InfoGram 33-08: August 28, 2008

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.

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National Preparedness Month

Next week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s fifth annual National Preparedness Month (NPM) begins with the support of more than 2,700 national, regional, state, and local NPM coalition members, the largest number to date.

"National Preparedness Month is an important reminder about each American's civic responsibility to prepare for emergencies," according to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff. "Those with the capacity and wherewithal to help themselves must do so in advance, so that in the event of an emergency, responders can first assist those who are unable to tend to themselves. From wildfires and earthquakes in California, to hurricanes and tropical storms along the Gulf Coast, to flooding in the Midwest, recent events remind us more than ever that we must prepare ourselves and our families for a disaster. This is the time, each year, when every American should ask the question, 'Am I ready?'"

In keeping with their tradition of serving and protecting the nation, hundreds of local, municipal, and state Emergency Services Sector (ESS) departments and agencies are coalition members. ESS personnel, aware that citizen readiness potentially aids emergency assistance efforts, will encourage the public to take important preparedness steps�acquiring an emergency supply kit, devising a family emergency plan, becoming informed about the different emergencies that may affect them, and getting involved in community preparedness and response efforts�all with the goal of substantially improving their ability to survive and recover from all types of natural or man-made emergencies.

NPM coalition members will urge Americans to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities by hosting events such as seminars, fairs, community outreach events, workshops, webinars, and training. An event calendar can be viewed at www.ready.gov. A Spanish language version is available at www.listo.gov. The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center invites ESS personnel to visit here to register for coalition membership.

Gang Crime Guidebook for Law Enforcement

Gangs are as old as America itself and part of our historical and popular culture. However, fueled by the drug trade and other criminal activities, gangs are increasingly nation-wide operations, with many of the largest and most vicious gangs operating throughout the United States, according to Department of Justice (DOJ) statistics. In reports from numerous State and Local Fusion Centers, the Emergency Management and Response – nformation Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) noted that many of today’s gangs present a growing threat to the safety of emergency responders and the security of local critical infrastructures.

’strategies to Address Gang Crime: A Guidebook for Local Law Enforcement� provides information about developing and enhancing local law enforcement responses to gangs in their jurisdictions. The focus of this Guidebook is on the use of problem-solving strategies to help agencies select the interventions most appropriate for their communities. In particular, the Guidebook describes the ’sARA� model (Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment), a strategic problem-solving process that local law enforcement can apply to its gang problem to improve their responses and enhance community safety.

Published by the DOJ Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the Guidebook is the result of a project awarded to the Institute for Public Safety Partnerships at the University of Illinois in Chicago. It can be seen and downloaded here (l.53 Mb, 56 pp.) .

Fire Courses Available Online

The classroom portions of the two basic fire training courses needed for qualification as a wildland firefighter can now be taken online, thanks to a cooperative effort between the National Wildfire Coordinating Group and the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy.

The Emergency Management and Response – nformation Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned that the two courses, which firefighter trainees traditionally have taken together, are S-130 (Firefighter Training) and S-190 (Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior). The courses are designed to teach the basic strategies and tactics that crews use to fight fires burning in vegetation, how wildland fire behaves, and how weather influences the spread of wildland fire.

According to Dan Smith, Fire Director for the National Association of State Foresters, �making these widely-used courses available online can be important to helping meet the training needs of local fire department personnel�and accomplishing that in a way that works well for departments with scarce funds and availability of time.�

The S-130 and S-190 training courses are configured in short modules of 1 to 3 hours, which enable students to complete the courses at their own pace. Collectively, the two courses offer approximately 40 hours of training, and can be accessed through the National Fire Academy’s NFA Online here.

Extreme Weather Operations

The U.S. Fire Administration’s newly released ’special Report: Fire Department Preparedness for Extreme Weather Emergencies and Natural Disasters� is written specifically to maximize assistance to Emergency Services Sector (ESS) departments and organizations called to incidents during challenging weather conditions.

As the report attests, the ESS and the nation are tested rigorously year-round: �Earthquakes, hurricanes, blizzards and ice storms, floods, power outages, and extreme heat conspire to create dangerous working conditions, impassable roads, access nightmares, and some difficult dispatch and triage choices,� consequences that potentially degrade ESS survivability, continuity, and response-ability. Referring to the many departments that have responded under harsh and dangerous weather conditions, the report states: �They have had to improvise strategies, revise deployment protocols, work extended shifts, and make do with whatever was available.�

To aid all ESS agencies, regardless of past experience, depth and breadth of experience, or weather emergencies or disasters not yet experienced, the report examines weather impact, types of service calls, planning and necessary equipment, safety, mutual aid, shift management, resource identification, logistics, extended operations, and coordination with Emergency Operations Centers. Eight weather-specific case studies are presented. The Emergency Management and Response – nformation Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) recognizes a value of this report to plan for challenging weather events as well as responses to chemical, biological, and radiological incidents (accidental or intentional).

To view and download �Fire Department Preparedness for Extreme Weather Emergencies and Natural Disasters,� USFA-TR-162/April 2008 (39 pp., 367 KB), go here.