InfoGram 22-09: June 4, 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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Essential Records for First Responders

In a 1 June article seen in Government Technology online, “Essential Records Could Mean Life or Death for First Responders,” David Carmichael discussed why accurate information contained in “essential records” can protect the health and safety of emergency personnel during responses to all hazards. Upon review of this article, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) observed four categories of essential records with information that warrant preservation and availability during disaster responses.

• For the benefit of Emergency Services Sector departments and agencies, the EMR-ISAC summarized the different categories of essential records as follows:
• Maps, building plans, and infrastructure and utilities plans to direct the response and determine the safety of affected structures.
• Material Safety Data Sheets to alert responders to potential hazards and the required treatments in the event of exposure.
• Copies of emergency plans, contact information, and delegations of authority to facilitate the response.
• Medical records of first preparers (e.g., emergency planners and managers), first responders (e.g., police, fire, EMS), and first receivers (e.g., hospital emergency department staff).

Fire Station Construction Grants

Non-federal fire departments and state and local governments that fund and/or operate fire departments can begin applying for part of the $210 million in fire station construction funding to build new or modify existing fire stations available under the Fire Station Construction (FSC) Grant Program. Completed applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT on 10 July 2009.

The purpose of the FSC program is to provide economic stimulus through job creation or preservation and improve the safety of firefighters and the communities they serve. The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) confirmed that the $210 million was provided to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (A.R.R.A.). The FSC program is being administered by the Assistance to Firefighters Program Office under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Grant Programs Directorate.

Funding priorities are explained in the A.R.R.A. Assistance to Firefighters FSC Grants Guidance and Application Kit. The EMR-ISAC corroborated that in making the awards, DHS will give high consideration to the fire departments described by one or more of the following:

• Own or have otherwise already acquired the land where they plan to construct or modify their station.
• Serving communities that have suffered the greatest increases in joblessness rates.
• Replacing unsafe or uninhabitable structures.
• Expanding fire protection coverage to meet increased service demand in compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards 1710 or 1720.
• Using land already zoned for the new or modified structure and where permits for their project have been obtained.

Online guidance and e-application information (PDF, 320 Kb)

Mitigation Options for Vacant Building Fires

According to national statistics based on the detailed information collected by the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and the annual fire department experience survey conducted by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fires in vacant buildings are increasing each year. The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned that this escalation is a matter of serious concern for many communities and their emergency responders, particularly because the weakened economy has added to the problem of vacant or abandoned homes and buildings.

In an NFPA report of April 2009 (Vacant Building Fires, PDF, 59 pp., 263 Kb), Marty Ahrens discussed some mitigation options for municipalities to combat this growing challenge. He wrote that interFIRE.org has on its website a number of resources related to vacant building fires, fire prevention, arson investigation, fire investigation safety, and fire scene training at interFIRE.org. The EMR-ISAC observed that this site additionally includes a draft ordinance to address blight.

The National Vacant Properties Campaign’s (NVPC) Website describes a number of strategies to address the problem of vacant properties and provides examples of how these strategies have been used.

Consistent with its Urban Fire Safety Project findings, the NFPA recommends local fire departments and the national fire service partner with financial institutions and other organizations to prevent home foreclosures and home abandonment. Vacant building arson is also addressed in the Arson Prevention PowerPoint Presentation (PPT, 8.2 Mb) developed by NFPA and the Columbus Division of Fire. The presentation is intended for use by local fire departments and community organizations.

Guide to National Intelligence

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) evaluated a non-sensitive guide written for public consumption to explain the mission, background, opportunities, and challenges facing the United States Intelligence Community (IC). With its comprehensive coverage of the IC and intelligence activities, “2009 National Intelligence: A Consumer’s Guide” (PDF, 11.0 Mb, 114 pages) can be a reference tool for Emergency Services Sector (ESS) departments and agencies to broaden their understanding of national intelligence.

The IC, led by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), is a group of executive branch agencies and organizations that work separately and together to engage in intelligence activities necessary for protecting U.S. national security and for conducting foreign relations. The DNI’s duty is to organize and coordinate the other 16 IC components based on intelligence consumers’ needs.

The 16 U.S. intelligence organizations profiled are federal departments and agencies, among them the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Intelligence and Analysis, as well as the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

The EMR-ISAC noted that ESS organizations can use sections of the Guide to clarify sources of intelligence, levels of intelligence analysis, the intelligence cycle, and classified communication systems. The document also provides references, a glossary, and frequently used terms.