InfoGram 19-07: May 17, 2007

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.

First Responder Resilience

Research at two major universities regarding large-scale natural disasters strongly suggests that an effective response during and after a catastrophic event essentially depends on the resilience of first responders. These studies corroborate the perspective of the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) that Emergency Services Sector (ESS) personnel should be at the center of any critical infrastructure protection or resilience program.

The EMR-ISAC recommends ESS departments and agencies identify and accept their personnel as the foremost of their critical infrastructures. Considering the profound significance of their human resource, ESS organizations should train and exercise to enhance responder capacity to be irrepressible, buoyant, enduring, flexible, and always response-able in any calamity. To bolster these qualities, emergency responders must be prepared to act effectively in dire circumstances, to seize the initiative, and to complete their assigned tasks.

According to the researchers, greater resilience can be acquired when responders are instilled with a set of core values, ethics, and priorities that will guide their decisions and actions. Their studies conclude that response personnel should be rehearsed to assess and decide when plans need to be activated, adhered to, altered, postponed, ignored, etc. The EMR-ISAC suggests that prior exposure and practice with these matters will likely facilitate improved judgment formation and increase individual survivability and durability in all-hazards environments.

Hurricane Preparedness for Responder Family Members

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) advises residents living in hurricane-prone areas to prepare now for the 2007 Hurricane Season that begins on 1 June. As FEMA urges individuals to take on preparedness as their own responsibility, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) encourages first responders to “set the example” and ensure their families are ready for hurricane winds and floods. Doing so now will help to alleviate some of the concern for family safety when busily performing duties with no family contact. The following are basic FEMA tips to consider:

• Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family. Know your home’s vulnerability to storm surge, flooding, and wind.
• Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home for each hurricane hazard. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be at your home but within your community.
• Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet. These should be measured in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles.
• Have an out-of-state friend or relative as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact.
• Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to quickly evacuate.
• Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure your children know how and when to call 9-1-1.
• Check your insurance coverage. Flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance.
• Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and a Disaster Supply Kit.
• Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio. Remember to replace its battery every 6 months as you do with smoke detectors.
• Take First Aid, CPR, and disaster preparedness classes.

More information regarding hurricane preparedness can be found at www.nhc.noaa.gov and also at http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/index.shtm.

First Responder Hot Weather Preparedness

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) promotes extra precautions to ensure the protection of Emergency Services Sector personnel during extremely hot weather days of the 2007 summer months. Therefore, the EMR-ISAC offers the following suggestions provided by the International Association of Fire Chiefs:

• Keep hydrated. Drink lots of water, on duty and off duty. Have drinking water available on all emergency vehicles. Urge personnel to drink plenty of water before coming on duty.
• Avoid soft drinks, sugary liquids, or caffeinated beverages.
• Encourage personnel to get plenty of rest while off duty.
• Urge personnel to report any symptoms of dehydration, heat cramps, heat stroke, or heat exhaustion.
• Establish a rehabilitation center at major incident scenes, preferably under a tent or in a shaded area.
• Set up an extra hose to provide a place for personnel to cool off.
• Bring extra personnel to major events to provide adequate relief for exhausted crews.
• Limit outdoor exercise.

More information about extreme heat can be seen at: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/heat/index.shtm.

Third Annual Safety Stand Down

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) urges Emergency Services Sector (ESS) personnel to participate in the Third Annual National Safety Stand Down scheduled for 17-23 June 2007.

An estimated 10,000 ESS departments and agencies throughout the country participated in last year’s event that focused on emergency vehicle safety. The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and its co-sponsors request that all departments take part in this year’s activities designed to bring international attention to the need to address preventable line-of-duty injuries and deaths among fire and emergency medical services personnel. The Stand Down will specifically concentrate on the proper training, preparation, and equipment necessary to respond to all-hazard incidents, and safely return home at the end of the shift.

Participating organizations will have access to several resources that include: drills, online sources, sample SOPs and SOGs, lessons learned, safety reports, links to health and welfare programs, and a planning and outreach guide. More information about the event can be seen at:
http://www.iafc.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=306.

The EMR-ISAC fully supports the Stand Down’s focus on protecting the vitally important personnel component of the ESS critical infrastructures.