CORRECTION: Last month, the newsletter listed Gary
Sturdivan as working for the Eastern Municipal Water District.
Gary works for the East Valley Water District. Mea culpa!
So I've almost recovered from the computer virus that hit me last
month. I've got my historical email back and I've been able
to catch up on most things. This month I've got a wonderful guest
article from a former Naval Officer and current author about the
connection between illegal drugs (and counterfeit pharmaceuticals)
and terrorist financing. We've got seven news stories from
you ranging from HMEP Grants to the CIA World Factbook to the Chemical
Facility Site Security Plan Guidance. We've also got a lot of
upcoming events for you to look at, and we'd love to get any reports on
events that you've recently had. (Please try to keep them to
about a paragraph.)
Don't forget that Keeping Our Chemical Facilities
Safe is now available in hard copy. Look here
for a link to the new softcover. We hope to have hardcovers
available in the next month.
One last
thing: If you're applying to develop Emergency Response Plans or
Exercises using HMEP Grants, we'd love to talk with you about
implementation. Thanks and have a great month!
-Stephen
Stephen is taking care of the editing until
we can find a new editor. If any of you are interested, please
contact him at: stephen.melvin@oursafetowns.com.
The Illegal Drug Trade and Terrorism Funding
by Doctor Adam Dorin
The underground worlds of the illegal drug trade, counterfeit
('legitimate') medicines, terrorism and international crime all
converge in a way that threatens the American consumer. Whether
purchasing medicines over the Internet, buying drugs at the local
pharmacy chain outlet, or being dispensed medication in a hospital, the
risk of being poisoned or injured (from taking the wrong medication or
an altered dose of the correct medication) is high.
To understand this vast, and often complex, area of pharmaceutical
trade, we must first take a global perspective. The world of drug
manufacturing and
distribution is international; the immense scope of this commerce makes
it especially susceptible to the entry of criminal elements.
There is very little
'testing' of medications by regulatory bodies, and hence the
perpetrators give little attention to the accuracy and purity of their
fake medications-choosing
instead to focus on the appearance of pills, and packaging. On
average, the cost to manufacture an illegal version of a legitimate
drug may be less than one
cent per pill in China or India, but this very same pill may sell for a
quarter (or even as high as a dollar) in the United States. Even
under the most attractive insurance 'drug plan', twenty-five cents (or
a two thousand five hundred percent profit) would likely still fall far
below the cost of the real drug and be considered a bargain. In
this way, 'forged' drugs generate huge revenues for their criminal
manufacturers. There is evidence to indicate that some
involved in the illegal drug trade have switched their efforts to the
area of counterfeit medications because of significantly lighter
penalties in the event of capture and conviction.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and its counterpart in the United
Kingdom, along with several other European nations, collectively agree
with the following recent statement by the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police: "Virtually all major organized crime groups are now
involved in...counterfeiting pharmaceuticals."
For decades, it was known that the Irish Republican Army used its
illegal production of counterfeit veterinarian medicines to fund the
purchase of weaponry. In November, 2005, the U.S. House
Subcommittee on Criminal Justice noted that 'terrorists' were behind
some of the anthrax scares that had been sweeping the country; in
addition, the committee noted that intelligence sources were aware of
terrorist funds coming from the Internet sale of fake drugs (e.g.,
Ciprofloxacin to treat an anthrax exposure) as well as 'chatter'
indicating a
desire to 'spike' common drugs with deadly compounds. In
March, 2006, The U.S. Attorney Joint Terrorism Task Force unsealed an
indictment charging nineteen people in an international terrorism crime
ring that involved at least a half dozen countries. In a shocking
revelation, it was disclosed that profits from the sale of counterfeit
drugs were being wired to bank accounts used by
Hezbollah. In light of the Summer '06 Lebanese War, and
Hezbollah's open affiliation with the rogue regime in Iran, this
information is all the more troubling.
The Internet has, unfortunately, become a haven for global profit
centers in the areas of illegal online gambling, pornography, and
pharmaceutical supplies.
Almost everyone who has an e-mail account has received dozens-if not
thousands-of spam messages selling sex and the 'drug-du-jour' (the most
common offenders are Viagra and the newer variations of the now-banned
dieting supplement Ephedra). The Internet offers countless
reasons to be attractive to criminals and terrorist
organizations. One such example is that profits can be hidden via
off-shore tax havens and third world countries. Second, 'mobile'
and otherwise easily disguised operations can be hidden from law
enforcement. Third, the components of a criminal network can be
spread out so as to separate the big profiteers from the 'street-level'
of operations. For example, counterfeit copies of any given pill
can be manufactured in China, but have a main web address that is
registered in the United States; having an American pharmaceutical
title and corporate address (may only be a 'dummy' post office box)
gives a sense of false comfort to customers that they are purchasing a
legitimate product. The scheme may utilize a European
address for credit card payments, but process those payments in
Indonesia. Usually, the data of other customers is used for the
packaging return address. In this way, a confounding array of
misinformation serves to distance the perpetrators from the day-to-day
implementation of their crime.
The American public suffers from a relative lack of knowledge of the
interplay between organized crime and terrorism. In fact, even
the vast majority of practicing physicians are ignorant of the fact
that as much as 85% of drugs purchased on the Internet, and even
upwards of 30% of drugs bought in well-
known pharmaceutical retail chains, may not contain the product they
advertise.
Terrorism comes in many forms, even the 'counterfeit' variety.
Sometimes, the most common aspects of our daily lives can be subverted
in a way that is far more deadly than a bomb or outright attack.
It would behoove the medical and political establishments to take a
closer look at the threat of counterfeit
pharmaceuticals.
Doctor Dorin is a Medical Director, Anesthesiologist, and Author.
His book, "Jihad and American Medicine," Greenwood Publishing/Praeger
Security International, was published in November 2007: www.adamdorin.com
Chemical Facility Site Security Plan Guidance:
Guidance for
completing your Chemical Site Security Plan has been released by
DHS. More information can be found here: http://www.dhs.gov/xprevprot/programs/gc_1238784785789.shtm
News from National WARN:
WARN Chairs:
As we have discuss many times, the needs of the water sector continue
to slip on the priority ranking of disaster response agencies as
observed during Katrina, Rita, 2008 Iowa Floods, Gustav, Ike, and the
2009 Ice Storm. One of the clear messages we have received is that the
water sector should have its own Emergency Support Function (ESF) under
the National Response Framework (NRF) which would ideally also be
mirrored by State EOCs. We believe this this were to be acted upon it
would improve the functional response and break-up the log jam of
requests that typically occur under the existing framework where the
needs of the water sector compete for attention with other public works
(ESF3) including debris removal, dams, levees, roads, bridges. traffic
control etc. This is simply to many disparate issues to manage based on
the principles of NIMS, therefore it has been the WARN Chairs
recommendation that the water sector receive an independent ESF. The
value of this recommendation is significantly enhanced by the evolution
and growth of the Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (WARN)
initiative since its launch in early 2006 with support from the USEPA.
The WARN initiative is now includes 42 states and the National Capitol
Region and continues to grow following a "Utilities Helping Utilities"
framework from the bottom-up as a free, no obligation, voluntary method
to expedite response to an incident and put impacted communities back
of the road to recovery as quickly as possible. As a result, the WARN
initiative contributes to achieving a more secure and resilient water
sector as characterized in the vision and goals of the Water Sector
Specific Plan.
The President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC)
recently undertook a study focusing on response and recovery of
infrastructure services from major disasters. Ed Archuleta, President
and CEO, El Paso Water Utilities, Inc., was a co-chair of this this
committee and championed the needs of the water sector, including the
need to elevate the sectors restoration priority during major
disasters. The committees study resulted in the recommendation provide
below (and attached) that were reviewed and approved by the full NIAC
earlier this week, July 14, 2009. These recommendations will now be
submitted to the President for further consideration and acceptance.
This represents a significant milestone for the water sector that would
not likely be actionable absent the hard work a dedication of the
owners/operators that have vested themselves in becoming more resilient
by supporting the WARN initiative.
Based on these recommendations we have proceeded to engage with our
partner's at EMAC to take further action on educating their members
about WARN to advance the effectiveness of response and recovery during
large scale events that require interstate resources. In addition, we
will begin working with federal agency partners to actualize the
recommendation to establish a Water ESF under the National Response
Framework.
Thanks and keep up the good work.
Kevin M. Morley
Security & Preparedness Program Manager
American Water Works Association
1300 Eye Street, NW Suite 701W
Washington, DC 20005
O: 202-628-8303
E: kmorley@awwa.org
New HazMat Training Guidelines Published
(Courtesy of Tim
Butters at NASTTPO)
A new publication
"What You Should Know: A Guide to Developing a Hazardous Materials
Training Program" is now available for download from the PHMSA webpage:
http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat.
This guide explains the training requirements in the Hazardous
Materials Regulations, identifies those employees who must be trained,
and provides a tool to help hazmat employers determine what type of
training and training environment may be best for their employees. The
guide was developed under a partnership agreement between the Dangerous
Goods Advisory Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation,
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
David L. Sargent, Director
Office of Hazardous Materials Initiatives and Training
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
Voice: (202) 366-4449, FAX: (202) 366-7342
Website: http://hazmat.dot.gov
Ethanol Emergency Response Training Now Available:
(Courtesy of Tim Butters at NASTTPO)
July 9, 2009 - Washington, D.C. - Safety is the top priority of
America's ethanol industry and those who transport and bring ethanol to
the marketplace. It is with this commitment in mind that the Ethanol
Emergency Response Coalition <http://renewablefuelsassociation.cmail3.com/t/y/l/krldjk/hrlhdktlt/r>
(EERC) has compiled and released the Complete Training Guide for
Ethanol Emergency Response, to help prepare ethanol producers,
transporters and first responders who may experience or come in contact
with an ethanol-related emergency.
This complete training package includes two videos, an instructor's
guide, interactive workshops and seven modules and PowerPoint
presentations, each focusing on a specific and important aspect of
ethanol response. Guidelines are also given for fire departments and
first responders that have ethanol production facilities in their
communities.
As the ethanol industry continues to expand to all parts of the
country, it is inevitable that most American's will encounter ethanol
one way or another. It is important that those responsible for the
safety of these communities are well prepared and trained for
responding to ethanol related emergencies. This training package is
extremely beneficial with information about ethanol and other fuel
related incidents, giving first responders the knowledge and training
they require.
"Ethanol has become an integral component of America's fuel supply. As
such, transportation of this renewable fuel has become more frequent
throughout the United States. Despite all efforts to prevent accidents,
there is the possibility of one happening, and it is essential that the
first responders act immediately to the ethanol emergency incident as
fully prepared as possible to deal with the situation," says Kristy
Moore, Director of Technical Services for the Renewable Fuels
Association.
Moore continued, "We are proud of the collaborative efforts of all the
stakeholders in the EERC to make this resource available. Preventing
just one injury makes all the resources invested in this effort
worthwhile."
The Complete Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency Response is now
available at the EERC website: <http://renewablefuelsassociation.cmail3.com/t/y/l/krldjk/hrlhdktlt/y>.
The Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition (EERC) was formed to support
safety concerns with the transporting and handling of renewable
fuels-specifically ethanol and ethanol blended fuels. As increasing
amounts of renewable fuels are produced, it is critical that first
responders have the knowledge necessary to respond to these incidents.
The EERC consists of organizations representing emergency responders
and the industry including the Renewable Fuels Association, the
International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Liquid
Terminals Association, Ansul Fire Protection, Industrial Fire World and
Williams Fire Hazard Control.
If you have any questions, please contact Kristy Moore at kmoore@ethanolrfa.org. To
reserve a hard copy of the Complete Training Guide to Ethanol Emergency
Response, please contact Taryn Morgan at tmorgan@ethanolrfa.org.
New Website for CIA World Factbook:
If you've
previously used the CIA World Factbook, you'll probably notice that
it's got a new look, improved navigation, and many new features. The
CIA World Factbook provides wide-ranging information on the geography,
government, economy, and other aspects of 266 world entities.
EMI Independent Study
Announcement from the EMI Independent Study for FEMA (Federal Emergency
Management Agency):
The Independent Study test submissions and course registration
processes are unavailable. Tests submitted since 2 July 2009 are being
held until this system issue can be resolved. EMI Distance Learning is
working to resolve the issue quickly, once resolved students will
receive completion notifications and certificates for courses they have
completed during this time.
HMEP Grants Transfer announcement
(Courtesy of Tim
Gablehouse at NASTTPO)
Since 1992, Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) Grants
have helped train hazmat emergency responders and assisted hazmat
emergency planners across the country. Increased resources and
responsibilities; changes, and improvements in the program have made
its elevation to a higher management level necessary. In recognition of
this important program and the key strategic partnership between USDOT
PHMSA and HMEP grantees, I am very pleased and proud to announce that
the HMEP Grants Unit has been transferred to the Office of the
Executive Director for Hazardous Materials Safety, Mrs. Tonya D.
Schreiber. I will remain HMEP Grants manager and you can continue to
contact me and my staff on grants issues. You may also contact Mrs.
Schreiber if you have any questions. Her contact information is below.
Tonya D. Schreiber
Executive Director
Office of Hazardous Materials Safety
Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.
Washington, DC 20590
O: 202-366-1634
C: 202-420-8567
In the future please address correspondence for the grant unit to:
Charles G. Rogoff
HMEP Grants Manager
Office of the Executive Director for Hazardous Materials Safety PHH-1
Room E21-317
1200 New Jersey Ave. S.E.
Washington DC 20590
Recent
Events
Upcoming
Events
12-14 Aug
2009, 3rd ANNUAL HAZUS CONFERENCE: Connecting the Pieces for
Mitigation
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
Who Should Attend: New, Experienced and Interested Users of
HAZUS-MH; First Responders, Local Government Decision Makers, Planners
and GIS Specialists.
Call for Speakers: Suggested topics include: The role of HAZUS in risk
identification and communication, HAZUS application in estimation and
mitigation planning, HAZUS and human-caused hazards, and innovative
approaches to decision making.
The deadline for submission of abstracts is April 15, 2009. To
submit an abstract, please e-mail Beth Miller Howser at HAZUSuser@
pbsj.com with the subject line:
HAZUS Speaker Proposal and provide the following information:
* Proposed name of session
* Session format (presentation, workshop, panel discussion, etc.) *
Session description * Contact information (including name, title,
organization, phone number and e-mail)
For more information, go to http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/hazus/hz_news.shtm
August 18th
& 27th, 2009
“Environmental and
Health Consequences of Clandestine Methamphetamine
Laboratories”
These special one day training events are being presented by the
American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT), through a cooperative
agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR).
The course is free and registration must be completed on-line at:
http://www.trainex.org/MethLab
This training offers a unique opportunity to learn about the clinical
health effects of methamphetamine use and abuse, the hazards of
synthesis, and responder concerns at clean up and remediation of
clandestine laboratories. Children's health and exposure considerations
will also be presented.
Full course descriptions can be found on the registration web-site.
For additional information or questions, please contact Libby Vianu at
ATSDR: (415) 947-4319 or vianu.libby@epa.gov.
Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2009:
The Pala Band Of Mission Indians and Pala Indian Fire Department is
hosting this one-day training event.
Location: Pala Fire Department EOC Training
Center
34884 Lilac Extension Road
Pala, Ca. 92059
9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Hotel Info: Special rate available until 7/18/09
!!!
Pala Casino Spa & Resort is pleased to set aside a block of 40
deluxe rooms for the Methamphetamine Laboratories Training on
Monday, 8/17/09 and Tuesday, 8/18/09. The room rate is $89.00 for
single or double occupancy and is tax-free. Contact Room
Reservations Department at (877) 725-2766 and
identify the "Methamphetamine Laboratories Training". The reservations
department will request a credit card as a guarantee for each
reservation.
Date: Thursday, August 27th, 2009
California Emergency Management Agency is hosting this one-day training
event.
Location: California Emergency Management Agency
3650 Schriever Ave. Mather
Rancho Cordova, CA 95655
9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Please feel free to distribute this announcement.
Keeping Our Chemical
Facilities Safe has been released in softcover and can be purchased here.
We hope to have the hardcover out in the next couple of months.
Remember that the regulatory part
is a a bit out of date as there are constant updates by DHS, but the
process of completing a Security Vulnerability Assessment and Site
Security Plan are still valid.
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!
Safety/Security Professional Looking
Another of our colleagues is looking to find a new position. If
you're thinking of moving and want to help your organization find a
replacement, or if you want some help with the tasks on your plate and
are looking to pick up a senior person, let me know and I'll put him in
touch with you. His experience includes: Administering a
comprehensive self-insured risk management program. Identifying and
evaluating potential risk exposures; implementing best alternatives for
dealing with risk. Developing, implementing and directing all
safety programs for 230 employees. Overseeing administration of
workers’ comp, general liability and auto claims. Preparing and
analyzing loss data, reviewing all contracts from a risk perspective.
Responsible for security of 4,000 acres of property and
facilities. He also managed the Emergency Response program
and disaster planning. He has experience in law enforcement and
water utilities.
Antiterrorism
Individual Protective Measures (Military Specific; modify for your
situation)
GUARD INFORMATION: MAINTAIN A LOW
PROFILE
- Destroy all items
that show your name, rank, or other personal information.
- Instruct your
family and associates not to provide strangers with information about
you or your family.
- Be cautious about
giving out information regarding family travel plans or security
measures and procedures.
- Consider removing
your name and rank on your home/military quarters.
- Avoid the use of
your name and rank on answering machines.
TELEPHONE SECURITY
If you receive a
threatening phone call or Bomb Threat, dial *57 (verify local
procedures), wait for the confirmation message that traces the caller,
and then report the call
to local authorities immediately.
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