InfoGram 21-09: May 28, 2009

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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All-Hazards Planning Principles

In an article posted online at JEMS.com, “EMS in DHS,” the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS) news director affirmed that the challenges of developing an all-hazards plan for protecting lives, property, and the environment are easier when emergency planners apply particular principles. The specific principles discussed in the article were abridged by the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC), and can be seen as follows for the convenience of Emergency Services Sector departments and agencies:

• Planning is an orderly, analytical, problem-solving process. It includes plan initiation, analysis of objectives, development and comparison of ways to achieve the objectives, and selection of the best solution.
• Plans guide preparedness activities. They provide a common framework by establishing the desired end state, and the tasks and capabilities required to accomplish it.
• Planning helps deal with complexity. The National Strategy for Homeland Security places special emphasis on planning for catastrophic events with “the greatest risk of mass casualties, massive property loss, and immense social disruption.”
• Emergency planning addresses all hazards. The causes of emergencies can vary greatly, but many of the effects do not. This means planners can address emergency functions common to all hazards in the basic plan instead of having unique plans for every type of hazard.
• Emergency planning doesn’t need to start from scratch. Many states publish their own standards and guidance for emergency planning, conduct workshops and training courses, and assign staff to work with local planners. Planners should take advantage of others’ experiences.
• Planning depicts the anticipated environment for action. This promotes early understanding and agreement on assumptions and risks, and provides the context for interaction. It identifies clear tasks and purposes, fosters interaction among stakeholders, guides preparedness activities, establishes implementation procedures, provides measures to synchronize actions, and allocates or reallocates resources. It can also serve as a partial substitute for experience.
• Planning must involve all partners. The most realistic and complete plans are prepared by a team of representatives of the departments, agencies, and private sector and non-governmental organizations that will execute the plan.

For detailed information about these principles, see Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101, Developing and Maintaining State, Territorial, Tribal, and Local Government Emergency Plans (PDF, 4.5 Mb, March 2009).

Justice Assistance Grant Program

The Bureau of Justice Assistance at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it is seeking applications for funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. This program furthers the mission of DOJ by assisting state, local, and tribal efforts to prevent or reduce crime and violence.

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) ascertained that the JAG Program is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system from multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces to crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives. JAG funded projects may address crime through the provision of services directly to individuals and/or communities and by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice systems, processes, and procedures.

The due date for applying for JAG funding is 8:00 p.m. (EDT) on June 25, 2009. Applications must be submitted through the online Grants Management System (GMS). To access the system, go to grants.ojp.usdoj.gov. For a step-by-step guide, visit www.ojp.gov/gmscbt and refer to the section entitled “External Overview: Locating & Applying for Funding Opportunities.” For additional assistance, call the GMS Help Desk at 1-888-549-9901 from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (EDT).

Hazmat Evidence Collection Training

Recovering chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) hazardous materials from incident scenes has made the evidence collection process more difficult for Emergency Services Sector (ESS) departments and agencies. When an incident is a crime scene, law enforcement personnel may not always arrive first to survey and collect evidence. It is necessary for first-on-the-scene personnel to follow evidence collection procedures that will ensure their safety and survival and contribute to successful criminal prosecution.

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned that the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Alabama is offering “WMD Hazardous Materials Evidence Collection (PER-201). ESS members from all disciplines participate in a scenario-driven exercise designed to allow them to demonstrate their competency in evidence collection techniques, use the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Crime Scene Search Protocol, use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and perform technical decontamination of personnel and collected materials.

One of the significant components of the course is introducing non-law-enforcement attendees to the FBI’s Crime Scene Search Protocol, considered a universal approach to evidence collection. The course is one of three in CDP’s “HH” program that includes an 8-hour “WMD Crime Scene Management for Emergency Responders,” and a two-day WMD hands-on training course. CDP covers the cost of travel to and from courses, lodging, meals, and course materials. To access course information and view a CDP informational video, go to cdp.dhs.gov.

Device Failures

Emergency Services Sector (ESS) leaders regularly share information and lessons learned at the many Internet websites devoted to responders. The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) examined feedback from a recent FireEngineering.com roundtable discussion of plans and procedures for incident scene failures of technological devices such as Thermal Imaging Cameras (TIC), Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), and Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS). For the convenience of emergency departments and agencies, the EMR-ISAC summarized as follows a number of insights expressed by roundtable participants:

• Reinforce to all personnel that technological tools are “extra” tools and should never be used to replace time-tested basic skills.
• Teach and conduct basic skills training, e.g., maintaining wall contact, search lines, building construction, fire and smoke behavior, on an ongoing basis.
• Establish multiple methods for accomplishing tasks, e.g., mastery of hand-powered hydraulic tools in addition to power hydraulic tools; introduction of TICs only after all personnel can search and navigate environments safely and effectively without the device.
• Write Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) or policies to address equipment failures.
• Attempt to achieve redundancy by acquiring multiples of devices if financially supportable.
• Institute daily rigorous checks of equipment, devices, and their batteries, take inoperable equipment out of service and send it for repair, and keep maintenance records.
• Include survival (e.g., obstacle courses, disentangling exercises), Mayday, and Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) training.
• Consider establishing in-house repair programs for technological devices and/or sending members to the manufacturer for training. Above all, a strong preventative maintenance program is important for all departments.
• Define and correct the “weak links,” associated with device failures, such as failing to carry spare batteries, neglecting to check battery condition at start of shift, or operating without equipment maintenance checklists.

The EMR-ISAC found many additional safety and survival suggestions in the May 2009 roundtable discussion.