Infogram

August 12, 2004

NOTE: This INFOGRAM will be distributed weekly to provide members of the emergency management and response sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures. It has been prepared by NATEK Incorporated for the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. 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.

Emergency Vehicles at Risk

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, workers at two NJ rescue squads received peculiar inquiries last week. The suspicious persons asked about obtaining credentials to operate emergency vehicles and offered money to expedite the process. These events in NJ provide lessons for all other states. Although the inquiries could have been innocent requests for information, the obligation for vigilance is greater now during this period of increased risk centered on the approaching national elections.

Counterterrorism experts believe that it is no longer sufficient to simply lock the parking lots, stations, and garages where emergency vehicles are parked, stored, and repaired. They maintain that it is now necessary to be actively observant for emergency vehicles that may have been stolen, rented, or purchased by our adversaries intent on deception to exploit vulnerabilities, destroy critical infrastructures, and seriously harm large numbers of people.

To prevent the unauthorized or illegal use of actual emergency vehicles, the EMR-ISAC encourages chief officers to review, improve, and enforce their department SOPs pertaining to the employment and security of department vehicles. Recognizing that there must be reasonable exceptions, such as at the immediate scene of an incident, department leaders should require the proper locking of all agency vehicles whenever and wherever unattended.

Self-Storage Facilities

Government officials remain concerned about possible Al Qaeda plans to execute attacks in the United States during this summer, fall, and winter. They have particular apprehension about scenarios involving improvised explosive devices hidden in self-storage facilities within the nation. Historically, terrorist cells stored ammonium nitrate, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and explosives in storage structures inside and outside of the country.

Therefore, emergency response agencies must be aware of the potential for terrorist use of self-storage facilities. Counterterrorism specialists urge that police officers maintain cooperative liaison with the owners and employees of storage units within their jurisdiction. Additionally, fire and rescue personnel must exercise genuine caution when responding to incidents at or nearby self-storage buildings. Any fire that spreads to storage units containing concealed hazardous materials presents a serious danger to the critical infrastructures of responding departments.

Considering the risks, the EMR-ISAC recommends that local police and fire authorities closely collaborate and cooperate regarding suspicious activity or illicit behaviors by self-storage customers. Teamwork on this and other related matters can potentially reduce or eliminate the peril to the personnel and equipment (i.e., critical infrastructures) of all first response agencies.

Sensitive Information Security

The director of the National Cyber Security Division of the Department of Homeland Security recently discussed the widespread availability of sensitive information on public and private websites. "Not thinking through the security implications of some of the information put online can be a very dangerous mistake," said Amit Yoran. "Online data continues to be a gold mine for terrorists."

As it pertains to the Emergency Services Sector, sensitive information generally consists of data about the personnel, equipment, structures, operations, plans, and training of municipalities and their emergency responders. Information of this type is particularly susceptible because it can be collected and used by adversaries to weaken or destroy the survivability, continuity of operations, and mission success-in other words, the people, things, and systems that comprise the critical infrastructures of a community.

It is understood that elected leaders and department chiefs of numerous cities post sensitive data on their websites because of its value to citizens. Nevertheless, the EMR-ISAC supports the security experts who insist that this type of exposure in the public domain is a real vulnerability. This is because terrorists can exploit it to negate critical infrastructure protection measures, and also to harm the citizens that the information was intended to benefit.

EMR-ISAC Outreach

The EMR-ISAC has begun an outreach initiative to contact those first response departments that are not currently receiving these INFOGRAMs as well as the following critical infrastructure protection (CIP) information:

CIP Bulletins. Contain timely, consequential homeland security information affecting the CIP of emergency management and response agencies, and published periodically as needed.
Sensitive CIP Notices. Contain emergent, actionable information For Official Use Only (FOUO) regarding threats to and vulnerabilities of first responders.

The EMR-ISAC exists to share CIP information with the senior leadership of the Emergency Services Sector of the nation. As an essential part of this service, the EMR-ISAC expeditiously disseminates Sensitive CIP Notices to department chiefs, deputy/assistant chiefs (second-in-command), fire marshals, emergency managers, and other senior leaders for planning and operations purposes.

In order to receive the Sensitive CIP Notices, the individuals identified above should individually subscribe to begin receiving this "need to know" decision-making information. Forwarded periodically as necessary, the sensitive (FOUO) information will be electronically communicated through a dedicated secure portal within the DisasterHelp.gov website. Subscribers must complete a brief application at https://disasterhelp.gov/usfacip.html. Those desiring technical assistance can use the 24x7 DisasterHelp.gov toll-free number (800-451-2647).

Please contact the EMR-ISAC at emr-isac@dhs.gov or at (301) 447-1325 if you have questions or concerns about this important initiative.

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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