InfoGram 40-09: October 8, 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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H1N1 Vaccinations for Fire and EMS

In the 2 October Media Advisory, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Fire Administration recommended that firefighters who provide emergency medical services, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics receive the H1N1 vaccination as soon as it becomes available in their local jurisdiction.

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) noted the words of U.S. Fire Administrator Kelvin J. Cochran: “Given that firefighters and EMS personnel who provide direct patient care are eligible for early vaccination, their first responder agencies should be contacting their local doctors offices, clinics, local health department or other agencies to make arrangements now for their workforces to be vaccinated as soon as supplies of the H1N1 vaccine are received in their jurisdictions.”

The National EMS Advisory Council (NEMSAC), in its 30 September Position Statement, asserted that the personal safety of EMS responders in the United States is paramount in a pandemic flu outbreak. Therefore, the Council promotes vaccination of EMS providers for both seasonal and H1N1 influenza, and also www.flu.gov as a credible source of current information regarding pandemic flu.

The EMR-ISAC offers the following websites for additional H1N1 influenza information:

www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu and www.usfa.fema.gov.

Resource on Bombs

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) reviewed the “Bombs/Bomb Response/Suicide Bombers” program which has over 100 PowerPoint slides and additional documents. The information was reviewed by a Technical Review Committee consisting of experts in homeland security, police special operations, and the fire service from across the nation. It includes more than a dozen open-source documents with information on handling all aspects of this kind of event, from communications to hazmat to tactics.

According to the PowerPoint presentation, this resource was developed for law enforcement, fire and EMS service personnel. The information can assist agencies when constructing a training program for internal and external applications.

Included in the program is the following information:

• Explosives
• Bomb and terrorism
• Stages of a bombing incident
• Pre-attack detection and countermeasures
• Bomb threats
• Post detonation response
• Suicide bombers
• Use of force
• Facility assessment
• Resources

See FirstResponder.gov for more information.

Intelligence Guide for First Responders

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) examined the “Intelligence Guide for First Responders” (PDF, 8.1 Mb) recently released by the Interagency Threat Assessment and Coordination Group. It was developed by state and local police and firefighter personnel in coordination with federal intelligence analysts.

This Guide was designed to assist state, local, tribal law enforcement, firefighting, homeland security, and appropriate private sector personnel in accessing and understanding federal counterterrorism, homeland security, and weapons of mass destruction intelligence reporting. Most of the information contained in this September 2009 document was compiled, derived, and adapted from existing intelligence community and open source references.

Contents of the Guide explain intelligence, what intelligence can and cannot do, types of intelligence products available to first responders, understanding threat information, etc.

Fire Media Outreach

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned that the “Fire Spokesperson’s Pocket Media Guide” (PDF, 249.1 Kb) can be downloaded or ordered for free. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have worked together to redevelop and enhance the resources and tools offered to the media and to fire service spokespersons at Firesafety.gov. This website is a federal operated and co-sponsored by the three agencies and serves as a clearinghouse for fire-related information.

According to the website, the guide provides information on how to make the most of the media interviews following a fire when the public’s interest and attention are at a peak. An affected community is most receptive to hearing prevention tips in the moments and days following a fire. The guide suggests that in addition to providing facts about the fire, public information personnel should share messages that encourage the viewer/reader to take life-saving actions.

To assist fire departments working to increase fire safety messages in the news, the USFA offers the opportunity for fire departments to join the Quick Response Media Corps. USFA will provide periodic email bulletins with tips on media outreach and other support to those interested in taking a more pro-active role with local media for those “teachable moments.”