InfraGard Members Alliance Houston

U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) will be holding a hearing entitled “Securing America’s Future: The Cybersecurity Act of 2012.”

On Thursday, February 16, 2012, the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) will be holding a hearing entitled “Securing America’s Future:  The Cybersecurity Act of 2012.”  Over the past year, several other committees proposed related legislation which caused Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to direct all committees of jurisdiction to come together and produce a single bill.  That bill will be introduced this week.  The HSGAC hearing begins at 2:30 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, February 16, 2012.  An audio/video of the hearing can be accessed on the HSGAC’s Web site at:  http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/hearings/securing-americas-future-the-cybersecurity-act-of-2012 

The upcoming HSGAC hearing comes on the heels of recent testimony concerning the world-wide threats, including cyber-related threats, facing the United States.  On January 31, 2012, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence held an open hearing concerning “Current and Projected National Security Threats to the United States.”  The Director of National Intelligence, James R. Clapper, testified at the hearing and provided an unclassified statement on the Intelligence Community’s assessment of threats to U.S. national security, which can be accessed on the Committee’s Web site at:

http://intelligence.senate.gov/hearings.cfm?hearingid=f14e6e2889a80b6b53be6d4e412f6eac&witnessId=f14e6e2889a80b6b53be6d4e412f6eac-0-1  

Director Clapper’s testimony is worth the read.  He focuses on, among many other topics, terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (focusing on Iran and North Korea), cyber threats (focusing on increasing computer network operations), and threats to the energy and water sectors.  An archived video/audio of the hearing can be accessed on the U.S. Senate’s Web site at the following address:  http://www.senate.gov/fplayers/jw57/commMP4Player.cfm?fn=intel013112&st=xxx   

Source: Connecticut InfraGard Chapter

New ISO standard for emergency management

To minimize the impact of disasters, terrorist attacks and other major incidents, ISO has published a new standard for emergency management and incident response. ISO 22320:2011, Societal security – Emergency management – Requirements for incident response, will help save lives, mitigate harm and damage and ensure continuity of basic services such as health, rescue services, water and food supplies, and electricity and fuel delivery.

http://www.iso.org/iso/pressrelease.htm?refid=Ref1496

Submitted by: E. Charles Sterling

JCIP conference details

This page will be updated with information about the JCIP conference in Houston on Aug 3, 2011.

Symposium agenda: Brochure

Venue map: Centerpoint Energy 1111 Louisiana

Parking information: Map to nearby facilities

Local lunch locations will be provided at the registration desk.

Last minute details:

Houston - JCIP conference to focus on Oil/Gas, Chemical, and Electrical Sectors

The Joint Critical Infrastructure Partnership (JCIP) conference will be held at CenterPoint Energy on Wed, Aug 3, 2011.  The full day conference will have a number of nationally and internationally known subject matter experts.

There will be presentations from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Houston Fusion Center.  In addition we will have private sector as well as academia represented among the speakers.

The focus of the program is Energy (Electric, Oil and Gas), and Chemicals.  Although other sectors are welcome, the sessions will be focused  specifically for those sectors.

Speakers will provide insight on current threats to physical, as well as cyber assets.

Draft copy of agenda: http://www.infragardhouston.org/Conferences/JCIP/JCIPHoustonAgenda_DRAFTv2%207-6-2011.pdf

The final copy of the agenda will be posted on the website in the next several days.

Please refer to this link for to REGISTER: http://www.infragard.net/jcip/register.php

Look forward to seeing you on Aug 3rd.

Joint Critical Infrastructure Protection - Symposium

Save the date Aug 3, 2011 for the JCIP symposium with a focus on the Energy Sector to be held in downtown Houston.  Addtional informaiton is available at: http://www.infragardhouston.org/Conferences/JCIP/JCIPSavetheDate.pdf

 

FEMA now accepting nominations and applications for membership

National Advisory Council

The National Advisory Council (NAC) shall advise the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on all aspects of emergency management. The National Advisory Council shall incorporate State, local and tribal government and private sector input in the development and revision of the national preparedness goal, the national preparedness system, the National Incident Management System, the National Response Plan and other related plans and strategies.

http://www.fema.gov/about/nac/

Submitted by: E. Charles Sterling

  
DHS and FBI - InfraGard Working Together:  The Joint Critical Infrastructure Partnership (JCIP)

The protection of the United States’ critical infrastructure is managed through multiple networks and organizations designed to manage and reduce risk at the national level. Utilizing their existing partnership, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have launched a new initiative, in cooperation with InfraGard, to work more closely with infrastructure stakeholders across the country.

The Joint Critical Infrastructure Partnership (JCIP) is a collaborative effort that draws on the tremendous local resources accessible through DHS, FBI - InfraGard, and public and private sector partners. To achieve the goals of reducing risk and promoting awareness, JCIP will provide opportunities to enhance foundational infrastructure security and resilience at the local and regional levels.

Together, DHS, FBI – InfraGard, and public/private sector partners provide tangible and direct benefits to local, regional and national infrastructure security, including: strengthening relationships and broadening information networks, improving preparedness and response, and encouraging awareness of and participation in the effort to improve infrastructure security and resiliency.
 
In support of this initiative, JCIP is hosting a series of five symposiums across the country in Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Newark, New Jersey; and San Diego, California. These events will provide important information on infrastructure issues tailored to the respective regions and participants, as well as serve as forums for exchanging ideas and concerns. Additionally to augment the five stand-alone events, JCIP will be accepting applications for trade show booth sponsorships to leverage JCIP resources at events planned by other agencies with a similar focus as JCIP through July 2011. Details on the application process and participating in these opportunities will be announced in the coming weeks.
 
While the JCIP program is funded by DHS and managed by the FBI, its efforts would not be possible without the involvement of key public and private sector partners spanning the Nation. Key contributors in the planning, coordination and implementation of the JCIP program include representatives from DHS, FBI, InfraGard National Members Alliance, InfraGard Members Alliances, state and local agencies, as well as critical infrastructure and key resources’ owners and operators.
 
Future announcements and more information about the JCIP program will be posted on www.InfraGard.net. For questions, please send an email to Bill Moraniec, the JCIP Secretariat, at william.moraniec@associates.dhs.gov.

US faces 'huge' cyber threat in the future: Gates

Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned Tuesday that potential cyber attacks posed a "huge" future threat that had to be tackled through joint efforts by US military and civilian agencies.

Gates said the challenge for cyber security efforts inside the United States is that resources and expertise are concentrated in the military and the National Security Agency (NSA), which raises thorny legal questions about civil liberties.

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_faces_huge_cyber_threat_in_the_future_Gates_999.html

Submitted by: E. Charles Sterling

Response and Restoration software and information

NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) protects coastal and marine resources, mitigates threats, reduces harm, and restores ecological function. The Office provides comprehensive solutions to environmental hazards caused by oil, chemicals, and marine debris.

CAMEO Chemicals is a database of hazardous chemicals that emergency responders and planners can use to get response recommendations and predict hazards.

Get a standalone version of CAMEO Chemicals that you can run from your Windows computer.

http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/index.php

Submitted by: E. Charles Sterling

FEMA Challenge Seeks Innovative Preparedness Ideas

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate announced a new public challenge Oct. 28 that asks Americans to offer creative ideas for preparing communities for disasters.

Fugate told his audience at the 2010 TEDMED Conference in San Diego that responding to disasters takes an entire team, not just the U.S. government, and planning for an entire community must be done before a disaster hits.

http://ohsonline.com/articles/2010/10/29/fema-challenge-seeks-innovative-preparedness-ideas.aspx

Submitted by: E. Charles Sterling