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Volume 24 — Issue 12 | March 21, 2024

NETEC releases EMS Model Procedural Guidelines for Special Pathogens

Earlier this month, the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) released EMS Model Procedural Guidelines for Special Pathogens.

This model guidance series complements the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response’s (ASPR’s) EMS Infectious Disease Playbook which was updated in June 2023. The model guidance provides step-by-step instructions that any emergency medical services (EMS) agency can adapt and incorporate into their policies and procedures for managing high consequence infectious disease (HCID) patients.

The series covers procedures for donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE); PPE breaches; assessment of an EMS clinician who has become incapacitated while wearing PPE; biohazard spills; and handling HCID waste. The series also provides guidance on ambulance cleaning, disinfection, and modification to protect surfaces and EMS personnel from exposure to potentially infectious body fluids.

These model procedural guidelines were developed by the NETEC EMS/Patient Transport Work Group comprised of subject matter experts from the EMS Biosafety Transport Consortium who support the federally designated Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs) for transport and management of patients suspected or confirmed to have an HCID.

Access the EMS Model Procedural Guidelines for Special Pathogens on NETEC’s website.

(Source: NETEC)

Highlights

NETEC releases EMS Model Procedural Guidelines for Special Pathogens 

DHS S&T releases market survey report on virtual reality training systems for first responders

New report, “Wildfire Smoke: State Policies for Reducing Indoor Exposure”

FLETC offers two webcasts on law enforcement use of force in April

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.

DHS S&T releases market survey report on virtual reality training systems for first responders

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T’s) National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) recently released a market survey report to assist responders with purchasing decisions related to virtual reality training systems.

Emergency response agencies use virtual reality (VR) training systems to train responders in routine, dangerous, or uncommon situations in a realistic, safe, and cost-effective manner. VR training systems for first responders require both hardware and software and can be commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) training products or custom-build training products.

NUSTL’s “Virtual Reality Training Systems for First Responders Market Survey Report” identified 21 products from 20 developers. The products included were limited to COTS and customizable COTS products. This report is based on information gathered from manufacturer and vendor materials, open-source research, industry publications and a government-issued request for information that was posted on the System of Award Management website.

The products described in this report accommodate a wide variety of training scenarios for fire, police, and emergency medical services. The most advanced systems have features like gaze tracking, user heartrate monitoring, artificial intelligence control of interactive characters within scenarios, or the use of advanced feedback like heat suits or electrostatic shock to simulate physical sensations. Prices vary widely based upon quantity and type of hardware.

Access the report and related documents within DHS S&T’s System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) library.

(Source: DHS S&T)

New report, “Wildfire Smoke: State Policies for Reducing Indoor Exposure”

Wildfire smoke is a complex mixture of pollutants that can impact people in communities that live near and far from the fire. One of the most harmful constituents of wildfire smoke is fine particulate matter, which is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease, as well as neurological effects, endocrine disorders, and other adverse health outcomes.

During a wildfire smoke episode, people are advised to stay indoors and proactively take steps to reduce smoke inside the building.

Fortunately, there are well-established measures that can reduce smoke and allow people to stay inside safely during periods of poor air quality. States have an important role to play in ensuring that these evidence-based practices are widely implemented both before and during wildfire smoke episodes. In doing so, states will also help protect people from other indoor air risks.

The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) recently released a report, supported by a cooperative agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), titled Wildfire Smoke: State Policies for Reducing Indoor Exposure.

In recent years, states have increased their adoption of state policies addressing wildfire smoke. The report highlights recent state policies and programs for reducing wildfire smoke exposure and improving air quality in homes, schools, and other buildings.

The state examples included in the report illustrate several key policy strategies – interagency coordination and emergency planning; information, outreach, and education; cleaner air centers; material assistance; and regulatory requirements.

Access the report on ELI’s website.

(Source: ELI)

FLETC offers two webcasts on law enforcement use of force in April

DHS’ Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), Office of the Chief Counsel (OCC) announced in the latest edition of its newsletter, The Informer, that it is offering two webinars in its FLETC OCC Informer Webcast Series on the use of force.

The first webcast, “Use of Force and the Duty to Intervene,” will take place on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. EDT (10:30–11:30 a.m. MDT). The webcast will be presented by Arie Schaap, an Attorney Advisor and Senior Instructor at FLETC in Artesia, New Mexico. The session will discuss an officer’s duty to intervene and how failure to do so can lead to criminal and/or civil liability. While this duty to intervene is broader than just use of force, the focus of this webcast will be on excessive use of force cases. No advanced registration is required to participate in this webcast. Join via Microsoft Teams at the scheduled time.

The second webcast, “Use of Force in an Impaired Driving Case,” will take place on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. EDT (12:30 – 1:30 MST). This webcast will be presented by Rachel Smith, an Attorney Advisor and Senior Instructor at FLETC in Artesia, New Mexico. The session will discuss the legal standard used to examine a use of force incident, the significance of an impaired driver in a use of force incident, and how to effectively articulate the need for use of force. No advanced registration is required to participate in this webcast. Join via Microsoft Teams at the scheduled time.

The section, “Use of Force,” within FLETC’s Legal Learning collection, provides additional learning materials on Constitutional standards that govern law enforcement officers’ use of force.

Subscribe to FLETC’s monthly newsletter, The Informer, to be notified of future legal learning opportunities and to receive federal circuit court and Supreme Court case summaries covering a variety of topics of interest for law enforcement officers.

(Source: FLETC)

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 partners release joint fact sheet for leaders on PRC-sponsored Volt Typhoon cyber activity

On March 19, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Security Agency (NSA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other U.S. and international partners are issuing a joint fact sheet, People’s Republic of China State-Sponsored Cyber Activity: Actions for Critical Infrastructure Leaders.

The U.S. authoring agencies assess that the People’s Republic of China- (PRC-) sponsored advanced persistent threat group known as “Volt Typhoon” are seeking to pre-position themselves—using living off the land (LOTL) techniques—on IT networks for disruptive or destructive cyber activity against U.S. critical infrastructure in the event of a major crisis or conflict with the United States.

The fact sheet warns critical infrastructure leaders of the urgent risk posed by Volt Typhoon and provides guidance on specific actions to prioritize the protection of their organization from this threat activity. 

(Source: CISA)

FBI: IC3 Annual Report and Fraud Flyer

On March 6, 2024, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released the 2023 IC3 Annual Report. In 2023, the IC3 received a record number of complaints from the American public: 880,418 complaints, with potential losses exceeding $12.5 billion. This is nearly a 10% increase in complaints, and represents a 22% increase in losses, compared to 2022.

Most losses reported to the IC3 are the result of frauds and scams.

To bring additional awareness, the IC3 and FBI-Milwaukee created an FBI Fraud Alert flyer of common themes used in frauds and scams commonly reported to IC3. The flyer can be posted in places where it may be visible to potential fraud victims, such as financial institutions, prepaid and gift card kiosks, and mail or shipping services.

(Source: FBI IC3)

HHS: HC3 Sector Alert – Defense and Mitigations from E-mail Bombing

This Sector Alert from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3), Defense and Mitigations from Email Bombing, provides an overview of types of email bomb techniques, as well as defenses and mitigations for targets of this type of attack.

Email bombs are a type of Denial of Service (DoS) attack that allows attackers to bury legitimate transactions and security messages in an unsuspecting inbox by rendering the victim’s mailbox useless.

Access this Sector Alert on the HHS HC3 website. See also the Feb. 2023 HC3 Analyst Note: Healthcare Sector DDoS Guide for information on how to safeguard against ransomware/extortion attacks.

(Source: HHS HC3)

Cyberattack downs phones, online services in Pensacola, Florida

Pensacola, the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, is suffering widespread phone outages due to a cyberattack that was first detected over the weekend.

The cyberattack, first reported by Recorded Future, disrupted the city’s 311 system, a phone line for residents to report city-related issues. It’s also caused delays across several city departments.

As of Monday afternoon, Pensacola’s 311 Citizen Support System was again fully operational, said the city’s public information officer. Online bill payments, including Pensacola Energy and City of Pensacola Sanitation Services, have yet to be restored.

The city’s public information officer said city emails and many city landlines are still in service. He said the city’s emergency phone system is operational, but residents can also contact the Pensacola police and fire departments using non-emergency numbers. City officials also created alternate phone numbers for the departments of energy, sanitation, public works, engineering, housing and others following the cyberattack.

(Source: StateScoop)

‘It is taking its toll’: How Birmingham’s network outage is impacting first responders

The city of Birmingham (Alabama) released an update Thursday, March 14, on the city’s week-long network disruption. The new release says services including 911, police, and fire have all remained operational.

While manageable, some Birmingham police officers and firefighters say this outage has placed a large burden on them. One officer said, “it’s the modern world, we use computers for everything.” Now, they’re back to using pen and pencil for everything.

It is also impacting Birmingham firefighters. “It is taking its toll for sure. We have gotten a little bit better. We have come up with some manual work arounds,” said International Association of Firefighter’s Local 117 President. He says pay concerns and dispatch issues have been two of their biggest challenges since the network disruption first occurred. He says your local fire department relies heavily on computer-aided dispatch.

(Source: WBRC Fox 6 News – Birmingham, Alabama)

The InfoGram is distributed weekly to provide members of the Emergency Services Sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures.

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