InfraGard Members Alliance Houston

Houston InfraGard Chapter collaborating with DHS to gather assessment data after tropical storms

The Houston InfraGard Chapter is collaborating with the local Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office to provide critical infrastructure damage assessment after any regional disaster.  The DHS will monitor the Houston InfraGard Twitter account IMAHoustonSR for in the field updates.  The Twitter account is only available for Houston InfraGard Chapter members and vetted agencies.  All members and critical infrastructure partners are encouraged to "request to follow" the Twitter account well in advance of any incident.

Additional users will not be added 48 hours before any landfalling storm.

Please refer to our web page at: http://www.infragardhouston.org/infragardhouston/member-resources.html

Tropical Storm Alex forms near Yucatan, may be threat to Gulf of Mexico

The first tropical strom of the 2010 hurricane season has formed off the Yucatan Penninsula.  Additional information on tropical storm Alex may be found at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/tropicalwx/tropgraph.php?value=AT01&storm=TROPICAL+STORM+ALEX&regraph=images/resize/AL0110W.JPG 

Emergency Responder ID Trust Network (ER-ITN)

The Emergency Responder ID Trust Network® (ER-ITN) enables critical infrastructure and support organizations to establish a network of trust with checkpoint operators (e.g. local law enforcement) before or during a crisis based on validated identity information.

Instead of managing cumbersome essential personnel lists (such as spreadsheets), organizations use the ERITN to:

• Find and satisfy the access requirements of a particular jurisdiction
• Manage the minimum identity information required to fulfill the particular tier or role for each individual
• Notify checkpoints who is to be allowed to pass based on need, or the current authorized tier or role(s)

The ER-ITN is a web-based solution that operates securely over the Internet. Unlike competing solutions, the ER-ITN does not require users to install any new or special hardware or software.

ER-ITN Info sheet

ER-ITN Brochure

Houston Chapter supporting Gulf Coast States with oil spill response

The Houston InfraGard chapter in conjunction with the New Orleans Chapter has established a Facebook and Twitter account for all Gulf Coast State InfraGard chapters.  The pilot project will be used to share information among subject matter experts and to provide a conduit for InfraGard chapters to collaborate in response to events that impact critical infrastructure. 

Additional information will be made available to each chapter in the region as necessary.

The first effort is currently underway in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response.