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PO Box 6873 - Alexandria, VA 22306 - (951) 764-3626
http://www.oursafetowns.com/Community Safety/Security eNewsletter * March 2010
So the vagaries of our newsletter distributor mean that we'll be skipping February and going straight to March. :) It's been a busy month for the country and for us too! We had an attack on an IRS building by a private pilot, earthquakes in Chile, tsunamis in Japan, blizzards in the National Capital region and more. We've got some great news this month: I have met with the Executive Director of George Mason University's Center for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) and we've started discussing opportunities for teaming together. From a business perspective, that's great for SRM Associates, but more importantly, it means that we may very well have some great opportunities to make a difference on a national or even international scale! I also had a wonderful dinner with Dr. Adam Dorin, the author of Jihad and American Medicine. While I haven't finished the book yet, so far, it's a great read, and we've discussed the possibility of possibly co-authoring another book together. I participated in Operation Medusa with the San Diego Chapter of Infragard, a tabletop exercise geared toward the hotel and resort industry. It was a good exercise and met quite a few experts in the field. If I haven't recommended that you personally join your Infragard chapter, please allow me to take advantage of this opportunity to do just that. This will be a short newsletter since I haven't gotten a lot of input – please send me things that you think will be helpful to our colleagues!Bill Benson is back and working on some projects with us, and I'd like to introduce Philip Quigley, a veteran of the US MArine Corps and security expert that is doing some great things with Chemical Facility Vulnerability Assessments in Southern California. If you're interested in getting some help with your SVA or Site Security Plan, give him a holler at philip.quigley@oursafetowns.com and be sure to drop Bill an email at william.benson@oursafetowns.com to welcome him back!
Correction from last month: Thank you to astute reader Andrew Smith who caught that last month's newsletter referenced the “shoe-bomber” when we were actually referring to the terrorist with explosives in his underwear. The shoe-bomber was actually caught in December of 2001.
That's all for this month. Stay safe and we'll see you next 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.
Information on the Chilean Earthquake and Tsunami Warnings
Washington, D.C. - FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security are closely monitoring the situation, and officials are in close contact with the State of Hawaii and the U.S. territories in the Pacific Ocean that could be impacted by a potential tsunami.
Open Government
As federal agencies develop their Open Government Plans (http://www.whitehouse.gov/open/about), they invite you to share your thoughts through March 19, 2010 on how to make government more transparent and collaborative.
Check out dialogs from:
Recent and Upcoming Events
Recent Events
11 Feb 2010: National Improvised Explosives Training Opportunity on 02/11/10 in San Bernardino, CA
From Erika Foxworth (San Diego Infragard):
Dear InfraGard Members,
Attached (SRM-I have the invite if anyone needs it.) please find an invitation from Los Angeles FBI Division to attend a National Improvised Explosives Familiarization Seminar on Thursday, 02/11/10 from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. The training will be held at the Sheriff's Training Facility, 18000 Institution Road, San Bernardino, CA 92402.
Approximately 16 seats are still available and reservations are required. If interested, please contact James Peaco, Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordinator, FBI, Los Angeles, at (310) 261-9118 or James.Peaco@ic.fbi.gov to RSVP.
11 Feb 2010: Free DHS Webinar
1:00-2:00 p.m. (EST)
Infrastructure Protection for the 21st Century: Making effective use of visualization technology
Presenter: Mike Clements, Branch Chief, Operations Support Branch, Infrastructure Information Collection Division, DHS Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP)
One of the DHS Office of Infrastructure Protection goals is to be a source for CIKR data and to enable the sharing of this information with federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector partners during steady-state and incident response activities. IP has made great strides in its efforts to accomplish this goal, but data alone, often does not provide enough context to make use of that information or to enable decision-making. This presentation will provide an overview of the ways that IP provides context to infrastructure data through the use of Geographic Information Systems, geospatial products, and remote sensing data acquisition. The presentation will also address geospatial products and services that are available to federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector partners during both steady state and incident response situations.
To register for this Webinar please go to: https://connect.hsin.gov/visual/event/registration.html.
19 Feb 2010: Operation Medusa 2010 (anti-terrorism tabletop exercise)
Time: 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
What: “Operation Medusa 2010” is an anti-terrorism tabletop exercise designed and sponsored by the San Diego Chapter of InfraGard in concert with law enforcement, security professionals, the military and emergency response agencies at all levels throughout San Diego County. It is designed for participation by the lay practitioner with support from numerous emergency response organizations.
Where: The FBI Annex Building, Main Conference Room, 9737 Aero Drive, San Diego
Cost: Ten dollars ($10) per attendee to cover lunch and materials. A continental breakfast will be provided by InfraGard at no additional cost. Cash or checks only will be accepted.
“Operation Medusa 2010” T-shirt cost: $10 each (optional).
Who should attend: SEATING AVAILABILITY WILL BE STRICTLY LIMITED.
Priority admission will be granted to General Managers and Security Directors from the hotel/motel industry, Casino management, Convention Services management, Corporate Security managers and directors, law enforcement/first responders, and designated U.S. Military personnel. Due to the highly sensitive nature of the subject matter and to ensure a protected environment for open discussion, everyone who attends must either be vetted by InfraGard or hold current active duty law enforcement, fire, medical, or U.S. Military credentials to participate.
The FBI InfraGard vetting process is simple and straightforward. Visit the InfraGard website at: http://www.infragard.net/. Complete the InfraGard application on-line; print it and sign your name (original signature required). Mail it to the address provided. It takes a few weeks lead time to process your application, so please submit it in a timely manner. Please print “OPERATION MEDUSA 2010” at the top of your application. Let FBI Special Agent Erika Foxworth know that you have submitted an application; she will track and help expedite its processing: Erika.foxworth@ic.fbi.gov.
Why attend? Regardless of your InfraGard Sector affiliation or your occupation, you have a personal stake in the desired outcomes of this exercise. Your input is invaluable! You do not have to be directly involved in the security industry or the hotel industry to participate. Often the best ideas come from those who are not “too close” to the subject.
RSVP required: You must register and confirm your attendance no later than
March 5, 2010, to Melanie.Nauman@ic.fbi.gov.
Please direct any questions to:
Dave Dalton, Exercise Coordinator, at ddalton@sdnhm.org (or)
SA Erika Foxworth, FBI InfraGard Coordinator, at Erika.foxworth@ic.fbi.gov
22 Feb 2010: Operation Medusa 2010 (anti-terrorism tabletop exercise)
2:00-3:00 p.m. (EST)
Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS): An Update
Presenter: Sue Armstrong, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection
Ms. Armstrong will provide an activity and implementation update under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards. To date, over 6,000 facilities have been deemed high-risk. As a result, IP's Infrastructure Security Compliance Division continues to develop tools and provide compliance assistance as the subject facilities enhance security measures to meet their regulatory obligations.
To register for this Webinar please go to: https://connect.hsin.gov/visual/event/registration.html.
Upcoming Events
15-19 Mar 2010: Free Cyberterrorism Defense Initiative (CDI) Training Courses
Free Cyberterrorism Defense Initiative (CDI) training courses to be offered in San Diego March 15-19, 2010. The CDI course offerings are an excellent value (comparable to SANS Institute week-long boot camp) and include:
Cyberterrorism First Responder (CFR)
-DHS-Certified, Course Catalog #PER (None)
-Course Detail: http://www.cyberterrorismcenter.org/cfr.html
Comprehensive Cyberterrorism Defense (CCD)
-DHS-Certified, Course Catalog #PER 256
-Course Detail: http://www.cyberterrorismcenter.org/ccd.html
For online registration and course locations visit:http://www.cyberterrorismcenter.org/registration.html. Registration is on a first come first registered basis.
Call Michele Robinson at (916) 445-5239 with any questions or if you need additional information.
*CDI was developed to provide comprehensive, transferable, and inexpensive cyberterrorism training to qualifying technical personnel throughout the United States and is administered by the Cyberterrorisms Defense Analysis Center (CDAC) of the Criminal Justice Institute (CJI), University of Arkansas System. The CI program is funded by a cooperative agreement from the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency 9FEMA), Training and Exercise Integration/Training Operations (TEI/TO).
10-13 May 2010: NASTTPO ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Courtesy of Tim Gablehouse, NASTTPO President (303) 572-0050
SAVE THE DATE: NASTTPO ANNUAL CONFERENCE
MAY 10-13, 2010
The Cliffs
2757 Shell Beach Road Pismo Beach, CA 93449
www.cliffsresort.com 800.826.7827
The group name is "NASTTPO" and the room rate is $84.
That rate is available the weekend before the conference begins.
Registration will be $385 - the agenda will follow.
I hope to see you all there - it will be a great conference!
16-17 Jun 2010: 4th Annual HAZUS Conference
The USEPA is putting together the Water Laboratory Alliance Security Summit – West Coast in June 16 and 17, 2010 in San Francisco. This is a great summit looking into a very important resource. More information is in the attached newsletter and the following web address:
https://www.thetestportal.com/wlasummit
For questions, please call: Joseph Crisologo, P.E., R.E.A.
Senior Homeland Security Engineer
California Department of Public Health
Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management
1449 West Temple Street, Rm 202
Los Angeles, CA 90026
213-580-5743 (office)
213-580-5711 (fax)
Joseph.Crisologo@cdph.ca.gov (email)
23-25 Aug 2010: 4th Annual HAZUS Conference
The HAZUS Conference provides a unique opportunity for users of all levels in a wide variety of professions (e.g., first responders, local government decision makers, planners, GIS specialists) to share expertise and experience in the development and use of HAZUS-MH.
Downtown Indianapolis
Click here for more information: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/hazus/hz_trngconf.shtm
We've recently begun discussions with George Mason University's Center for Critical Infrastructure Protection (http://cip.gmu.edu/) to look into teaming on projects or working together to make the country safer.
Yet another colleague is looking for employment – this one is a former fire marshal for a town of over 50,000 people. Please give me a holler if you hear of anything that might interest him.
Keeping Our Neighborhoods Safe can be purchased through Amazon.com here.
Paperback copies of Keeping Our Chemical Facilities Safe can be purchased through Amazon.com here.
Hardback copies will need to be purchased direct from SRM Associates; contact us for more information.
We are still working on links for the audio version of Keeping Our Neighborhoods Safe, the e-book of Mantiendo Nuestras Vecindades a Salvo, How to C.O.P.E. With Terrorism, and future titles.
We are also still working on electronic versions of our books. Any information you might have would be greatly appreciated.
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!
Tsunami Safety
Although tsunamis after the Chilean earthquake seem to have been relatively minor, this month's tip will help those of you living or traveling in coastal areas to be prepared if one happens near you:
Tsunami Safety Tips courtesy of National Geographic.
When in coastal areas, stay alert for tsunami warnings.
Plan an evacuation route that leads to higher ground.
Know the warning signs of a tsunami: rapidly rising or falling coastal waters and rumblings of an offshore earthquake.
Never stay near shore to watch a tsunami come in.
A tsunami is a series of waves. Do not return to an affected coastal area until authorities say it is safe.
Private Sector Preparedness Tips of the week from FEMA:
2/8/10
Prepare your office for the winter season by storing rock salt, a snow shovel, emergency food and a weather radio. View more winter weather tips at: www.fema.gov/hazard/winter/wi_before.shtm.
2/15/10
Review and use tax preparation guidelines for businesses impacted by disasters. Visit the IRS website for more details: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=156138,00.html.
2/22/2010
Check your organization's defibrillator and fire extinguishers to ensure they are working and replace old equipment. For more fire safety information, visit www.usfa.dhs.gov