McGraw-Hill 2012 Homeland Security Handbook

The 2012 edition of the McGraw-Hill Homeland Security Handbook is scheduled for publication late in 2012. Donald L Schmidt, CEO of Preparedness, LLC, once again has authored a chapter on Corporate Emergency Management.

This handbook aims to foster an integrated and coordinated approach to homeland security, emergency management, and enterprise resilience. The Handbook has several important features:

• The 2012 edition of the Handbook provides extensive thematic coverage, offering an opportunity to understand how homeland security challenges are interconnected. As pointed out in the foreword to the 2006 edition, only a team of individuals with genuine crosscutting knowledge and practical experience will be able to understand the complexity of any particular homeland security challenge, devise an efficient and viable strategy for dealing with the problem, and implement this strategy effectively.
• The contributors include distinguished members of government, industry, and academia, many of whom combine theory with practical experience in homeland security and are active in educating the next generation of national security leaders.
• As no country has a monopoly on best practices, this edition has an expanded section on international approaches, with perspectives and insights from past disasters.
• This edition includes management principles, models, concepts, and specific practical guidance. Many chapters present practical steps that security, emergency preparedness, and business continuity professionals can apply immediately to create vigilant, prepared, and resilient communities and business enterprises.
• The book emphasizes the importance of systems thinking, holistic interoperability, and information sharing protocol development. The need for this emphasis stems from the reality that, since the last edition was published, the world has witnessed numerous occasions when poor information sharing and coordination undermined counterterrorism defenses and crisis consequence management following catastrophic natural disasters.
• The book covers recent homeland security policy developments, such as Presidential Policy Directive 8 (PPD-8) with National Frameworks for Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery.

The website at www.HomelandSecurityBook.com provides valuable resources for further study.

New National Terrorism Advisory System

April 20, 2011

The Secretary of Homeland Security has announced the implementation of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)— that will provide timely information to the public about credible terrorist threats. This system replaces the former five color-coded alert system.

Under NTAS, DHS will coordinate with other federal entities to issue detailed alerts to the public when the federal government receives information about a credible terrorist threat. NTAS alerts provide a concise summary of the potential threat including geographic region, mode of transportation, or critical infrastructure potentially affected by the threat, actions being taken to ensure public safety, as well as recommended steps that individuals, communities, business and governments can take to help prevent, mitigate or respond to a threat. NTAS Alerts will include a clear statement on the nature of the threat, which will be defined in one of two ways:

• “Elevated Threat”: Warns of a credible terrorist threat against the United States
• “Imminent Threat”: Warns of a credible, specific, and impending terrorist threat against the United States

Depending on the nature of the threat, alerts may be sent to law enforcement, distributed to affected areas of the private sector, or issued more broadly to the public through both official and social media channels—including a designated DHS webpage (www.dhs.gov/alerts), Facebook, and via Twitter @NTASAlerts. NTAS alerts and posters will also be displayed in places such as transit hubs, airports and government buildings.

NTAS threat alerts will be issued for a specific time period and will automatically expire. Alerts may be extended if new information becomes available or as a specific threat evolves.

Our National Preparedness Standard, NFPA 1600 “Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs” calls for conducting a risk assessment to “identify hazards and monitor those hazards and the likelihood of their occurrence.” It also calls for “a process to monitor the identified hazards and adjust the level of preventive measures to be commensurate with the risk.” The National Terrorism Advisory System is an example of monitoring terrorism and the likelihood of occurrence. Each organization’s emergency management and business continuity program should identify actions that will be taken to enhance security and protect personnel, facilities, and business operations when advisories are issued. Guidance can be found on the "Resources Page" of the Preparedness, LLC website. We have developed customized action plans for many of our clients.

FBI Official Sees 100% Likelihood of WMD Strike on U.S.

Global Security Newswire, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011. A senior FBI official said there is a 100 percent chance that the United States at some time will be attacked with a weapon of mass destruction, Newsmax reported on Monday (see GSN, Feb. 14).

"The notion of probability of a WMD attack being low or high is a moot point because we know the probability is 100 percent," FBI Assistant Director for the WMD Directorate Vahid Majidi said. "We’ve seen this in the past, and we will see it in the future. There is going to be an attack using chemical, biological or radiological material."

Majidi said the expected WMD attack could be carried out by an international terrorist group, a lone actor or a criminal operation. An incident would be expected to feature a weapon less devastating than a nuclear bomb due to the difficulty in preparing and transferring such as device.

NFPA 1600 and 14 NFPA first responder codes and standards receive DHS designation as “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology”

November 20, 2009 – NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs and 14 other NFPA codes and standards have been designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology” (QATT) under the Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act). This is the first block of standards to receive this designation by DHS. Under the provisions of the SAFETY Act, these standards were also certified as “Approved Product(s) for Homeland Security.”

In September of 2008, NFPA was the first standards development organization to receive this designation for its codes and standards development process.

According to DHS, the SAFETY Act encourages the development and deployment of new and innovative anti-terrorism products and services by providing liability protections. Designation as a QATT and certification as an approved product for homeland security under the SAFETY Act provides legal protections for the NFPA codes and standards development process and now these 15 individual codes and standards as applied to anti-terrorism.

The 15 standards are listed in the NFPA press release linked to the title of this blog. They address emergency preparedness, first responder competencies and professional qualifications, personal protective equipment and specialized tools. NFPA 1600 is also one of three standards that DHS has announced it intends to adopt for application to the PS-Prep Program, a voluntary private sector preparedness program designed to improve the ability of private sector entities to withstand and recover from disasters including terrorism.

“NFPA is pleased to have these standards recognized as anti-terrorism technologies which are important in protecting first responders to terrorist events and also in improving the ability of our infrastructure to mitigate and recover from such events while protecting people and property,” said James M. Shannon, NFPA president.

Federal protections under the DHS designation and certification are retroactive and recognize NFPA’s technologies “earliest date of sale” as September 11, 2001.

All NFPA safety codes and standards are developed through a process accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The more than 250 technical committees responsible for developing and updating all 300 codes and standards include approximately 4,000 volunteers, representing enforcing authorities, installers and maintainers, labor, research and testing laboratories, insurers, special experts, consumers and other users.

NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

Improvised Explosive Device Awareness - Course of Actions

Every facility emergency operations plan should include procedures for bomb threats and receipt of suspicous packages. When I reviewed the following article, I thought it was timely advice worth passing along. The following advice is reprinted from the Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) CIP Bulletin 11-08, December 22, 2008. If you would like to obtain additional resources for bomb threats and suspicious packages, please check out the "Bomb Threats & Suspicious Packages" links on the "Resources" page of the Preparedness, LLC website.

Overview

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) can be arranged in a number of configurations, the only limitation to their design and functionality is the bomber’s imagination. The first action for awareness is identification of the suspect IED. Unattended or suspicious packages or containers could potentially contain an explosive device and should be reported to security personnel immediately. Likewise, individuals behaving suspiciously or vehicles that seem out of place could also represent an explosive threat and should be reported immediately to security personnel.

Preliminary Actions

Authorities, first responders, and citizens should take the following actions to strengthen the existing security posture in the event of a bomb threat:

• Most bomb threats are received by phone. Remain calm and try to obtain information necessary for responders. (Be sure a bomb threat checklist like the one available from ATF is posted at all phones that can receive incoming calls--especially whoever answers the main incoming line.)
• Preserve any evidence if the threat is received in a note or letter, and do not handle it.
• Conduct a cursory search of the venue/facility for items or packages that may be out of place.
• Use CCTV capabilities to monitor activities inside the facility, and along the periphery of the building, after notification of a threat.
• Follow evacuation procedures keeping clear of the location of any suspected device and assemble at a safe location distant from or protected frm the location of the suspected device.
• Check to be sure the pre-designated evacuation route and assembly area is clear of any potential threats, such as a secondary device. A secondary location should be identified in advance, in the event the first site is compromised.
• Be vigilant for characteristics of a suspect suicide bomber (e.g., wearing bulky clothing or coat, or attire uncharacteristic for the season; exhibiting nervousness or a distant look; sweating profusely, etc.)

Immediate Actions

Follow these steps when a suspect IED is encountered:

• Once out of the immediate area of the suspect IED, call 911 immediately;
• Employees should be trained not touch or disturb suspect items in any way;
• Immediately evacuate the surrounding area, for small packages (e.g. pipe bomb, briefcases etc.) a minimum of 300 ft is recommended;
• Prior to evacuation, check the designated evacuation assembly site, to ensure additional IEDs have not been placed to target those evacuating the venue.
• Do not use cellular phones or two-way radios in the immediate area of the device, since this action may cause the device to detonate.
• Remain vigilant for any additional suspicious activity.
• Identify interdependencies in the immediate area that could compound the effects of a detonation (e.g. gas lines, electric grids etc.), and consider increasing evacuation distances.

Follow On Actions

The following actions are vital, since the possibility for an additional incident cannot be eliminated:

• Conduct immediate review of any video or pictures captured by CCTV system.
• Attempt to gain information from those evacuated regarding what they may have witnessed.
• Immediately record any details from witnesses for law enforcement needs.
• Determine if evacuees took any videos or photos prior to the attack, and attempt to obtain that documentation for evidentiary purposes for the authorities.
• Look for anyone monitoring the response and notify responding law enforcement authorities of these actions.. (e.g. videoing the site, conducting time checks, taking notes, monitoring radio traffic with a scanner etc.)

WORLD AT RISK: The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 I was asked to coauthor a book to provide guidance to the private sector on the subject of terrorism and how to protect employees, facilities, and operations. The book, "Business at Risk How to Assess, Mitigate, and Respond to Terrorist Threats," is still current today and it provides a wealth of information. That's why this report immediately captivated my interest.

Frankly, with the economic climate, businesses are looking to survive financially and are largely unable to focus on the threat of terrorism. I argue that managing the potential impacts of natural, man-made, and technological hazards—including terrorism—needs to be integral to the planning of every business. Sound emergency management, business continuity, and crisis management programs are an essential part of that planning.

If something significant happens, how prepared will businesses be?

WORLD AT RISK: The Report of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism

"The Commission believes that unless the world community acts decisively and with great urgency, it is more likely than not that a weapon of mass destruction will be used in a terrorist attack somewhere in the world by the end of 2013.

The Commission further believes that terrorists are more likely to be able to obtain and use a biological weapon than a nuclear weapon. The Commission believes that the U.S. government needs to move more aggressively to limit the proliferation of biological weapons and reduce the prospect of a bioterror attack.

The Role of the Citizen

A well informed and mobilized citizenry has long been one of our nation’s greatest resources. The next administration therefore should, within six months, work with state and local governments to develop a checklist of actions that need to be taken to improve efforts at all levels of government to prevent WMD proliferation and terrorism. Citizens should hold their governments accountable for completing this checklist.

Insufficient effort has been made to engage the public in the prevention of WMD terrorism, even though public tips have provided clues necessary to disrupt terrorist plots against the homeland. We need to give our citizens guidance on what to expect from their government at all levels and on how to be engaged in the prevention of WMD terrorism.

RECOMMENDATION 13: The next administration must work to openly and honestly engage the American citizen, encouraging a participatory approach to meeting the challenges of the new century."

"DHS designates NFPA codes and standards development process as “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology”

October 21, 2008 – On September 17, 2008, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards development process as a “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology” (QATT) under the Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act). NFPA is the first standards development organization to receive this designation. Under provisions of the SAFETY Act, NFPA’s codes and standards development process was also certified as an “Approved Product for Homeland Security.”

According to DHS, the SAFETY Act encourages the development and deployment of new and innovative anti-terrorism products and services by providing liability protections. Designation as a QATT and certification as an approved product for homeland security under the SAFETY Act provides legal protections for the NFPA codes and standards development process as applied to anti-terrorism.

“NFPA is pleased to have its codes and standards development process recognized as an effective anti-terrorism technology which reflects the openness, balance and fairness NFPA strives to achieve in its voluntary codes and standards development process,” said NFPA President James M. Shannon.

Federal protections under the DHS Designation and Certification are retroactive and recognize NFPA’s technology’s “first date of sale” as September 11, 2001.

Shannon added, “The commitment and involvement of NFPA in anti-terrorism standards predates the events of 9/11. NFPA has long been committed to making its codes and standards development process available for the creation and continual improvement of standards used to protect first responders and the public in terrorist events. We believe we have a world-class system which attracts numerous experts from diverse fields to develop codes and standards that mitigate the effects of terrorism on people and property.”

All NFPA safety codes and standards are developed through a process accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The more than 250 technical committees responsible for developing and updating all 300 codes and standards include approximately 4,000 volunteers, representing enforcing authorities, installers and maintainers, labor, research and testing laboratories, insurers, special experts, consumers and other users."

Copycat White Powder Mailings

From the Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center, INFOGRAM 35-08 September 11, 2008:

“Various State Fusion Centers and news sources recently reported about the rash of copy cat mailings throughout the nation containing white powder. The letters and packages have been sent to well known political figures and local government offices as well as to the homes and work sites of individuals not involved in public life. Upon reviewing these reports, the Emergency EMR-ISAC learned that to date none of the mailings were determined to be dangerous by responding hazardous materials teams."

Do you remember what happened in October 2001 when Senator Daschle, Tom Brokaw, an innocent grandmother in Fairfield County Connecticut, and others received anthrax laden mail? Thankfully these cases have been hoaxes, but are you prepared if someone reports receiving a suspicious envelope or package. CDC and GSA have some good information to help with planning. The guidance needs to be integrated into an emergency management program that includes people organized and trained to respond.