Emergency Services Sector Resources

The Department of Homeland Security offers a wide array of free resources to government and private sector partners to enable the Emergency Services Sector mission.

Emergency Services Sector-Specific Agency

Emergency Services Sector Cybersecurity Initiative

The Emergency Services Sector Cybersecurity Initiative is an ongoing effort to enable the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) to better understand and manage cyber risks and to coordinate the sharing of cyber information and tools between subject matter experts (both inside and outside the federal government) and the ESS disciplines.

Emergency Services Sector Information Sharing Initiative

The Emergency Services Sector Information Sharing Initiative is an ongoing effort to improve current and develop new information sharing mechanisms within the ESS and between the federal government and ESS partners. Due to an ever-changing information sharing environment, there is an ongoing need to utilize the most effective and efficient information sharing pathways.

Emergency Services Sector Resilience Development Project

The Emergency Services Sector Resilience Development Project is a suite of existing resources and best practices that are specifically tailored to meet the unique resilience needs of the first responder community.

Emergency Services Sector-Specific Tabletop Exercise Program

The Emergency Services Sector-Specific Tabletop Exercise Program (ES SSTEP) is a tool that allows critical infrastructure partners to develop interactive, discussion-based exercises for their communities of interest at the sector or facility level. The ES SSTEP enables public and private critical infrastructure stakeholders and their public safety partners to exercise information-sharing processes and incident management plans, programs, policies, and procedures to address potential gaps, vulnerabilities, and other pertinent issues.

For more information on any of these Emergency Services Sector-Specific Agency resources, please send an e-mail to essteam@hq.dhs.gov.

FirstResponder.gov

FirstResponder.gov provides first responders with information on technology, resources, products, programs, standards, testing and evaluation, and best practices. Emergency Services Sector personnel can also request access to the Emergency Services Community of Practice at FirstResponder.gov.

Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN)

The Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) is the trusted network for homeland security mission operations to share Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) information. Federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, international, and private sector homeland security partners use HSIN to:

• Manage operations.
• Analyze data.
• Send alerts and notices.
• Share information they need to do their jobs.

To request access to the HSIN-Emergency Services portal, please send an e-mail to essteam@hq.dhs.gov with your full name, agency, and position within the agency.

InterAgency Board

The InterAgency Board (IAB) is a voluntary collaborative panel of emergency preparedness and response practitioners from a wide array of professional disciplines that represent all levels of government and the voluntary sector. The IAB provides a structured forum for the exchange of ideas among operational, technical, and support organizations to improve national preparedness and promote interoperability and compatibility among local, state, tribal and federal response communities. Based on direct field experience, IAB members advocate for and assist the development and implementation of performance criteria, standards, test protocols, and technical, operating, and training requirements for all-hazards incident response equipment with a special emphasis on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) issues. The IAB also reviews and comments on broader emergency preparedness and response policy, doctrine, and practices.

Information Sharing Environment

The Information Sharing Environment broadly refers to the people, projects, systems, and agencies that enable responsible information sharing for national security. This includes many different communities: law enforcement, public safety, homeland security, intelligence, defense, and foreign affairs.

Lessons Learned Information Sharing

Lessons Learned Information Sharing is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency program. This information and collaboration resource helps first responders, emergency managers, and homeland security officials prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and other emergencies.

Office for Bombing Prevention

The Office for Bombing Prevention leads the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to implement the National Policy for Countering Improvised Explosive Devices and enhance the nation’s ability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and mitigate the terrorist use of explosives against critical infrastructure, the private sector, and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial entities.

Technical Resource for Incident Prevention (TRIPwire)

Developed and maintained by the Office for Bombing Prevention, the Technical Resource for Incident Prevention (TRIPwire) is the Department’s 24/7 online, secure, collaborative, information-sharing network for bomb squad, law enforcement, and other emergency services personnel to learn about current terrorist improvised explosive device tactics, techniques, and procedures, including design and emplacement considerations.

Protective Security Advisors

Protective Security Advisors are trained critical infrastructure protection and vulnerability mitigation subject matter experts who ensure all Office of Infrastructure Protection critical infrastructure protection programs and services are delivered to state, local, territorial, and tribal stakeholders and private sector owners and operators. Additionally, they conduct specialized site visits and provide information and guidance on critical infrastructure issues.

State and Major Urban Area Fusion Centers

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, and private sector partners.

Contact

For more information, contact the Emergency Services Sector-Specific Agency at essteam@hq.dhs.gov.