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Volume 23 — Issue 12 | March 23, 2023

NIOSH poster and guidance on safe disinfection practices for correctional facilities

Correctional facilities have many congregate living settings where viral pathogens are more easily transmitted. Proper disinfection practices are important for the safety of correctional officers and incarcerated individuals.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) just published a printable, 8.5x11 inch poster, Safe and Proper Use of Disinfectants to Reduce Viral Surface Contamination in Correctional Facilities.

This poster recommends steps in plain language to reduce viral surface contamination through safe and proper use of disinfectants. Correctional officers can easily hang this poster in communal or high-touch areas within correctional facilities to increase awareness and encourage safe disinfection practices.

The poster is based on a NIOSH Workplace Solutions document published in 2021, which contains more in-depth information and recommendations for correctional workers, incarcerated persons, and employers on the types of viral pathogens to which people who live and work in the correctional environment are particularly vulnerable; health effects of disinfectants themselves and how to control unhealthy exposures; and how to use disinfectants safely and effectively.

Access the poster and associated Workplace Solutions document on NIOSH’s website.

(Source: NIOSH)

Highlights

NIOSH poster and guidance on safe disinfection practices for correctional facilities

Interagency wildland fire oversight groups continue implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM)

National 911 Annual Report and report on 2022 Key Enacted 911 Legislation now available

SAMHSA funding to train first responders on situations involving substance use and mental health disorders

Cyber Threats

The U.S. Fire Administration operates the Emergency Management and Response – Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC).

For information regarding the EMR-ISAC visit www.usfa.dhs.gov/emr-isac or contact the EMR-ISAC office at: (301) 447-1325 and/or fema-emr-isac@fema.dhs.gov.

Interagency wildland fire oversight groups continue implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM)

The Fire Management Board (FMB), National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group (NMAC), and National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Executive Board are working together to implement a new model for management of large wildland fire incidents.

Complex Incident Management Teams (CIMTs) will assist local land management agencies by responding to wildland fires of both Type 2 and Type 1 complexity and to expand and reduce staff in all functional areas as necessary to meet the needs of the incident.  This is intended to stabilize team numbers, ensure the overall availability of team members, reduce fatigue, and increase the resiliency of the interagency Incident Management Teams (IMTs) and their members, many of whom serve on IMTs as a collateral duty.

The current interagency Type 2 and Type 1 IMTs are in the process of attaining the personnel qualifications and transitioning team typing ahead of full implementation in 2024. CIMTs were piloted in some areas in 2022, and more are participating in 2023.  The systemic change impacts standards, training, qualifications, and oversight of the personnel and IMTs.

The Incident Workforce Development Group (IWDG) was chartered in 2018 by FMB, NMAC, and NWCG to address challenges in staffing and availability of IMTs nationally, including fatigue issues resulting from increasing demand for IMTs during longer periods of high fire activity. IWDG’s webpage serves as a comprehensive site for all information regarding CIM implementation, including videos, a StoryMap, and all correspondence.

Specific details on the components of this change can be found at the following locations:

Training and Qualifications: The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, includes the pathway for current responders to transition, as well as the pathway for those seeking to move up from the Type 3 or Unit Leader qualification levels. A 2023 Transition Plan explains the changes effective as of January 2023.

Mobilization and Configuration: The National Mobilization Guide establishes the standards for mobilization and demobilization of resources in response to wildland fire and all-hazard events. It includes guidance for this year’s IMT national rotation as well as the future configuration of CIMTs (beginning in January 2024).

Complexity Assessment: The NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment (RCA), PMS 236, was revised in 2023 to include Part D: Functional Complexity which assists agencies and IMTs in identifying the personnel and support needs of the incident based on additional inputs and factors.

Constructive feedback is important to the outcomes for all stakeholders. IWDG welcomes input and perspective from all who participate in, host, or manage IMTs along with those who supervise IMT members.  Visit the IWDG website or StoryMap for more information, to provide input, or to ask questions.

(Source: IWDG)

National 911 Annual Report and report on 2022 Key Enacted 911 Legislation now available

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) National 911 Program recently released its National 911 Annual Report, which compiles voluntary data submitted by 50 states, 5 territories and the Department of Defense (DoD) in 2021 about the state of their 911 systems.

The report provides information and trends related to funding and revenue, text-to-911, progress toward implementing next generation 911 (NG911), and more. This data can help state 911 leaders, legislators and policy makers with decision-making and advocacy for policy changes or increased funding.

Key findings from the National 911 Annual Report include:

• More states adopting statewide NG911 plans: 38 states, about 79% of those reporting for this data element, said they have adopted a statewide NG911 plan, an increase from 35 states, or 73%, in the 2020 data.
• Increase in nationwide ESInet implementation: The number of new Emergency Services IP Networks (ESInet), shared services and other NG911-related changes—driven by states and state 911 offices—is increasing.
• More states are using text-to-911: In 2021, 507,969 texts-to-911 were received, an increase from 492,328 texts-to-911 received in 2020.
• PSAP numbers and sizes remain stable: Data indicates that the number of PSAPs in reporting states and the amount of 911 equipment positions remains consistent.
• PSAPs are following protocols: More states have reported that their PSAPs follow protocols, have minimum training requirements and call-handling Quality Assurance (QA) for compliance with emergency medical dispatch (EMD) protocols.

In addition to the written report, an interactive map of the 2021 data is available on 911.gov.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) recently released a related report on 2022 Key Enacted 911 Legislation.

The NCSL works in cooperation with NHTSA to bring the public up-to-date, real-time information about 911 legislation that has been introduced in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The NCSL’s State 911 Bill Tracking Database serves as a resource for states seeking to improve their emergency communications operations or learn about neighboring legislative efforts in this field.

In 2022, 88 bills were enacted in 36 states. Legislative highlights from 2022 include:

• Seven states (Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington) enacted legislation to classify 911 telecommunicators as first responders, which better reflects the central role they play in public safety and homeland security.
• Five states (Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, West Virginia and Wyoming) passed legislation to establish or advance NG911 statewide.
• Three states (Florida, Georgia and Indiana) enacted training requirements for 911 telecommunicators to learn telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR), which can give someone experiencing cardiac arrest a two- to three-fold higher likelihood of survival.

To learn more and access the National 911 Annual Report and interactive map, visit the National 911 Program’s website at 911.gov or email nhtsa.national911@dot.gov.

For more information about the 2022 state 911 legislation update or the State 911 Bill Tracking Database, visit NCSL’s website at NCSL.org or contact Annie Kitch with NCSL at annie.kitch@ncsl.org.

(Sources: NHTSA, NCSL)

SAMHSA funding to train first responders on situations involving substance use and mental health disorders

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released notices for two funding opportunities that may be used to train first responders on how to respond to emergency situations involving individuals with substance use or mental health disorders.

Rural Emergency Medical Services Training grant program

The Rural Emergency Medical Services Training grant program is intended to recruit and train emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in rural areas with a particular focus on addressing substance use disorders (SUD) and co-occurring disorders (COD). Individuals with CODs have a substance use disorder co-occurring with a mental illness.

Eligible applicants are rural emergency medical service agencies operated by a local or tribal government (fire-based and non-fire based) and rural non-profit EMS agencies.

Recipients of this funding will be expected to train EMS personnel on SUD and COD; how to deliver trauma-informed, recovery-based care for people with such disorders in emergency situations; and, as appropriate, to maintain licenses and certifications relevant to serve in an EMS agency.

The anticipated total available funding is $7,400,000, with 37 anticipated awards. Applications are due by May 1, 2023. See SAMHSA’s webpage for the Rural EMS Training program to learn more and access the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and supporting documents. See this opportunity (TI-23-011) on Grants.gov to apply.

Mental Health Awareness Training grant program

SAMHSA’s Mental Health Awareness Training grants are intended to:

• train individuals (e.g., school personnel and emergency services personnel including fire department and law enforcement personnel, veterans, armed services members and their families, etc.) to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental disorders and how to safely de-escalate crisis situations involving individuals with a mental illness.
• provide education on resources available in the community for individuals with a mental illness and other relevant resources, including how to establish linkages with school and/or community-based mental health agencies.

Eligible applicants are States and Territories, including the District of Columbia, political subdivisions of States, Indian tribes, or tribal organizations (as such terms are defined in section 5304 of title 25), and non-profit private entities.

The anticipated total available funding is $4,412,361, with 22 anticipated awards. Applications are due by May 1, 2023. See SAMHSA’s webpage for the Mental Health Awareness Training grant program to learn more and access the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and supporting documents. See this opportunity (SM-23-002) on Grants.gov to apply.

SAMHSA will host a pre-application webinar on the Mental Health Awareness Training grant program on Thursday, April 6, 2023, from 3-4 p.m. EDT via Zoom. Advanced registration is not required to join. See the webinar flyer for the meeting information and a link to join.

(Source: SAMHSA)

Cyber Incident Assistance

MS-ISAC
SOC@cisecurity.org
1-866-787-4722

IdentityTheft.gov

IC3

Cybercrime Support Network

General Information

StopRansomware.gov

CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog

FTC scam list

CISA alerts

Law Enforcement Cyber Center

TLP Information

CISA and NSA release Enduring Security Framework guidance on identity and access management

As part of the Enduring Security Framework (ESF), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) has released Identity and Access Management Recommended Best Practices Guide for Administrators. These recommended best practices provide system administrators with actionable recommendations to better secure their systems from threats to Identity and Access Management (IAM).

IAM—a framework of business processes, policies, and technologies that facilitate the management of digital identities—ensures that users only gain access to data when they have the appropriate credentials. This paper provides recommended best practices and mitigations to counter threats to IAM.

(Source: CISA)

CISA releases updated Cybersecurity Performance Goals

On March 21, CISA published stakeholder-based updates to the Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs). Originally released last October, the CPGs are voluntary practices that businesses and critical infrastructure owners can take to protect themselves against cyber threats. The CPGs have been reorganized, reordered and renumbered to align closely with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) functions (Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover) to help organizations more easily use the CPGs to prioritize investments as part of a broader cybersecurity program built around the CSF.

CISA urges stakeholders to review and learn more by visiting Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals.

(Source: CISA)

FBI, CISA, and MS-ISAC release #StopRansomware: LockBit 3.0

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), CISA, and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) have released a joint cybersecurity advisory (CSA), #StopRansomware: LockBit 3.0. This CSA details known indicators of compromise (IOCs) and tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) that FBI investigations correlated with LockBit 3.0 ransomware as recently as March 2023. LockBit 3.0 functions as an affiliate-based ransomware variant and is a continuation of LockBit 2.0 and LockBit.

CISA encourages network defenders to review and apply the recommendations in the Mitigations section of this CSA. See StopRansomware.gov for additional guidance on ransomware protection, detection, and response.

(Source: CISA)

Senators call on CISA to examine cybersecurity risks of Chinese consumer drones

Several companies are in the process of expanding the use of consumer drones across the U.S. for everything from food delivery to emergency services. U.S. senators said CISA needs to step in and “reevaluate the risks associated” with drones built by Shenzhen DJI Innovation Technology – a company they accuse of having links to China’s government.

DJI did not respond to requests for comment but the senators noted that CISA published its own alert in 2019 raising “concerns” about all drones manufactured in China. DJI is not specifically mentioned in the alert.

The senators’ letter hinges on a more recent determination by the Defense Department that DJI is a “Chinese military company” and notes that an unreleased intelligence bulletin warning from 2017 said DJI “was likely providing sensitive U.S. infrastructure and law enforcement data to the Chinese government.”

Reuters reported in 2021 that DJI controlled nearly 90% of North America’s consumer drone market and about 70% of the industrial drone market. A 2019 white paper from public safety non-profit Drone Responders said 73% of public safety organizations are using DJI drones.

(Source: The Record)

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