InfoGram 35-08: September 11, 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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Seventh Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks

Thursday, 11 September, marks another anniversary of the most deadly terrorist attacks on the United States. Throughout the country people will pause for moments of remembrance and to honor the lives lost in New York City, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania. Numerous Emergency Services Sector (ESS) departments and agencies will pay tribute to the many first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice that tragic day.

For seven years the United States has enjoyed the absence of a major terrorist attack. Much credit for this belongs to the combined efforts of many public and private entities that altered their plans, training, and operations to prevent and protect against the next man-made catastrophe. Despite severely restrained resources, these organizations avoided complacency and mediocrity by improving their capabilities to deter or mitigate the cataclysmic effects from all hazards. The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) applauds the smart and hard deterrence work ongoing throughout America, particularly by emergency responders.

In his anniversary message released this morning, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff reminded the nation about the possibility of a future terrorist attack, and encouraged continued vigilance, awareness, and preparedness. The EMR-ISAC noted the recent arrests of terror suspects and various thwarted plots in the United States, Canada, England, Germany, Spain, Denmark, and elsewhere. The foiled plots, according to Secretary Chertoff, provide indications that "our adversaries remain committed to doing us harm."

Read about post 9/11 terrorist arrests in U.S.

Read about terrorist arrests in Europe

Copy Cat Mailings

Various State Fusion Centers and news sources recently reported about the rash of copy cat mailings throughout the nation containing white powder. The letters and packages have been sent to well known political figures and local government offices as well as to the homes and work sites of individuals not involved in public life. Upon reviewing these reports, the Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned that to date none of the mailings were determined to be dangerous by responding hazardous materials teams.

Since Emergency Services Sector (ESS) departments and agencies are just as likely to receive such copy cat mailings, the EMR-ISAC shares the following suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding the handling of envelopes and packages (i.e., mail) by emergency responders, their families, and the citizens they serve.

For all mail received:

• Keep mail away from your face when opening.
• Do not blow or sniff the mail or its contents.
• Discard envelopes after opening mail.
• Wash hands thoroughly after handling mail.

For suspicious mail received:

• Do not open suspicious mail.
• Avoid tearing or shredding when handling.
• Do not shake or empty the contents.
• Do not carry the mail or allow others to examine it.
• Do not sniff, touch, or taste any contents that may have spilled.
• Place suspicious mail on a stable surface and keep others away.
• Close and lock doors of the room containing the suspicious mail.
• Notify supervisors and law enforcement of the location of suspicious mail.
• Alert others to avoid the location of suspicious mail.
• Shut off the ventilation system, if possible.
• Wash hands vigorously and repeatedly to prevent spreading infectious material.
• Create a list of who was in the room when the envelope was opened.
• Prepare a list of who may have handled the envelope.
• Give copies of these lists to local public health authorities and police officials.

For more information about handling suspicious mail, see the following CDC links:

• Making Federal Buildings Safe (PDF, 170 Kb)
• Interim Recommendations for Protecting Workers from Exposure to Bacillus Anthracis in Work Sites Where Mail Is Handled or Processed

Wildland Firefighting Fitness

Protecting Emergency Services Sector (ESS) personnel is the principal goal of the FireFit program, a year-round fitness, injury mitigation, and wellness program for wildland fire responders. The program, sponsored by the Federal Fire and Aviation Safety Team (FFAST), is among wildland resources offered by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).

Responders to wildland fires work long hours and endure stress, fatigue, and dehydration with minimal downtime for recovery. The FireFit program is designed to increase responder survival through better health, safety, and increased crew cohesion, while decreasing absenteeism, boosting productivity, and enabling personnel to work at optimal performance levels in poor environmental conditions. Recognizing that personnel are the most precious organizational asset, the Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) reinforces the position that personnel protection and survivability is a matter of critical infrastructure protection.

Three specific modules�pre-season, fire-season, and post-season�comprise the 52-week program. The eight-week pre-season module combines moderate-intensity aerobic activity, vigorous-activity pack hikes, muscle endurance, flexibility exercises, and optional teambuilding activities to increase muscle strength, build muscle endurance, and elongate muscle fibers to prepare personnel for long-duration tasks such as digging. The fire-season workout consists of 24 weeks of continuous training designed to sustain fitness levels. The 20-week post-season module, a transition from the fire season to allow for injury rehabilitation and rest/recuperation, begins with 2 weeks of rest with minimal activity, and 18 weeks of baseline fitness: light to moderate weights, flexibility, and moderate cross-training. All modules recommend one to two days of rest with little or no activity each week to mitigate overuse injuries.

FireFit addresses other issues, including mental fitness, teambuilding, injury prevention, core stability, and developing a mental checklist. Additional resources include equipment, exercise, and teambuilding alternatives, fitness assessments, and contraindicated exercises. A PowerPoint presentation, poster, and cards are available for download. FireFit task group members correspond regularly to update the website.

Hurricane Relief Scams

In a 2 September press release, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) cautioned that in recent years natural disasters throughout the country have prompted individuals to deceitfully solicit contributions, purportedly for charitable organizations or good causes. Upon further examination of this illicit activity, the Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned that hurricane relief scams occasionally diminish the morale and duty performance of victims, who lose money and work time while attempting to reconcile their situation.

It is possible for Emergency Services Sector personnel, their organizations, and family members to be victimized by such scams in two ways: by receiving direct fraudulent solicitations for donations, or when offenders attach the good names and reputations of the nation’s responder organizations to fraudulent charities. Therefore, the EMR-ISAC suggests consideration of the following FBI guidelines:

• Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) email.
• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials to solicit donations via email.
• Do not open links contained within unsolicited emails.
• Be cautious of email claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses.
• Open attachments only from known senders.
• Ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes.
• Make donations directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to do it for you.
• Validate the legitimacy of soliciting organizations by directly accessing the recognized charity or aid organization's website versus following an alleged link to the site.
• Use Internet-based resources to attempt to confirm the existence of an organization and the legitimacy of its non-profit status.
• Never provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions.
  (Providing this information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.)

Read the FBI press release

Find out about the FBI Cyber Investigations Program

File a complaint (victims of online schemes)