InfoGram 1-13: January 3, 2013

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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New Web Utility for Hospitals and Public Health

Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) announces the 2.0 Beta launch of CHNA.org, a free web-based utility "designed to assist hospitals, nonprofit community-based organizations, state and local health departments, financial institutions, engaged citizens, and other key stakeholders in understanding the needs and assets of their communities."

A collaborative project intended for hospitals, community action organizations, public health offices, and financial institutions, CHNA.org offers:

• Mapping tools to view geographic public health trends.
• Access to thousands of public data sources.
• Straightforward analytic and reporting options.
• Resources including media talking points and community engagement tools.

While the CHNA.org utility was created with the universal public health in mind, the free tools available could be invaluable during these times of financial cuts and reduced funding. Tracking disease spread through mapping and single-point access to online databases and reports allows local offices flexibility and options.

(Source: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (PDF, 545 Kb))

Threat Analysis for the Water Sector

The WaterISAC will be releasing its semi-annual "Threat Analysis for the Water Sector" report later this month, and they are requesting information on any suspicious activities or incidents that occurred from July 1 - December 31, 2012.

An incident may appear insignificant, but when analyzed with other reported incidents, they may prove to be part of a possibly dangerous pattern. The Water and Emergency Services Sectors rely on each other, and disruption in either can affect the other’s ability to effectively respond (PDF, 1.3 Mb).

The WaterISAC recommends reporting all events no matter how trivial they may seem. Provide as much detail as possible with the understanding that all reports will be kept confidential. Please reply by January 7. Events worth reporting include:

• Physical or cyber intrusions
• Suspicious communications, including email and phone calls
• Suspicious facility surveillance or observation
• Unauthorized people attempting gate access
• Thefts, broken locks, or equipment tampering

Please send information to analyst@waterisac.org, call 866-H2O-ISAC x 3, or click "Report Incident" at www.waterisac.org.

(Source: WaterISAC)

USFA Studies Dangerous Incident Response

This morning, U.S. Deputy Fire Administrator Glenn Gaines published a new entry in The Chief's Corner entitled "The Roles of Fire and EMS Personnel in Armed Attacks." In light of the number of mass shootings in 2012, and especially on the heels of the shooting of two volunteer firefighters in N.Y., USFA recognizes the need to address the unique circumstances when responding to such incidents.

USFA "is undertaking a study of these events in both this country and internationally to identify risk commonalities and best practices to successfully respond to these diverse incidents. The topical report will be released later this month and is currently undergoing extensive peer reviews."

Chief Gaines lists steps that should be taken when planning for and responding to such incidents as well as online resources and best practice considerations for fire and EMS personnel.

(Source: USFA)

About the EMR-ISAC and Its Responsibilities

The Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) supports the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) in response to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7, which identified the ESS as one of 18 critical infrastructures essential for national security.

The ESS comprises fire, EMS, law enforcement, 9-1-1/PSAPs, emergency management, and public works. These duties regularly branch out into the other 18 critical infrastructures: security at nuclear facilities, fire departments at chemical plants, and emergency management at military bases are examples.

The EMR-ISAC distributes the following:

• The InfoGram – published in-house, the weekly newsletter typically has 4 short articles on topics such as free training, products, resources, and information related to operations and officer safety.
• Emergent Threat Information – the EMR-ISAC maintains a presence on the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) where state and federal “For Official Use Only” (FOUO) documents relating to the ESS are posted.

The EMR-ISAC is located in Emmitsburg, Md., at the National Emergency Training Center. Subscription and contact information can be found in the brochure (PDF, 230 Kb) and fact sheet. All services provided are free.

(Source: EMR-ISAC)