Emergency Management and Response

Information Sharing and Analysis Center

Emergency Roadway Responses

(Source: FireRescue 1 News)

According to FireRescue 1 News, many fire and emergency services associations have been working on issues regarding fire and police interactions at roadway incidents. Consequently, there are a variety of training materials available on this matter.

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) acknowledges that much of the existing information on this subject resulted from the U.S. Fire Administration's effort to reduce firefighter injuries and fatalities. Nonetheless, “firefighter and police officer struck-by incidents have slowly risen in recent years.”

Therefore, to promote the reduction and elimination of roadway injuries and fatalities by personnel of Emergency Services Sector organizations, consult the following various projects that have been completed to date:

The FireRescue article recommends that the fire, police, EMS, and other agencies responding to roadway emergencies should “participate in pre-incident planning, so that any potential conflicts can be resolved in the conference room, not on the shoulder of a highway.” However, “each individual who responds to these incidents must take accountability for their own actions and do the right things.”

Flood Preparedness

(Sources: National Weather Service, FEMA, and CDC)

Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States affecting specific localities or entire river basins and multiple states. For the third consecutive year, reports prepared this week by the National Weather Service (NWS) indicate that widespread moderate to major flooding is occurring on rivers across the Midwest. Flood Warnings or Watches are in effect in the region, including the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), “every state is at risk from this hazard,” which has the potential to drain limited resources and paralyze personnel and equipment essential for the operational continuity and success of Emergency Services Sector (ESS) departments and agencies. While the emergency services in the six mentioned states are currently being tested, first responder organizations in other states have the opportunity to consider their vulnerability to flooding and adjust their disaster planning, training, and operations accordingly.

After reviewing FEMA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) flood readiness information, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) assembled the following few FEMA and CDC suggestions for the consideration of ESS leaders and operators in flood-prone areas:

See the following websites for more information about flood preparedness:

Growth of Extremist Groups

(Source: Southern Poverty Law Center)

According to the " The Year in Hate & Extremism," recently released by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the radical right in America expanded explosively in 2010. The SPLC, a professional watchdog of hate groups, suggests that the 7.5 percent increase has been caused by frustration over the lagging economy, resentment over changing national demographics, immigration fears, and mainstreaming of conspiracy theories.

When reviewing this and related reports, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) observed that the hate groups usually listed include neo-nazis, white nationalists, white supremacists, neo-confederates, racist skinheads, klansmen, black separatists, “sovereign citizens,” etc. The SPLC has previously discussed other groups that target gays or immigrants, and those specializing in producing racist music or propaganda denying the Holocaust.

Senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have occasionally expressed growing concern over these groups. The most worrisome trend to law enforcement and other emergency responders has been the apparent increase in willingness by these movements to resort to violence.

Recognizing that the attention given to transnational terrorism often overshadows the possible threat from domestic hate groups, prudence dictates awareness of the tactics, techniques, and procedures of such groups by law enforcement, fire, and the emergency medical services.

To obtain greater comprehension of this problem and acquire insights for countermeasures, see Countering Violent Extremism (PDF, 178 Kb) by the Homeland Security Advisory Council. Additional information can be obtained at the FBI's Hate Crimes site .

Emergency Communications Forum

(Source: DHS Office of Emergency Communications)

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) was notified that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) released Volume III of the Emergency Communications Forum (ECF) newsletter (PDF, 404 Kb). The ECF engages and informs emergency responders; policy makers; and Federal, state, local, and tribal officials about issues and events that directly affect everyday nationwide emergency communications.

Volume V of the ECF newsletter highlights recent changes in the SAFECOM program's leadership. It also details OEC's efforts to support stakeholders through efforts such as the Technical Assistance program, Narrowbanding, Frequency Mapping Tool, and Regional Intrastate Governance Guide (PDF, 2.6 Mb).

OEC invites interested personnel to subscribe to the ECF through the link on the OEC homepage. Those who wish to submit an article pertaining to emergency communications in the field, best practices, and lessons learned can send their information to oec@dhs.gov.

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DISCLAIMER of ENDORSEMENT

The U.S. Fire Administration/EMR-ISAC does not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked web sites, and does not endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer.

FAIR USE NOTICE

This INFOGRAM may contain copyrighted material that was not specifically authorized by the copyright owner. EMR-ISAC personnel believe this constitutes “fair use” of copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use copyrighted material contained within this document for your own purposes that go beyond “fair use,” you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Reporting Notice

DHS and the FBI encourage recipients of this document to report information concerning suspicious or criminal activity to DHS and/or the FBI. The DHS National Operation Center (NOC) can be reached by telephone at 202-282-9685 or by e-mail at NOC.Fusion@dhs.gov

The FBI regional phone numbers can be found online at www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm

For information affecting the private sector and critical infrastructure, contact the National Infrastructure Coordinating Center (NICC), a sub-element of the NOC. The NICC can be reached by telephone at 202-282-9201 or by e-mail at NICC@dhs.gov

When available, each report submitted should include the date, time, location, type of activity, number of people and type of equipment used for the activity, the name of the submitting company or organization, and a designated point of contact.