Infogram

November 11, 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.

Presidential Inauguration: National Special Security Event

Government officials recently repeated their concern that terrorists might attempt to disrupt the political process. They expressed that their apprehension has actually grown since the Democratic and Republican National Conventions and the November elections passed without a terrorist incident. Therefore, given the symbolic, historical, political, and social significance attached to the Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2005, the Department of Homeland Security designated the Inauguration a National Special Security Event, which extends to the Swearing-in Ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, the Inaugural Parade, the official reviewing stand on Pennsylvania Avenue, and the Inaugural Balls. This designation empowers the U.S. Secret Service to employ existing partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement and public safety officials to ensure a safe, secure, and successful environment for the event and those in attendance.

Considering the probability for terrorist exploitation of this high profile event, the EMR-ISAC recommends critical infrastructure protection (CIP) action by those communities and emergency responder departments located at or adjacent to Inaugural activities-in addition to cooperation with the Secret Service. Emergency Services Sector leaders can capitalize on the little remaining time to guarantee that all resources, communications, procedures, and processes are updated and rehearsed as deterrence to, or in preparation for a possible attack.

Furthermore, emergency departments nationwide should not diminish their level of vigilance and preparation between the present and the Presidential Inauguration. While the nation directs its attention to Inaugural activities in Washington, D.C., it is feasible that transnational terrorists may seize the opportunity to attack critical infrastructures that are more vulnerable and less protected in other parts of the United States.

Emergency Services: Protectors of Critical Infrastructures

The Federal Government has been examining vulnerabilities in critical infrastructures for nearly a decade, especially those that could endanger national security, weaken the economy or damage public morale and confidence. Government efforts to improve the protection of the nation's critical infrastructures (e.g., domestic power plants, natural gas and oil facilities, airports, seaports, and telecommunication companies) continue unabated. Officials are particularly concerned with the interdependencies among critical infrastructures and the potential for the cascading degradation of multiple infrastructures when one critical infrastructure is incapacitated.

Emergency response organizations are a national critical infrastructure and the first line of defense when and where tragedy occurs. First response agencies and their personnel provide an indispensable service to America, because when performing duties they protect other critical infrastructures and key resources. Therefore, it is appropriate and essential to include the Emergency Services Sector when federal, state, and local decision-makers assess infrastructure interdependencies and develop plans to minimize adverse cascading effects caused by man-made or natural disasters. Since the services of emergency departments extend far beyond local emergencies, the senior leadership of first responder organizations must do everything within their power to be fully equipped, staffed, and trained to guarantee "response-ability" under all circumstances. The EMR-ISAC encourages chief officers to aggressively pursue dialog with local and regional officials to build new and better mutual or automatic aid agreements. Such agreements should synergize the best capabilities of every agency for the protection of those serving as well as critical infrastructures within jurisdictions. Any agreements should reinforce the crucial role that the emergency services play in the protection of the nation's critical infrastructures. The United States and its citizens can neither afford nor tolerate a degradation of any part of the Emergency Services Sector.

Using Military Medical Assets to Support Civil Authorities

Even before the events of 9/11, threat assessments suggested that the United States should prepare to respond to terrorist attacks inside its borders. The monograph, entitled "Triage for Civil Support: Using Military Medical Assets to Respond to Terrorist Attacks," examines the use of military medical assets to support civil authorities in the aftermath of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or conventional high explosives attack inside the nation. In conducting this study, the authors from the RAND Corporation focused on five questions:

Under what circumstances could military medical assets be requested?
What assets could be requested?
Are appropriate assets and related planning processes in place for civil support?
What are the barriers (legal and others) to military support to civil authorities?
How can any existing barriers be overcome, if necessary?

In addition to a discussion of the applicable literature and laws, this monograph also includes historical case studies regarding instances in which military medial assets were requested to assist civil authorities following natural disasters. It also includes a review of two exercises, based on postulated attacks, involving senior officials from local, state, and federal agencies. Community leaders and emergency managers interested in this study can access free downloadable PDF files (Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 5.0 or higher) containing the full document (3 MB) or summary only (.2 MB) at the following website: http://www.rand.org/publications/MG/MG217.

Lessons-Learned from the Sniper Investigation

"Managing a Multijurisdictional Case: Identifying the Lessons-Learned from the Sniper Investigation" details the "lessons-learned" and recommendations for how police agencies can prepare for high-profile crimes involving multiple jurisdictions. This report is based on the experiences of more than 100 individuals closet to the Washington D.C. area sniper case along with information from focus groups and other sources. The full text can be seen at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/pubs/SniperRpt.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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