Community Safety/Security Newsletter

Community Safety/Security Newsletter -

May 2007

PO Box 891993
Temecula, CA 92589-1993
(951) 764-3626

Welcome to the May 2007 Issue!

We're still making the world safer!

Early May, I went and spoke to the South East Region CAER group on CFVA's, we've met with several cities and districts about helping them improve their emergency response preparedness, and we gave a training class on rural evacuations. Still working on helping folks get their Emergency Response Plans in compliance with SEMS/NIMS, and we just found out that there's a whole group of manufacturers who didn't realize that they needed to comply with CalARP and PSM.

So it's still busy. Our article on the Chemical Facility Vulnerability Assessment Regulations should be published this upcoming month in the Journal of Environmental Management Arizona. We're still trying to give you some bite-sized information that you can remember and use to make your little piece of the world safer. The bad guys still want to make us think that we're in a fight we can't win. I'm here to tell you that we can win this fight, and thank you for your help in making this world a safer place!!!

- Stephen

From The Editor's Desk

We are beginning to see the first “pushback” as a result of the Department of Homeland Security's Chemical Facility Vulnerability Assessment regulations. As with many aspects of daily life since the 9-11 attacks, Americans are just beginning to grasp how easily it would be terrorists to severely injure our Nation. We are also beginning to understand the steps required to secure the citizens of our communities.

I pose the question to you: How proactive do you want to be in making your world a safer place?

Be safe,

Bill

In The News

Chemical Security Rules Would Hit Propane Customers Hard

From the National Propane Gas Association

The new U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rules on chemical security vastly undercount the number of facilities covered by the government’s mandated compliance review. The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) estimates that the total regulatory cost for industry and customer facilities could be $1.2 billion.

But a recent meeting between government and industry officials may allow for a compromise before the final list of substances is published.

(more)

Investigation of U.S. Traveler with Extensively Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR TB)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with a number of international, state, and local partners on an investigation involving a U.S. citizen recently diagnosed with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB). XDR TB has been recently defined as a subtype of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) with additional resistance to the two most important second-line antibiotics (i.e., a fluoroquinolone and an injectable agent [amikacin, kanamycin, or capreomycin]) in addition to the two most important first-line drugs (i.e., isoniazid and rifampin).

(more)

If you would like to share a news story that you feel should be included in this newsletter, please email us at: info@oursafetowns.com

Recent and Upcoming Events

Recent Events

Stephen and Bill recently taught a course on the impacts of evacuations on rural communities for the County of Del Norte, California. The course was attended by members of both county agencies and Crescent City.

If you would be interested in receiving information on training courses offered by SRM Associates, please email us at info@oursafetowns.com

Upcoming Events

June 1 - Stephen will be speaking on the new Chemical Facility Vulnerability Assessment Regulations at the San Diego Community Awareness and Emergency Response Group; Hunter Industries 1940 Diamond Street, San Marcos, CA. Here is the Evite from SD CAER president Randy Skow.

June 05 - 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM - Orange County Private Sector Terrorism Response Group - When Terror Comes to Main Street training, Oakley Headquarters, 1 Icon, Foothill Ranch, CA

June 25 - SRM Associates will be taping an interview on Community Safety for the City of Perris, CA.

July 10 - Local Emergency Planning Committee California Region VI

July 11 - Emergency Response Network of the Inland Empire Meeting

<>November 6-8 - Stephen will be speaking (Nov 7) on the new Chemical Facility Vulnerability Assessment Regulations at the EPA Western Regions' Emergency Prevention and Preparedness conference -- along with the mid-year National Association of SARA Title III Program Officials (NASTTPO). The combined meeting will be held on November 6 - 8 at the Tuscany Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. NASTTPO will be meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 6. The combined agenda for NASTTPO with EPA is on Wednesday, Nov 7. The EPA Western Regions conference will continue on Thursday, Nov. 8. These meetings are part of the 11th annual HazMat Explo that will be held Nov. 5 - 8 at the Tuscany. The website is not up yet, but we'll provide a link for you when it is.

What lies ahead?

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Notice to Facilities to Begin Registration for Chemical Security
Assessment Tool

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS or Department) recommends that chemical facilities begin the registration process to gain access to the Chemical Security Assessment Tool (CSAT) system.
This is a voluntary registration process for facilities that think they may be covered by DHS's Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards located in 6 CFR Part 27 and that would like to initiate the process to determine whether or not they are covered by 6 CFR Part 27.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Bettridge, Chemical Security
Regulatory Task Force, Department of Homeland Security, 703-235-5263.

To view the complete text of this notice from the Federal Register go here.

If you are interested in working with us directly to make your community, business, or agency safer, please contact us at: info@oursafetowns.com.

See you next month!

Useful Information

Usually this type of email is false. There are a number of resources for confirming them; our favorite is snopes.com. Please confirm any of these emails before forwarding them on.

Unfortunately, this particular e-mail is true, and we hope that, through sending this to our readership, we have increased the number of pairs of eyes looking for Madeline.

Madeleine McCann

4 year old Madeleine McCann was snatched from her bed in her parents holiday apartment in playa de luz Portugal 2 weeks ago on May 3rd 2007. Please help them, in any way you can, to get their daughter back safe and well. Pass this mail onto as many people as you can.

Thank You.

Text of Message:

Please read this message and pass it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you are aware my niece is still missing and I am asking everyone I know to send this as a chain letter i.e. you send it to everyone you know and ask them to do the same, as the story is only being covered in Britain, Eire and Portugal. We don't believe that she is in Portugal anymore and need to get her picture and the story across Europe as quickly as possible. Suggestions are welcome.

Phil McCann

For more info on using the internet to help bring Madeline home, please go here:

http://www.bringmadeleinehome.com/

Safety Tip

Make sure that you have made plans for evacuating your four-footed, feathered, and finned family members in the event that your community is issued evacuation orders. You can usually find out what services are availible to your pets and livestock through your local veteranary office, or through the Humane Society in your area.