Infogram

June 3, 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.

Ten Standard Fire Orders

Several sources indicate that Northwestern and Southwestern states and the federal government are facing the probability of another devastating wildfire season. Anticipating the worst, Western fire departments are already preparing for a long summer of raging long-duration wildfires. As was the case last year, hundreds of organizations and agencies with thousands of personnel belonging to the Emergency Management and Response (EMR) Sector expect to be thoroughly employed and abundantly challenged.

At the suggestion of a specialist in the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho, the EMR-ISAC examined the Ten Standard Fire Orders. These Orders provide wildland firefighters with the essential information needed for safe and efficient operations. According to the NIFC website, the Orders are logically arranged to be implemented systematically and applied to all fire situations to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of wildfire fatalities. When studying the ten orders, the EMR-ISAC observed that they are generally applicable to all firefighters, particularly those who may deploy in support of wildland fire suppression. Therefore, for the benefit of the protection of firefighter personnel-the foremost of EMR Sector critical infrastructures, they are repeated here in the version approved by the National Wildfire Coordination Group in May 2002:

Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts.
Know what your fire is doing at all times.
Base all actions on current and expected behavior of the fire.
Identify escape routes and safety zones, and make them known.
Post lookouts when there is possible danger.
Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively.
Maintain prompt communication with your forces, your supervisor and adjoining forces.
Give clear instructions and ensure they are understood.
Maintain control of your forces at all times.
Fight fires aggressively, having provided for safety first.

Hazard Materials Incidents

Throughout urban and suburban America, there are hundreds of plants and warehouses that process and stock hazardous materials. Homeland Security watchdogs call these locations "prepositioned weapons of mass destruction" for terrorists. The federal security officials warn that the presence of these facilities in or nearby population and business centers "may be the most vulnerable point in the nation's defenses." In some locations of the United States, a hazardous materials (HazMat) incident at just one of these industrial sites could potentially endanger more than tens of thousands of people, ruin the regional economy, and demoralize the nation.

Dependent upon the circumstances of the HazMat incident, specialists recommend either evacuation or "sheltering in place." The matter begs the question: "when is one the better choice than the other?" This is only one of many serious decisions local leaders will have to quickly make on behalf of their citizens and rescuers. Community leaders should anticipate there will be very little time to seek advice after the incident occurs.

Considering the possibility for future incidents, the EMR-ISAC advises critical infrastructure protection (CIP) action by those municipalities and emergency departments with HazMat facilities in their jurisdiction. At minimum, the update of plans and rehearsal of mitigation and preparedness activities may be appropriate to enhance survivability, continuity of operations, and mission success if and when an incident happens at any of these sites.

Bolster CIP by Informing Citizens

Generations of American people since the World Wars learned and accepted that homeland security underwrites the freedom, peace, and safety U.S. citizens enjoy. Today, more than ever, the American spirit depends upon assurances that federal, state, and local governments expediently and accurately share and act upon relevant homeland security information. Additionally, interviews during the last two years further substantiate that genuine confidence and trust emerges particularly when local leaders engage residents with credible information about the security status and plans of their communities.

In the new pamphlet "We the People," prepared by the Council for Excellence in Government, it explains that now is the time to establish a tradition of strong citizen involvement and a well-informed general public. The pamphlet advocates that mayors and other local leaders (e.g., emergency managers, fire and police chiefs) convene periodic town hall meetings with local first responders, community planning board, hospitals, schools, transportation agencies, public utilities, key businesses, news reporters, and citizens for at least the following purposes:

Improve community emergency plans.
Increase emergency preparedness.
Protect critical infrastructures.
Acquire suggestions for future security actions.
Solicit citizen volunteerism.

More ideas regarding homeland security from the citizens' perspective can be seen in the report at: http://excelgov.org/usermedia/images/uploads/PDFs/FINAL_VERSION_PDF.pdf.

Responding to Incidents of National Consequence

The Federal Emergency Management Agency released a report on 28 May entitled: "Responding to Incidents of National Consequence." This document, developed at the U.S. Fire Administration, includes recommendations for the fire and emergency services based on the events of 9/11, and other similar incidents. It contains a prioritized checklist of suggested actions for emergency response agencies and other support information. The report also provides guidance to fire departments and emergency services across America to prepare for, respond to, and recover from major multi-jurisdictional local incidents that have national consequences and may involve national resources.

"This report is important for those emergency response leaders who coordinate or support local incident management at major or complex emergencies and disasters," said Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. "The guidance will help them function efficiently and effectively under the National Incident Management System," Under Secretary Brown added.

The document can be downloaded from the following link: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-282.pdf.

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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