|
January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Human trafficking is modern-day slavery, and it happens in our own communities. While working to stop human trafficking is a year-round effort, this month is an opportunity to build awareness about this heinous crime and learn ways you can help to combat it.
Emergency responders are in a unique position to help due to the many ways they interface with the public. Here are several free resources from trusted sources that can be used to educate responders on recognizing and reporting suspected human trafficking and assisting human trafficking victims.
For all first responders: The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Blue Campaign provides a Victim Identification Pamphlet and a Victim Support Pamphlet for first responders, law enforcement, and health care professionals. These pamphlets are available in several language translations. A First Responder Indicator Card is also available from the Blue Campaign. This is a wallet-sized card to keep as a handy reference on indicators and information on how to report human trafficking.
For fire and EMS: Because EMS workers are often in contact with the most vulnerable members of the public and already have interviewing skills that can help identify likely trafficking victims, the Institute for Family Violence Studies at Florida State University (FSU) developed a self-study course for EMS providers, What EMS Needs to Know about Human Trafficking. The United States Fire Administration (USFA) provides an 11-minute training video for fire and EMS, Human Trafficking Awareness for First Responders.
For law enforcement: The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) provides a 1-day training program for law enforcement personnel, Human Trafficking Awareness Training and DHS’ Blue Campaign provides a 1-hour web-based awareness training. The Blue Campaign publishes a Human Trafficking Response Guide for Campus Law Enforcement and Public Officials and a T-Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide. In 2021, DHS established a new Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT), led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The new Center published a Continued Presence Resource Guide last year, intended to assist federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies in supporting victims of human trafficking and advancing trafficking investigations and prosecutions. The Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) have developed many resources for local law enforcement agencies and victim service providers, including the Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide, which can assist law enforcement in forming multidisciplinary teams to combat human trafficking.
For emergency and disaster managers: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers two independent study courses through its Emergency Management Institute (EMI): IS-1151: Blue Campaign Disaster Responder Training and IS-1152: Blue Campaign First Responder Training.
You can report suspected human trafficking to local law enforcement or to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. For more information and resources, visit DHS’ Blue Campaign website.
(Source: DHS)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released the 2021 National Preparedness Report (NPR) last month. Mandated under Presidential Policy Directive 8 (PPD- 8), this annual report documents the progress made in the previous year toward implementing the National Preparedness Goal’s 32 core capabilities for preventing, responding to, and recovering from disasters. The report offers practical insights to support decisions at all levels of government.
The 2021 NPR reports on the events of 2020 to draw broader conclusions about national risks and capabilities and to identify management opportunities to build on those capabilities and reduce risk. This year’s report is the product of rigorous open-source research, analysis, and input from stakeholders at the state, local, Tribal, territorial (SLTT) and federal levels.
In the first section on “Risks”, the report provides an overview of the nation’s changing risk environment, emphasizing vulnerabilities driven by climate change, technology, social inequalities which limit response and recovery, supply chain vulnerabilities, and aging infrastructure.
In the section on “Capabilities”, the 2021 NPR found that, overall, the nation is closer to achieving its preparedness goals identified through the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA); however, affected communities may not be fully prepared to respond to nationally catastrophic incidents. To reduce the burden on communities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response, FEMA limited the number of required capability targets that communities needed to assess in 2020 to 15. The 15 required targets were those focused on pandemic-related capabilities and targets measuring progress in meeting the Secretary of Homeland Security’s priorities (captured in Table 1 of the report). More than half of communities reported achieving at least 70% of their target for 14 of the 15 capability targets.
The widespread nature of the response to COVID-19 provided an opportunity for FEMA and the federal interagency to review and analyze community and federal capabilities and better understand the strengths and challenges that emergency managers at all levels of government may face in responding to a wide variety of threats and hazards.
In the new section on “Management Opportunities,” added in 2021, the NPR outlines steps that community leaders can take to address capability gaps. These include a justification for a preparedness investment strategy to help close capability gaps and improve capabilities, an explanation of what all levels of government are doing or can do to manage climate change, and opportunities to strengthen processes within and better connect areas of the National Preparedness System.
Emergency managers and whole community partners across the nation can look to this year's report to help support decisions about program priorities, resource allocations, and community actions.
You can access the 2021 National Preparedness Report and the Executive Summary from FEMA’s website.
(Source: FEMA)
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI's) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), ransomware attacks lead to several billion dollars lost each year. Law enforcement officers should know how to protect their agencies and communities from these attacks and how to respond when these attacks occur.
Ransomware: An Introduction is a new course for law enforcement personnel funded by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and produced by the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). NW3C is a nonprofit, membership-affiliated organization comprised of state, local, federal, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutorial and regulatory agencies which provides a nationwide support system for law enforcement and regulatory agencies involved in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of economic and high-tech crime.
This on-demand course discusses ransomware attacks; explains how ransomware can affect devices and networks and how ransomware attacks can be prevented; and teaches participants how to recognize and respond to a ransomware attack.
Ransomware: An Introduction contains 45 minutes of content and a course evaluation. The course includes a pre-test and post-test. Students who score 80% or higher on the post-test will be awarded a certificate of completion, and the course is eligible for continuing education credits.
For more information and to register for this course, visit the NW3C’s website.
(Source: NWCG)
|
