InfoGram 12-12: March 22, 2012

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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Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

(Source: Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center)

The predictive services (PDF, 623 Kb) of the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) indicate the likelihood for significant fire potential in parts of the United States from April to June 2012.  The primary factors influencing this outlook are a weakening La Nina, severe drought, and above normal fuel dryness.

Considering this forecast, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) examined the strategies, processes, and tools used by the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center to assist the wildland fire community in the safe and effective performance of duties.  It provides opportunities and resources to foster collaboration among all fire professionals, facilitates their networks, provides access to state-of-the-art learning tools, and links learning to training.

Specifically, this knowledge resource center provides the following support for wildland firefighters:

• Helps the firefighting community use lessons learned to improve operations.
• Strives to increase safe work practices and advance organizational learning.
• Promotes organizational change toward safer, more effective practices.
• Delivers resources to enhance learning from experience and problem solving.
• Offers 132 Uploaded Videos to reinforce learning from incidents and experts.

See the U.S. Fire Administration website for more information regarding wildland firefighting.

Fire Safety Equipment Scam

(Source: multiple news sources)

While monitoring incidents occurring within the nation’s Emergency Services Sector, the EMR-ISAC learned that businesses in several states were victimized recently by a scam involving the inspection of fire safety equipment.  For example, last month NBC alerted businesses of a scammer claiming to be with the County Fire Protection Office.  Additionally, The Oakland Press reported a man swindled a store manager out of more than $200 with a fire inspection scam.

New Jersey law enforcement officials recommend that proprietors and managers consider the following actions to deter this crime or aid in a subsequent investigation:

• Familiarize with the inspection requirements for your municipality.
• Educate employees to minimize their susceptibility to scams.
• Request credentials from service providers to confirm their legitimacy; make a photocopy.
• Report suspicious activity to local police, if possible, before the suspect leaves the premises.
• Obtain an accurate vehicle description and license plate number of a suspicious person.
• Preserve any surveillance videotape that may exist.

See the FBI website, “Be Crime Smart,” for more information to stop scams and related fraud.

Responses to Biological Threats

(Source: American Society of Testing & Materials)

Recognizing the possibility for biological threats that affect public health, safety, and confidence, the EMR-ISAC reviewed the “Standard Guide for Operational Guidelines for Initial Response to a Suspected Biothreat Agent” (PDF, 615 Kb).  The goal of this guide is to support national standards for responding to and collecting suspected biothreat agents with guidance centered on coordination among representatives of emergency response teams, including hazardous materials teams, law enforcement, public health, etc.

This document provides uniform guidance that covers all of the following components: response planning, responder training, competency evaluation, proficiency testing, concept of operations, hazard assessment, threat evaluation, sample collection, field screening, risk communication, and documentation for responding to visible powders suspected of being biothreat agents. 

The guide is compliant with the National Incident Management System and applies to emergency response agencies having a role in the initial response to a biothreat incident, such as police, fire, hazmat, public health, and emergency management.  It was developed to assist jurisdictions in establishing best practices when planning for and responding to biothreat incidents.

Roadway Incident Operations Safety

(Sources: Officer.com and U.S. Fire Administration)

Officer.com News reported a firefighter was killed and another firefighter and police officer were critically injured when struck by the driver of a van while working the scene of a vehicle wreck on March 19, 2012.  This prompted the EMR-ISAC to reassess some of the basics of safely operating on the roadway, which are the subject of another Coffee Break Training (PDF, 370 Kb) installment by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA).

This week’s training document discusses wearing a high-visibility traffic vest, how to park emergency vehicles, using emergency warning lights, situating approved traffic cones, employing illuminated warning devices, etc.   Additional suggestions to enhance roadway operations for emergency responders can be seen at the USFA website. 

The EMR-ISAC understands that upon completion of this training the student will be able to identify techniques for improved safety during roadway incident operations.