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Community Safety/Security eNewsletter
Sept 2008
Welcome to the Sept 2008 Issue
Stephen
Well everyone should be much safer now. After all, September is National Safety Preparedness Month.
There's a lot going on in the world right now. If you watched the first presidential debate, then you learned that the subject of foreign policy includes the American economy. If economic security is a part of our national security (usually included in the foreign policy arena) - then you have to ask the same question about your own jurisdiction. Your jurisdiction might be a state, a county, a city or just your own family - but do you include economic security as a part of that plan? Do you save out a little cash for emergencies? Do you have cash in your emergency kit? After all, there's no guarantee that ATMs are going to work in an emergency. On the portion of homeland security that includes anti-terrorism, allow me to recommend the book Thinking Like a Terrorist by Mike German. It certainly broadened my perspective on what we do, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is in the field - or who ever intends to vote in an election. It was that good. I'll let you get to the great things that Joe has lined up for you this month. Stay Safe!
-Stephen
The 2009 fiscal year is upon me at work, as well as in the Reserves. This means more mandatory annual training!! As I do this every year, I initially go into this with a negative attitude. As I progress with the training, I always learn something new, much to my surprise. I either missed something the last time or they updated some tidbit of information.There are some great training opportunities out there to take advantage of. Check out the ones we have posted below and please let us know if you stumble upon any that you would like to share. Remember, none of us knows everything (or we forget most of it), so go into training with a positive attitude!!!
Washington Launches Satellite-Based Regional Communications System
The state of Washington Military Department Emergency Management Division has launched a satellite-based mutual aid radio talkgroup that will provide interoperable emergency communications for state, federal and local responders in Washington, Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming. The NorthWest Satellite Mutual Aid Radio Talkgroup (NWSMART) will provide interoperable push-to-talk radio and satellite phone service throughout the region that will not be affected by local terrestrial conditions. WSMART is the fifth in a planned network of nine regional locally managed talkgroups being set up throughout the country. Participants in any group also would be able to communicate with members of other regional talkgroups being set up with the service, as well as with a national pilot system being set up by the Homeland Security Department’s National Communications System. Talkgroups are being established for the Southwest, West, Southeast and Northeast. Because the talkgroups require special satellite communications sets they will not replace traditional communications systems used by public safety agencies for day-to-day work, such as terrestrial radio and telephone. But the satellite talkgroups will have the advantage of not being affected by conditions that can destroy or overload wire line and cellular phone systems during emergencies, and of being interoperable among agencies, unlike many traditional radio systems. Read more
FCC Announces New Proposal for National Public Safety Network Auction
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a new plan for the national communications network for police, fire and other emergency first responders. Under the new proposal, the network would be auctioned as one national block of radio spectrum or, alternatively, as 58 separate regional airwaves licenses. The agency said that it prefers to sell the spectrum as a whole and that it would give priority to such a bid. But if no one meets the minimum reserve price for the national block, the commission would close the auction with a minimum of half of the 58 regional licenses sold. The FCC Chairman also said that the
minimum price to bid on the network would drop by nearly half, to $750 million. The deadline to build the network would extend to 15 years from 10 years, and any lease charges from public safety officials would be capped at $5 million a year. Read moreFBI launches "eGuardian" info sharing system for state and local law enforcement
The FBI expects that by the end of 2008, it will begin rolling out nationwide to 18,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies the same kind of "connecting-the-dots" counter-terrorism intelligence information that it has previously restricted to federal FBI field offices and legal attaché offices overseas.
It has devised a plan to gather and share information with state and local law enforcement officials, via an Internet-based system known as "eGuardian," the same type of intelligence it had previously kept much closer to its chest in a classified data system known as "Guardian."
The FBI says eGuardian will improve real-time sharing and tracking of terror information and suspicious activities. "It’s actually a spin-off of a similar but classified tool called Guardian that we’ve been using inside the Bureau -- and sharing with vetted partners -- for the past four years," explained the FBI.
Here’s how the eGuardian process will work:
• Local police receive reports of suspicious activities and enter the info into eGuardian;
• The report goes to the relevant state’s fusion center where trained analysts review it for possible terrorism implications;
• If there is a link, the data is uploaded to eGuardian, where it becomes available to approximately 18,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies;
• The report might also be assigned to the appropriate FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.
The Guardian and eGuardian systems will feed information to each other. "It’s an effective one-two punch," says the FBI.
The FBI notes that urgent matters "will continue to be worked with state and local law enforcement through existing FBI channels." Read more
Recent and Upcoming Events
Recent Events
The International City/County Management Association just had their annual conference on Sept 21-24. For the second year in a row, ICMA has coordinated a blog to document the annual conference. The new and improved version includes more than 20 of your colleagues—plus several keynote speakers and ICMA leadership—offering their thoughts on their experiences before, during, and after the event. While these volunteers will be posting original entries to the blog, anyone can add comments or pose questions of the bloggers.Visit http://icmaconference2008.wordpress.com to see what’s already been shared and then check back frequently for the latest news on the conference, to hear about the issues and ideas being presented in Richmond, and learn how your colleagues are taking what they learned and implementing them in their home communities. The blog will stay live after the conference, serving as a forum to continue discussions started in the halls of the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
Upcoming Events
Overt and/or Covert CBRNE Terrorist Activity Training
(November 19-20, CSTI-San Luis Obispo, CA) This course trains emergency responders currently certified at the Hazardous Materials Technician or Specialist level response tactics and skills for Overt and/or Covert CBRNE terrorist activities. Some of the topics covered include the following:
- Planning for potential targets and terrorist activities
- Identification of various chemical warfare agents, their hazard class and associated hazards
- Detection equipment and its application in detecting chemical warfare agents
- Recognition of biological agents and delivery methods both overt and covert
- Aseptic sampling and Field Testing for Biological Agents
- Radiological Response and Radiological Dispersion Device Response Tactics
- Explosives and Booby Trap Recognition
- Procedures to implement mass decontamination of the public and responders
- The Federal and State Response Plans and available resources as a CBRNE terrorism incident.
NOTE: The grant selection process is conducted by the LEPC Region I Training Coordinator, which meets quarterly to determine student selections. Please email Steve Tsumura, El Segundo Fire Dept., stsumura@elsegundo.org to request an application and then complete it and email or fax to (310) 414-0929.
You will be notified by the LEPC Region I staff when attendee selection is completed. An information packet with facility location, map and other training specific information will be sent 4-8 weeks prior to the course. For grant specific questions only contact Jeanine Gentis at (805) 549-3531 or Jeanine.Gentis@oes.ca.gov. For course content, contact the Course Manager Janeen Rich at (916) 845-8254, Janeen.Rich@oes.ca.gov.
Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) meeting
(October 29; San Marcos, CA) Opportunity to learn more about the County of San Diego's pilot program using "Unidocs" for electronic submittal of the Hazardous Material Business Plan. Click here for the invitation.
Building Dynamics: Proactive Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Response for High-Value Targets
(October 6-10; Little Rock, AR) Designed and taught by emergency responders, for emergency responders, this in-depth program offers practical working knowledge and hands-on experience in chemical, biological, and radiological vulnerability assessment, real-time monitoring, and response for high-value targets indoors. Central to the course is training in building dynamics: how air and airborne chemical, biological, and radiological agents move through buildings. [View course website]Strategic Counterterrorism Issues and Practices
(October 28-30; Reston, VA) Students learn about the state of current theories and research on key counterterrorism issues in a highly interactive workshop; engage in comparative analysis of terrorist groups with different agendas, structures, geographical presence, and capabilities; and practice framing strategic counterterrorism issues and applying analytical tools to the problems. [View course website]
Analytic Tools and Techniques
(November 4-6; Reston, VA) By applying the analytic tools and techniques taught in this workshop, students can add more rigor and structure to their analysis and gain hands-on knowledge of a set of basic thinking tools that will reduce time spent in coordination and significantly increase the persuasiveness of their final product. [View course website]
The Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) is sponsoring their second annual essay competition designed to stimulate original thought on issues in homeland security. We expect to enter several essays to address problems faced by the incoming Secretary of Homeland Security, and will be posting some of those essays in future newsletters.
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
State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Announces Security Tips
for School Sites Used as Polling Places in Upcoming ElectionSACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced today that the California Department of Education has partnered with the Murrieta Valley Unified School District in Riverside County and the Office of Homeland Security to develop security tips for school sites that will be used as polling places in the November election.
"When school sites serve as polling places, it is a wonderful opportunity for students to see our democracy in action," said O'Connell. "However, this may cause concern for students over increased traffic and strangers on campus. School administrators can implement these tips to help maintain order on campus and help students feel secure, which is vital to their academic success."
http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr08/yr08rel132.asp
<>Water, food, and clean air are the essential items for survival. Your family kit should be customized to meet your needs, such as medications and infant formula. You should also include important family documents.
72 Hour Kit
There are many types of disasters and emergencies: floods, fires, earthquakes,hurricanes and tornadoes. in many cases, a 72 hour kit could mean the difference between life and death. It is estimated that after a major disaster, it may take up to three days for relief workers to reach some areas. It would be wise to consider a 72 hour kit that you could live on for 7-10 days. In such a case, If you live in a disaster prone area a 72-hour kit is the minimum you should have available. Plan your 72 hour kit according to your family's size. There are several resources online for what you should have in your 72 hour kit. Here's the items that DHS says you should have:
Recommended Supplies to Include in a Basic Kit:
Flashlight and extra batteries
First Aid kit
Water: one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking and sanitation (Amounts for portable kits will vary. Individuals should determine what amount they are able to both store comfortably outside the home and be able to transport to other locations.)
Food: at least three-days of non-perishable food
Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask or cotton t-shirt, to help filter the air
Moist towelettes for sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Infant formula and diapers, if you have an infant
Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Clothing and Bedding:
If you live in a cold weather climate, you must think about warmth. It is possible that the power will be out and you will not have heat. Rethink your clothing and bedding supplies to account for growing children and other family changes.
A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
A complete change of warm clothing and shoes per person, including:
A jacket or coat
Sturdy shoes
Long pants
A hat and gloves
A long sleeve shirt
Other items to consider adding to your Supply Kit:
Paper towels
Paper, pencil
Fire Extinguisher
Medicine dropper
Rain gear
Feminine supplies
Tent
Personal hygiene items
Compass
Disinfectant
Signal flare
Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or a copy of this information
Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
Cash or traveler's checks, change
Duct Tape (for Shelter-in-Place)
Matches in a waterproof container
Household chlorine bleach [You can use bleach as a disinfectant (diluted nine parts water to one part bleach), or in an emergency you can also use it to purify water. Use 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.]
Important Family Documents:
Keep copies of important family records such as insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. [SRM – You may want to consider a fireproof container.]
