmat). Requiring companies to store inventory backup lists at alternate locations (e.g., fire departments) is a recommendation from the state's governor-appointed task force, set up in the aftermath of the incident. Periodically checking regulators' inspection reports is a pro-active practice for responders in the vicinity of facilities that use or store hazmat.
After November's chemical plant explosion in New England, ESS leaders in the affected state reflected on their safety and planning practices and strategies. The following are offered for the benefit of ESS leaders throughout the U.S.:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health provide extensive resources for emergency response to chemical and hazardous waste incidents. The following links may help responders protect their critical infrastructure:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released the Manual for First Responders to a Radiological Emergency (PDF, 2.9 Mb) - (PDF Help), which offers tactical and survival information for Emergency Services Sector (ESS) members.
The Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) reviewed the free, downloadable 94-page publication for its critical infrastructure protection (CIP) value. It is designed to provide practical guidance for responders during the first hours of a radiological emergency, and for national officials who would support the early response. Four major sections focus on Incident Commander (IC) actions, action-specific guides for ESS responders (fire, emergency medical, law enforcement, forensics investigators, public information officers, radiological monitors, local hospitals, etc), instructions, and role-specific response cards. The response cards are designed to be used at incident scenes. Supporting appendices contain sample news releases, equipment/vehicle decontamination guidelines, frequently asked questions, and numerous reproducible forms and checklists.
The EMR-ISAC found that the majority of the manual's content consists of step-by-step directions, checklists, and photographs and other graphics versus extensive text. The text is confined largely to an overview, key definitions, and significant lessons learned from past radiological incidents, an editorial treatment that emphasizes the manual's hands-on information. ESS organizations may find the manual a useful resource for incident response and personnel and equipment protection.
The IAEA presents the manual as part of its mission to collect and disseminate information concerning methodologies, techniques, and results of research relating to response to nuclear or radiological emergencies. The agency's Website offers downloadable publications, a data center, and cyber training, in addition to its worldwide emergency response center.
In a speech last week, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff said that guidance for grant opportunities would be available this month, "earlier that we've ever done it before." Accordingly, guidance for FY 2007 Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG), to support the nation's emergency management community, is online.
Administered by the DHS Preparedness Directorate's Office of Grants and Training, the EMPG program is expected to make at least 58 awards totaling $194 million to the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) for all-hazards planning, training and exercises, and emergency management personnel, who are among the most critical infrastructure at the state and local response levels.
The Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) notes that the FY 2007 EMPG guidance recognizes the need to use lessons learned from sources such as the Nationwide Plan Review and Hurricane Katrina after-action reports to strengthen all-hazards catastrophic incident preparedness. Strong working relationships with neighboring jurisdictions are viewed as an essential component in developing emergency management capabilities. As previous InfoGrams have stressed, the ability to work well together is necessary to develop emergency management capabilities that leverage joint operations, effective mutual aid, and support local, regional, state-to-state, and national priorities.
The EMPG application period opened last week and closes at 11:59 p.m. EST, on 29 December 2006. Additional information is available by visiting the Office of Grants and Training's Website. A link there offers users the option to receive automatic notifications of any changes to the grant opportunity.
Each state and territory has a State Administrative Agency (SAA) appointed by its governor. SAAs are the only eligible applicants for EMPG funds. The Authorized Organization Representative must apply through the online Grants.gov system. Assistance is available at Grants.gov or by calling the Grants.gov customer support helpline at 1-800-518-4726, during the hours of 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday.
The Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) offers points for members of the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) as they apply for grant opportunities to enhance their critical infrastructure: personnel, physical assets, and cyber assets.
In an article for Firerescue1.com, author Kurt Bradley, a 26-year veteran of public safety, and former grant writer for his department, researched what separates successful grant applications from rejections, based on his viewing of hundreds of applications. He suggests that grant writers:
To view the full article, visit Firerescue1.com. Grant-writing assistance is also available at Grants.gov.
The U.S. Fire Administration/EMR-ISAC does not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked websites, and does not endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer.
This INFOGRAM may contain copyrighted material that was not specifically authorized by the copyright owner. EMR-ISAC personnel believe this constitutes "fair use" of copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use copyrighted material contained within this document for your own purposes that go beyond "fair use," you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
DHS and the FBI encourage recipients of this document to report information concerning suspicious or criminal activity to DHS and/or the FBI. The DHS National Operation Center (NOC) can be reached by telephone at 202-282-9685 or by email at NOC.Fusion@dhs.gov.
The FBI regional phone numbers can be found online at www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm
For information affecting the private sector and critical infrastructure, contact the National Infrastructure Coordinating Center (NICC), a sub-element of the NOC. The NICC can be reached by telephone at 202-282-9201 or by email at NICC@dhs.gov.
When available, each report submitted should include the date, time, location, type of activity, number of people and type of equipment used for the activity, the name of the submitting company or organization, and a designated point of contact.
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