InfoGram 39-11: September 29, 2011

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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Physical and Personnel Security

(Sources: DHS and the Integrated Physical Security Handbook)

In the past few days, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) observed that fire and police stations were attacked by gun fire.  Although no one was injured, these incidents raise concern about physical and personnel security at facilities occupied by emergency responder departments and agencies.

To address this concern, the EMR-ISAC examined various sources to identify the basic measures of a time-efficient, cost-effective, and common-sense approach to bolster security in and around first responder stations.  The following is a summary of preventive actions for the consideration of Emergency Services Sector leaders responsible for personnel and any type of physical location:

• Inspect randomly the security and condition of all facilities and storage areas.
• Keep all doors and windows closed and locked as much as practicable.
• Use appropriate locking systems for all station access points.
• Obtain a monitored intrusion detection system for locations not always occupied and in regular use.
• Prohibit sharing security codes or combinations with unauthorized persons.
• Change security codes or combinations at frequent intervals.
• Guarantee vehicles, apparatus, and equipment at exterior sites are always locked when unattended.
• Initiate and enforce a reliable identification system for department personnel and property.
• Screen all visitors and vendors and deny entry to anyone who refuses inspection.
• Develop inspection practices for incoming deliveries including postal packages and mail.
• Require personnel within the station to be vigilant for unauthorized persons and unusual activities.
• Prepare and enforce an SOP containing physical and personnel security measures at facilities.

For more information, see the Five Step Process and the crucial principles (deterrence, detection, delay, response, recovery, and re-assessment) at the Integrated Physical Security Handbook.  Another pertinent source is the National Strategy for the Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures and Key Assets (PDF, 1.3 Mb) 

National Disaster Recovery Framework

(Source: FEMA)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released this week the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) (PDF, 10.5 Mb).  This document outlines how community recovery is supported and organized on a national level.  It builds on scalable, flexible, and adaptable coordinating structures to align key roles and responsibilities, while linking local, state, tribal, and federal governments, the private sector, and voluntary faith-based and community organizations that perform vital tasks in recovery.

Similar to the National Response Framework (PDF, 1.1 Mb), the NDRF identifies recovery support functions that have a designated federal coordinating agency to provide leadership, coordination, and oversight for state, tribal, and local communities in their recovery.  The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) noted that FEMA considers the NDRF as guidance for developing measures of successful recovery based on the state and community’s recovery objectives, effective decision making and coordination, and also the integration of community recovery planning processes.

The NDRF is consistent with the vision set forth in the Presidential Policy Directive 8 (PPD-8), National Preparedness, which directs FEMA to work with interagency partners to publish a recovery framework.  “The National Disaster Recovery Framework is a first step toward the PDD-8 objective to achieve a shared understanding and a common, integrated perspective across all mission areas—Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery—in order to achieve unity of effort and make the most effective use of the Nation’s limited resources.”   

Quick Drills for Fire Department Personnel

(Source: Fire Engineering)

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) reviewed an article at Fire Engineering regarding the efforts by chief officers to lead, train, and develop company officers and crew members.  The author, Battalion Chief Steve Prziborowski of the Santa Clara County (CA) Fire Department, proposed that personnel look to their chief officers for leadership, guidance, direction, training, and support. 

In his article, Chief Prziborowski maintained that the top priority is “to ensure firefighters go home safely at the end of their shift and that they are trained and prepared for the worst-case scenario.”  He advised that chief officers, who are burdened with numerous administrative projects, should be very creative when training and developing their crews, and have some realistic quick drills from which to select.

The author offered twelve quick drills a chief officer can use “to inspire personnel to be the best they can be and to ensure they are prepared to do their job when the bell goes off.”  The first five of the quick drills are summarized as follows:

• Turnout drill.  Prepare for the worst-case scenario by striving to have a turnout time of less than 60 seconds. This refers to the time it takes for the apparatus to start moving toward the incident after the alarm has sounded.
• Portable master stream operation.  Inform crew members that they are dispatched to a structure fire and direct them to put their portable master stream (e.g., deck gun) into operation.  Conduct rehearsals on how to get it off the apparatus, pull the appropriate amount and size of hose, and secure it to the ground in a quick and safe manner.
• Large-handline operation. Instruct the crew to practice putting a 2½-inch handline into operation to accommodate the “big water.”
• Pre-incident planning.  Bring the crew to their first-due area for building and site familiarization.  Direct the first-due officer to lead a facility tour and discuss the necessary strategy and tactics to combat a fire should one occur.
• Drill tower training.  Take the drill tower training off site and use large parking lots or structures to make the training more realistic.

Seven more recommended quick drills can be seen in pages 4 and 5 of Chief Prziborowski’s article at Fire Engineering.

USFA Report on Firefighter Fatalities

(Source: U.S. Fire Administration)

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) just released the report titled “Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2010” (PDF, 2.5 Mb).  The report continues the series of annual studies by the USFA of on-duty firefighter fatalities.  The USFA is the single public agency source of information for all on-duty firefighter fatalities in the United States each year.

Within this report, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) verified that 87 on-duty firefighters from 31 states lost their lives as the result of 83 fatal incidents occurring in 2010.  According to the report, this is the second consecutive year of substantially fewer firefighter deaths in the nation.  The document provides an overview of the 87 firefighters that died while on duty in 2010. 

For additional information regarding firefighter fatalities, including the annual fatality reports from 1986 to 2010, 2011 firefighter fatality notices, and the Firefighter Retrospective Study 1990-2000, visit the USFA website.