Presidential Policy Directive: National Preparedness
(Sources: DHS and EmergencyManagement.com)
The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) was notified that last week President Obama signed a new Presidential Policy Directive-8 (PPD-8). The Directive outlines the President's vision for strengthening the security and resilience of the United States through systematic preparation for threats to the security of the Nation, including acts of terrorism, pandemics, significant accidents, and catastrophic natural disasters.
An article at “EmergencyManagement.com” indicates that the Directive emphasizes three national preparedness principles:
· An all-of-Nation approach aimed at enhancing integration of effort across federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; closer collaboration with the private and non-profit sectors; and more engagement of individuals, families, and communities.
· A focus on capabilities, defined by specific and measurable objectives, as the cornerstone of preparedness. This will enable more integrated, flexible, and agile “all hazards” efforts tailored to the unique circumstances of any given threat, hazard, or actual event.
· A focus on outcomes and rigorous assessment to measure and track progress in building and sustaining capabilities over time.
The Directive calls for the development of an overarching National Preparedness Goal that identifies the core capabilities necessary for preparedness, defined as a spectrum of five broad efforts: prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. It also requires the creation of a National Preparedness System to guide activities that will enable the nation to achieve the Goal.
PPD-8 replaces Homeland Security Presidential Directive-8 (HSPD-8), National Preparedness, issued December 17, 2003, and HSPD-8 Annex I, National Planning, issued December 4, 2007.
Responding to a Radiological Emergency
(Sources: DHS and the National Academies)
According to a fact sheet from the Department of Homeland Security and the National Academies, a radiological attack involves the spreading of radioactive material with the intent to do harm. These materials are readily available in laboratories, medical centers, fool irradiation plants, and at numerous industrial sites throughout the United States.
In the “ Manual for First Responders to a Radiological Emergency , ” (PDF, 3 Mb) t he Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) noted that Emergency Services Sector personnel have the most essential role in the early response to a radiological emergency. “National officials may also have an important role to play in supporting the response at the local level.”
The objective of this Manual is to provide practical guidance in the form of action guides, instructions, and supporting data that can be easily applied by those responding within the first few hours of a radiological emergency.
Additional information can be found in the “ Generic Procedures for Medical Response during a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency ” (PDF, 2 Mb) and also Radiation Emergencies .
Sovereign Citizen Movement
(Sources: Anti-Defamation League and msnbc.com)
The Anti-Defamation League explains that the “Sovereign Citizen Movement” is a loosely organized collection of groups and individuals who believe that virtually all existing government in the United States is illegitimate. Its adherents “seek to restore an idealized, minimalist government that never actually existed.” They conduct various criminal activities including harassment, intimidation, fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, and filing bogus liens and unwarranted legal documents.
T he Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned from an “msnbc.com” article that interest in these groups and ideology has increased in the last few years with up to 300,000 American followers using legal loopholes to defy federal, state, and local laws. Furthermore, “sovereign citizens” do not recognize the authority given to law enforcement, courts, and legislatures, which makes them a potential threat to public officials, police, and other first responders.
Because there have been hostile confrontations with law enforcement and other emergency responders, Emergency Services Sector personnel should exercise caution during encounters with “sovereign citizens.” “While most are non-violent, some followers may resort to violence as a way to express their anti-government beliefs and ideology.”
More information about the activities of the “Sovereign Citizen Movement” can be seen at a recent article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
“Pro Board Certification”
(Source: Center for Domestic Preparedness)
The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) notified the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) that it r ecently teamed with the Alabama Fire College (AFC) to offer Pro Board Certification to eligible first responders attending the Emergency Responder Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE (ERHM) Incidents Course. The Pro Board accreditation for the CDP curriculum under the umbrella of the AFC program provides an opportunity for graduates to receive a nationally recognized certificate for hazardous materials emergency response.
“Pro Board Certification is a major credential to a large majority of first responders,” said the CDP assistant director for training delivery. “It ensures both the student and the employer that the training and evaluation processes have met internationally-accepted benchmarks of quality.”
The Emergency Responder Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE (ERHM) Incidents Course is a five-day class providing responders with a combination of lectures and advanced hands-on practical exercises. It introduces students to the terrorist threat, the hazardous materials management system, responder health and safety, the Incident Command System (ICS), site management, information management, response objectives, and terminating the incident. The responder receives hand-on training in identifying hazardous materials, using advanced surveying and monitoring equipment, selecting and using the appropriate level of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and performing decontamination procedures.
See the link to Program H for more information about ERHM. |
