National Terrorism Advisory System
(Source: DHS)
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Press Release announced that Tuesday, 26 April, marked the beginning of the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS). The advisory system, which was developed in close collaboration with federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector partners, will provide timely information to the public about credible terrorist threats and replaces the former color-coded alert system.
The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) verified that NTAS alerts will deliver a concise summary of the potential threat including geographic region, mode of transportation, or critical infrastructure potentially affected by the threat, actions being taken to ensure public safety, as well as recommended steps that individuals, communities, businesses, and governments can take to help prevent, mitigate, or respond to a threat. These alerts will also include a clear statement of the nature of the threat, which will be defined in one of two ways:
· “Elevated Threats” warn of a credible terrorist threat against the United States.
· “Imminent Threats” warn of a credible, specific, and impending terrorist threat against the U.S.
Depending on the nature of the threat, alerts may be sent to law enforcement, distributed to affected areas of the private sector, or issued more broadly to the public through both official and social media channels. They will be issued for a specified time period and will automatically expire. Any particular alert may be extended if new information becomes available or as an identifiable threat evolves.
DHS published a detailed NTAS Guide (PDF, 450.9 Kb) for public information and use.
National Level Exercise 2011
(Source: FEMA)
According to a fact sheet by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a National Level Exercise 2011 (NLE 2011) has been scheduled for 16 to 20 May. The purpose of the exercise is to prepare and coordinate a multiple-jurisdictional integrated response to a national catastrophic event, with focus on response and recovery activities among federal, regional, state, tribal, local, and private sector participants. It is White House directed Congressionally-mandated event being conducted in accordance with the National Exercise Program (NEP), which serves as the nation's overarching exercise program for planning, organizing, conducting, and evaluating national level exercises.
T he Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) confirmed that NLE 2011 will simulate the catastrophic nature of a major earthquake in the central United States region of the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Exercise activities will occur at commands posts, emergency operation centers, and other locations to include federal facilities in the Washington D.C. area and federal, regional, state, tribal, local, and private sector facilities in the eight member states of the Central United States Earthquake Consortium (i.e., AL, KY, MS, TN, IL, IN, AR, and MO).
NLE 2011 offers agencies and jurisdictions a way to test their plans and skills in a real-time, realistic environment, and to gain the in-depth knowledge that only experience can provide. Participants will exercise response and recovery functions that are critical to responding to a catastrophic event. Lessons learned from the exercise will provide valuable insights to guide future planning for disaster and other emergencies.
More information about NLE 2011 can be seen at this link . Also, see the
Earthquake Publications for Community Planners and Public Policy Makers, FEMA P-712CD .
2011 Hurricane Season Planning
(Sources: American City & County and Colorado State University)
In an article at AmericanCityandCounty.com , t he Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) observed that the U.S. Census Bureau released data to help emergency planning, preparedness, and recovery efforts for the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season beginning 1 June and ending 30 November. The facts featured by the Census Bureau according to the 2010 census include the following:
· Approximately 36.8 million people or 12 percent of the nation's population live in the coastal areas most threatened by Atlantic hurricanes.
· 163 percent is the measured growth of the coastal population in the hurricane threat zone between 1960 and 2010.
· 179,015 square miles is the collective land area of the hurricane threat zone.
Forecasters at Colorado State University predicted at least five major hurricanes with winds of more than 111 miles per hour for the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. Overall, approximately 16 names storms are likely, with 9 of them reaching hurricane status. There is a 72 percent chance that one of the major storms will strike the U.S. coast, and a 47 percent chance of a Gulf Coast hit.
National Hurricane Center Director Bill Reed reminded that the 2010 season had the highest number of hurricanes without a U.S. landfall. However, he emphasized that the persistent trough of low pressure off the U.S. East Coast, which in 2010 directed nearly all of the storms safely out to sea, was highly unlikely to be repeated.
See the FEMA website for more information regarding hurricane planning, training, mitigating, etc.
Information Sharing Guidebook
(Source: Federal Highway Administration)
At the Federal Highway Administration website (PDF, 2.9 Mb) of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) learned about the Information Sharing Guidebook for Transportation Management Centers, Emergency Operations Centers, and Fusion Centers . The Guidebook provides an overview of the mission and functions of transportation management centers, emergency operations centers, and fusion centers.
This publication focuses on the types of information these centers produce and manage, and how the information sharing among the centers can be beneficial to both the day-to-day and emergency operations of all the centers. It also addresses the challenges and options for handling the difficulties of accomplishing effective information sharing.
The Guidebook additionally delivers some lessons learned and best practices identified from a literature search, interviews, and site visits with center operators.
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