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Governmental Affairs Committee |
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GAC Resources For GAC documents, announcements, and information please click here to visit the microsite. Home Day 2007 Toolkit To download the Home Day 2007 Click Here Upcoming Events
HELP THE GAC!
Dear FAMA/FEMSA member: In January, you received an e-mail from the FAMA/FEMSA Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC) asking you to complete a survey that will help the GAC and its consultants learn what congressional relationships FAMA/FEMSA member companies have established. This information is essential to the GAC’s work to increase FAMA/FEMSA’s dialogue with federal government agencies in an effort to educate key officials on the important role our industry plays in providing equipment and services to the nation’s first responders. To help us enhance these efforts, we once again ask you to take a few moments to complete the enclosed survey. Specifically, this survey will help the GAC compile a comprehensive list of FAMA/FEMSA members’ locations and the congressional senators and representatives for those locations, an important step in establishing an educational network with the members of Congress and the administration. Please note that the survey can be conveniently completed online here. We also ask that the survey be completed as soon as possible. We have tried to keep this survey as simple and straightforward as possible. We thank you in advance for your assistance in this important effort. Sincerely, FAMA/FEMSA Governmental Affairs Committee
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National Preparedness Month - Business Preparedness (September 9-15) Draft National Response Framework Released for Public Comment IAFC Board Approves Task Force Recommendations for NIST issues guidelines on securing Web services
September 11, 2007 - The Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP) program helps meet the equipment needs of smaller jurisdictions by providing communications interoperability, information sharing, chemical detection, sensors, personal protective equipment, technology, and training in using the equipment, devices, and technology. Awards are made to law enforcement and emergency responder agencies not currently eligible for funding through the Department's Urban Areas Security Initiative grant program. Please feel free to direct any questions or comments to ASKSSD@dhs.gov. http://www.firegrantsupport.com/prog/other_resource.aspx Source: DHS National Preparedness Month - Business Preparedness (September 9-15) September is National Preparedness Month, and this week’s focus is Business Preparedness. The Ready.gov web site states that, “America’s businesses form the backbone of the nation’s economy.” In times of crises, local, regional, state, and national businesses need to be prepared to protect not only their assets, but also the millions of employees who support them. To assist in this effort, Fire Corps volunteers can reach out to local businesses and get them involved in making our communities safer. Encourage your Fire Corps teams to use the information below to better educate businesses, the community, and fire or EMS departments on preparing for unexpected situations. For more information on National Preparedness Month, visit the Fire Corps web site at www.firecorps.org.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Ready.gov – Ready Business American Red Cross – Prepare at Work
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
U.S. Small Business Administration – Disaster Preparedness
National Business Group on Health - An Employer Toolkit: Terrorism Preparedness and Planning: A Public/Private Partnership
PandemicFlu.gov – Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
Source: Fire Corps Draft National Response Framework Released for Public Comment DHS has released the draft National Response Framework, successor to the National Response Plan, for a 30-day public comment period that begins today. The Framework, which focuses on response and short-term recovery, articulates the doctrine, principles, and architecture by which the nation prepares for and responds to all-hazard disasters across all levels of government and all sectors of communities. The Framework is responsive to repeated federal, state, and local requests for a streamlined document that is shorter, less bureaucratic, and more user-friendly. The Framework is intended for senior elected and appointed leaders, such as federal agency heads, state governors, mayors, tribal leaders, and city managers. Simultaneously, it informs emergency management practitioners by explaining the operating structures and tools routinely used by first responders and emergency managers at all levels of government. “The Framework recognizes that most incidents are managed locally,” Secretary Chertoff said. “But when needed to support state and local officials as they respond to a disaster, the Framework establishes the playbook for the federal coordination of resources and assets to manage disasters of all sizes and scope.” The 30-day comment period provides interested parties with the opportunity to provide feedback on the document. A comment form has been circulated to various departments, agencies, and key stakeholders. Individuals who wish to submit comments can obtain a comment form and instructions for submission online at www.fema.gov/nrf/. During this period, the existing National Response Plan remains in effect. Source: DHS Today, the new revision of the National Response Framework (NRF) was released. Download the revised version here. There is currently a 30-day comment period; the ESF comment period is 60 days. IAEM is compiling comments and would appreciate your input. Please review the document, and provide any feedback to Steve Detwiler, CEM. Source: IAEM Secretary Tells Congressional Panels of Substantial Progress Protecting Homeland:Despite 6-year absence of terrorist attacks, the risk remains In congressional testimony last week and today, Secretary Chertoff said that DHS has achieved substantial progress in protecting the homeland and gave credit to the men and women of the department, the leadership of President Bush, the Congress, and partners at the federal, state, and local levels. “None of us alone can keep our nation safe from the threat of terrorism,” the secretary said in written testimony to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. “Protecting the United States is a mission we share and one that requires joint planning and execution of our counterterrorism responsibilities; effective information collection, analysis, and exchange; and the development of integrated national capabilities.” At this hearing, the secretary appeared on a panel with the director of National Intelligence, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, and director of the FBI. The secretary noted in both testimonies that since Sept. 11, 2001, the United States has not been attacked. However, he cautioned that “the terrorist threat remains potent.” He cited the recent National Intelligence Estimate, issued in July, which said that terrorist organizations, despite being weakened since 9/11, are growing in strength. “Moreover, we cannot discount the danger posed by homegrown terrorists, isolated individuals, or groups that initiate their own plots after becoming radicalized,” he said in written testimony to the House Committee on Homeland Security. Instead of trying to eliminate every risk the nation faces from those bent on doing harm to the United States, the secretary said the department’s overall strategy is to reduce risk and manage it. “Our risk management philosophy drives all that we do,” he said in his House testimony. The secretary explained how this risk management strategy is being applied and producing results under each of the department’s five major goals. As an example, he pointed to the progress the department has made in protecting against dangerous people through Operation Jump Start, which has placed approximately 14,000 Border Patrol agents on the ground, supplemented by National Guard members. By the end of 2008, the secretary said, the department will have more than 18,300 Border Patrol agents deployed—double the number available before 2001. “Since its inception more than four years ago, our department has worked hard to fulfill its mission of protecting the homeland. While challenges remain, from terrorism to natural disasters, we have made our country safer and our people more secure,” he told the House Homeland Security Committee. The secretary’s written testimony from both hearings is available at: http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/testimony/testimony_1189114519132.shtm.
Source: DHS Faster response to firefighter deaths is urged: Inspector general responds to MSNBC.com investigation of CDC team By Bill Dedman Federal investigators should respond quickly when a firefighter is killed on the job, should spread the word promptly about equipment safety issues and may need increased legal authority to compel fire departments and unions to cooperate with investigations, according to a report this week by a federal inspector general. The report was prompted by an MSNBC.com investigation, which revealed in February that 15 firefighters have died since 1998 in fires where a motion sensor called a PASS alarm, or Personal Alert Safety System, either didn't sound or was so quiet that rescuers couldn't find a downed firefighter quickly. Nine of those deaths came after managers at the Centers for Disease Control blocked an investigation by their own fire safety engineer into possible failures of firefighting equipment. Documents showed that the engineer was told by his manager in 2000 to "minimize your fact gathering during investigations."
Source: MSNBC IAFC Board Approves Task Force Recommendations for Fairfax, Va., Sept. 7, 2007... In February 2007, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Safety, Health and Survival (SHS) Section was directed by IAFC President Harmes to review the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP) and report its recommendations for program improvement to the IAFC Board of Directors. At its August 2007 board meeting in Atlanta, GA, the IAFC Board of Directors approved the Section’s task force recommendations to improve the FFFIPP program. Below is a summary of the recommendations: In conjunction with the other fire service organizations, develop an advisory board to work directly with NIOSH and the FFFIPP. This advisory board should be involved in representing the fire services interests much more actively than the current stakeholder systems. To download a copy of the SHS Section’s FFFIPP Task Force report, please visit www.IAFCSafety.org.
Source: IAFC New Members Appointed to Homeland Security Advisory Council: Ten new members appointed to council’s subcommittees Secretary Chertoff last week announced the appointment of three new members to the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) and 10 new members to its subcommittees. The HSAC is the secretary’s primary advisory body and is comprised of experts from state and local governments, terrorism prevention and response communities, academia, and the private sector. “I value the independent and innovative advice I receive from these trusted counselors,” said the secretary. “These appointments will increase the knowledge and experience of our membership and provide me with critical and diverse perspective as we work together to keep America safe.” The three new members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council are as follows: County Supervisor Don Knabe, of Los Angeles, Calif., who will also serve as the chairman of the State and Local Officials Senior Advisory Committee. Supervisor Knabe was first elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in November 1996. In 2006, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Knabe to the California Emergency Council. Gov. Sonny Perdue of Georgia, who will also serve as the vice chairman of the State and Local Officials Senior Advisory Committee. Gov. Perdue was sworn in as Georgia’s 81st governor on Jan. 13, 2003, and re-elected to his second term in November 2006. Before becoming governor, Perdue was a captain in the U.S. Air Force, and served in the Georgia General Assembly as majority leader and president pro tempore of the State Senate. He is a small business owner, a licensed veterinarian, and a pilot. Dr. John “Skip” Williams of Georgia is the provost and vice president for health affairs; professor of anesthesiology and of health services management and leadership at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Williams previously served as a member of the HSAC’s Emergency Response Senior Advisory Committee. More information about these appointments is available at: http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1188336249499.shtm.
Source: DHS NIST issues guidelines on securing Web services By William Jackson The National Institute of Standards and Technology has released a 128-page guide to help organizations understand the security challenges of Web services in service-oriented architecture. NIST Special Publication 800-95, “Guide to Secure Web Services,” provides practical guidance on current and emerging standards applicable to Web services in addition to background information on the most common security threats to SOAs based on Web services. The guidelines are hardware and software independent and do not address perimeter security devices such as firewalls or access control tools. Web services based on the Extensible Markup Language, Simple Object Access Protocol and related open standards that are deployed in SOAs allow data and applications to interact without human intervention through dynamic and ad hoc connections. Unfortunately, “the security challenges presented by the Web services approach are formidable and unavoidable,” the publication states. “Many of the features that make Web services attractive, including greater accessibility of data, dynamic application-to-application connections and relative autonomy (lack of human intervention) are at odds with traditional security models and controls.” Issues addressed in the publication include: The Web service processing model requires the ability to secure SOAP messages and XML documents as they are forwarded on long and complex chains of consumer, provider, and intermediary services. These problems make the services subject to unique attacks in addition to variations on familiar attacks targeting Web servers.
Source: GCN The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatalities: Name: George Crotts Fire Department: Willow Grove Volunteer Fire Company Incident Description: Engineer Crotts was seriously injured when he Funeral Arrangements: Pending. Will be posted on the department's Memorial Fund Contact and Address: In honor of Engineer George Crotts, Tribute is being paid to Engineer George Crotts at Name: Jared W. Zimmerly Fire Department: Prairie Township Fire Department Incident Description: Firefighter Zimmerly was responding to a Funeral Arrangements: Pending Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Jared W. Zimmerly at Name: Michael Dean Stanfield Fire Department: Anderson Township Volunteer Fire Department Incident Description: Captain Stanfield responded to the scene of a Funeral Arrangements: Pending Memorial Fund Contact and Address: In memory of Captain Michael Dean Tribute is being paid to Captain Michael Dean Stanfield at
Source: USFA |
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