InfoGram 32-12: August 9, 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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Silver Jackets Interagency Flood Program

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) join forces with the State level during flood events by creating interagency teams.   The goal of the Silver Jackets program is to strengthen response and recovery efforts with State emergency management agencies. 

The program intends to create working relationships between existing teams where such connections don’t already exist.  Ultimately such information sharing and collaboration will support flood response and recovery activities, decrease redundancies, and improve flood risk communications.

Currently 33 states have active Silver Jackets teams, and the remaining states are working to create teams.  The Silver Jackets Facts Sheet (PDF, 105 Kb) lists several case studies of the program at work, including mapping projects and levee repair alternatives. 

Available resources on their website include lists of regional and national conferences, webinars, a Tool Box of information for emergency managers, and guidance for Silver Jackets team development.

(Source: Silver Jackets Program)

EMS Mass Incident Guides and Templates

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has announced the release of the Operational Templates and Guidance for EMS Mass Incident Deployment (PDF, 1.49 Mb).  Produced with the National Emergency Medical Services Management Association (NEMSMA) and Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Health Affairs, the document gives guidance on how EMS agencies can integrate their planning and response to more successfully mesh with those at the Federal, State, local, and regional levels.

The supporting templates and guidelines provided are only a starting point to help steer the development of agencies’ final documents and plans.  Each template should be modified to meet the unique needs of the jurisdiction using them.  Templates include the “Basic Hazard Vulnerability Assessment,” “Basic Incident Deployment Checklist,” and “Sample After Action Report.”

The guide lists eight case studies of recent mass casualty incidents including sporting events, mass gatherings, and accidents.  It also provides several operational templates for common events like political rallies or county fairs for which local agencies should plan.

(Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA))

Space Weather: Low-Probability/High-Impact

Online space and science website redOrbit posted an article this week about the possibility of massive solar storms in the next 2 years.  We are nearing the peak of the 11-year cycle of solar weather and there is a “12% chance of a major solar storm every decade, which essentially works out to a one-in-100-year solar event.”

In 1989, the largest solar storm in recent history took the electric grid down in Quebec.  The strongest recorded geomagnetic storm in 1859 electrified the telegraph cables, shocking workers and sparking a few fires.  More recent storms were smaller but obstructed communications and caused power outages.

Emergency Management Magazine describes severe space weather as a low-probability but high-impact event that has only gotten the attention of emergency managers in the past few years.  Since there is small likelihood of large solar storms, planning for such an event is not at the top of the list for emergency management agencies that must prepare for things like yearly floods or tornados. 

The lag between a solar storm and any resulting damage is relatively short, 8 minutes to 20 hours depending on the type of storm.  This does not leave much time to prepare for the possible effects of solar storms, meaning that plans and guidance should be prepared and trained for in advance.

One available resource is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).  The SWPC publishes figures, alerts, maps, and forecasts to help space weather preparedness efforts.  Subscription alerts give the type of activity detected, possible effects, and the expected duration.

(Source: Emergency Management Magazine)

Decontamination and Sanitation of PPE

Fire and EMS personnel come in contact with chemical and biological hazards on a daily basis.  There are documented cases of MRSA being found in fire stations and emergency apparatus, and emergency responders regularly come in contact with blood and other bodily fluids during response at accidents or EMS calls. 

Turnout gear and other personal protective equipment (PPE) can be an ongoing source of exposure and infection if not properly cleaned after being contaminated, as can uniforms worn in the firehouse.  Washing clothing and PPE in hot water with detergent is often enough but sometimes proper cleaning requires more.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that all anti-microbial products, disinfectants, and sanitizers be tested and registered.  While some agents may work, they also may weaken the integrity of the materials from which the PPE is made.  All agents should be checked for EPA registration and evaluated for use on specific textiles before use with PPE.

(Source: FireRescue1.com)