FirstResponder.gov - Blog

Welcome to the Newly Updated FirstResponder.gov

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 19:26:00 GMT

Welcome to the newly updated FirstResponder.gov. As you can see, we’ve redesigned the look and feel of the site and added new features to help you find information, news stories, technology, and tools to help you conduct your mission. The goal is to establish First Responders as a “one-stop-shop” resource portal. We added this blog to the site to start the conversation, make announcements and share information.

Our “What’s New” section points you to the most recently updated or posted event, blog post, link or news article. On the main page, clicking on the images of first responders will bring you to a page of information related to that specific discipline. You’ll also find a new section called “Tell Us Your Story” in which FirstResponder.gov urges you to do exactly that: tell us what we need to know and report about. Share your use of new technologies in the field, name an unsung hero we can profile, or tell us about a great online resource we should post to FirstResponder.gov.

We created the “Success Stories” map to highlight the deployment of government funded first responder technologies in the field. A new headlines feed will alert you to breaking stories across the DHS components, and “In the Spotlight” showcases original news stories about first responder technologies and innovations.

We’ve moved some of the content from the original version of the site to buttons on the bottom of the home page, so you can still find information about Grants, Preparedness/Training, Operational Field Assessments, Library/Reference, Technology/Standards and Emergency Management.

Links to other major DHS S&T programs such as Tech Solutions, Virtual USA, the Responder Knowledge Database, SAVER and the new First Responder Communities of Practice can be found on the lower right side of the home page.

Welcome to the new FirstResponder.gov. We look forward to a continuing dialogue with you, so that we can ensure the site meets your needs.

Social Media for First Responders? Introducing First Responder Communities of Practice

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:24:00 GMT

Lots of first responders already use social and professional networking tools including Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and possibly even GovLoop. While these sites offer great opportunities for first responders to connect and collaborate with others on a variety of topics, they are not solely dedicated to first responders. The new First Responder Communities of Practice is a forum for first responders to collaborate with other first responders on matters related to them conducting their missions more effectively and more efficiently.

In response to the need for an intuitive, easy to use virtual collaboration and professional networking platform, the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate created First Responder Communities of Practice. The site was designed for first responders and federal, state, local and tribal Homeland Security officials, who are granted access to the site by going through a vetting process. Registered members may share For Official Use Only (FOUO) or Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information with colleagues using tools including wikis, blogs, discussion boards, bookmarks and document folders. Members create profiles, join Communities that interest them – such as law enforcement, emergency managers, emergency medical services, and fire, among others -- and make new professional connections.

State participants in Virtual USA, are already using First Responder Communities of Practice to manage pilot projects and coordinate activities with team members across the country. Virtual USA is an information-sharing initiative developed in collaboration with the emergency response community and state and local governments across the nation to help federal, state, local and tribal first responders communicate during emergencies.

If you are an active or retired fist responder, federal, state, local or tribal Homeland Security official, you may register for an account at https://communities.firstresponder.gov.

Got Five Minutes? Take a Coffee Break with the U.S. Fire Administration

Sat, 22 May 2010 11:47:00 GMT

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) offers training sessions, in the form of one page Coffee Break training bulletins, videos and podcasts, so you can learn during your down time. More than 100 bulletins can be downloaded from the USFA Web site. Videos can be viewed on the USFA Web site or downloaded to your iPhone/iPod. You can also subscribe to Coffee Break podcasts on iTunes.

Coffee Break pages are posted every Tuesday, and present technical training tips on fire protection systems, building construction, codes and standards, hazardous materials and more. Recent Coffee Breaks focused on automatic sprinklers, fire investigation health and safety, and Web 2.0. Emergent issues that need special coverage are written up as Hot Coffee bulletins. Every three months you can test your knowledge using the USFA’s self-assessment tool.

For more information on Coffee Break training or other USFA programs, visit www.usfa.dhs.gov.

We Want to Hear From You

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:22:00 GMT

FirstResponder.gov is your site – and we want your feedback. When we first launched FirstResponder.gov a couple of years ago, the goal was to create an umbrella portal for federal resources for the emergency response community. First responders from around the country told us they needed a "one stop shop" for information on grants, training, safety, standards and other resources available from the federal government. This year, we reorganized the site and added news and a blog (this one). But we need input from first responders like you about front-burner issues and topics for you as well as other features to include that would enhance its usefulness. If you have a story idea, send it along. We want to know how you’ve used technology to help save lives – or what tool you don’t have but need. To Tell Us Your Story click here or on the main FR.gov page under "Tell Us Your Story."

Improved Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:09:00 GMT

A new, leaner and lighter Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) is almost a reality. The new design includes a soft back frame and first stage regulator (developed by Mine Safety Appliance), as well as a significantly slimmer cylinder array from Vulcore Industrial. The project is funded through a contract between the Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).

Representatives of DHS and the IAFF attended an operational assessment of the new, leaner version in May at the Prince George’s County (MD) Fire and EMS Training Academy in Cheltenham, MD. Firefighters from the National Capital Region - Prince George’s County, MD, Montgomery County, MD, Fairfax County, VA and Washington, D.C. - donned the prototype SCBA while executing training exercises including a window bailout and wire entanglement. The new SCBA holds 45 minutes of air supply, operates at 4500 psi, weighs less than current SCBA in the marketplace, has a profile of 2.5 inches, compared to current versions at more than 9 inches and will be compatible with current filling stations. Feedback from the first responders who wore the gear during exercises will be used to address identified issues. The new and improved SCBA is scheduled for commercial release in late 2011. For more information about the new SCBA, email RTech@dhs.gov.

WISER

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:49:00 GMT

How can you respond to a chemical spill if you don’t know what chemical you’re dealing with? A website and mobile app developed by the National Library of Medicine helps first responders identify hazardous substances and properly treat victims – and themselves. The Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER) offers a substance database to look up the effects of a substance if you already know what it is, and another database that guides users to look for telltale details including physical properties of the substance, signs/symptoms from exposure and Department of Transportation placard. WISER includes data updates from the Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB), Radiation Event Medical Management, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acute Exposure Guideline Levels.

Social Media to the Rescue - Exercise 24

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:43:00 GMT

On September 24, 2010, a major earthquake will trigger an oil spill off the coast of Southern California, damaging critical infrastructure and driving residents from their homes. Or at least, that’s the premise of Exercise 24, an experiment to test the power of social media and online collaboration to assemble resources in a crisis. Exercise 24 is being organized by San Diego State University’s Immersive Visualization Center, known as the Viz Center. The Viz Center is involved in humanitarian assistance disaster relief for groups like the U.S. Navy and the use of Cloud Computing, mobile devices, and open-source software to assist decision-makers and the public (http://www.inrelief.org). Exercise 24 aims “to explore collaborative solutions to emergency response, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and environmental impact challenges associated with a major earthquake.” The idea is to see how national and international authorities, organizations and citizens would react to such an event in southern California – who and what they would send and how they would communicate with the boots on the ground. Exercise 24 is seeking participants. The invite is open to municipal, state, federal, and tribal governments and organizations, non-government organizations, education centers, faith-based groups, volunteer groups, businesses, and individuals. Any costs would be paid by the participants themselves.

If you’re interested in participating in or observing Exercise 24 on September 24, go to InRelief.org (https://sites.google.com/a/inrelief.org/24/).

Working the Oil Spill

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:15:00 GMT

First responders and emergency managers in the regions affected by the oil spill are using a pilot project from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deal with the aftermath.

About a year and a half ago, DHS launched a pilot project to help Southeastern states share real-time information during an emergency. Now our federal, state, and local officials from 10 states are putting it to use. That pilot, the Southeast Regional Operations Platform Pilot (SE ROPP), is supporting response to the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. SE ROPP is part of the DHS Virtual USA (vUSA) initiative, which is developing a nationwide information-sharing capability that improves emergency coordination in a cost-effective way.

Louisiana’s Virtual Louisiana team from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness granted pilot participants real-time access to incident reports from state agencies (e.g., environmental, poison control, and emergency management). These reports include the latest data on oil spill sightings, cleanup progress, affected wildlife, and broken booms. The information helps agencies across the region coordinate response efforts. “Building upon lessons learned from events such as Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav, we have since formed a strong coalition with our colleagues in neighboring states throughout the region through the Virtual USA information-sharing initiative supported by DHS,” says Travis Johns, IT Applications Branch Manager for the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Florida state officials are studying maps of spilled oil on the state’s Geospatial Assessment Tool for Operations and Response (GATOR), a geospatial platform developed during the pilot, to display emergency data. The images help environmental officials decide where oil can be successfully recovered. “The [Florida State Emergency Response Team] SERT has been collecting geospatial data for boom verification, natural resources data, reconnaissance reports, geotagged photographs, and other data related to this response,” says David Halstead, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

For more information on SE ROPP and vUSA, visit www.firstresponder.gov/Pages/VirtualUSA.aspx

How Not to Crash

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:02:00 GMT

"It can't happen to me! I'm a good driver!" That's what too many first responders think when it comes to vehicle accidents and roadway injuries and deaths. But a new report from the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the U.S. Fire Administration says that law enforcement officers are more likely to be killed or injured by a vehicle than a weapon, according to the report, Best Practices for Emergency Vehicle and Roadway Operations Safety in the Emergency Services. And the number of firefighter deaths and injures related to roadway incidents “vastly exceeds” those in caused by scene entrapments and rapid interventions.

Crashes are “a major cause of on-duty fatalities,” says Acting U.S. Fire Administrator Glenn A. Gaines. And the number of police officers, firefighters, EMTs and others struck and killed by vehicles as they work by the roadside is “disturbing and unacceptable,” says IAFF General President Harold A. Schaitberger.

In one case study, two Fort Lauderdale fire fighters managed to survive a high speed rear collision that ended up tipping their ambulance on its side because they were wearing seatbelts. The two cut themselves out, extinguished the flames shooting out of the car that hit them, and called for help using a radio that had been ejected from their rig.

Other first responders profiled in the study weren’t so lucky. An Illinois State Police Acting Master Sergeant began his work day at 7 a.m. in Champaign. The 16-year veteran was called to assist with an investigation into a local police department’s SWAT situation that ended with a subject shooting himself. The Sergeant worked well over his normal eight-hour shift and reported for his next shift less than six hours later. On his way home from that shift – and while talking on his cell phone – he missed a stop sign, skidded through the intersection and was struck on the passenger side by a pickup truck. His car than struck a utility pole and landed in a ditch. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The report urges first responders to drive at a reasonable speed, wear seatbelts and be extra cautious when fatigue may be a factor. And of course to avoid distractions such as cell phones.

Responders to an incident scene should use emergency vehicles, parked at an angle, to shield them from the flow of traffic and wear reflective vest or clothing.

Download the full report here

Assessing Digital Pen Technology

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:43:00 GMT

First responders collect a great deal of information on paper in the field, which is where it often languishes before it’s more broadly available for analysis and decision making. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) TechSolutions program recently held a focus group to explore digital pen technology as a tool to speed data capture and sharing without requiring mobile computers or workflow changes. The focus group brought together first responders from across the country representing law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, and emergency management, and gave them a chance to test out a digital pen solution. The digital pen, used like a regular ballpoint pen, captures and stores written information via scanning technology and specialized software.

First responders can use the digital pens to write on paper forms, maps, and building plans. Teams print forms, maps, and PDF files from their native applications using office printers and ordinary paper. The digital pen creates a unique digital watermark –like a 2D barcode—on each print that enables the digital pen and software to track and associate handwriting on each print with the original source files. Printed pages are filled out or marked up with ink using the digital pen, which also has a sensor, processor, and memory. As the pen writes, handwriting is digitized and stored on the pen. Data can be uploaded directly into agency databases using Microsoft Office, SharePoint, PDF, or ArcGIS files through a USB connection or uploaded through a BlackBerry device using Bluetooth. Testing is currently underway to support data transfer using iPhones and Android-based cell phones.

First responder participants in the focus group provided feedback on how the digital pen solution could be used and improved upon. TechSolutions will use the results of this focus group to determine its next steps.

The TechSolutions program was established by the DHS S&T First Responder Technologies (R-Tech) program to provide information, resources, and technology solutions that address mission capability gaps identified by the emergency response community. The goal of TechSolutions is to field technologies that meet 80 percent of the operational requirement, in a 12- to 15-month time frame, at a cost commensurate with the proposal. Goals will be accomplished through rapid prototyping or the identification of existing technologies that satisfy identified requirements. To submit a capability need or to learn more about TechSolutions, please visit www.TechSolutions.DHS.gov.

First Responder Communities of Practice Has Reached a Significant Milestone!

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:47:00 GMT

Membership on First Responder Communities of Practice exceeded the 1,000-user mark in September 2010. Created by the Science & Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS S&T), this vetted community of members focuses on emergency preparedness, response, recovery, resilience and other homeland security topics and issues.

More than 1, 100 First Responders, First Receivers, and homeland security personnel are connecting and collaborating on the DHS S&T First Responder Communities of Practice – why aren’t you? The site is a professional networking, collaboration, and communication platform designed specifically to focus on creating active communities around key issues, topics, and projects that First Responders, First Receivers, and homeland security personnel across the country are discussing. We have created a national dialogue via a trusted platform that can assist you in solving your homeland security problems, as well as help you find solutions that will assist you in conducting your missions more safely, efficiently, and effectively.

Responders are looking for the ideas and wealth of experience that new members can bring to the discussion. To get involved, go to https://Communities.FirstResponder.gov and request an account. Current members can use the “Invite Colleagues” function on the site to ask their peers to join and weigh in on important topics. Don’t be the last of your colleagues to join!

RKB Highlights

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:14:00 GMT

FEMA’s Responder Knowledge Base (www.rkb.us) contains a ton of great information. To bring the breadth and depth of the RKB’s information to users’ attention, a new feature was added to the site’s homepage: RKB Highlights. RKB Highlights provides a single link that describes a topic first responders encounter in the field. Clicking on it sends users to a page that provides a list of links to all of the information the RKB has on that particular topic. The first RKB Highlight focused on content concerning communications and interoperability. Upcoming topics for RKB Highlights include CBRNE, EMS, firefighting, law enforcement, and safety notices.

The goal of the Highlights feature is to provide users with as much information as possible about a specific topic in a single location, helping the RKB’s more than 73,500 users quickly find what they need. Within each RKB Highlight, users can find information about related certifications and declarations, operational assessments, publications and references, standards, training, and Weblinks.

For more information on the Highlights tool offered on the RKB Website, or to recommend a topic, please e-mail RKBMailbox@us.saic.com or call 1-877-FEMA-RKB (1-877-336-2752).

Meet the First Responder Social Media Experts

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:24:00 GMT

The DHS First Responder Communities of Practice team is getting to know first responders in various disciplines across the country who are actively using social media for emergency preparedness and response. We’ve been learning how these energetic individuals are beginning to capitalize on the multitude of free, fast and efficient social media tools that are available to anyone, with just the click of a button.

Take Edward Vassallo for example. As Ready Coordinator for the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management , Vassallo has helped the department launch remarkably active websites on Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, YouTube, Blogger and Twitter – where they have accumulated over 2,800 followers. Vassallo regularly posts a “tip of the week” to keep Philadelphia citizens engaged – on topics ranging from events in the city to barbeque safety. During emergencies, the department utilizes a regional emergency text and email alert system by connecting the RSS feeds from that system with their Facebook and Twitter accounts. This allows the messages generated remotely from the alert system to be automatically and seamlessly pushed out to their department websites.

In Boca Raton, Florida, Mark Economou has helped place the city police department at the forefront of the social media field, using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and a ‘Chief’s Corner’ page – where visitors can view all social media activities of the police department Chief in one place. As Public Information Manager, Economou actively engages the community in constant conversation via Twitter, posting about recent arrests, major road closures, and how to stay safe. On their Facebook page, he posts items ranging from short, news-style videos to stories detailing local crimes.

Are you a first responder using social media? Do you have advice to share with the first responder community? We encourage you to contribute! Whether you’re just starting to dabble in social media and Web enabled technologies or already well on your way, we’d love to hear about your experiences. Visit First Responder Communities of Practice to sign-up for an account and get involved in the discussion happening in the “Make America Safer through Social Media” Community.

FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:46:00 GMT

Learn for free at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness

If you’re a first responder you can learn how to handle chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive weapons at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston, Ala. It’s the only federally chartered Weapons of Mass Destruction training center in the United States. Training is free for state, local and tribal government first responders. CDP will fly you into Atlanta airport, pick you up, take you to the facility and provide all meals and lodging. For more information, click here.

Top 10 Reasons to Join First Responder Communities of Practice

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:07:00 GMT

1. Because you’re part of a community working to ensure the safety of our nation…

Solving today’s challenges requires collaboration and information-sharing across the entire public safety community. First Responder Communities of Practice is the fastest growing collaboration platform developed specifically for those working in homeland security and public safety. Site membership is open to those working in public safety or homeland security, including government-sponsored citizens, government employees, and academia.

2. Because you are facing limited time and resources…

Time constraints and limited resources make it difficult to schedule face-to-face meetings, especially when travel is required. First Responder Communities of Practice offers its members a place to chat in real-time, email, develop documents, share calendar events, ask questions and respond to discussion threads, upload and access shared documents through discussion boards, email and online chat, blogs, wiki, calendar, document library, and bookmarking.

3. Because the nature of your work requires a trusted environment…

To join First Responder Communities of Practice, members must provide a sponsor and are vetted by DHS to verify their identity. And unlike most social media Websites that are often blocked by government firewalls, First Responder Communities of Practice is accessible from all government and non-government locations. The trusted nature of the site also allows for the storage of “For Official Use Only” (FOUO) and “Sensitive But Unclassified” (SBU) materials.

4. Because you want to find and stay in touch with colleagues in your field and across disciplines and jurisdictions…

Members of First Responder Communities of Practice represent a wide range of homeland security and public safety professionals, from all 50 states and across many disciplines. Members can update their profile with a photo, bio, certifications and education, and expertise, and can connect with other members. The site also offers email and real-time chat.

5. Because you’re always on the go and need to stay in touch with colleagues on tasks, projects, and key deliverables…

On First Responder Communities of Practice, staying connected while on travel or in the field is simple and quick. Members can subscribe to content being published from all tools and receive email alerts of replies to new discussion threads, blogs, document uploads, calendar events, and messages. Subscriptions help you to stay up to date on site activities without having to log-in.

6. Because you’re an expert in your field and want to share your expertise with other professionals and/or wish to seek expertise from others…

The nation’s public safety and homeland security professionals face similar challenges; often, documents or templates created by one agency can be used for another. But, it can be costly and complicated to share these resources, especially when the nature of the work requires additional security protections. First Responder Communities of Practice is developed specifically for this purpose. Become recognized in your field by sharing your expertise and contributing to the development of documents, replying to questions and discussion within Communities, or uploading and sharing templates and plans, while soliciting expertise, lessons learned, and best practices from others.

7. Because you want to contribute and learn about a variety of topics relating to your profession…

On First Responder Communities of Practice, you can join Communities that interest you, or create your own Community for a specific topic or project. DHS can help you get started. The site offers two types of Communities: Open Communities for discussion and collaboration on a general topic like Emergency Management, Law Enforcement, or Search and Rescue; Restricted Communities are for specific projects or initiatives. Membership is controlled by the Community administrator (site member who request to create a new Community) who can add or remove members as necessary.

8. Because you’re looking for a better way to work with your colleagues…

Conflicting schedules make it difficult to plan meetings and solicit feedback in an organized manner. Email isn’t always the best solution for sharing documents (many agencies limit message size to 12 MB or smaller) or for maintaining version control. And it’s often tough to quickly find messages or information in your inbox or shared folders. Site members can upload files up to 25 MB per instance and then store in one central location for easy access, and can edit and collaborate via the site’s wiki, discussion threads, and blogs.

9. Because you want to quickly find information, contacts, and resources in one place…

Finding and sharing important documents and contact information can be cumbersome, especially across agencies and departments. First Responder Communities of Practice members can search for site content, Communities, and colleagues by keyword, location, or discipline and expertise. The site’s member directory, tagging, and dynamic search make it easy to locate and share content and documents and maintain accurate contact lists.

10. Because you need a way to stay in touch and engaged with colleagues in between conference calls and meetings…

Continuing the conversation, gathering and managing feedback on documents, and following up on action items isn’t easy, especially when conference calls or meetings are infrequent or cancelled. On First Responder Communities of Practice, you can ask project members to add comments or make edits to documents, reply to discussion and questions, or upload resources. Members can chat with colleagues in real-time, subscribe to receive notification of site activities, and Community Administrators can message Community members through the site’s email capability.

New Tool Uses Satellite Imagery to Detect Wildfire Hotspots

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 17:12:00 GMT

During wildfire outbreaks, first responders need a tool that quickly delivers information and imagery to help them contain and combat wildfires. There are automated systems currently available which use low resolution satellite imagery to detect wildfires, but these satellites see the earth as a grid of 1 kilometer-by-1 kilometer squares, which limits their ability to precisely locate the fire. Funded by the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate, the Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center Pacific is developing a toolset that quickly and automatically detects wildfires from wide-footprint, high resolution commercial satellite imagery. Systems that use high resolution imagery generally require image analysts to manually search for fires, which takes up valuable time. Depending on fire size and image size it can take anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours to use a satellite image to determine where the fires are, when every second counts. The RAPIER Fire Detection System (FDS) gets it done in under a minute. Additionally, certain satellites provide information that allows the RAPIER FDS to even locate fires through thick smoke. The RAPIER FDS creates small, high quality files that are easy to email or transfer. To download RAPIER Fire, try it out and comment on it, log into your First Responder Communities of Practice account, join the Fire Community, click on Documents and in the second folder, see the subfolder, RAPIER Fire Detection System. Don’t have a First Responder Communities of Practice account? Click here to apply for one. To see a demonstration video, click here.

Welcome to Prison

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:22:00 GMT

Screams and taunts erupt from inside prison walls on a dark rainy day in West Virginia. Inside the cafeteria, inmates are loose, yelling, cursing and throwing things. A response team arrives in full riot gear, brandishing shields and launching flash bangs that blast purple smoke into the air as they advance. It’s probably the only time you’ll see an inmate pat a corrections officer on the back after being tackled, pepper sprayed and even hit with paintballs. That’s because the inmates are enthusiastic student volunteers from area colleges dressed in orange prison jumpsuits – and safety glasses and mouth guards – and the officers are training and testing new law enforcement technologies at the Mock Prison Riot.

The Mock Prison Riot is held once a year for four days at the West Virginia State Penitentiary, a gothic style, 100-year-old former prison that was decommissioned in 1996. An actual, deadly riot occurred on the grounds in 1986. At this year’s Mock Prison Riot, more than 1,200 correctional and law enforcement officers attended from 35 states and 11 countries. They viewed, or tested, 97 different technologies in 60 scenarios. Foreign visitors included delegates from Canada, Bahamas, Singapore, Brazil, Australia, Hong Kong, Norway, Portugal, Estonia, Finland and Israel.

The Riot is a great chance for officers to play with new masks, non-lethal weapons, smoke cannons and other gear. The Department of Homeland Security’s HS S&T’s Patti Wolfhope brought along a new biometric reader known as the “Four Finger Slap.” The handheld device is designed to identify inmates, disaster victims or anyone else using biometric markers including fingerprints, facial characteristics and iris. The riot allows for technology developers to gather immediate feedback on their tools for consideration and modification to the product prior to production.

The week’s events kick off with a competition that tests marksmanship, endurance, teamwork and even hostage rescue skills. During the following days, teams react to a series of realistic scenarios involving inmate volunteers acting up in the cell blocks, the cafeteria, the infirmary and even a school bus. As a finale, a helicopter landed in the yard, under SWAT cover, as a medical crew rescued a corrections officer (dummy) amidst an inmate disturbance. If you and your team are interested in participating in the next Riot, go to www.mockprisonriot.org.

Wear Your Seatbelt: Sign the Pledge

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:43:00 GMT

Vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of firefighter deaths each year, killing hundreds and representing 25 percent of all on-duty fatalities. Safety Tops Our Priorities (STOP), a new campaign sponsored by the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) offers educational resources on the dangers of riding sans seatbelt, on the job, and off. The first training in the program – STOP: Seatbelts Top Our Priorities – is now available online here (access code 6832). The free 30-minute training module focuses on vehicle safety with an emphasis on seatbelt use. STOP offers completion tracking capabilities so departments can make sure their members have completed the course, and certificates of successful completion can be printed. The NVFC also encourages departments to have all their members sign the International First Responder Seat Belt Pledge. The pledge was created in 2006 in memory of firefighter Brian Hutton, who died after falling from his fire truck on the way to a call. More than 850 departments and 150,000 firefighters – including the NVFC Board of Directors – have signed the Seatbelt Pledge.

Get a Fire Prevention Toolkit for Your Agency Here!

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:37:00 GMT

A new web-based toolkit helps local fire departments defend against budget cuts and advocate for continued investment in fire prevention programs. Every day, a fire department responds to a fire every 23 seconds, someone is injured every 31 minutes, and every three hours someone dies, according to the Strategic Fire project, funded by a DHS Fire Prevention and Safety Grant to the Institution of Fire Engineers USA Branch (IFE-USA). Fires cause $15.5 billion in property damage each year and can damage a community and its economy through loss of business, jobs and tax revenue. The kit helps departments show their elected leadership what that really means. It offers tips on developing relationships with community leaders, telling your story, implementing an advocacy program and working with the media. You can find the Vision 20/20 Fire Prevention Advocacy Toolkit at StrategicFire.org. You can also learn more about Vision 20/20 by following the project on Twitter @strategicfire and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/strategicfire.

Welcome to the Conversation: Using social media to prepare for and respond to disasters

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 20:15:00 GMT

The integration of social media and emergency management for enhanced communications and situational awareness has been a topic of national discussion increasing in popularity with each emergency or large-scale event. A returning concern is the credibility and accuracy of data collected via public channels. Another is how to sift through the volumes of information available during a crisis or other large-scale event to discover information that is useful to you. Leveraging lessons learned and best practices identified by the emergency response community (including volunteers, non-profits, academia, and private sector partners), the DHS Science and Technology Directorate was able to aggregate Twitter feeds from local, state, federal, NGO, and private sector officials from every state on the Eastern Seaboard into a web service during the recent response to Hurricane Irene.

Using a web service makes the data dynamic; in other words, data feeds generated with a “web services” approach ensures that the information provided is automatically updated in real time and represents the most up-to-date information possible. There are two ways to digest the data we’ve provided:

• Within Your Own Mapping Capability

The web services are discoverable on the Virtual USA (vUSA) website, https://web.vusa.us, and can be viewed in any EOC’s existing map viewer, such as Google Earth or an ArcGIS based viewer. Users need only to have a vUSA account to access the information. These feeds enable Emergency Operations Centers or anyone with a common smartphone to utilize geo-enabled services and/or files in conjunction with their own situational awareness data in their native mapping environment.

• Public Data

For those without a central mapping capability, a Representational State Transfer (REST) service is viewable courtesy of the Florida Division of Emergency Management at http://map.floridadisaster.org/Gator/.

Additional Efforts

Development of the service was inspired by another crowd-sourcing effort, in which the location of Twitter profiles of social media experts, government agencies, the media, and other response organization on the Eastern Seaboard were mapped in preparation for Hurricane Irene. This map represents the efforts of a growing community of emergency managers and practitioners who are focused on the integration of social media and emergency management - the Social Media and Emergency Management (SMEM) Initiative.

For more information, follow #SMEM on Twitter. Volunteers also lead weekly chats on a variety of topics relating to the integration of technology and emergency management, including social media, geospatial capabilities, policies, and more by following #SMEMchat on Fridays at 12:30 P.M. EST.

The Virtual Social Media Working Group

DHS Science and Technology facilitates the Virtual Social Media Working Group (VSMWG), whose mission is to provide recommendations to the emergency preparedness, response, and homeland security communities on the safe and sustainable use of social media before, during, and after emergencies. Members of the group represent several agencies, disciplines, and sectors from across the country and are currently working on developing a social media guide to assist agencies who are just getting started in the implementation of social media through examples and use cases. For more information on the VSMWG, please request membership to DHS First Responder Communities of Practice and join the “Make America Safer through Social Media” community (www.communities.firstresponder.gov).

Get This App, Don't Overheat

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:12:00 GMT

Even heroes can fall victim to the dehydration and overheating. A new mobile application from the Department of Labor helps first responders and others working in extreme conditions avoid heat-related illness. The app lets workers and supervisors calculate the heat index, pulling together air temperature and relative humidity to determine how hot it really feels to a human being. With one click, users can get reminders about protective measures, including reminders about drinking enough fluids, scheduling rest breaks and monitoring each other for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness. The app is already available for Android, coming soon to the Blackberry and iPhone. To get it, go to http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/heat_index/heat_app.html. For more information about safety while working in the heat, see OSHA’s heat illness webpage, including new online guidance about using the heat index to protect workers.

DHS Science and Technology Directorate Leads Development of Standards for CBRNE Detection

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:28:00 GMT

With the plethora of detection equipment on the market nowadays, it is difficult for facility and security managers to know what chemical, biological or other types of sensors may or may not meet their needs. That’s because there have been no official standards for this type of equipment. The recently published National Strategy for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Standards, produced by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate[m2] (S&T) and the Department Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will ultimately make it easier to make these determinations and protect an organization’s people and assets.

The dilemma has been a challenge. Take for example, a facilities manager at a prominent company headquartered in New York who was looking to protect employees from a variety of threats. One of many protective recommendations was to purchase and install CBRNE detection units for the building. The company’s CEO approved the purchase and the facilities manager searched for the best option. Unable to find local, state, or Federal standards for the CBRNE detection equipment, he asked colleagues for recommendations, then, ultimately ordered and installed the technology.

Soon afterward, the CRBNE equipment proved to be effective, setting off an alarm when chemical fumes were detected in the hallways. The fumes, however, were from the solvents the cleaning crew uses to mop and polish the floors. The false alarm caused local emergency responders and a HAZMAT team to scramble to the building and assess the situation. This scenario repeated itself over and over again for a few weeks. Finally, New York State officials recognize the problem — the faulty CBRNE detection unit. The system has to be shut down to stop the expensive nightly response.

Similar stories spurred the state of New York to mitigate the expensive issue by developing a standard for companies to purchase and manage CBRNE equipment. The NY CBRNE detection equipment regulation requires companies planning to procure and install these systems to submit applications that include equipment details, standard operating procedures, and how they plan to manage emergencies with local responders and the state Department of Health. The New York State regulation requires companies to evaluate the technology against state requirements. Further, the company must have a certified technician on staff full-time to manage the equipment.

Currently, the Federal government is working to coordinate the development of these much-needed CBRNE standards. The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Committee on Homeland & National Security[j5] chartered the Subcommittee on Standards (SOS) to serve as an interagency forum to gather CBRNE Federal stakeholders to develop CBRNE standards. The SOS is co-chaired by DHS S&T and NIST. The National Strategy for CBRNE Standards document is the first of a number of planned publications by the SOS. The Strategy covers equipment used by Federal, State, local, and tribal responders for CBRNE detection, protection, and decontamination.

The Strategy provides an outline to develop CBRNE standards by 2020 for:

· equipment,

· interoperability,

· training,

· standard operating procedures, and

· A National infrastructure for Test and Evaluation of CBRNE Equipment.

The Strategy provides a framework for coordinated CBRNE investment activities among:

· agency leaders,

· program managers,

· the research and testing community, and

· the private sector.

Learn more about the National Strategy for CBRNE Standards on the White House Office for Science and Technology Policy Website.

Missouri Leverages New Virtual USA Capabilities in Recent Disasters

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:38:00 GMT

Emergency Management requires a tremendous amount of coordination between agencies, and often requires working across borders and jurisdictions. Toward that end, the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium (CUSEC) is leading an effort to develop a regional information sharing capability that will allow its member states to share data instantly and seamlessly. On May 16-20, 2011, the CUSEC states participated in the National Level Exercise (NLE) led by FEMA to demonstrate its newly built information sharing capability. The states shared information leveraging the technical components of Virtual USA, a product supported by DHS S&T. To give it a proper test, the exercise simulated a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone – an area that lies at the junction of Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, and Kentucky – and then, within in each state's emergency operations center, simulated the responses.

The timing of this exercise proved excellent.

Just a few days before the NLE began, heavy rains had led to flooding in Missouri, and the day after the exercise ended, tornadoes hit throughout the Midwest. These tornadoes caused devastation throughout the CUSEC states, most notably in the city of Joplin, Missouri, where over a hundred people were killed. To respond to and recover from these disasters as efficiently and best as possible, the CUSEC states put to use various components of the newly established regional information sharing capability, as well as the processes and relationships developed during its creation.

To monitor and assess the situation on the ground, the Missouri National Guard and Emergency Management Agency (EMA) used a workflow that had been developed for the CUSEC information sharing pilot by the Tennessee EMA. To get accurate high-level views of critical infrastructure and key resources, the Missouri EMA put to use a Civil Air Patrol (CAP) tool that had been created during the CUSEC pilot. The CAP tool collected post-disaster aerial reconnaissance photos of critical infrastructure taken by the CAP, and then placed those pictures into Web-enabled feeds of geo-referenced pictures of the areas, creating up-to-date composite maps of the affected areas. The composite maps data feed was shared with other entities in Missouri, and was made available to representatives in Iowa, Virginia, and CUSEC member states, providing valuable situational awareness and decision support intelligence for stakeholders in the region.

The information collected by the Missouri EMA and National Guard was also shared immediately with operators and decision makers in the region. The shared information became part of the planned and coordinated response efforts in at least five different cases, including:

· Securing the area around the overtopped Sugar Tree Levee;

· Monitoring the water levels at the Peteseau Bend Levee;

· Surveying a power plant and railroads surrounded by water and re-routing traffic to sustain the delivery of coal and personnel to the plant;

· Assessing damage at key hospitals in the area; and

· Determining road closures along I-29 that runs through Missouri and Iowa.

In the aftermath of the Joplin tornado, the Missouri EMA and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) together identified both the tornado’s path and the location of structural damage four days before either the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the National Weather Service provided such reports.

For the participating states, the CUSEC pilot has brought lasting benefits. They now have a sustainable process for more coordinated response efforts, improved real-time situational awareness and coordination of preventive measures and response and recovery efforts during a real event. In addition, the development of the process has led to strong partnerships that foster further regional collaboration between all levels of government. And the timing couldn't have been better.

Get the Virtual USA Implementation Tool

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:14:00 GMT

Do you want to get started sharing emergency information with nearby jurisdictions? Have you heard about Virtual USA? Check out the Virtual USA Implementation Tool at https://vusa.us/doc/bvusa/index.html. It outlines a methodology for leaders from local, state, tribal, regional or Federal entities who are developing their own information-sharing and visualization strategies, in line with the Virtual USA Model. Virtual USA is a federal initiative that promotes cross-jurisdictional information sharing and collaboration among the homeland security and emergency management community. The Implementation Tool offers lessons learned from Virtual USA’s Southeast and Pacific Northwest Pilots.

Virtual USA is developing a technical system and operational guidelines for sharing incident response information through existing systems and geospatial platforms. A number of Virtual USA pilot programs are focused on deploying this capability within the homeland security and emergency management community to save lives, protect property, and improve operational efficiencies. Virtual USA is using a participatory model to link the government at all levels. Users will be able to access information based upon their role and define how to display that information on a web-based map. Get the tool now here: https://vusa.us/doc/bvusa/index.html

Learn More About Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:23:00 GMT

This summer’s Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness (TCIP) conference brought together first responders, government officials, academic experts and others to share their knowledge of technological advances made over the past 10 years that strengthen our nation's ability to handle emergencies. Presenters, invited by the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice and the Department of Defense focused on the use of technology in prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. Topics included responses to 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, personal location and tracking technologies, new aviation systems and tools, biosurveillance, addressing the active shooter threat, social media alerts and warnings, and more. To view presentations from this year’s conference, click here: http://www.justnet.org/Pages/2011-TCIP-Presentations.aspx To learn more about the conference, click here http://www.tcipexpo.com/

DHS Networking Site and Working Group Fill Unique Roles

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:01:00 GMT

by Stephanie Slater

Law enforcement now has plenty of resources for communicating with the public online; the past few years have seen an explosion in the use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others. But where do I go to communicate with others in my field or find advice when an issue arises?

Lately, I’ve been using a great tool called the First Responder Communities of Practice, and it is increasingly the place I turn for networking and sharing information with others in the field. After joining the site, located at http://Communities.FirstResponder.gov, members have unprecedented access to practitioners across the country representing nearly every expertise imaginable. I’ve been impressed with how easy it is to locate and ask questions of other public information officers and first responders whose years of experience well surpass mine.

Site members use discussion boards, shared document repositories, wikis, and other tools to collaborate on projects and share information with one another. The site was created by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate to foster information sharing across all homeland security related fields. I’d encourage anyone who is interested to sign up for an account and begin exploring what’s available. It’s also easy to share your own resources and get your name out in front of a nation-wide audience.

You will quickly notice the unique chance for cross-disciplinary information sharing, meaning that you can discuss common issues with groups such as the fire service or non-profit organizations. As the world becomes more interconnected and strained budgets force further coordination of operations and resources, I think the site is an impressive place to connect on these efforts. It’s hard to imagine the wealth of knowledge and potential for collaboration opportunities on another site. And the best part, especially in today’s budgetary environment, is it’s free!

In addition to the Communities of Practice site, I am also participating in the DHS S&T led Virtual Social Media Working Group (VSMWG). It has been fascinating to explore the potential of social media tools and to hear from other practitioners across the country regarding the integration of these technologies into their agencies. Our discussions so far have reinforced the fact that social media for law enforcement is all about engaging the community, humanizing the agency, and keeping citizens informed at all times. What better way is there to achieve these goals than for agencies to come together across geographic regions and public safety disciplines to share best practices?

Soon, the working group will release to the public a Social Media Guidance document containing a breakdown of all the issues to consider when implementing social media in a public safety organization. It is a great resource for users of any skill level who want to get an overview of the benefits and strategies for social media in police work. As the world embraces social media and the technology is integrated further into the lives of our community, I feel confident that the members of this working group will keep public safety at the forefront of these changes.

Both of these initiatives have me more excited than ever about how these tools will shape the way we work online, engage our community and most importantly, keep them safe!

To join DHS S&T First Responder Communities of Practice and learn more about the Virtual Social Media Working Group, visit http://Communities.FirstResponder.gov.

Stephanie Slater became the Boynton Beach Police Department’s Public Information Officer in April 2007, following seven years as a newspaper reporter. Slater, a New York native, is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, where she majored in print journalism. Slater is the spokeswoman for the Boynton Beach Police Department, serving as the liaison between the officers, the media and the public. She writes the department’s press releases, provides television news interviews, maintains the department’s Web sites (bbpd.org, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) and oversees the department’s Officer of the Month program. Slater is a member of the National Public Information Officers Association and an executive board member with the Florida Law Enforcement Public Information Officers Association. Follow the Boynton Beach Police on Facebook (www.facebook.com/boyntonbeachpolice) and Twitter (@bbpd).

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. Government. Links to non-federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users and the Department of Homeland Security is not responsible for any content on these websites. Furthermore, the placement of the links on this website does not constitute an endorsement of any programs, policies or views of the organizations by the Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. Government.

The New Breed of Police Vehicles: With Greater Power Comes Greater Responsibility

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:58:00 GMT

By G. Thomas Steele and M. L. Kingsley

In recent years, car makers have been introducing a new breed of vehicles designed specifically for law enforcement. Ford unveiled a new version of its longstanding Police Interceptor; Chevrolet revived and modified its Caprice model for law-enforcement use. Newcomer Carbon Motors is marketing its “purpose-built” LE-specific E7, and Chrysler’s new 2012 Dodge Charger Pursuit V8 model has reportedly clocked the fastest lap time in the history of the Michigan State Police annual Police Vehicle Evaluation Test.[i]

As expected, all of these are equipped with powerful engines, modifications for high performance, and improved safety features like ballistic door panels. But beyond that, this emerging generation also offers a variety of high-tech capabilities and equipment options that cater to law enforcement needs, such as license-plate readers, infrared cameras, and communications technologies that link the car into public safety information networks.

If you're considering upgrading your department's fleet to take advantage of the new capabilities on the market, you will have to evaluate more than just price, safety, performance, and fuel economy. Today’s average car has over 10 million lines of computer code in its operating system; a specialty police car, far more. Plus, as you add technology options, you must ask certain questions: When adding equipment, has the computer code been tested thoroughly to ensure that it works under unusual conditions? Is that code encrypted? Who maintains it and what is the cost? What happens if a vital component/system fails?

Data interconnectivity is also a significant part of the appeal of the new cars. With the latest technologies, a cop on the street might be able to send license-plate identification data to headquarters instantly or plug into the geographic information system (GIS) used by local partner agencies. It's important, therefore, to check that any new equipment is fully interconnective with your local agencies. It's also important to check other compatibilities and compliances, such as making sure data transmitted to and from the car doesn’t violate local, state, tribal or federal privacy regulations or agreements.

The new breed of law enforcement-specific vehicles is becoming increasingly impressive, with attributes playing up improved safety, better power and handling, and technologies to make street work more effective. Selecting intelligently from constantly morphing high-tech vehicles and equipment will also take a new breed of evaluation.

G. Thomas Steele is a communications staffer at the University of Maryland, College Park and a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). His past work includes President of the IACP Law Enforcement Information Management Section, Chief Information Officer (Retired), Alexandria, Virginia, Police Department, and Delaware Department of Homeland Security; M. L. Kingsley is freelance writer and consultant in Bethesda, Maryland.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. government. Links to non-federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users and the Department of Homeland Security is not responsible for any content on these websites. Furthermore, the placement of the links on this website does not constitute an endorsement of any programs, policies or views of the organizations by the Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. Government.

For additional information by G. Thomas Steele and M. L. Kingsley about law enforcement vehicles in the market, visit http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&article_id=2506&issue_id=102011.

[i] egm CarTech, posted: Sep 23, 2011, “2012 Dodge Charger Pursuit sets new performance record in Michigan Police Test,” by Omar Rama; http://www.egmcartech.com/2011/09/23/2012-dodge-charger-pursuit-test-record/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+egmcartech+%28egmCarTech%29

New Backboard Cover Protects Patients and Responders From Disease

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:34:00 GMT

Have you or anyone you know ever been transported to a medical facility while strapped to a backboard? Chances are if you’ve required medical attention and paramedics had had to come to your aid to move you, you’ve been carried out on one of these devices. A single backboard carries many people over the course of a single year. To the naked eye, the backboard might look clean, albeit a bit scuffed up from repeated use. But what’s really on that hard plastic surface where your body is resting?

In a study of 55 backboards from central and south Florida, retired firefighter and paramedic Scott Neusch, along with the University of Miami, found that every one of the “in-service” backboards they tested were contaminated with infectious microbes, such as MRSA, left by the board's contact with blood, vomit, and other biological matter. These organisms reside on the surface of the boards and especially in the gashes, scrapes, and adhesive residue on backboards – even after the boards go through hospital scrubbers.

Would you want to be lying on a dirty backboard? Neusch and his colleagues, Joe McCluan and Mark Steinert, think not. That's why they submitted an idea for a disposable backboard cover to the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate’s (DHS S&T) TechSolutions program. TechSolutions worked with these first responders to make their idea a reality. In the end, they produced a new product: Board Armor, a non-porous, medical grade Tyvek material, which was finalized and commercially released in September.

Board Armor fits all sizes of commercially available backboards and is disposable – it's meant for one-time use for each new patient. Cuffed at the ends to afford a better grip to the backboard edges and with adhesive strips to help it stick to the surface of the board, Board Armor offers a solution to contaminated backboards by:

Preventing bodily fluids and other matter from seeping into the backboard surface;
Preventing contaminants on the backboard surface from being transmitted to the patient; and
Reducing the turn-around time for paramedics and “out of service” backboards by eliminating the need to clean the boards after each use.

By partnering with Neusch, McCluan, and Steinert, DHS S&T addressed a critical technology capability gap for EMS practitioners nationwide, as well as patients who require the use of backboards. Learn more about Board Armor at www.advancedemsdesigns.com.

Are you a first responder with a technology idea that would make your job safer and easier to do? Submit your idea to TechSolutions and DHS S&T may partner with you to make your idea into something tangible!

Get Daily Digest Emails of First Responder Communities of Practice Content

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:29:00 GMT

At DHS Science & Technology First Responder Communities of Practice (FRCoP), we listen to our users. That’s what social media is all about– an open dialogue. Based requests from users, we have implemented a new daily digest email that will come to users once a day to alert them of the activities from the Communities to which our users have subscribed. The email highlights new blog posts, discussion questions, document uploads, wall posts and more.

If you’re already a member you should automatically be receiving these emails. You can turn this feature off or individually subscribe to content at any time by managing your subscription elections at https://communities.firstresponder.gov/group/guest/manage-subscriptions.

The idea for the email digest surfaced during a live demo at this summer’s DHS S&T First Responder Resource Group (FRRG) inaugural meeting. One of our users, Tom Sorley, suggested adding such a feature. Sorley is Deputy Director, Radio Communication Services, with the City of Houston’s Information Technology Department and a member of the FRRG, which is composed of a group of over 120 professionals representing the emergency preparedness and response community. Members speak for the needs of their respective disciplines, many of them representing major national associations as they provide feedback to DHS.

We value your feedback, so keep it coming by emailing the Communities of Practice team at FR.Communities@hq.dhs.gov.

DHS S&T Virtual Social Media Working Group Presentation a Success at FEMA Webinar

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:54:00 GMT

Want to learn more about social media and its applications in emergency management and response? Tune in January 18 from 4-5 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Emergency Management Institute (EMI) webinar “Using Social Media for Emergency Management Practices. Members of the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate’s (DHS S&T) Virtual Social Media Working Group (VSMWG) will present topics to include the definition of social media, emerging trends and best practices in using social media applications (Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, etc.) during all phases of emergency management The webinar will also provide a tutorial on how to access and work within these social media application and an overview on how emergency management and response personnel can help their organizations find a unique voice in social media.

Nearly 300 individuals participated in last webinar via online chat, audio, and other platforms. For more information, go to http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/webinars/

About the Virtual Social Media Working Group

Recognizing the need to address the challenges associated with social media for emergency response and public safety, DHS S&T established the VSMWG. The mission of the VSMWG is to provide recommendations to the emergency preparedness and response community on the safe and sustainable use of social media technologies before, during, and after emergencies.

Drawn from a cross-section of subject matter experts from local, state, tribal, territorial, and federal responders from across the United States, VSMWG members are establishing and collecting best practices and solutions that can be leveraged by responders throughout the nation’s emergency preparedness and response community. For more information and to participate in the discussion, please join DHS First Responder Communities of Practice at www.communities.firstresponder.gov.

FEMA EMI Webinar Series

The FEMA EMI Mission Support Branch offers a series of online webinars designed for tribal, state, and local emergency management personnel. The webinars are presented on the first Wednesday of each month at 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time via the worldwide web. For more information on EMI’s webinar series, visit http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/webinars/.

Commercial Mobile Alert Service Tested in New York City

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:10:00 GMT

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and wireless carriers—including Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon—conducted an end-to-end test of the Commercial Mobile Alert Service (CMAS) within New York City’s five boroughs. Throughout the day, OEM sent out test messages directed toward pre-determined locations across New York City between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM EST. Each test message read, “This is a test from NYC Office of Emergency Management. Test Message 1. This is a test.”

CMAS, also known as the Personal Localized Alert Network, is a FEMA-owned emergency notification system that has been created to deliver relevant, timely, effective, and targeted alert messages to mobile devices. CMAS will deliver critical emergency alert information to mobile devices once deployed nationwide in April 2012. By using CMAS, local, tribal, state, and Federal government officials will be able to send 90-character, geographically-targeted critical alert messages to the public warning of imminent threats to life and property. In addition, CMAS will support the dissemination of a Presidential Alert during times of national emergency or disaster as well as AMBER Alerts.

Throughout 2012, S&T and FEMA will be partnering with volunteer originators and disseminators to conduct four regional pilots and a national test. In addition, three CMAS Forums will be held to address how stakeholders representing government and industry can best work together to prepare for CMAS deployment. The next forum CMAS Forum is scheduled February 21, 2012, in conjunction with the 2012 IWCE Conference and Expo in Las Vegas.

For more information on CMAS, please visit the following links: http://www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/cmas.shtm.

For more information on the test, please visit: http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/pr/11_12_14_wirelessalert_test.shtml.

To receive regular updates about CMAS, please create an account at the DHS S&T First Responder Communities of Practice website: https://communities.firstresponder.gov.

Advancing Women's Leadership in Law Enforcement

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:14:00 GMT

Adapted from a post by Director Connie Patrick, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, to the Blog @ Homeland Security.

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) [recently] hosted 21 women in law enforcement as part of FLETC’s Women in Law Enforcement Leadership Training Program at our headquarters in Glynco, GA. FLETC hosted a week-long leadership training program to help promote and support women’s leadership in law enforcement, discuss current leadership challenges for women in law enforcement, and help facilitate career planning.

During the training program, I had the great privilege to join U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Chief of Staff Julia Pierson and FLETC Assistant Directors Cynthia Atwood and Dominick Braccio for a panel discussion on law enforcement leadership topics.

USSS Chief of Staff Pierson began her career as a police officer in Orlando, Florida and then served as a USSS Special Agent assigned to the Miami Field Office. FLETC Assistant Director Atwood was a special agent at the United States Department of Agriculture before coming to FLETC 15 years ago to promote law enforcement training excellence. FLETC Assistant Director Braccio has 32 years of law enforcement experience and recently received the Outstanding Advocate for Women in Federal Law Enforcement Award for his contributions in areas of recruiting, retaining, and promoting women in law enforcement from the Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE) Foundation.

During the panel discussion, we noted that, while the law enforcement officers in attendance represented a diverse spectrum of agencies and functions, they shared common experiences as women in law enforcement. Although women make up 47 to 50 percent of the workforce in the United States, they constitute only up to 20 percent of the law enforcement workforce and are underrepresented in the management ranks.

We at FLETC understand that the law enforcement profession as a whole will continue to improve as women bring their skills and experience to leadership roles in law enforcement organizations across the country and around the world, and we look forward to being a part of their good work.

Connie Patrick is Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), DHS’s law enforcement training organization. Last year, FLETC trained more than 70,000 law enforcement professionals in skills including fingerprinting, tracking financial transactions, counterterrorism tactics, securing a building and searching a crime scene.

Recognizing Critical Infrastructure Protection Month

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:13:00 GMT

Originally posted to The Blog @ Homeland Security by Suzanne Spaulding, Deputy Under Secretary for the National Protection & Programs Directorate. Modified for timeliness.
President Obama declared December National Critical Infrastructure Protection Month. Our Nation’s critical infrastructure includes everything from power plants, chemical facilities and cyber networks to bridges and highways, stadiums and shopping malls, as well as the federal buildings where millions of Americans work and visit each day.

Protecting these assets is a shared responsibility. As required by the National Infrastructure Protection Plan. The Department of Homeland Security leads this effort through a framework of public-private partnerships in close collaboration with the 18 critical insfrastructure sectors which include federal, state, and local governments as well as private sector infrastructure owners and operators.

Since September 11th, DHS has made great strides to improve the security and resiliency of national critical infrastructure. One of the most significant developments has been the linking of physical and cyber infrastructure. Businesses, governments, and individuals all rely on a vast and interdependent network of physical and cyber systems. At DHS, we continue to work with industry to identify and mitigate threats to the industrial control systems that operate everything from the power supply to water filtration.

An aware and vigilant public is a critical part of securing critical infrastructure. As Secretary Napolitano has said, “Homeland security starts with hometown security and everyone has a role to play.” The Department’s "If You See Something, Say Something™" campaign is a simple and effective program to raise public awareness of suspicious behavior and to emphasize the importance of reporting such activity to the proper state and local law enforcement authorities.

Throughout this month, the Department will reach out to our partners and the public to raise awareness of what we can all do to protect and improve the resiliency of the nation’s vast array of critical assets and systems. It will take all of us working together to ensure these resources remain strong for the next generation.

Follow the Department’s critical infrastructure protection and resilience programs at www.dhs.gov/criticalinfrastructure

UMD Leads Center of Excellence on Terrorism, Behavior

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:11:00 GMT

Want to learn why terrorists think and behave as they do and how to respond to those types of actions? The University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) offers cutting edge research and resources on everything from package bombs and anthrax attacks to deradicalization and counter approaches.

The University of Maryland (UMD) received a five-year grant from the Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate to remain the DHS Center of Excellence (COE) for the Study of Terrorism and Behavior (CSTAB). UMD was selected as part of an open solicitation and rigorous competition process, which began in October 2010. This award provides $3.6 million for the COE’s first 18 months. The CSTAB will use these funds to expand efforts initiated by the UMD’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), which is dedicated to advancing the understanding of terrorism and providing DHS relevant knowledge, analytical tools, and access to leading terrorism researchers. START’s research efforts have focused on terrorist recruitment and the formation of terrorist groups, terrorist group persistence and dynamics, and behavioral responses to terrorist threats and attacks. This COE uses a full range of social, behavioral and physical sciences to improve understanding of the origins, dynamics, and social and psychological impacts of terrorism. START also maintains the Global Terrorism Database, the world’s largest open-source database on terrorist events, which is used by analysts from all levels of government as well as the international intelligence community.

The COE program is managed by the S&T Directorate’s Office of University Programs, which leverages the unsurpassed research capabilities and intellectual capital of U.S. colleges and universities to fill knowledge and technology gaps for the Department. By congressional authorization, each COE is responsible for conducting multidisciplinary research and developing education initiatives in areas important for homeland security.

For more information about University Programs and a description of the current Centers of Excellence, visit www.dhs.gov/universityprograms.

DHS U Visa Law Enforcement Certification Resource Guide

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT

Originally posted to the Blog @ Homeland Security at DHS.gov. Written by Louis F. Quijas, Assistant Secretary for the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement and January Contreras, Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman

Last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the U Visa Law Enforcement Certification Resource Guide. This guide is a new tool being made available to law enforcement officials to support investigations and prosecutions involving qualified immigrant victims of crime. Included in the guide is information about U visa requirements, the law enforcement certification process, and answers to frequently asked questions from law enforcement agencies. In a department-wide effort, DHS is providing this guide in response to requests for more guidance from law enforcement officials and domestic violence advocates alike.

In our roles, we hear about the challenges in ensuring that all victims of crime, regardless of immigration status, can step forward to report a crime. Congress created the U nonimmigrant visa specifically to address this with the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (including the Battered Immigrant Women's Protection Act) in October 2000 (TVPA). This legislation strengthened the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and other crimes, while also protecting qualified victims of crimes. In the TVPA, Congress noted one of the reasons for creating the U visa: All women and children who are victims of these crimes committed against them in the United States must be able to report these crimes to law enforcement and fully participate in the investigation of the crimes committed against them and the prosecution of the perpetrators of such crimes.

Along with unprecedented efforts by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to make training and related resources more accessible to state and local law enforcement officials, and field guidance issued by Immigration Customs and Enforcement, this Guide is one more part of DHS efforts to support victims and law enforcement through the protections established in the TVPA.

Law Enforcement Learns to Combat Human Trafficking

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:23:00 GMT

As part of the DHS Blue Campaign to combat human trafficking, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) developed a web-based human trafficking training course that teaches law enforcement officers how to recognize human trafficking encountered during routine duties, how to protect victims, and how to initiate human trafficking investigations. The training is law enforcement sensitive and available on the FLETC Electronic Learning Portal for law enforcement officials with a Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) account. RISS is a secure intranet that facilitates law enforcement communications and information sharing nationwide. To establish training authorization and apply for account with RISS, visit www.riss.net/Centers.aspx. Select the RISS Center based on your agency’s physical location. Click on the email address and send a request to establish an account. Please reference your need to access the Electronic Learning Portal as the basis for establishing a RISS account.

You can also visit the Blue Campaign Facebook page, sign up for the Daily Human Trafficking and Smuggling Report and order Blue Campaign materials here.

A New Year, A New Course to Help Strengthen Public-Private Partnerships in Emergency Management

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:44:00 GMT

Originally posted to the FEMA blog, by: Dan Stoneking, Director, Private Sector Division

It has been a long and productive year working together with the private sector and we’re excited to continue to build on this progress in 2012. As we get ready to head into a new year, I am pleased to announce the release of a free, web-based training course that will help the entire team continue to build and strengthen public-private partnerships in emergency management – FEMA IS-660: Introduction to Public-Private Partnerships.

What makes this course particularly exciting is that it was designed in collaboration with both the public and private sector, and anyone can enroll in the course – for free! The target audience for this training includes emergency management and community planners, senior-level personnel from response agencies, representatives from private-sector organizations, and federal, state, local, tribal and territorial government agencies that may participate in collaborative continuity planning efforts.

To whet your appetite, this new training will:

Provide learners with an overview of the importance of public-private partnerships to emergency preparedness, response, and planning;

Highlight best practices on identifying roles, and establishing and sustaining public-private partnerships;

Introduce and reviews standards-based business continuity planning like the Private Sector-Preparedness program; and

Require only two hours of your time.

So if you have an interest in how the private and public sectors can continue to work more closely together in emergency management, I strongly encourage you to take the course. It’s available through the Emergency Management Institute’s Independent Study Program, so check it out today.

This training is another great example of what we can achieve by working together. Many thanks to all of you who contributed to this dynamic tool, and thanks in advance to all of you who will enroll.

More information on EMI ISP courses is available at: http://training.fema.gov/IS.

Law Enforcement Officer Deaths in 2011, and What the Government is Doing About It

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:22:00 GMT

In 2011, 173 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, up 13 percent from 2010 and 42 percent over 2009, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF). Of the 173 officer fatalities in 2011, 68 were shot and killed. For the first time in 14 years, more officers were killed by firearms than in traffic accidents. Read the full report here - http://www.nleomf.org/assets/pdfs/reports/2011-EOY-Report.pdf

To stop this terrible trend, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) are working together to develop protocols and strategies across the criminal justice system. IACP is focusing on research and analysis and disseminating recommendations to the field. DOJ’s Body Armor Safety Initiative addresses the reliability of body armor used by law enforcement personnel. As part of this initiative, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has examined Zylon®-based bullet-resistant vests (both new and used) and is reviewing the process by which bullet-resistant vests are certified. The IACP/DuPont Survivors Club has recorded that 3,142 officers’ lives have been saved because they were wearing their vests. In 2011 alone, departments reported 70 saves. For more information on the Body Armor Safety Initiative, click here - http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bvpbasi/

Science and Technology Directorate Puts New Iris and Face Technologies to the Test

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:17:00 GMT

Critical to protecting national security and the homeland is identity verification, and the DHS Science & Technology Directorate’s Human Factors/Behavioral Sciences Division (HFD) is testing new technologies that show great promise in the area of iris and face recognition.

From facilitating high-throughput screening to improving the security of existing processes, new generations of dual iris and face technologies work faster and improve security over conventional identification tools. Under HFD’s Iris and Face Technology Demonstration and Evaluation (IFTDE) project, HFD researchers and analysts are taking emerging iris recognition technologies to the field. The technologies being put to the test in challenging DHS operational environments are easy-to-use, non-invasive cameras.

Here’s how it works: An operator captures the iris and facial images of an individual for matching with previously captured images or, if there is no match, for storing in a database for future reference. If the image matches up with another, then relevant information of the individual — fingerprints, criminal history, active warrants, immigration records — will pop onto the computer screen.

Recently, HFD researchers examined three dual iris and face recognition technologies in both indoor and outdoor settings. The accuracy, image quality, and ease of use of the cameras were all tested. At CBP’s Border Patrol station in McAllen, Texas, cameras were positioned around the station to examine the feasibility of different-use cases. For example, a camera positioned at the entrance to the station could capture each detainee’s iris and face images to jumpstart the identification process before they entered the facility. If the individual had a history of violence, CBP officers would know early on to isolate that person from the general population.

For one outdoor site survey, HFD researchers and analysts boarded a Coast Guard cutter and went out to sea. From intensely bright days to completely dark nights, the Coast Guard and S&T wanted to see how effective cameras would be in supporting identity operations in varying light and sea state conditions. During these activities, analysts observed several obstacles: the affect of direct sunlight and inconsistent lighting, camera flashes in the dark causing people to blink or look away from the camera, and on the cutter, the waves rocking the ship which affected picture quality.

Improving camera technology for iris and facial recognition to better handle various DHS operational settings is the purpose of IFTDE. Fingerprints are sometimes time consuming and difficult to collect. The unique pattern of irises, however, remains protected throughout a person’s life. Overall, iris recognition is a promising technology that may allow for faster, more accurate screening while improving the security posture in a variety of DHS settings.

A Whole Community Approach to Emergency Management

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:32:00 GMT

Originally posted to the FEMA blog, by: David Kaufman, Director, Office of Policy and Program Analysis

At FEMA and in the emergency management community, we often talk about the importance of engaging the whole community in how we prepare for, respond to, recover from and mitigate against disasters. Experience has taught us that we must do a better job of providing services for the entire community. This means planning for the actual makeup of a community and meeting their needs, regardless of demographics, such as age, economics, or accessibility requirements.

Over the last eighteen months, we engaged many of our partners, including tribal, state, territorial, local, and Federal representatives, the academic sector, the private sector, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, the disability community and the public in a national dialogue on a Whole Community approach to emergency management. The recently released document, A Whole Community Approach to Emergency Management: Principles, Themes, and Pathways for Action synthesizes what we heard through research, conferences, listening sessions, and direct feedback from our partners about how this Whole Community approach is successfully working around the country.

Woven throughout the document and supported by several examples are three key Whole Community principles that emerged through the national dialogue: understand and meet the actual needs of the whole community; engage and empower all parts of the community to define their needs and provide ways to meet them; and strengthen what already works well in communities on a daily basis to improve resiliency and emergency management outcomes. Below are just a couple of the examples collected in this document that show the Whole Community approach being driven from community identified needs.

Support Alliance for Emergency Readiness Santa Rosa (SAFER) was developed in order to bring together local businesses, faith-based, and nonprofit organizations to provide a more efficient service to disaster survivors after Hurricane Ivan devastated northwest Florida. The relationships SAFER formed while serving community residents provided the foundation for collective action when disaster strikes. During non-emergency periods, SAFER worked closely with other agencies to address the needs of the county’s impoverished and vulnerable populations.

Days after the devastating series of tornadoes and severe storms that swept through Alabama this past spring, various agencies, organizations, and volunteers came together to form the Alabama Interagency Emergency Response Coordinating Committee. Understanding the community’s capabilities and needs, the committee united to locate recovery resources and communicate information about available resources to individuals. The committee also worked to ensure that individuals with disabilities received important recovery and assistance information. Conference calls were held daily to provide critical information to individuals with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Additionally, volunteers continuously scanned broadcast media, print and electronic newspapers to obtain the most accurate information on resources for disaster recovery. The committee worked together with many organizations including FEMA, American Red Cross, Alabama’s Governor’s Office and numerous others to ensure that all members of the community received information on disaster recovery and assistance resources available.

We hope you find this document useful as we continue working to strengthen the resiliency and security of our nation through a Whole Community approach. And as we continue our national dialogue, we encourage you to exchange ideas, recommendations, and success stories. If you have a good idea or example to support the Whole Community approach, let us know. Leave a comment below or submit your idea to the FEMA Think Tank or email FEMA-Community-Engagement@fema.gov.

You can learn more about the Whole Community approach by visiting http://www.fema.gov/about/wholecommunity.shtm.

Resolutions for the New Year: Firefighter Health & Wellness

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:39:00 GMT

Originally posted to the USFA Chief's Corner blog.

One of the more common New Year’s resolutions is to improve our health and wellness through losing weight, eating better, beginning an exercise program or exercising more, stopping smoking, etc.

USFA recently released our 2011 provisional report of on-duty firefighter fatalities. While the 81 on-duty fatalities in 2011 reflect a decrease from 2010, heart attacks were responsible for the deaths of 48 firefighters (59%). This is nearly the same proportion of firefighter deaths from heart attack or stroke (60%) in 2010.

Every year, the leading cause of fatalities to firefighters is heart attack. Effective health and wellness programs can reduce this number one cause of firefighter deaths. As a whole and individually, we need to embrace health and wellness.

USFA and many other fire service organizations have developed many programs to support you and your department’s efforts to enhance firefighter health and wellness. These include the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Fighters Fire Service Labor Management Wellness Fitness Initiative and the Heart Healthy Firefighter Program of the National Volunteer Fire Council.

While health and wellness programs are effective, they do not work unless they are implemented. USFA encourages fire departments to provide physical exams to each firefighter and responder in the department in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1582 – Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments. In addition, USFA encourages fire departments to implement a comprehensive fitness program per NFPA 1583 – Standard on Health-Related Fitness Programs for Fire Department Members.

As a firefighter, here are some things you can do starting now:

Physicals on a regular basis
Quit smoking
Daily exercise
Healthy eating

However, as with any fitness program, there are no instant results and positive impacts in this area take time. USFA recognizes the essential role of health and wellness programs in the fire service. I encourage all responders and departments to learn more about USFA’s programs and partnerships in this area by visiting the firefighter health and wellness section of our website.

Better & Faster Identity Management

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:15:00 GMT

In an emergency, how do we know you are who you say you are? The Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and state and local emergency management agencies to streamline the process of exchanging and verifying credentials during emergencies. The goal is cheaper and easier identity authentication and more seamless emergency management.

An upcoming exercise at the S&T Identity Management Test Bed at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab will test the use of Interoperable Personal Identification Verification (PIV-I) cards, for the exchange of identification and required emergency response attributes across these agencies and levels of government. In the exercise scenario, FEMA personnel will arrive at Chester County with PIV cards, which a mobile hand-held card reader will authenticate. The handheld device will utilize a standards-based Service Provisioning Markup Language (SPML) protocol to retrieve each responder’s entitlements from the Federal Emergency Response Official (F/ERO) Repository. F/ERO is the authoritative data source to identify and verify federal employees/contractors, and participating non-federal employees/contractors likely to respond during times of response and recovery for natural disasters, terrorism, or other emergencies. It allows for immediate electronic verification of an employee/contractor’s personal identity and emergency management attribute at a given disaster zone. Another scenario will focus on the reverse, with FEMA authenticating state and local officials with PIV-I cards. The goal is cheaper and easier identity authentication and more seamless emergency management.

Emergency response situations frequently require coordination between federal, state, and local jurisdictions and representatives in their role supporting the Federal and mutual aid emergency response/recovery official (F/ERO) communities (state, local, Tribal, territorial, critical infrastructure/key resources (CIKR), and private sector) by identifying and organizing IdM standards and technologies.

Virtual Social Media Working Group Releases Social Media Guidance Documents

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:51:00 GMT

The DHS Virtual Social Media Working Group (VSMWG) released two documents developed with input from the public safety community through online engagement hosted on the DHS First Responder Communities of Practice portal and other social media channels. These documents are intended for use by all public safety disciplines and all types of agencies to better understand and utilize social media and other Web-based tools without having to reinvent the wheel or spend hours searching for examples or policy templates and use cases.

The first document, entitled “Social Media Strategy," provides a high-level introduction to social media, its benefits for public safety, and best practices from agencies already using it. It also serves as a good starting point for developing an agency’s detailed social media strategy. The second document, entitled "Next Steps Strategy," serves as follow up to the Social Media Strategy. It presents challenges and provides both next steps and best practices for public safety agencies developing and implementing social media.

For more information and to download the documents please visit www.FirstResponder.gov or DHS First Responder Communities of Practice at www.communities.firstresponder.gov.

The DHS Virtual Social Media Working Group

Recognizing the need to address the challenges associated with social media for emergency response and public safety, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate established the VSMWG. The mission of the VSMWG is to provide recommendations to the emergency preparedness and response community on the safe and sustainable use of social media technologies before, during, and after emergencies.

Drawn from a cross-section of subject matter experts from local, tribal, state, territorial and federal responders from across the United States, VSMWG members establish and collect best practices and solutions that can be leveraged by responders throughout the nation’s emergency response community. For more information and to participate in the discussion, please join DHS First Responder Communities of Practice at www.communities.firstresponder.gov.

Homeland Security Tip Line Leads Officials to Criminal Activities

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:28:00 GMT

Tipsters calling into the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tip Line have helped officials crack down on criminal activities, such as an Austin, Tex. human smuggling ring and the arrest of a dangerous gang member in Maryland.

Tipsters dropped a dime on a human smuggling ring that was targeting illegal aliens. The group was taking victims from their home countries wihtout their consent and holding them until family members paid up.

Another caller revealed that an alleged MS-13 gang member, who was in the country illegally, was living and working near Silver Spring, MD.

Last year, about 172,500 people tipped off ICE HSI by calling (866) DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423). On the receiving end, a team of special agents, intelligence research specialists, and law enforcement specialists receive the information. They are all highly trained in laws related to worksite enforcement, document and benefit fraud, intellectual property rights, money laundering, drug smuggling, child pornography, and human trafficking.

The Tip Line is also available in an online form. Since its launch, more than 1,500 individuals have logged onto ice.gov/tips [CH1] to report suspicious criminal activity.

"When reporting a crime, a person should report the nature of the crime and be specific and detailed as possible," says David Palmatier, Tip Line unit chief. "If we have more details, we can more efficiently investigate a tip."

Callers can expect minimal wait times to speak to a tip line specialist. Average phone calls take less than five minutes to complete. The ICE HSI Tip Line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

To learn more about the HSI Tip Line click here - http://www.ice.gov/tipline/

Federal Air Marshal Service Turns Fifty

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:20:00 GMT

Originally posted to The Blog @ Homeland Security by the Office of Public Affairs (slightly modified).

The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) turns 50 this year. After the first hijacking of a U.S. aircraft in 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed legislation to enhance the penalties for crimes committed aboard aircrafts in flight. To help enforce this act, FAA safety inspectors received additional training for duty aboard airlines. The first training class of inspectors were appointed and sworn-in by Attorney General Robert Kennedy in March of 1962. After September 11, 2001 and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the service was rapidly expanded and became the law enforcement arm of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Today, the FAMS continues to promote confidence in the nation’s civil aviation system through the effective deployment of Federal Air Marshals to detect, deter, and defeat hostile acts targeting U.S. air carriers, airports, passengers, and crews.

For more information on FAMS, click here: http://www.tsa.gov/lawenforcement/programs/fams.shtm

To read the original post on the Department of Homeland Security Blog and watch a short video about FAMS, click here: http://blog.dhs.gov/2012/01/video-federal-air-marshal-service.html

You're Invited to a Webinar on Cutting Edge Resiliency

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:34:00 GMT

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate invites you to

participate in a Webinar on Cutting Edge Resiliency on February 1 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm EST.

The Webinar will feature three new tools developed to improve the security and resilience of our nation’s buildings and infrastructure. The tools provide scores for risk and resilience and are capable of analyzing and compiling a range of high-performance requirements, including safety (earthquakes, floods, winds, and fire), security (explosives, ballistics and chemical, biological and radiological), environmental footprint and energy conservation, sustainability, durability, and continuity of operations.

The tools featured during the Webinar include Integrated Rapid Visual Screening (IRVS), an easy-to-manage tool designed to prepare risk assessments based on visual inspection only. It is available for buildings, mass transit, and tunnels. During the Webinar the most prominent features of the IRVS for buildings will be showcased. The web-based Owners Performance Requirement (OPR) Tool allows owners to analyze the full range of performance objectives from baseline to high-performance that meet their business case/model or mission. And the Urban Blast Tool (UBT) helps to quantify the effects of blast in urban environments, including the influence of buildings on blast pressures propagating from explosions located in urban settings. The current version of the UBT is designed for the New York City Financial District and Mid Manhattan. Expanded versions will incorporate collapse prediction algorithms and data fields to accommodate building specific performance characteristics. A generic version of the UBT will be prepared for the use of other metropolitan areas in the United States.

Please register at: https://connect.hsin.gov/cutting_edge_tools/event/registration.html

On Thin Ice, With the Coast Guard

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:33:00 GMT

Originally posted by Lt. Stephanie Young to the Coast Guard Compass.

While scores of boaters in colder parts of the country have put their boats into storage until spring, many still rely on their vessels for hunting, fishing and transportation. But what happens when a lake or river freezes over and a snowmobiler falls through the ice, or fishermen become stranded on an ice floe?

The Coast Guard, Always Ready, responds with an airboat.

Being at the wheel of an airboat is rare, as they are found at only 11 units across the Coast Guard. While there are few airboats, they are operated by exceptional coxswains who operate on frozen lakes and rivers – an environment that is constantly in flux.

There are many variables that any smallboat coxswain must keep in mind when they are at sea, but an airboat coxswain has to be aware of all that and more.

“Land, water and ice affect the handling of the boat differently. Add wind, current, fog and snow and, the fact that the boat doesn’t have reverse, and you realize handling is a unique challenge,” said Lt. Warren Fair, the Coast Guard’s ice rescue program manager.

An airboat’s handling characteristics challenges many coxswains due to the diversity of terrains and missions the platform is used on. But before a coxswain even gets a turn at the wheel, they must first become certified as an ice rescuer.

Beginning with the basics of ice terminology and protective equipment, potential airboat crewmembers learn the movements required of teams in ice rescues. Airboat crews must also learn about the factors that affect how the ice forms, including water current, depth, snow cover and temperature.

Continuing their training, coxswains are required to exhibit in-depth knowledge of the airboat itself, including mechanical characteristics, mission performance, boat operations and hard and soft water handling skills.

The skills these Coast Guard members learn requires a commitment to proficiency, as airboats are highly sought after to conduct emergency relief missions in environments other than ice. Due to their mission diversity, airboats serve as a perfect platform when responding to natural or man-made disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, Red River flooding and Deepwater Horizon.

As maritime search and rescue professionals, the Coast Guard understands the dangers of cold water as well as the dangers of venturing out on the ice. While the airboat crews are ready to respond, those who live on or near the ice should always consider ice safety.

If people choose to go out on ice, Lacy encourages keeping the acronym “ICE” in mind.

I – Intelligence: Know the weather and ice conditions, know where you’re going and know how to call for help.

C – Clothing: Have proper clothing to prevent hypothermia. Dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature.

E – Equipment: Have proper equipment including marine radio, life jackets, screw drivers, ice picks, etc.

The Coast Guard performs missions in the most extreme of environments and ice is no exception. As you make a serious investment and commitment to ice safety, the Coast Guard makes a serious commitment to being Always Ready.

How To Get Clean Water, During a Disaster

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:56:00 GMT

Clean, drinkable water is essential for human life. When that water is not available, due to a natural or manmade disaster that damages the water infrastructure, the consequences can be devastating. A hurricane, sewage spill, or chemical or biological attack to a reservoir could render the water contaminated and unusable. Broken pipes or power outages can prevent water from reaching homes, offices and even hospitals.

Today’s methods to provide water to an emergency site are inefficient, expensive and dependent upon a robust truck delivery system. If a bridge is taken out by an earthquake, tornado or bomb, transport trucks carrying bottled water or large water tanks may not be able to access emergency areas.

To provide a solution, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is seeking to develop a stand-alone water treatment system that can be flexibly transported by land, air, or water. Since water can become contaminated at the source, during treatment or during distribution to the point of use, having potable water available immediately is a necessity. The desired easy-to-use and easy-to-deploy system would start producing drinkable water from an appropriate on-site raw water source in less than 30 minutes.

Recently, S&T’s Commercialization Office released the newest Commercial Applications Requirements Document (CARD) that explains the requirements for this water purification system. S&T collaborated with emergency response and recovery communities under the System Efficacy through Commercialization Utilization Relevance and Evaluation (SECURE) program to come up with the system requirements. The Mobile Water Purifications CARD will result in a system that is functional for up to seven days without refueling and readily deployable to produce 30,000 gallons of drinkable water per day on site.

According to the U.S. Geologic Survey, American homes collectively use 3,830 million gallons of water per day. Our society relies on this nation’s interconnected and complex water infrastructure system, both to provide drinking water and to remove and treat wastewater.

In the wake of an emergency, a self-contained, transportable water purification system is crucial. This system will provide a reliable cost-saving technology that can be deployed anywhere from a rural town to a busy city where potable water is no longer available through traditional methods.

A Comprehensive Funding Approach to Public Safety in Tribal Communities

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:13:00 GMT

Last week, the Justice Department announced the posting of the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS), a comprehensive grant solicitation to support improvements to public safety, victim services and crime prevention in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

More than $101.4 million is available through the 2012 CTAS. This year, funding can be used to conduct comprehensive planning, enhance law enforcement, bolster justice systems, support and enhance tribal efforts to prevent and control juvenile delinquency and strengthen the juvenile justice system, prevent youth substance abuse, serve victims of crimes like domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as support other crime-fighting efforts.

CTAS is a critical part of the Justice Department’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities. This is the third year for CTAS, which provides tribal governments and tribal consortia with a single application to reach all of the department’s grant-making components, including the Office of Justice Programs, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, and the Office on Violence Against Women. It allows these grant-making components to assess the totality of the public safety needs of each tribe or tribal consortia. The FY 2012 CTAS reflects improvements developed as a result of tribal consultations, listening sessions, and other feedback.

Commenting on the announcement, Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli said:

“We are committed to helping strengthen and sustain safe and healthy American Indian and Alaska Native communities with a funding process that is responsive and coordinated. This effort to streamline the grant application process, with multiple purpose areas, offers tribes and tribal consortia an opportunity to develop a comprehensive and community-based approach to public safety and support for victims.”

The Community Partnerships Grants Management System will begin accepting electronic applications on Monday, January 23, 2012. The deadline for submitting applications is 9:00 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, April 18, 2012.

For more information on the department’s efforts to strengthen public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, visit the Tribal Justice and Safety website at www.justice.gov/tribal or download the Fact Sheet on the FY 2012 CTAS (PDF).

Adding One More Tool to the Responder’s Tool Box

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:49:00 GMT

Originally posted to the FEMA Blog by Denis Campeau, Director, Training and Education, Center for Domestic Preparedness

Wednesday morning, February 8, at 9:57 a.m. CST, as most people were probably going about their workday, a historic event happened at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Ala. At that moment, the first group of state, local, and tribal responders went through live agent training inside CDP’s Chemical, Ordnance, Biological and Radiological, or COBRA, training facility using biological materials.

Since the CDP opened in 1998 the facility has provided the only location in the U.S. where civilian responders could train with chemical agents GB and VX. As of Wednesday, those same responders can now include biological materials in their training repertoire.

Wednesday’s inaugural training was the result of more than a year of preparation, planning, remodeling, internal training, curriculum development, and practice by CDP staff. The CDP embarked on this journey because it was the right thing to do for our nation’s responders, it meets a growing threat to the nation, and it can be done safely using the CDP’s live agent training facility and experienced staff inside the COBRA. In recent years, responders coming through the CDP consistently expressed the desire for enhanced biological agent training to accompany the existing chemical agent training at CDP.

As recently as Nov. 1, 2011, the FBI arrested four men in Georgia accused of plotting terrorist attacks on U.S. cities using Ricin. Additionally, the Feb. 2010 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report stated that, among others, the threats and hazards that challenge U.S. interests are “high-consequence weapons of mass destruction.”

While we can’t always predict when or where such attacks might occur, we can make sure our nation’s local, state and tribal responders are prepared in case the unthinkable does happen. That is why the CDP trains more than 12,000 responders a year at our facilities here in Anniston, Ala. I take great comfort in knowing that the responders who train at the CDP can now return to their own communities with the added confidence that they can respond safely and effectively to a biological incident in their hometown. That is the kind of training that truly enhances our nation’s preparedness.

As part of its training CDP will be using two biological materials: Ricin A-chain and Bacillus anthracis delta Sterne. These materials will allow our first responders the opportunity to detect biological agents they might encounter. However, the CDP will only be using the nonpathogenic forms of both materials. These two strains will help us maintain the safety of everyone associated with the training because they do not produce the same toxins/disease as the uniquely different sister forms of these materials.

More Than 4,000 People Have Joined First Responder Communities of Practice

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:54:00 GMT

Have you visited First Responder Communities of Practice lately? Membership on the professional networking and information sharing platform now tops 4,000, with new groups and practitioners joining every day!

There is no longer a need to search multiple sites for answers to questions because the conversation is already happening on the Communities of Practice, a resource for professional networking with a site built specifically for the first responder and emergency preparedness and response community. It’s easy to stay in touch with distant colleagues, seek and provide answers as experts, access critical documents, form communities around specific projects or areas of interest, and stay informed about the latest developments in your field.

Curious about what members are up to? Join the site and explore for yourself – whether it’s a working group focused on social media in public safety, information for the volunteer fire services, or discussions about ways emergency operations centers can improve performance – it’s the best way to get the latest information you need.

It’s easy to join the First Responder Communities of Practice and begin networking with experts on issues that are important to you. Simply visit http://Communities.FirstResponder.gov and request an account!

DHS S&T Funds Local Emergency Preparedness App

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:06:00 GMT

Emergency preparedness is everyone’s responsibility, and mobile apps are here to help. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently provided funding to St. Clair County, Michigan, to create a mobile app for the public that assists with local emergency preparedness efforts. DHS S&T provided the county’s emergency management agency with a $23,000 grant to develop the app called "Be Ready St. Clair County."

St. Clair County has plans for the app to include several different and useful features. Current plans will have the app not only provide information about local alerts and warnings to users, but also provide them with resources like links to an emergency preparedness kit checklist, contact information for the emergency preparedness manager, the locations of shelters, and road closure information. Users will be also able to store information about themselves, their families, and their pets to access during an emergency. In the event of a disaster, the app will allow county residents to send a photo of storm damage to their home to the local emergency management agency, so that the agency can survey the damage in the area. Finally, the app will provide a venue for users to send tips about suspicious activity or other non-emergency situations.

St. Clair County plans to unveil the app in May 2012. Stay tuned. For more information on this story, read the article in the Times Herald.

NUSTL Hosts the 25th New York Area Science & Technology Forum

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:21:00 GMT

In January, the DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) hosted the 25th New York Area Science & Technology (NYAST) Forum. With more than 60 representatives from the emergency response and homeland security communities in attendance, the event featured a presentation entitled “Hostile Intent and Suspicious Behavior Detection” by Larry Willis, senior science advisor and program manager in S&T’s Human Factors Division. Mr. Willis spoke about research programs that demonstrate how applying behavioral sciences creates new insights and tools that in turn support real-time suspicious behavior detection, operational screening, and credibility assessments.

Weren’t able to attend the NYAST forum? No problem. A webcast of this meeting will soon be available on NYASTon.tv. To view the webcast, you must be a member of the NYAST community on First Responder Communities of Practice. Not a member? Request membership today at https://communities.firstresponder.gov/.

NYAST is a consortium of local, state, and federal government organizations and private sector groups that meet on a regular basis to discuss advances in homeland security capabilities and solutions. NYAST provides a unique opportunity for S&T to gather valuable feedback from field operators and to get information about operators’ most pressing issues and needs in homeland security.

For more information on NUSTL, visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/labs/gc_1223664506703.shtm.

Congress Gives First Responders the D Block Spectrum

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:27:00 GMT

The wait is over. After several years in the making, a national interoperable communications network for first responders is slated to become a reality. In a tremendous victory for first responders and the emergency response and preparedness community, Congress recently approved a bill that reallocates the portion of 700 MHz wireless airwaves, known as the “D Block,” to public safety and away from a commercial auction. The legislation also promised a $7 billion grant to develop a nationwide wireless broadband network on the D Block of the 700 MHz spectrum.

The legislation allotted the D Block, the 10 MHz of spectrum adjacent to airwaves licensed to the Public Safety Spectrum Trust, for use by first responders across the country. This means that first responders will have the full, contiguous 20 MHz of broadband spectrum necessary to deploy proposed networks and meet both current and future wireless broadband needs. Public safety will not be required to return its 700 MHz narrowband spectrum.

The legislation also provides for the establishment of an independent First Responder Network Authority to create and manage the network, and gives first responders nine years to transition to the new network. Although it will reside within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration under the Department of Commerce, the First Responder Network Authority will have separate leadership, including a board to oversee the D Block license and the network’s creation.

The legislation was part of the payroll tax cut agreement that President Obama signed into law February 17. For more information, read the articles in Urgent Communications or Government Security News.

FEMA Releases Grant Guidance for Fiscal Year 2012

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:20:00 GMT

DHS released Program Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 FEMA Grant Programs last month, which can be found online on the DHS/FEMA Grants Web page.

Stakeholders are encouraged to read grant guidance and appendices carefully, and to work closely with their respective State Administrative Agency (SAA) to identify funding opportunities. Information on SAAs can also be found on the DHS/FEMA Grants page. In addition, the page provides two documents on grants recently issued by DHS, including “Guidance to State Agencies to Expedite the Expenditure of Certain DHS/FEMA Grant Funding” and “FY 2013 National Preparedness Grant Program Vision Document.” If you have a question after reading and reviewing these documents, please contact your FEMA Program Analyst at askcsid@fema.gov or (800) 368-6498.

For more information on other grant opportunities for first responders, please visit the FirstResponder.gov Grants page.

Announcing the Creation of FEMA Corps

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:29:00 GMT

Originally posted to the Blog @ Homeland Security.

Along with our partners at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), we announced the creation of FEMA Corps, which sets the foundation for a new generation of emergency managers. FEMA Corps leverages a newly-created unit of 1,600 service corps members from AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps who are solely devoted to FEMA disaster response and recovery.

The full-time residential service program is for individuals ages 18-24, and members will serve a one-year term including a minimum of 1,700 hours, providing support working directly with disaster survivors. The first members will begin serving in this August and the program will reach its full capacity within 18 months.

The program will enhance the federal government’s disaster capabilities, increase the reliability and diversity of the disaster workforce, promote an ethos of service, and expand education and economic opportunity for young people.

At a press conference, Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, remarked:

...[FEMA Corps], helps communities recover, it trains young people, helps them pay for college, and it doesn't cost taxpayers an additional dime. Whether you're a young person looking for work, a member of the community that's been hit by a flood or a tornado or just a citizen who wants your tax dollars to be spent as wisely as possible, this is a program you can be proud of. This is really government at its best.

And it's part of the president's larger vision for an America built to last. Today, so many of our young people have shown that they're willing to do their part to work hard, act responsibly and contribute to their communities. But in tough economic times, it's up to all of us to make sure that their hard work and responsibility still pays off.

We have to preserve what President Obama has called the basic promise of America, that no matter who you are, where you come from, you can make it if you try, if you fulfill your responsibilities and you make a contribution.

During the event, Secretary Napolitano described the program: First and most important, it will help communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters by supporting disaster recovery centers, assisting in logistics, community relations and outreach, and performing other critical functions.

We know from experience that quick deployment of trained personnel is critical during a crisis. The FEMA Corps will provide a pool of trained personnel, and it will also pay long-term dividends by adding depth to our reserves -- individuals trained in every aspect of disaster response who augment our full-time FEMA staff.

Second, the Corps will help us make the best use of taxpayer funds as we bring in FEMA Corps members at a significantly lower cost.

Third, FEMA Corps will provide participants with critical job skills and training. Emergency management is a growing field, much larger than FEMA alone. The recent high school and college graduates entering this program will emerge with the training and the on-the-ground experience that provides a clear pathway into this critical profession.

And finally, this Corps -- it encourages and supports the ethic of public service tapping the energy and dedication to helping their communities that we see among so many young adults today. Many here today, myself included, know that a career in public service presents opportunities and rewards far beyond paychecks.

The new initiative will promote an ethos of national service and civic engagement by mobilizing corps members and community volunteers to provide critical disaster services. Once trained by FEMA and CNCS, members will provide support in areas ranging from working directly with disaster survivors, to supporting disaster recovering centers, and sharing valuable disaster information with the public.

Robert Velasco, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, spoke about this new chapter in national service: By opening up new pathways in emergency management, this partnership will give thousands of young people the opportunity to serve their country and gain the skills and training they need to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow. This is a historic new chapter in the history of national service that will enhance our nation's disaster capabilities and promote an ethic of national service while achieving significant cost savings for the taxpayer.

Deputy Administrator Serino discussed the importance of FEMA Corps: People have asked, why is this important? Looking into the eyes of survivors, looking at communities that are devastated, having young people that can step up and help out in the time of a disaster who are trained will make a difference in people's lives. That's why we're doing this.

As we continue to move forward and we look for opportunities to be more efficient, to look for opportunities to get young people involved in government, to get young people involved in service to their country, [we] will make a difference. We've had the opportunity to work with CNCS in AmeriCorps in the past, and this is broadening that -- expanding it, so we have the opportunity to bring this talented, young, will-be-trained workforce to help our staff.

They are augmenting our reservists, augmenting our full-time employees. This will be an opportunity for us to strengthen our nation's disaster response capabilities, create pathways for young people and really help the ethos of national service.

Mayor Walter Maddox, Tuscaloosa, Ala. also attended today’s announcement, and from the perspective a mayor of a town still recovering from a major disaster last year, the mayor expressed his excitement about the new agreement:

This new partnership between FEMA and the Corporation for National and Community Service will be crucial in supporting cities, counties and states in their time of need. I commend FEMA and CNCS for understanding that to effectively respond during a crisis, we have to extend beyond political, geographical and even bureaucratic boundaries to ensure all resources are made available to the citizens we serve.

To recap, the purpose of the program is:

Strengthening the Nation’s Disaster Response Capacity: The partnership will provide a trained and reliable resource dedicated to support disaster operations, while enhancing the entire emergency management workforce.

Creating Pathways to Work for Young People: By providing training, experience, and educational opportunity, the partnership will prepare thousands of young people for careers in emergency management and related fields.

Promoting an Ethos of National Service: The partnership will strengthen our nation’s culture of service and civic engagement by mobilizing corps members and community volunteers to provide critical disaster services.

Modernizing Government Operations to Improve Performance: By working together, CNCS and FEMA will advance the President’s management goals of working across government, managing across sectors, and promoting efficiency.

To learn more about the new program, visit the AmeriCorps website or our FEMA Corps page.

First Responders Visit Capitol Hill

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:48:00 GMT

In March, numerous groups of first responders are planning visits to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Dates and short event descriptions are listed below. Please visit the event websites, linked below, to register and get more information.

• EMS on the Hill Day March 20-21

Description: Hosted by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, this event will help educate congressional leaders on EMS issues and advocate for the passage of key EMS legislation. All EMS professionals are invited and encouraged to participate.

www.naemt.org

• International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference March 25-29

Description: The IAFF has won significant legislative victories on Capitol Hill due largely to the relationships that local IAFF leaders have with their elected officials. The Legislative Conference provides members with the opportunity to both strengthen those relationships and advocate for IAFF-priority legislation. www.iaff.org

• 9-1-1 Goes To Washington March 26-29

Description: Presented jointly by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the 9-1-1 Institute, 9-1-1 Goes To Washington is a forum with educational sessions, keynote speeches, and outreach on today's most critical 9-1-1 and emergency communications policy issues. Attendees will hear directly from Members of Congress, FCC Commissioners, and Administration officials, and can represent their state in meetings on Capitol Hill. www.nena.org

• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Day on the Hill March 27

Description: IACP members will have an opportunity to meet with their elected officials on issues important to the law enforcement community. A briefing will be held in the afternoon on the day before to update attendees on legislative activities and issues in Congress. www.iacp.org

Police Departments Discuss Social Media Best Practices

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:56:00 GMT

In the past year, the use of social media for public safety purposes has increased in popularity. However, concerns regarding the safety and security of these new social media technologies themselves may require further discussion. On March 5, Fairfax County Police announced the launch of its Twitter profile (@fairfaxpolice) to encourage a culture of engagement and gain valuable public feedback through two-way communications. Additionally, the agency will tweet news releases, updates to the website, information on public meetings, and other information of interest to the county’s one million-plus residents who register.

The agency will hold a roundtable discussion with Fairfax County Police personnel and regional Public Information Officer partners in Northern Virginia featuring veteran tweeter and Director of Public Affairs for the Baltimore Police Department, Anthony Guglielmi. With an extensive background in communications for law enforcement, government agencies, and the private sector, Guglielmi will share the highs and lows of his agency’s Twitter use and offer advice on Twitter messaging during crisis situations and day-to-day management. He’ll also discuss the details of a high-profile SWAT case last year where Twitter made a major positive difference in the incident’s outcome.

For more information and resources on the use of social media in public safety, please visit DHS First Responder Communities of Practice at https://communities.firstresponder.gov, home to the DHS Virtual Social Media Working Group (VSMWG). The VSMWG is comprised of first responders and homeland security professionals from various disciplines, localities, sectors, and government agencies across the country whose mission is to provide recommendations to the emergency preparedness, response, and homeland security communities on the safe and sustainable use of social media technologies before, during, and after emergencies.

Want to Do Business With DHS?

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:41:00 GMT

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) invests in scientific research that leads to the development of new and innovative technologies to help first responders do their jobs better and more safely.

If you have an idea, need, or offering, you can request a “Full Response Package” by email at SndT_RDPartnerships@hq.dhs.gov. This package contains additional background information on partnership opportunities with DHS S&T, as well as a vehicle by which your organization can share detailed information about your capabilities and offerings.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about doing business with S&T:

“I have a product or service that I want to sell to DHS!”

S&T invests in research and development programs/projects that lead to the eventual development of new technologies, not current acquisitions or procurements for DHS components. So, if you already have technology-based products and/or services that are on the market and ready to go now, visit the Contracting with the Department of Homeland Security section on the DHS Website. You’ll find all the information you need to identify and bid on current acquisition opportunities. You can also find current opportunities at www.fedbizopps.gov.

“I’ve never sold anything to the government before. How do I start?”

Everything you need to know about getting started doing business with DHS is available the Contracting with the Department of Homeland Security section on the DHS Website. Note that if you have never done business with the government before, you must register in the Central Contractor Registration. This site will also lead you through the process of getting a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number if you don’t already have one.

“I’m a small business. Is there extra help for me?”

If you are a small business, additional assistance is available to you. For more information about the Department SBIR Program, contact Elissa (Lisa) Sobolewski, Department of Homeland Security SBIR Program Director, at 202-254-6768 or via e-mail at elissa.sobolewski@dhs.gov. You may also contact the SBIR Program Office at stsbir.program@dhs.gov

You should also learn all you can about the DHS Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program that helps companies develop and commercialize their solutions in partnership with DHS S&T. Please visit https://sbir2.st.dhs.gov/portal/SBIR/ or e-mail STSBIR.Program@dhs.gov.

“I have a great new invention or idea that will help DHS!”

If you are an inventor or developer with a great idea or current technology that needs further development, your first step is to find out if DHS is looking for what you have in mind. We recommend you first look at our broad agency announcement or BAA. There are other solicitations at this site as well. Check out: https://baa.st.dhs.gov.

“What if my idea is not identified as a high priority technology need?”

There is a Long Range Broad Agency Announcement solicitation also listed on https://baa.st.dhs.gov that covers additional research topics of interest to DHS S&T. This is a useful vehicle to consider if your idea fits one of those research topics. If your idea is still not covered, you may send your idea via an unsolicited proposal to Unsolicited.Proposal@dhs.gov.

“I am a first responder, and I have a great idea for my colleagues. But frankly, it’s not quite ready yet. Any hope for me?”

Our new First Responders Group is here to help with several resources. www.FirstResponder.gov is a practical portal for the first responder community to leverage federal Web services on products, standards, best practices, and other resources in a collaborative environment. In addition, First Responder Group’s TechSolutions program is funded to develop prototypes quickly and economically. Visit www.dhs.gov/techsolutions to learn more and to apply.

“I think I have exactly the right technology for one of DHS’s high priority technology needs right now! How do I get someone to look at it, and perhaps test it, to see if I’m right?”

The Commercialization Office pages on the DHS S&T Web site lists several programs and a number of publications that will get you started, including detailed operational requirements and potential available market estimates for some top challenges that DHS S&T is trying to address through the public-private partnership SECURE program. E-mail the Commercialization Office at SandT_Commercialization@hq.dhs.gov.

“Are there other engagement opportunities across the Department?”

The Private Sector Office, part of the DHS Office of Policy, is responsible for outreach and to interface with the private sector on a range of topics to foster a positive dialogue with the Department. The Private Sector Office has developed the Private Sector Resources Catalog which provides access to the many resources necessary to support your engagement with DHS.

“Is there anything else I should know about technologies for homeland security?”

As you develop your product, you will want to check out the provisions of the SAFETY Act (www.safetyact.gov). The SAFETY Act offers liability protection for certain qualified anti-terrorism technologies, products, services, or other equipment if they are used to support the homeland security mission.

“I have a question you didn’t answer!”

We hope this guide has made it easier for you to start doing business with DHS S&T. The staff of the S&T Research & Development Partnerships Group is always willing to help wherever we can. You can e-mail us at SandT_RDPartnerships@hq.dhs.gov or give us a call at 202-254-6749. Follow us on Twitter @dhsscitech!

Deborah Determan
Director Research & Development Partnerships Group
Science and Technology Directorate

Pre-Disaster Social Media Engagement

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:29:00 GMT

Originally posted to the Emergency Management magazine website, Disaster 2.0 blog, by Adam Crowe.

If previous major disasters teach us anything about social media, it is that local government and emergency managers must already be engaged within the community on systems like Facebook and Twitter to truly leverage these tools and be the trusted, go-to source when an actual disaster strikes. While many emergency managers have accepted the need to use Facebook and Twitter, many still are unsure how to leverage these tools when "nothing is happening." So, I thought I'd share a few ideas for pre-disaster engagement:

PRE-IDENTIFIED HASHTAGS: Hashtags are one of the primary mechanisms to search and classify information on Twitter. Unfortunately, in most disasters hashtags are complete organic and defined by the crowd. However, there is a new strategy to pre-identify hashtags for use. For example, a few days ago, the City of Houston adopted this very strategy for impending severe weather. They identified hashtags like #powerout, #debris, #hail, and #wind to help filter their social media information.

TWITTER TOWNHALLS: Public gatherings (aka townhall meetings) have long been the standard to engage the general public on topics of interest. However, as the general public becomes more dependent on the availability and time-saving possibilities of technology, physical meetings have become less effective. As a result, there is a growing trend for Twitter Townhall meetings. President Obama utilized this functionality in 2011 as did several emergency management offices looking to engage communities before disasters occur.

STREAMING AND RECORDED VIDEOS: The ability to record a video or stream activity to an online video outlet (ex: Ustream or YouTube) has become nearly ubiquitous with inexpensive technologies and integration with cell phones. But emergency managers are often reluctant to use these technologies for anything more than traditional public service announcement videos. These technologies can be utilized (before the disaster) to introduce local staff, highlight activities, or introduce "behind the scenes" components of emergency management.

Adam Crowe is a Certified Emergency Manager who currently serves as the Director of Emergency Preparedness for Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. He has spoken at numerous regional and national conferences including the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and the National Severe Weather Workshop. He has also been published numerous times in professional journals and is scheduled to have his first textbook "Disasters 2.0: The Application of Social Media in Modern Emergency Management" published by CRC Press in May 2012. He resides with his wife, son, dogs, and goldfish "Fluffy" in Richmond, Virginia.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. government. Links to non-federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users and the Department of Homeland Security is not responsible for any content on these websites. Furthermore, the placement of the links on this website does not constitute an endorsement of any programs, policies, or views of the organizations by the Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. Government.

Equipping the First Responder of the Future

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:37:00 GMT

What do first responders really need to do their jobs effectively?

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) wanted to know.

S&T and FEMA, embarked on Project Responder --- a multi-year effort which started in 2004 to identify and prioritize first responder capability gaps and to outline “lanes of responsibility” between S&T, FEMA, and state/local response agencies for investments in technologies to fill those gaps. This month, the project generated a formal report of nationwide emergency response capability gaps and a “roadmap” on how to address them, including a set of recommended programs and related timetables, estimated technological risks, and budget requirements, based on today’s challenges.

Since 2001, Project Responder researchers from the Homeland Security Studies & Analysis Institute have led facilitated discussions with responders throughout the United States, including leaders from law enforcement, emergency medical services, emergency management, and the fire service, to identify existing response capability gaps. Through these discussions, participants identified 40 capabilities that they deemed necessary to fill existing gaps. Among these 40 capabilities, responders identified 12 capabilities as those of the highest priority:

• Personal Protection and Equipment

• Detection, Identification, and Assessment

• Unified Incident Command, Decision Support and Interoperable Communications

• Response and Recovery

• Emergency Management Preparation and Planning

• Medical Response

• Public Health Readiness for Biological Agent Events

• Logistics Support

• Crisis Evaluation and Management

• All-Source Situational Understanding

• Criminal Investigation and Attribution

• Mitigation and Restoration for Plant and Animal Resources to determine and document technology needs.

To read the full report, click here.

DHS Virtual Social Media Working Group Presents Social Media for Public Safety

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:40:00 GMT

Members of the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology (DHS S&T) Directorate’s Virtual Social Media Working Group (VSMWG) will present a webinar entitled, “Using Social Media for Emergency Management Practices,” to the bi-annual National Volunteer Fire Council’s Board of Directors meeting on April 27, 2012. The webinar will present the definition of social media, emerging trends and best practices in using social media applications (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) during all phases and with all disciplines involved in an emergency. The webinar will also provide a brief tutorial on how to access and work within these social media applications, concerns and challenges associated with social media, and an overview on how response personnel can help their organizations leverage new technologies in a safe and effective manner.

About the Virtual Social Media Working Group

Drawn from a cross-section of subject matter experts from local, tribal, state, territorial, and federal responders from across the United States, VSMWG members are establishing and collecting best practices and solutions that can be leveraged by responders throughout the nation’s first responder and emergency preparedness and response community. For more information and to participate in the discussion, please join DHS First Responder Communities of Practice at www.communities.firstresponder.gov.

FEMA Think Tank for March 2012 Focuses on Disability Topics

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:57:00 GMT

Originally posted to the FEMA blog by Marcie Roth, Director, Office of Disability Integration and Coordination.

Disasters can strike anywhere, anytime and can impact anyone, so everyone must be involved in emergency planning, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts. This is a message that FEMA’s senior leadership brings to the table at every opportunity. Deputy FEMA Administrator Richard Serino drove this point home during the Think Tank conference call in Atlanta at the Georgia Institute of Technology, March 22, 2012. Introducing the topic to an audience of over 30 community leaders in the room and more than 500 callers nationwide, he stressed the benefits of the call. “Talking with teachers, leaders in the access and functional needs community, non-profit and community organizers – all of which are the epitome of whole community – gives me, and everyone, a better understanding of the reality – on the ground,” Serino said.

Topics discussed during the call included a focus on the importance of having access to electrical power and alternatives during disasters, especially for individuals with disabilities and other types of access and functional needs. Carolyn Phillips, program director at Georgia’s Pass It On Center, Tools for Life, the state’s Assistive Living Technology Program, noted that as smartphones have many different types of alternating current electrical power adapters, medical and assistive devices also have the same variability.

To demonstrate this point, Liz Persaud, Phillips’s colleague from Tools for Life, brought the chargers she’d need to keep her equipment fully functional. It required a suitcase to carry all of the items and weighed over 30 pounds. Other speakers noted that individuals need to proactively plan for major power losses by including alternate sources of power such as solar power or generators. “We need to think more creatively about power and how we convert power for people with access and functional needs,” said Phillips. She also stressed the need for including power access issues in drills and assessing those outcomes in after-action reports.

Deputy Administrator Serino then introduced Dr. Helena Mitchell, project director of the Wireless Emergency Communications project at Georgia Institute of Technology, to discuss the next Think Tank topic. Serino reminded participants that “FEMA needs to use the best technology available to communicate with disaster survivors and those with disabilities and access and functional needs.” He also noted that the Emergency Alert System test held in November of 2011 revealed several areas of improvement necessary for modernizing our national alerting systems, including problems with speed of the content and message accessibility.

As FEMA develops the next-generation system, lessons from the test will be applied to ensure a more accessible experience for everyone. In her remarks, Dr. Mitchell noted that the explosion of devices and software platforms in the market gives wireless manufacturers and developers “a perfect opportunity for [them] to involve end users in creating new devices that will have accessible features at the front end.” Dr. Mitchell also noted with the explosion of social media, 65% of all Americans and 63% of those with disabilities use platforms like Facebook and Twitter, emergency managers have begun looking at those systems for enhancing the delivery of emergency alerts. As I mentioned during the conversation, when people have access to emergency alerts, they can actively participate in preparedness efforts. This, in turn, optimizes emergency response resources for individuals who truly need assistance. During the event, folks on Twitter joined the conversation with over 100 tweets using the hashtag #FEMAThinkTank:

Everyone should have access to emergency alerts – @mkelly007

Incorporating social media into emergency communications systems – @CACPGT

Serino closed the session by saying, “Community is a crucial part of all preparedness plans. It requires effort from the whole community to get through a disaster.” He also encouraged people to continue participating in the Think Tank, sharing and discussing the ideas posted. A full transcript of the event is posted at www.fema.gov/thinktank.

Coming Soon: The Great Utah Shake Out

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:02:00 GMT

Originally posted to the FEMA blog Robin Finegan, Regional Administrator, Region 8

I’ve been following the progress of the upcoming Great Utah ShakeOut and I’m really pleased with what I’ve seen to date. Perhaps what’s most impressive is the number of participants, which continues to climb daily.

With less than one week to go, the Great Utah ShakeOut has already enlisted a record number of Utahns for what promises to be the largest such exercise in state history. The number of participants – 840,000 and counting – represents a full third of the state’s population. I wonder if any state has achieved such a high percentage of participation in their ShakeOut drill.

The level of participation may not come as a big surprise to Utahns, who have traditionally embraced a culture of preparedness and who pride themselves in being able to take care of themselves and their neighbors when disaster strikes. That’s really what we mean when we talk about a culture of preparedness—broad buy-in from the whole community, beginning at the individual level, to the point at which being prepared becomes a behavioral norm, like buckling your seat belt.

I really enjoyed one of the articles posted on the ShakeOut website and on a local newspaper. It was written by Joe Dougherty, who is a Public Information Officer for the Utah Department of Emergency Management, and it uses coach speak to advise participants to “practice how you will play.” We know that nothing we do can begin to approximate what would happen if the Wasatch Fault earthquake should occur – especially when estimates predict a temblor in the 7.0 range. But we do know that people who have actually practiced drop, cover, and hold on drills, prepared a disaster kit and made a communications plan will come through the event in much better shape than the unprepared.

Disaster experts tell us that after any traumatic event, the initial stages of shock and denial is followed by the impulse to action—or inaction. Those who have already practiced in a simulation are far more likely to choose actions that will not only increase their chance of survival but also make them more resilient, so they can recover faster.

I like to remind folks that we need to quit practicing for the disaster that just happened, and instead take a harder look at how we’re going to deal with the really big ones that will happen sooner or later. That’s why I like ShakeOuts.

Way to go, Utah. Keep up the good work.

And if you haven’t already registered for the ShakeOut on April 17 at 10:15 a.m. MDT, visit the Great Utah ShakeOut website and sign up today!

Massachusetts Demonstrates S&T Funded Technology at Boston Marathon

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:47:00 GMT

Runners and spectators from all over the world will descend on Boston for the 116th annual Boston Marathon on April 16, 2012. As the world's oldest annual marathon, the event draws more than 20,000 participants and nearly 500,000 spectators each year.

This year, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Boston Athletic Association (BAA), Massachusetts National Guard, and eight localities along the marathon route, will use the Next-Generation Incident Command System (NICS) to help manage the event and keep everyone safe.

S&T funded the development of NICS, an online incident map that provides timely situational awareness for first responders. Developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory, in partnership with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), NICS aims to help first responders work together effectively during a disaster or other large-scale event. During an incident, NICS manages real-time feeds of vehicle locations, airborne images, video, weather, critical infrastructure, and terrain. These feeds are integrated as selectable layers onto a map using a geographical information system. NICS works as a virtual white board where responders can then use this information to team up, pool resources, and plot strategies. Any credentialed responder can mark up the map or type a message on the whiteboard below it.

For the Boston Marathon, NICS will display information like the marathon route, the locations of aid stations and water stations, and the GPS coordinates of the lead and trailing vehicles. Additionally, the NICS team is working with the BAA to access runner chip data along the marathon route. This information will provide a density map of runners so that first responders can better understand where the packs of runners are located and better prepare for potential incidents. NICS will also test the integration of local road opening and closing data to give neighboring towns better situational awareness of race conditions and route planning for emergency vehicles.

For more information on NICS, please view its technology profile here.

S&T CMAS RDT&E Program Announces Research Funding Opportunities

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:35:00 GMT

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) has announced a funding opportunity for research related to Commercial Mobile Alert Service (CMAS), as referenced in the 2012 DHS S&T Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (LRBAA).

CMAS enables geographically targeted alert messages to reach people on their mobile devices, enhancing the nation’s capability to deliver emergency messages to the public. To support this mission, S&T is looking for academic institutions, private sector organizations, government laboratories, and other entities to perform RDT&E activities that improve CMAS geo-targeting capabilities and enhance understanding of public response to CMAS messages. These research and development initiatives will improve the functionality of CMAS both in reaching geographically targeted recipients with CMAS alerts and by enabling CMAS alert recipients to act in a way that increases individual and collective safety and security.

S&T is looking for research in the following priority areas (referenced by topic area in the 2012 LRBAA):

Public Response (FRG.03): Research to better understand how the public will respond to alert and warning messages on mobile devices

Diverse Populations (FRG.04): Research to better understand how to ensure the same timely and effective access to alerts and warnings for diverse populations including persons with functional and access needs, transients/tourists, elderly/older, isolated/rural populations, institutional populations, and non-English speaking people

Geo-Targeting (FRG.05): Research to better determine when more granular geo-targeting is appropriate and how broadly targeting should be extended from the point of an incident as well as Identification, testing, and evaluation of technologies that provide the capability of more granular geo-targeting.

More information about this funding opportunity, including links to the LRBAA, application, research areas of strategic interest, submission requirements and processes, and evaluation criteria can be found here.

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to submit white papers by May 24, 2012.

New Law Enforcement Resources for Community Engagement

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:39:00 GMT

Citizens play an important role in public safety. Key to this role is the reporting of suspicious activity. To that end, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recently released two new publications about how law enforcement can effectively engage with community members to help raise awareness about their role in public safety.

The first publication is Improving the Public’s Awareness and Reporting of Suspicious Activity: Key Research Findings. This report shares highlights of independent research on the motivations and challenges that impact community member awareness and willingness to report suspicious activity. The goal of this research effort was to identify successful strategies for implementing local, tribal, state and territorial initiatives aimed at improving the public’s awareness and reporting of suspicious activity related to terrorism. The study reviews contemporary and historical research, trends, and practices related to community-based terrorism prevention efforts during the spring of 2010. It found that law enforcement should advertise clear and concise methods to report suspicious activity and use local leaders to spread the word about the importance of reporting such activity as effective outreach strategies.

The second document is A Resource Guide to Improve Your Community’s Awareness and Reporting of Suspicious Activity: For Law Enforcement and Community Partners. This publication provides recommendations to build and maintain community-based education and awareness programs. It also outlines research-based strategies, such as developing partnerships with community organizations and leveraging technology to receive anonymous tips, and existing resources to help law enforcement agencies achieve successful results in this effort.

Both documents are also available on the IACP Website, www.theiacp.org.

FEMA and Partners Release the National Preparedness Report

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:14:00 GMT

Originall posted to the FEMA blog by: Tim Manning, Deputy Administrator, Protection and National Preparedness

Today, we released the 2012 National Preparedness Report. The report identifies significant progress the nation has made in areas of prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. Overall the report found that the nation has increased its collective preparedness, not only from external threats, but also for natural and technological hazards that face its communities.

The report is part of Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness.

PPD-8 aims to strengthen the security and resilience of the United States through systematic preparation for the threats that pose the greatest risk to national security, including acts of terrorism, cyber attacks, pandemics, and catastrophic natural disasters.

The report focuses on five mission areas as outlined in the National Preparedness Goal released in September 2011. Those areas are prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. These mission areas include 31 core capabilities essential to preparedness. The NPR offers an assessment of each of these 31 core capabilities.

Overall, the NPR found the nation has made significant progress in enhancing preparedness and identifies several significant areas of national strength. For example, the nation has built the foundation for an integrated, all-hazards planning architecture that considers routine emergencies and catastrophic events.

Operational coordination has also improved with the adoption of the National Incident Management System, which provides a common doctrine for incident management. In addition, intelligence and information sharing capabilities are stronger thanks to a national network of fusion centers and Joint Terrorism Task Forces that bring together federal, state, and local law enforcement, Intelligence Community resources, and other public safety officials and private sector partners.

The report also identified opportunities for national improvement in cybersecurity, long-term recovery, and integrating individuals with access and functional needs into preparedness activities.

Everyone plays a role in preparedness and continued progress depends on the whole community working together. FEMA developed the NPR in close coordination with leaders of federal departments and agencies, and the report reflects inputs from state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, private and nonprofit sector partners, and the general public.

The National Preparedness Report is the next step in implementing PPD-8. Since the President signed the directive in March 2011, FEMA and its partners have released the first edition of the National Preparedness Goal, the National Preparedness System description, and the working drafts of the National Planning Frameworks. For more information on PPD-8 and to download the report, visit www.fema.gov/ppd8 or contribute your ideas on our online collaboration forum.

Responder Recognition Events in May 2012

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:08:00 GMT

May 2012 features several events to honor first responders as well as to raise awareness about emergency preparedness. Please visit the event websites, linked below, for more information.

Arson Awareness Week (May 6-12)
The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), in partnership with the International Association of Arson Investigators, Safe Kids USA, USAonWatch, National Volunteer Fire Council, and the National Association of State Fire Marshals, is pleased to announce the theme for the 2012 Arson Awareness Week: "Prevent Youth Firesetting." During May 6-12, USFA and its partners will focus public attention on the importance of a collaborative effort with fire and emergency service departments, law enforcement, mental health, social services, schools, and juvenile justice to help reduce the occurrence of juveniles engaged with fire.

National Police Week (May 12-17)
In 1962, President Kennedy signed a proclamation that designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week in which that date falls, as National Police Week. Each year, National Police Week draws between 25,000 and 40,000 law enforcement officers from around the world to Washington, DC. Attendees participate in several events that honor fallen police officers, including the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service, sponsored by the Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.

National Emergency Medical Services Week (May 20-26)
National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week brings together communities and medical personnel to honor EMS personnel and raise awareness about public safety. This year's theme is "EMS: More Than A Job. A Calling." The American College of Emergency Physicians supports the production and distribution of EMS Week promotional materials as a public education service.

Hurricane Preparedness Week (May 27-June 2)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Hurricane Center are collaborating again this year to spread the message about the importance of preparedness for hurricanes and other disasters. Learn more about how to prepare yourself and your family against various hurricane hazards by reviewing the tropical cyclone preparedness guide, listening to podcasts, or watching videos available on the Hurricane Preparedness Week website.

Help Shape Public Safety’s Broadband Network

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:08:00 GMT

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced the recruitment of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board of Directors. Congress recently allocated 20 megahertz of spectrum and $7 billion to establish a single nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband network. FirstNet is being established as an independent authority within NTIA to build, deploy, and operate the network, and to hold the single public safety license granted for wireless public safety broadband deployment. The Board will have 15 members, including three permanent members: the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, and the Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. The Secretary of Commerce will fill the remaining slots with experts in public safety, technical, network, and financial areas. If you would like to be considered as a FirstNet Board Member, you can find more information on NTIA’s website. Expressions of interest are due by May 25.

S&T Invites You to Upcoming CMAS Town Hall at National Homeland Security Conference

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:21:00 GMT

On Tuesday, May 22, the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) will host the Commercial Mobile Alert Service (CMAS) Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E) Town Hall at the upcoming 6th Annual National Homeland Security Conference in Columbus, Ohio, which is hosted by the National Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI). This town hall will focus on preparing the nation for enhanced alerts and warnings capabilities.

The CMAS Town Hall will convene UASI officials, alert and warning practitioners, and industry representatives to gather input to ensure CMAS RDT&E products are valuable and helpful to the alerts and warnings community. During the town hall, participants will help clarify the challenges and opportunities for aligning CMAS RDT&E initiatives to their needs.

View the high-level agenda.

The CMAS Town Hall will be held on May 22 from 3:00-5:00 PM EST in Room C120-122 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and is the second in a series of discussions hosted by S&T in 2012. Please register by clicking here.