Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center

Infogram 19-08: May 22, 2008

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 e-mail at emr-isac@dhs.gov.

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Preparedness for the "Day After"

In recent years, millions of dollars have been spent to improve the capabilities of Emergency Services Sector (ESS) departments and agencies to prevent, protect, respond, and recover from man-made and natural disasters. Despite these expenditures and endeavors, research by the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) concludes that the best strategy for mitigating the effects of all hazards is to develop and maintain resilient organizational critical infrastructures. It is interesting to note that this strategy mainly resulted from the honest admission that many disasters cannot be prevented.

Resilience is usually thought of in terms of the ability to quickly bounce back after a major disruption or catastrophic attack with an earlier restoration of fundamental services. But why is a resilient ESS department or agency infrastructure so important? The U.S. Government recognizes ESS critical infrastructures are indispensable for the safety and health of the American people as well as the stability and security of the nation's economy. Without the availability of ESS mission-essential tasks on the "day after," there will be a serious reduction in "quality of life," which is further exacerbated by the discontinuation of other local infrastructures that depend on emergency services for survival.

Considering the importance of ESS organizations, there is growing acceptance at local levels that enhancing ESS resilience must be an essential part of disaster preparedness. More elected officials and the chief officers of their emergency services understand the necessity for first responder organizations to withstand a catastrophe and return to normal operations as rapidly as possible in an all-hazards environment. Instead of focusing only on preventing attacks by nature and terrorists, increasing numbers of local leaders are attempting to alter or prepare their infrastructure systems to endure all hazards and successfully reconstitute standard services no later than the "day after."

To assist ESS departments and agencies that haven't fully considered the benefits of resilient infrastructures, the EMR-ISAC offers the insights promulgated in "Foreign Affairs" by Stephen E. Flynn. He wrote that resiliency results when the following four factors are continuously achieved:

  1. Robustness. This means the organization or community continues to function during a disruption.
  2. Resourcefulness. This means managing the response to a disruption as it unfolds.
  3. Rapid Recovery. This refers to an organization's or community's ability to quickly get things back to normal after the disruption.
  4. Lessons Learned. This refers to the ability to absorb and apply new lessons from the disruption.

For additional information regarding critical infrastructure resilience for the emergency services, contact the EMR-ISAC at emr-isac@dhs.gov.

2008 ERG

The Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG 2008) was developed jointly by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Transport Canada, and the Communications and Transportation Secretariat of Mexico for use by all Emergency Services Sector (ESS) personnel who respond to transportation incidents involving hazardous materials. It is primarily a guide to assist first responders in the following activities:

The Department of Transportation's goal is to place one Emergency Response Guidebook in each emergency service vehicle nationwide through distribution to state and local public safety authorities. Nearly 11 million copies have already been distributed without charge. Copies are available free to emergency departments through each state's emergency coordinator.

The full version of the ERG 2008, ERG 2008 mobile (software), and additional products can be downloaded at from the DOT Web site.

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) encourages ESS organizations to request copies of the guidebook for each emergency vehicle by contacting their state emergency coordinator.

EMS Week

The theme of EMS Week 2008 (May 18-24), "Your Life is our Mission," acknowledges the 24x7 commitment Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel fulfill in their communities across the U.S. on a daily basis. The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) recognizes that the EMS component of the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) faces yearly increases in demand for their services. Additionally, EMS leaders face challenges to their critical infrastructures such as personnel wellness and survivability, high turnover, recruitment and retention, and acquiring and maintaining communication/cyber systems and physical assets (equipment and vehicles).

One recent information resource for EMS providers is The Path to Grant Success: Your Guide to Fire and EMS Grant Assistance (PDF, 7.9 Mb), a supplement made available by JEMS. The guide offers federal, state, local, and corporate sources of grant assistance, explains the grant application process, and offers grant-writing tips and mistakes to avoid. It can be viewed and downloaded at no cost at.

A source of no-cost training to assist Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and paramedics with the growing problem of responses to blast and bombing incidents is the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Available at its web site are one- and three-hour blast curriculum and bombing modules (in English and Spanish), "Bombings: Injury Patterns and Care" pocket guide, and a blast injury fact sheet. It also offers information and downloads on topics such as terrorism, and nuclear, biological, and chemical preparedness, and has established subject-specific sections for air medical transport, tactical emergency medicine, and EMS Prehospital Care, in addition to disaster medicine. The course materials can be examined and copied at the ACEP Web site. Additional information about ACEP's EMS office is available by calling 1-800-798-1822, ext. 3260.

EMS leaders interested in examining "EMS Vision," a draft plan that includes proposals for a new approach to improving the Dallas (Texas) Fire-Rescue Department's EMS system can read the FireRescue1 article at firerescue1.com.

Traffic Incident Management

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration, working in partnership with the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA), developed a report that provides technical guidance and training programs in traffic incident management for fire and emergency service providers. The report, "Traffic Incident Management Systems" (TIMS), contains guidance for local-level fire departments regarding compliance with the DOT "Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices" and the National Fire Service Incident Management System (IMS) Consortium's "Model Procedures Guide for Highway Incidents."

"Too many firefighter and other emergency responders have been killed on duty from being struck by vehicles. Implementing an effective traffic management system could reduce this number," said U.S. Fire Administrator Greg Cade. "The USFA was pleased to work with the DOT and IFSTA to enhance their safety while working on the roadway."

This project included research into emergency services implementation of TIMS and the IMS Consortium Guide, examining such technologies and practices as effective distance for placement of roadway warning signs; correct amount and type of emergency vehicle warning lighting (e.g., intensity, color, etc.); and training, placement, and protective equipment for "flaggers."

The report also includes case studies of roadway incidents that have taken the lives of firefighters, highway scene safety survival basics, incident command for roadway incidents, and examples of effective TIMS programs. It additionally provides information on the American National Standards Institute/International Safety Equipment Association (ANSI/ISEA) Standard 207, High Visibility Public Safety Vests.

To download the report, and for further information about this study, visit the USFA Web site.

FAIR USE NOTICE

This INFOGRAM may contain copyrighted material that was not specifically authorized by the copyright owner. EMR-ISAC personnel believe this constitutes "fair use" of copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use copyrighted material contained within this document for your own purposes that go beyond "fair use," you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Reporting Notice

DHS and the FBI encourage recipients of this document to report information concerning suspicious or criminal activity to DHS and/or the FBI. The DHS National Operation Center (NOC) can be reached by telephone at 202-282-9685 or by e-mail at NOC.Fusion@dhs.gov.

The FBI regional phone numbers can be found online at www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm

For information affecting the private sector and critical infrastructure, contact the National Infrastructure Coordinating Center (NICC), a sub-element of the NOC. The NICC can be reached by telephone at 202-282-9201 or by e-mail at NICC@dhs.gov.

When available, each report submitted should include the date, time, location, type of activity, number of people and type of equipment used for the activity, the name of the submitting company or organization, and a designated point of contact.

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