Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Could Mumbai Happen Here?

Excellent article reference the one year anniversary of the Mumbia, India complex attacks.

Could Mumbia Happen Here?

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the brutal terrorist attacks in India. Gerald Posner watches a mock assault on Miami—and reveals shocking security gaps.

www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-11-24/could-it-happen-here/full/

Monday, November 16, 2009

Mass Violence Planning and Response Overview

Mass Violence Overview

A rapid, safe and successful response to a mass violence incident requires preparation. The tragic attacks such as Fort Hood, Virginia Tech and Mumbai, India present a current and emerging threat to all response and planning agencies at the local, state and federal levels. Responders are not only faced with the possibility of large numbers of victims during these incidents, but also with serious threat of harm and death to personnel.

During the Mass Shootings Planning and Response course I teach one of the key bullet points that gets alot of positive discussion is the multi-agency pre-planning efforts. These incidents can occur in any jurisdiction, big or small, urban or rural and it is important that responders at all levels have a basic understanding of the current and emerging threats from these types of incidents.

One of the best and most cost-effective means of planning for these incidents is pulling together all your key agencies to discuss this situation/response. (Yes another meeting). These agencies should include:

Emergency Management Offices
Law Enforcement Agencies
Fire Departments
Emergency Medical Services
Military Personnel (If located near an installation or facility)
Schools/Colleges/Universities
Fusion Center Operations
Joint Terrorism Task Force Operations (If located near a JTTF)
Public Safety Special Operation Teams

Reminder that training for these mass violence situations can be a difficult endeavor in which there is no substitute for hands-on training and exercising. And the best way to approach this is with a multi-agency approach. if you rely on other agencies in your plans you need to meet with these agencies before hand. Your networking efforts will help as you move along with your planning, training and exercises.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC)

Excellent no-cost program that emergency management officials can join.


The term "critical infrastructure protection" (CIP) pertains to the proactive activities for protecting critical infrastructures: the people, physical assets, and communication/cyber systems that are indispensably necessary for national security, economic stability, and public safety. CIP methods and resources deter or mitigate attacks against critical infrastructures caused by people (e.g., terrorists, other criminals, hackers, etc.), by nature (e.g., hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, etc.), and by HazMat accidents involving nuclear, radiological, biological, or chemical substances (i.e., all hazards).

Plainly stated, CIP is about protecting those invaluable assets that make life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness a national reality.

To promote CIP by police, fire, emergency medical, and emergency management agencies, i.e., the Emergency Services Sector (ESS), the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) developed the CIP program to support this ESS initiative. Primarily, the EMR-ISAC disseminates information to bolster the infrastructure protection efforts of emergency first responders nationwide.

Located at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, MD, the EMR-ISAC imparts that critical infrastructures of the emergency services are essential for the accomplishment of missions affecting life and property. For further clarification, they are the people, physical assets, and communication/cyber systems that must be intact and operational 24x7 to ensure survivability, continuity of operations, and mission success.

www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/subjects/emr-isac/index.shtm

Friday, November 6, 2009

NO COST Training Materials: Active Shooter, Mass Shootings, 4th/5th Generation Warfare

NO COST Training Materials: Active Shooter, Mass Shootings, 4th/5th Generation Warfare

Thoughts and prayers for the families, civilians and soldiers at Fort Hood.

Active Shooter and 4th/5th Generation Warfare PPT, video materials and references: http://www.officer.com/posa/index.jsp?siteSection=30

AND

Preparation for and Response to Mass Shooting Events
http://www.ffsupport.org/training.html
Mass shooting events are becoming more common, and the response to theminvolves every public safety agency for miles around. This program detailsthe actions that fire and EMS agencies can take to prepare themselves forthis all-too-likely event, and the actions they can take when the eventoccurs.

It covers: Multi-agency planning and preparation Creating a prevention environment Command, command post and crowd control issues for this kind of event An overview of the tactics that agencies should be familiar with This program is available in two formats. The 40+ PowerPoint slidepresentation covers the material thoroughly, while the 45-minute videoprogram is a verbal presentation of the PowerPoint material.
http://www.ffsupport.org/training.html

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Technical Resource for Incident Prevention

This is an excellent program that I have belonged to for over three years and the information is applicable for those in emergency management at the local, regional, state and federal level who work in terrorism and homeland security training, planning, information sharing and exercises. You will need to go through a verification process to gain access to TRIPwire. Reminder a majority of the information on TRIPwire is public safety/law enforcement sensitive (LES) and is not to be shared with the general public.

TRIPwire (Technical Resource for Incident Prevention) is a secure, online information-sharing network for law enforcement, bomb squads, and other first responders to learn about current terrorist bombing tactics, techniques, and procedures, including improvised explosive device (IED) design and emplacement.

TRIPwire serves the bombing prevention community as a consolidated and expert-validated resource of near real-time information on improvised explosives and IEDs, relevant news, and threat alerts.

By combining expert analysis and reports with relevant documents, images, and video gathered directly from terrorist sources, TRIPwire helps homeland security professionals anticipate, identify, and prevent bombing incidents.

The secure, restricted-access information sharing network is provided free of charge by the Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) to members of the bombing prevention community only. For more information about the TRIPwire system, please contact the Office for Bombing Prevention at OBP@dhs.gov or through the TRIPwire Help Desk, help@tripwire-dhs.net

Thanks again and be safe,

August Vernon