InfraGard Members Alliance Houston

Quarterly meeting Nov 17th at the Texas Medical Center

The next quarterly meeting will be held at the Texas Medical Center and focus on the Health Care sector.  It will be held from noon until 3:00pm.

Agenda and addtional details will be posted by Nov 4th.

Please refer to the following link for additonal detials: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2441219754

 

EMCAPS: Electronic Mass Casualty Assessment and Planning Scenarios

James Scheulen (Johns Hopkins Medicine), Christian Latimer and Jeffery Brown (Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory)

This standalone software program is intended to allow users to model disaster scenarios for drill planning and to use as an education resource. The EMCAPS Model allows you to estimate casualties arising from biological (Anthrax, Plague, Food Contamination), chemical (blister, nerve and toxic agents) radiological (dirty bomb) or explosive (IED) attacks. These scenarios are based on the Department of Homeland Security Planning Scenarios (April 2005).

When you run the EMCAPS Model, you are able to select one of the scenarios we have listed above and adjust the various inputs (e.g., bomb size, population density, quantity of release, wind speed, etc) to most closely simulate your own environment.

Submitted by: E. Charles Sterling

Synthetic DNA makers alerted to bioterrorism threats

Published 22 October 2010

Scientists have been engineering genetic sequences for decades and commercial gene sequencing has been around for years -- but this year, researchers for the first time were able to design and produce cells that do not exist in nature without using pre-existing biological matter -- marking the latest evolution in the rapidly advancing field of synthetic biology; the developments could pave the way for advancements in medicine, energy, and agriculture, but also could put sensitive materials in the wrong hands; it will soon be possible to recreate bacterial pathogens like smallpox -- and even enhance these pathogens, making them more potent

Full article: http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/synthetic-dna-makers-alerted-bioterrorism-threats

Moving Mental Health into the Disaster-Preparedness Spotlight

As the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster enters its next phase, consensus is emerging that among its most profound immediate health effects are those on the emotional and psychosocial health of Gulf Coast communities.

Although it is primarily an economic and environmental disaster, the oil spill has also required a public health response. Nearly 50,000 workers have been enlisted for ongoing health and safety surveillance, and worker training and safety programs are protecting the health of response workers.

This effort includes outreach by the U.S. Surgeon General to highlight mental health and substance-abuse issues, reassure people that many of their emotional reactions are normal, and point them to sources of care.

Finally, strengthening community resilience is a key goal of the U.S. National Health Security Strategy. A strong behavioral health response in the Gulf is fundamental to achieving this goal. If we can limit the long-term mortality, morbidity, and societal cost of this disaster, we will be better prepared to face whatever comes next.

http://healthpolicyandreform.nejm.org/?p=10829&query=TOC

Submitted by: E. Charles Sterling

InfraGard Houston Malware Analysis Initiative Announced

All Houston InfraGard members are encouraged to participate

Today the Houston InfraGard Chapter announces its Malware Analysis Pilot Project, which will provide additional intelligence for the Houston InfraGard Community to protect Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources.

The pilot project will identify and develop a process to acquire OPEN SOURCE malware, viruses, and other cyber threats at private sector organizations on an anonymous basis and to provide early intelligence to the private sector.  The program will leverage the Special Interest Groups (SIG’s) groups within the Houston Chapter.  The Sector Chiefs will be a collection point for all Houston IMA members who wish to remain anonymous.  The Sector Chief’s will provide a conduit to disseminate analysis, and insure that adequate population of data is available to the analysis center.  Anticipated participating SIG’s are: Electric, Oil and Gas, Healthcare and Medical, Finance and Banking.

The program will include requirements definition, the analysis of infrastructure required to support an ongoing program, identification of analysis assets to review the cyber threats, and identifying methods to provide intelligence back to the community.

The program will include a collaborative effort between a university information technology research curriculum at the graduate level and subject matter experts from the Houston FBI Cyber Security division, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Houston Special Interest Groups.

The program will additionally provide an opportunity for educational institutions to develop curriculum that includes practical application of current threat analysis, research, and best practices for cyber security.

The pilot program will conclude with a after action report, projected human resource/ infrastructure funding requirements, and project plan for permanent establishment of analysis centers at multiple universities.

For specific details on the project including a FAQ and submittal form please refer to the project information web page at: Project webpage

 

 

Surveillance Detection Awareness on the Job - Virtual Roundtable event on HSIN

The Office of Infrastructure Protection’s (IP) Sector-Specific Agency Executive Management Office (SSA EMO) and Partnership and Outreach Division (POD), with assistance from the Surveillance Detection workgroup, developed a 90-minute, highly interactive and visual, virtual roundtable, designed to raise the awareness of suspicious activities and behaviors that might indicate potential surveillance activities. An invitation to the roundtable is attached. 

The target audience for this roundtable will be a full-range of employees working at critical infrastructure facilities, government agencies, governmental organizations, and private-sector owners and operators, including front-line supervisors such as security managers, facilities managers, human resource managers, compliance managers, and IT managers.

More information: http://www.infragardhouston.org/pdfs/SDA%20Virtual%20Roundtable%209-9-10%20Invite.pdf

Portable (and Ultra-Low-Cost) Ventilators Could Save Lives in Rural Areas and During Disasters

MIT students are developing a very-low-cost portable ventilator that could save hundreds of lives during emergencies and in rural areas, where hospitals often lack high-tech medical technologies.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, hospitals were overwhelmed and understaffed. As hallways were flooded with patients, many of whom had life-threatening injuries and illnesses, the lack of proper supplies became apparent. Especially alarming was the shortage of ventilators, many of which failed when the power went out. Doctors and nurses were forced to give air by manually pumping machines for hours and days—sometimes resulting in the death of patients. In an effort to alleviate these fatal situations, students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are developing a small, portable ventilator that could be distributed cheaply to hospitals and rural areas.

http://www.smartertechnology.com/c/a/Technology-For-Change/Portable-and-UltraLowCost-Ventilators-Could-Save-Lives-in-Rural-Areas-and-During-Disasters/?kc=STNL07272010STR1

Submitted by: E. Charles Sterling

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

Special Interest Groups (SIG's) gaining momentum

We've have had a great response to our Special Interest Group (SIG) program.  Additional SIG's are being considered as we roll out the program.

Currently the following SIG's and Sector Chiefs have been established:

Sector Chiefs by Special Interest Group (SIG)

Banking and Finance        William Gemza

Electric                             Dirk Suter

Information Technology      Mark Stingley

Oil & Gas                         Johnny Lockett

If you complete the registration form and do not see your sector listed, but have an interest in establishing a SIG please add a note to the comments section on the form.  A list of the defined sectors are included on the SIG web page, as well as additional information on the program:

http://www.infragardhouston.org/infragardhouston/sectors.html

We are in the process of validating membership.  You will be contacted by a Sector Chief over the next two weeks

Announcing Special Interest Group (SIG's) to enhance collaboration among Houston Chapter Members

The Houston InfraGard Chapter is pleased to announce the roll out of its Special Interest Group (SIG)/Sector Chief Program.  The initial sectors to be implemented are: Electric, Healthcare & Public Health, Information Technology, and Oil & Gas.  The program has been designed to facilitate focused collaboration between the FBI and the individual sectors within the Houston Chapter.  The purpose of the program is to permit regular communication within the SIG to further enhance protection of the Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources in the Houston area.

The SIG's may be based upon sector or cross-sector issues, they are essentially work-groups with a common area of interest.  Each SIG is encouraged to:

• Communicate/Collaborate with its peers
• Provide sector membership with public source information relative to each sector via the chapter blog
• Provide input to the chapter board on topics and speakers for quarterly meetings
• Provide Subject Matter Expertise as required by critical infrastructure partners
  

Each member may participate in up to two SIG's.  An example would be Information Technology and Electric, or Information Technology and Oil & Gas, or you may select only Information Technology.  Individuals that may be involved in multiple sectors have at at large sector to participate.

Sector membership registration is now available at: Special Interest Group Registration