According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, an Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearms(s) and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to victims. Because active shooter situations are often over within 10 to 15 minutes, before law enforcement arrives on the scene, individuals must be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation.
Tag Archive for Department of Homeland Security
Department of Homeland Security, FEMA
Target Capabilities List User Guide
The Target Capabilities List (TCL) Implementation Project is the method by which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will update the TCL and implement the doctrine of capabilities-based preparedness as outlined in the National Preparedness Guidelines. The goal of the project is to provide more user-friendly, accessible, and credible capability targets with which to link all preparedness cycle activities to strengthen preparedness across prevention, protection, response, and hazard mitigation capabilities. The purpose of this document is twofold. First, it explains the history of the TCL and why FEMA is leading the effort to streamline and revise the content found in TCL Version 2.0 through the establishment of updated Target Capabilities.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS General Protective Measures For Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIED)
Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) pose complex security challenges for all sectors. To reduce vulnerabilities from an attack using VBIEDs, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) recommends the protective measures listed below.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Analysis of Mumbai Combined Arms Operation
On 26 November 2008, Islamic extremists conducted terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. Mumbai is the commercial and financial capital city of India, with a population of over 14 million. Ten gunmen paralyzed India’s largest city in a matter of minutes Wednesday night, with the siege continuing until Saturday afternoon. To fully identify appropriate protective measures, it is essential to retrace the assault planning process, and examine all facets taken by the terrorists to achieve their [goals].
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Food and Agriculture Sector Infrastructure Protection
Food and Agriculture Security Partners
DHS coordinatesthe overall national effort to enhance CIKR protection and resiliency through the implementation of the NIPP; With guidanceprovided by Homeland Security, these agencies shall collaborate with all relevant partners to prevent, deter, and mitigate deliberate efforts to destroy, incapacitate, or exploit the food and agriculture sector
* Government Coordinating Council (GCC) –the council which provides effective coordination of agricultural security and food defense strategies and activities, policy, and communication across government and between the government and the private sector to support the nation’s homeland security mission
–Sector Specific Agency (SSA) –the designated sector specific agencies for food and agriculture are the USDA and DHHS (FDA)
–21 Food & Agriculture GCC members
* Sector Coordinating Council (SCC) –created by private industry to serve the sector’s counterterrorism and security interests; represents the scope,breadth, depth, and interdependence of the U.S. Food and Agriculture Sector (i.e., owners, operators, associations)
Department of Homeland Security
FEMA Region X Multi-year Training and Exercise Plan 2010-2014
Region X identified the following exercises as part of the Regional-level calendar. Any HSEEP-based exercise where the host/lead is a State, Federal jurisdiction, or a Federal/State partnership and engages with at least one State and/or Federal agency (primarily Emergency Support Function [ESF] partners) within FEMA Region X may be placed on the Regional-level calendar. In addition, associated training courses available, or needed, to prepare exercise participants for the identified Regional-level exercises are included in the following table.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Project Nemo Overview
*The growing number of SPSS vessels indicates that their stealthy characteristics and ability to carry many tons ofcocaine have helped them develop into what now seems to be a major component of the narcotics logistics chain•
* Colombian Navy believes that during the past two to three years, cocaine smuggling SPSS vessels have been arranged mostly by the drug trafficking factions of the FARC, probably in association with organized crime groups also involved in drug trafficking •
**Profit margin:–1 Kg of cocaine is sold in the US for ~$20 to $25,000 USD ($30 to $35,000 USD in Europe)
–7000 Kg of cocaine can be carried in a SPSS –Money earned: 7000 x 25,000 = $175 million USD
–Captain gets paid $20 to $25,000 USD per trip, other crew gets $5 to $6,000 USD per trip; Total crew cost ~$40,000 USD
–$1 to $2 million invested to build and run a SPSS is ~2 to 3% of the whole profit made
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Cyber Threat to the U.S.
Cyber Threat Branch Responsibilities
• Execute the responsibilities created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002:
– Access, receive, and analyze law enforcement, intelligence, and other information from federal, state, and local agencies and private sector entities to:
• Identify and assess the nature and scope of terrorist threats
• Detect and identify threats to the United States
• Understand threats in light of actual and potential vulnerabilities
– Carry out comprehensive assessments to determine the risk posed by terrorist attacks
• Outreach plays a critical role in the mission
– The CTB provides threat briefings and teleconferences to:
• Sector Coordinating Councils
• Government Coordinating Councils
• Key industry associations
Department of Homeland Security
Secretary Napolitano Remarks on Immigration Reform at the Center for American Progress
So we all have to do our part to have a system that works. At the end of the day, when it comes to immigration, people need to be able to trust the system. Americans need to know that their government is committed to enforcing the law and securing the border—and that it takes this responsibility seriously. Law enforcement needs to have better legal tools and the necessary resources to deal with border-related and immigration-related crime. Businesses must be able find the workers they need here in America, rather than having to move overseas. Immigrants need to be able to plan their lives—they need to know that once we reform the laws, we’re going to have a system that works, and that the contours of our immigration laws will last. And they need to know that they will have as many responsibilities as they do rights.
Department of Homeland Security
Sacramento Urban Areas Security Initiative Grants FY 2006
DHS defines risk by three principal variables: threat, or the likelihood of a type of attack that might be attempted, vulnerability, or the likelihood that an attacker would succeed with a particular attack type, and consequence, or the potential impact of a particular attack. The risk model used to allocate HSGP funds includes both asset-based and geographically-based terrorist risk calculations. DHS combines these complementary risk calculations to produce an estimate of the relative risk of terrorism faced by a given area.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Influenza A(H1N1) National Integrated Report
• As of 16 October, the number of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) deaths in the U.S. was 537 this week compared to 405 deaths reported last week. (Source: HHS/CDC)
• As of 16 October, the most significant impacts of A(H1N1) remain increased ILI outpatient visits and influenza associated pediatric deaths. (Source: HHS/CDC)
• CDC provided updated interim guidance on the use of face masks and N95 respirators for decreasing exposure to A(H1N1). (Source: HHS/CDC)
New Mexico
New Mexico DHS H1N1 Local Emergency Manager Brief
So far this year, there have been nine deaths related to H1N1 influenza in the state. The other H1N1-related deaths are as follows: A 45-year-old female from Sierra County with end stage liver disease, a 52-year-old female from Bernalillo County with chronic pulmonary disease, a 48-year-old female from McKinley County with asthma and diabetes, a 21-year-old female from Los Alamos County without chronic medical conditions, a 58-year-old male from Bernalillo County with chronic conditions that put him at risk for serious complications from the flu, a 28-year-old male from Lea County died Sept. 23 after being hospitalized in El Paso, Texas.
FEMA
FEMA: Considering Household Pets and Service Animals in Emergency Planning
Today, more than 60 percent of American households own a pet, an increase 2 from 56 percent in 1988. Nearly half of pet owners consider their animals to be 3 members of the family. The power of the relationship between people and their pets or service animals is readily apparent during disaster evacuations. Prior to the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, storm evacuees refused to leave their residences because first responders would not allow their pets to evacuate with them.
Department of Homeland Security
TOPOFF 2: MSCMC Briefing
•The threat will emulate the same fictional international terrorist organization employed in TO2000:
–Wages coordinated WMD campaign against U.S.
–A role-playing adversary (“Red Team”) will aid in understanding threat tactics, techniques, and procedures.
•Domestically:
–Intelligence build: Threats to targets in U.S.
–Radiological dispersal device (RDD) attack in Seattle.
–Bio-terrorism attack in Illinois.
Department of Homeland Security
Federal Remote Sensing Situation Report
This situation report is developed for DHS senior leadership. The report provides overall situational awareness on Federal remote sensing activities supporting emergency management operations in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. The following information is derived from multiple sources across the Federal remote sensing community. The report will be updated as new information becomes available.
Department of Homeland Security
Top Officials (TOPOFF) Exercise Overview Brief
Public Law 106-553 provides funding for TOPOFF, and Senate Report 106-404 outlines the concept. Responsibility for the TOPOFF Domestic Counterterrorism National Exercise Series transferred from the Department of Justice to the Department of Homeland Security on March, 1 2003 with transfer of the Office for Domestic Preparedness. A national, biennial Domestic Counter Terrorism Exercise Series.
Department of Homeland Security
TOPOFF 3 Private Sector Integration Concept of Operations
T3 provides private sector organizations and associations with an opportunity to test their emergency response and business continuity plans in conjunction with Federal, State, and local response agencies. As the largest national Full-Scale Exercise (FSE) in history, last year’s TOPOFF 2 exercise engaged more than 8,500 participants. With private sector participation, T3 promises to be larger in scope and complexity.
Department of Homeland Security
TOPOFF 3 AAR Private Sector Annex
Private-sector organizations participated in the Top Officials (TOPOFF) 3 (T3) exercise as partners with Federal, State, and local (FSL) government entities to test their combined ability to prepare for and respond to simulated biological and chemical terrorist attacks in Connecticut and New Jersey. The private sector’s participation in the exercise was extensive. Over 140 private sector organizations—representing critical infrastructure sectors, industry associations, public works, faith-based organizations, and multinational non-governmental organizations—played from 450 locations across the United States.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS Office of Health Affairs Overview Briefing
The FY 2007 DHS Appropriations Bill authorized the CMO and listed 5 core responsibilities:
– Serve as Secretary’s principal medical advisor
– Coordinate DHS biodefense activities
– Ensure internal/external coordination of DHS’ medical preparedness activities
– Serve as primary DHS point of contact for Federal/state/local/tribal governments and the private sector on medical and public health issues
Department of Homeland Security
National Population, Economic, and Infrastructure Impacts of Pandemic Influenza
The attack rate is the proportion of the population who become infected with a disease during a defined period of time. In the Fear-40 and Antiviral scenarios, greater than 20 percent of the U.S. population becomes symptomatic, leading to approximately 1.2 to 1.5 million deaths.
Department of Homeland Security
TOPOFF 4: Private Sector Player Handbook
The Top Officials (TOPOFF) exercise is a congressionally mandated national counterterrorism exercise series comprised of a cycle of building block activities designed to strengthen the nation’s capacities to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from large-scale terrorist attacks.
Department of Homeland Security, Oregon
TOPOFF 4: Rapid Screening Point Responder Guide
The Rapid Screening Point (RSP) Exercise is a component of the TOPOFF (“T4”) full-scale exercise (FSE) in the Oregon venue. An RSP is a temporary facility for high production screening of individuals with non-acute symptoms who are potentially ill or exposed to a harmful substance.” This Participant Guide contains excerpts from the Exercise Control Plan that are relevant to Responder Participants. It was drafted by James Spitzer, Emergency Preparedness Manager for the Multnomah County Health Department, in consultation with planners from other participating organizations.
Department of Homeland Security
Mail and Package Handling Facilities: Vulnerabilities and Protective Measures
These objectives describe the kinds of information that terrorists monitor when planning an attack. Identity of places where further surveillance can take place. Identity of places where countersurveillance can be detected.
Department of Homeland Security
Infrastructure Protection Report: Amusement, Theme, and Water Parks
Theme parks are amusement parks in which the rides, attractions, shows, and buildings revolve around a central theme or group of themes. A traditional (unthemed) amusement park would likely have the same vulnerabilities as a theme park of the same size.
Department of Homeland Security
(U//FOUO) Ongoing Terrorist Interest in Homemade Explosives
In light of the ongoing investigation in New York City, DHS and the FBI believe it is prudent to remind our state and local partners about the variety of domestically-available materials that could be used to create homemade explosives, which have been utilized in previous terrorist attacks.