FEMA Blog: Our Role: Continuing to Support Ongoing Flood Fight

Posted by FEMA Public Affairs
As we continue to support the response to the severe storms that affected the Southeast earlier this month, we are also continuing to closely monitor the ongoing flood fight along the Mississippi River Valley, its tributaries and other low-lying areas.

Historic flood levels have been set at many locations where the river has crested, and thousands of Americans are continuing to be affected. Here's a rundown of what we’re doing to support the flood fight, and what you can do if you live an area at risk for flooding:

What we're doing
Through our regional offices in Atlanta, Ga., Chicago, Ill., Denton, Texas, and Kansas City, Mo., we remain in close contact and coordination with our state and local partners in all of the areas affected by, or potentially impacted by, flooding. And as the crest moves down the Mississippi River, we will continue to coordinate closely with officials from the states of Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

At the request of the states, we currently have staff on the ground in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee working with state emergency management partners, to coordinate federal support. Last week, President Obama declared emergency declarations for Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana, and a major disaster declaration for Kentucky, allowing the federal government to support emergency measures to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety.

In addition to personnel on the ground, we're also sending supplies to a pre-determined staging area in western Kentucky to ensure the needed supplies are located close to the affected areas. Here’s a quick look at the supplies at the staging area so far:

• More than 720,000 meals,
• More than 460,000 thousand liters of water,
• More than 39,000 blankets,
• More than 20,000 tarps and
• More than 14,000 cots.

Nashville, TN, May 4, 2010 -- An aerial photograph shows the extensive flood damage to Nashville during last May's flooding.

What you can do
If you live in an area that may be affected, follow the directions of local officials (including evacuation orders), as record flood levels are anticipated as the crest continues to move down river.

The National Weather Service remains the source for official weather information, and has issued flood warnings across several states, from Cairo, Ill. to Baton Rouge, La., including Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana as rivers are forecast to crest over the next few weeks. You can track your local forecast at www.weather.gov or on your phone at http://mobile.weather.gov.

Become familiar with the terms that are used to identify a flooding hazard and discuss with your family what to do if a flood watch or warning is issued:

• Flood Watch: Flooding is possible. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information
• Flash Flood Watch: Flash flooding is possible. Be prepared to move to higher ground; listen to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.
• Flood Warning: Flooding is occurring or will occur soon; if advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
• Flash Flood Warning: A flash flood is occurring; seek higher ground on foot immediately.

For more flood safety and preparedness tips, visit Ready.gov, and check back on the blog for the latest updates.

Beware of Osama Bin Laden Email Phishing Schemes

Posted by Stop. Think. Connect.

The death of Osama bin Laden has garnered attention and interest around the world.  Unfortunately, major news events like this one often bring a wave of phishing scams designed to collect your personal or financial information without your knowledge.

Phishing scammers use email or malicious websites to solicit information by posing as a trustworthy source.  For example, a scam may send an email that looks like it’s from a reputable news organization with links to photos or video when, in fact, it takes you to a malicious website or downloads harmful viruses onto your computer.

The Department’s Stop. Think. Connect. campaign reminds all Internet users to be vigilant whenever they’re online, and to use caution when opening emails that purport to show images related to bin Laden’s death.  The same caution should be used with emails about the Royal Wedding or other recent major news events.

In addition to phishing, scammers may also post fake images online that can lead you to an infected website.  At least two domains were found to be serving up fake antivirus rogueware called "Best Antivirus 2011" on searches for "Osama bin Laden body" on a Google image search in Spanish, according to reports.

By clicking on these links or websites, you are putting your computer and your personal information at risk.

The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) offers the following advice to protect yourself from phishing schemes:

• Keep software up to date - Many operating systems offer automatic updates.  If this option is available, you should enable it.
• Save and scan any attachments before opening them - If you have to open an attachment before you can verify the source, take the following steps:
• Be sure the signatures in your anti-virus software are up to date (see Understanding Anti-Virus Software for more information).
• Save the file to your computer or a disk.
• Manually scan the file using your anti-virus software.
• Turn off the option to automatically download attachments - To simplify the process of reading email, many email programs offer the feature to automatically download attachments.

View emails in “Plain Text” – many email applications have options to view emails in “Plain Text”, which will restrict link functionalities and other unnecessary, but potentially dangerous, features in emails.

In addition, the Department Stop.Think.Connect. campaign reminds all Americans that whenever you’re online, it’s important to:

• Stop before clicking on images or opening suspicious email from sources or website you don’t know.
• Think about who sent you the email before opening any attachments or clicking links.  Be wary of unsolicited attachments, even from people you know.  Above all trust your instincts.
• Connect and use the Internet with the confidence of knowing you have taken the steps to protect your computer.

If you believe you have been the victim of a phishing attack, report it by sending an email to phishing-report@us-cert.gov. 

For more information on the Stop. Think. Connect. Campaign, visit www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect.

TSA Blog: TSA Officers React Quickly to Devastating Tornado Touchdown at St. Louis Lambert Airport

Posted by Blogger Bob

Many of you have followed the heartbreaking stories and recovery efforts coming out of severe weather in the Midwest and Southeast. I wanted to share some of the stories that were brought to my attention. 

On April 27, one of the most deadly weather events in U.S. history occurred as tornadoes ripped through America, killing hundreds of people. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of those regions as they start the process of rebuilding.

The tornadoes on April 27 came about a week after another strong tornado inflicted significant damage in St. Louis, including at the airport.

Out of stories of unspeakable tragedy like these, we often hear stories of great courage by otherwise regular people. We have heard a few of these stories in recent days about the actions of the men and women of TSA at the St. Louis airport and wanted to share a few of them with you.

Imagine a 200mph tornado busting through your workplace. That’s exactly what happened last week to many TSA officers and airline employees in St. Louis. Watch the devastating footage here, and here.

In the midst of all the chaos and confusion, several TSA officers went above and beyond to ensure the safety of their coworkers and passengers.

One officer carried a woman who had frozen in panic to a safe location. Moments later, the glass windows in that area of the terminal imploded sending shattered glass in every direction.

Three other officers came to the aid of EMS personnel by helping them remove two passengers from a tornado damaged vehicle. They held IVs and kept the stretchers steady as the passengers were pulled from the car. The officers also helped carry the stretchers through the debris-strewn parking garage when the ambulance couldn’t get through.

Another officer helped a passenger who was a nurse set up a triage area. The officer helped gather supplies together from first aid kits, helped treat wounds and also tasked other officers with ways they could assist the emergency personnel.

Two other officers initiated the evacuation of a terminal after noticing the windows had started to bow and stayed behind a few extra moments to help direct passengers to safety.

Due to falling glass and other hazards, many officers later assisted passengers with safe exit of the airport after the storm.

This spring’s storms have wreaked havoc in many parts of our nation and many regular people are responding in great ways – as we always do in this country – to help. We are proud of our officers who played a role in keeping people safe in St. Louis last week.

Secretary Napolitano visited the airport last week and commended the officers for their actions and presented them with DHS coins – an honor and a sign of respect in military and government settings.

The response of our crew at STL came as no surprise. This is just one example of the caliber of employees we’ve hired at airports nationwide. They are quick on their feet and ready to respond in the face of chaos when needed.

For more information on recovery efforts from the storms, please visit FEMA’s blog.

Secretary Napolitano Tours Storm Damage in St. Louis and Joins Students for the Great Central U.S. Shakeout

Posted by Secretary Janet Napolitano

The devastating storms and tornadoes that have swept across Missouri, Alabama and other parts of our nation this week are a vivid reminder that disasters of all kinds can strike at any time, and it is vital that all of us, including members of our nation's emergency management team and the American public, are prepared to act.

Yesterday, I traveled to St. Louis to tour the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, which suffered severe damage when tornadoes struck the region last weekend. During my visit, I had the opportunity to meet with some of the heroic TSA workers who were on duty during the tornadoes and played a key role in helping the airport re-open quickly. Additionally, FEMA teams were already on-site to assess the damage and assist with the process of getting the airport fully functional again.  At my direction, FEMA also has deployed personnel to the state’s emergency operation center to help coordinate assistance and work side-by-side with its state and local partners.

While in St. Louis, I also joined Secretary Arne Duncan and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon at Carnahan High School of the Future to participate in the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut--the largest-ever, multi-state earthquake drill to be held in the United States, and the first major drill to take place along the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which was the site of one of the worst earthquakes in U.S. history nearly 200 years ago.  In total, 2,644 K-12 schools and 117 colleges participated in the ShakeOut, along with businesses, local, state and federal government agencies, child care centers, and many other organizations.  The exercise will go a long way in helping us be prepared in the event of a major earthquake.

In light of recent events from Japan to Missouri to Alabama, we recognize that preparedness and education are vital to our ability to respond to unforeseeable events like earthquakes, storms and other natural disasters. Every individual plays an important role in building a national culture of readiness and resilience and we encourage every American to learn what they can do to help their families, businesses and communities be prepared and stay safe in any emergency.

Today, we stand with the communities affected by these terrible storms, in Missouri, Alabama and in other states across our nation.  We offer them our help and our prayers as they work to rebuild and recover.

Fusion Centers Meet Important Privacy Milestone

All 71 fusion centers now have an approved privacy policy
By Mary Ellen Callahan, Chief Privacy Officer, DHS and Bart R. Johnson, Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, DHS

State and major urban area fusion centers serve as focal points within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT) and private sector partners.

Located in states and major urban areas throughout the country, fusion centers are uniquely situated to empower front-line homeland security and law enforcement partners to understand local implications of national intelligence, thus enabling local officials to better protect their communities.

A Milestone for Privacy, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Both fusion center directors and the federal government have identified the protection of privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties as a key priority and an important enabling capability to ensure fusion centers protect the legal rights of Americans while supporting homeland security efforts. It is critical that fusion center personnel not only receive training to understand the need to protect privacy, civil rights and civil liberties, but also have a policy in place clearly outlining how this will be achieved.

To help with these efforts, the DHS Privacy Office, working in collaboration with the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and the Program Manager of the Information Sharing Environment, began an independent review in November 2009 of fusion center privacy policies. Today, we are pleased to announce that all 71 officially designated fusion centers have successfully completed this important step and received letters from the DHS Chief Privacy Officer stating that these policies have been determined to be at least as comprehensive as the Information Sharing Environment (ISE) Privacy Guidelines.

The completion of these privacy policies by all fusion centers is a milestone to support the sharing of terrorism and other homeland security information between the federal government and fusion centers during situations involving time-sensitive and emerging threats.

Protecting Privacy While Sharing Information

Established by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the ISE provides analysts, operators, and investigators with integrated and synthesized terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and homeland security information needed to enhance national security and help keep our people safe.

The law required the President to issue Guidelines to protect privacy and civil liberties. From this, the ISE Privacy Guidelines were established to help ensure that ISE sharing partners sufficiently protect Americans’ privacy and civil liberties while sharing important terrorism and homeland security information.

These guidelines require that ISE participants - such as the National Network of Fusion Centers - have a written privacy protection policy that is “at least as comprehensive” as the ISE Privacy Guidelines. For example, within each privacy policy, fusion centers must identify a privacy officer and clearly articulate the security measures in place to protect personally identifiable information.

Next Steps

The DHS Privacy Office remains engaged with the fusion centers as they work to implement their privacy policies. In partnership with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, I&A, and DOJ, we will continue to provide support to the National Network of Fusion Centers to help ensure that these policies are adhered to, as well as to provide customized privacy, civil liberties and civil rights training to those working in this arena including:

1. DHS intelligence officers assigned to a fusion center;
2. state and major urban area fusion center personnel; and
3. individuals serving as the privacy officer in each fusion center.

More information:
Fusion center privacy policies
Read more on fusion centers
DHS Privacy Office website

FEMA Blog: Online and Mobile Resources for Helping Survivors

Posted by FEMA Public Affairs

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those affected by the severe storms and tornadoes that hit much of the southeastern U.S. As part of the team responding to the severe weather in the South, we continue to support communities and states as they assess the situation and provide life-saving and life-sustaining support.

Below is a list of online resources you can use and pass on to others who may have been affected. Included in this list are resources that are accessible via smartphones and other mobile devices. And if you’re looking for our latest updates, visit the Severe Storms / Tornadoes category on the blog.

If you’re on a desktop or laptop computer:

• Safe and Well – American Red Cross site to locate missing family/friends. You can also report that you are OK.
• Map of open shelters
• Your Local Weather Forecast
• Tornado and Severe Storm Safety Tips
• For those of you who wish to help, our Helping Others page is a good place to start. Keep in mind that cash is the most needed and most efficient way of helping those impacted by disaster.

If you only have access to a smartphone or mobile device:

• American Red Cross Safe and Well
• Your Local Weather Service Forecast
• FEMA Mobile Site With Safety Tips

Visit the FEMA Blog to learn more.

A New Way of Doing Business

Today we are recognizing what may be the beginning of a whole new way of developing partnerships between the public and private sectors.

Despite its long name, the Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) System Efficacy through Commercialization, Utilization, Relevance and Evaluation (SECURE) concept is simple: The government provides companies with detailed requirements of a needed technology, product, or service, along with a conservative estimate of the potential market. In exchange, companies use their own funds to perform research and development to meet those requirements. This saves money on both ends: the government doesn’t spend money on research and development, while the company doesn’t waste resources trying to figure out on their own what the government ultimately is going to need.

Once the technology, product or service is complete and verified through independent third-party testing and evaluation, the technology can be certified as having met the SECURE requirements. (See this article on SECURE in this week’s Bloomberg Businessweek magazine.)

The first certified product, a blast-resistant video system designed by Visual Defence, Inc. that functions similarly to the “black box” found in airplanes was unveiled today by S&T at the Long Island Forum for Technology, located at the Morrelly Homeland Security Center in Bethpage, N.Y.

S&T issued detailed requirements for several needed technologies, including a video system that could be used in mass transit systems and survive an explosion and fire. Visual Defence Inc. produced a working prototype in just a few short months. The systems was tested against powerful improvised explosive devices, subjected to the intense heat of a diesel fuel fire and rapidly cooled with water, simulating a firefighter’s hose, and then underwent a series of pilot tests in several municipal transit systems across the country.

The SECURE Program doesn’t stop there. We are working to develop the products and services needed to accomplish the broad range of DHS missions, from protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure to supporting first responders to enhancing aviation security to facilitating legitimate cross-border travel and trade, and many things in between.

The driving force behind the creation of the SECURE program was DHS’s Chief Commercialization Officer, Tom Cellucci, who leads DHS S&T’s outreach with both the private and public sectors. Cellucci was recently recognized for his efforts by Security magazine as one of the “Most Influential People in Security” who “positively impact the security industry, their organization, their colleagues and their peers.” We think that description sums up Tom’s excellent work pretty well!

Secretary Napolitano Visits Artesia Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in New Mexico

Posted by the Office of Public Affairs

Today, Secretary Napolitano visited the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Artesia, New Mexico, to tour the facility and participate in a U.S. Border Patrol Change-of-Command ceremony at FLETC’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol Academy.

During the Change-of-Command ceremony, Secretary Napolitano thanked outgoing Chief Border Patrol Agent Scott Luck for his outstanding work in preparing Border Patrol Agents to serve on the frontlines and protect our nation’s borders, and welcomed incoming Chief Border Patrol Agent Roberto Correa to his new post.

During her remarks, Secretary Napolitano underscored the critical role of the Border Patrol Academy in giving all of our Border Patrol agents – wherever they serve – the tools and skills they need to succeed in the challenging and important work they do each day to help secure our nation.

Following the ceremony, Secretary Napolitano toured the facilities at FLETC-Artesia and viewed Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) cockpit training simulators. FFDOs are flight crewmembers authorized and trained by the Transportation Security Administration Office of Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service to use firearms to defend against an act of criminal violence or air piracy – one of our multiple layers of aviation security.

As one of three residential training sites in the United States, FLETC-Artesia includes a full range of facilities for conducting basic and advanced law enforcement training. The Border Patrol consolidated all of its training activities at the Center in September 2004.

FLETC provides law enforcement training for 89 Federal agencies as well as state, local, campus, tribal, and international law enforcement agencies--training nearly 940,000 law enforcement officers and agents nationwide since its inception in 1970.

DHS Announces New Guidance on Limited English Proficiency

Posted by Margo Schlanger

I’m pleased to announce that the Department has published new guidance for agencies and organizations that receive DHS financial assistance on providing meaningful access for people with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). The purpose of the LEP Guidance is to help those who carry out Department-supported activities – such as homeland security grants – to understand and implement their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI and its regulations prohibit recipients of federal financial assistance from conducting their programs in a way that subjects persons to discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. Long standing interpretations of the law and regulations indicate that failing to take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access for LEP persons is a form of national origin discrimination prohibited by Title VI regulations.

DHS recipients include state and local emergency management agencies, fire and police departments, mass transit authorities, community emergency response teams, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations that provide vital services to the public. This new LEP Guidance will assist them in carrying out their programs in a way that is accessible to all communities, regardless of English proficiency.

At the same time the Department is providing guidance to recipients of financial assistance on their obligations under Title VI, the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) is engaging with DHS partners and LEP stakeholders to improve language access in the Department’s own programs and activities. These engagement activities will contribute toward the development of a comprehensive DHS LEP Plan, which is underway.

In support of the Department’s goal to improve language access, more about the LEP Guidance and CRCL’s complaint form can be viewed in alternate languages on CRCL’s website. Read more at www.dhs.gov/crcl.

Margo Schlanger is the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) at the United States Department of Homeland Security

The New National Terrorism Advisory System

Posted by Secretary Janet Napolitano

In today’s threat environment – more than ever – we know that our security is a shared responsibility and the best security strategy is one that gets the public involved. That’s why the Department of Homeland Security is focused on strengthening our country’s defenses by getting all stakeholders – including the public – the information and resources they need in order to play their part in helping to secure the country.

We’ve begun a great deal of this work by building the capabilities of fusion centers, launching the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative, and expanding the “If You See Something, Say Something,” campaign. Now, we are taking another major step forward through the new National Terrorism Advisory System or NTAS. This new system –which will be fully implemented on April 26 – counts on the American public as a key partner in securing our country.

NTAS is built on a clear and simple premise: When a threat develops that could impact you – the public – we will tell you. We will provide whatever information we can so you know how to protect yourselves, your families, and your communities.

Under the new system, DHS will coordinate with other federal entities to issue formal, detailed alerts when the federal government receives information about a specific or credible terrorist threat. These alerts will include a clear statement that there is an imminent threat or elevated threat, a summary of the potential threat, actions being taken to ensure public safety, and steps that individuals and communities can take to protect themselves and help prevent, mitigate or respond to the threat. These alerts will also have a specified end date.

For Americans, this will mean some visible changes. You won’t hear the old color-code announcements when you go to airports, or see them when you visit a government website. Instead, when a threat arises that could affect you and your family, you will hear about it through an NTAS Alert issued by DHS through official channels, such as the DHS website, the news media, and via social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.

During past attacks and incidents, we have seen the life-saving contributions of everyday Americans who alert authorities to something suspicious and help avert danger. We strongly believe that, if we are facing a particular threat, the American people should be equipped with whatever information we can provide so you know how to protect yourselves, your families, and your communities. The new NTAS system will do just that, and is an important part of the ongoing efforts to make our country safer and more secure.