Public Safety & Electric Utility Coordination
Round Table Discussion
Scott Mount
Before Sept 11, 2001 Utility Industry Trends
Reactive Response to System Maintenance
Smaller customer base
Infrastructure was primarily manually operated
Focus was on De-Regulation, Environmental, & Company Mergers
Before Sept 11, 2001 Public Safety Trends
Reactive to Calls For Service
Tactics and Training change slowly
Reluctant to embrace technology
Intelligence is for CID
Coordination with other agencies only on special circumstances
Post-Sept 11, 2001 Utility Industry Trends
Implement and Practice Incident Command System
Document Critical Infrastructure
Create Emergency Management Coordinator Position
Enhanced System Automation: Scada, Outage Management, GIS
Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7
Post-Sept 11, 2001 Utility Industry Events
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Rita
Cat 5 Tornadoes
Major Ice Storms
Oil Refinery Explosions
Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7
Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 establishes a national policy for Federal departments and agencies to identify and prioritize critical infrastructure and to protect them from terrorist attacks. The directive defines relevant terms and delivers 31 policy statements. These policy statements define what the directive covers and the roles various federal, state, and local agencies will play in carrying it out.
Post-Sept 11, 2001 Public Safety Trends
Homeland Security Agency Created
Funding for Training and Equipment
Emergency Operations Centers
Embrace Technology: CAD Systems, Video Surveillance, Communications
Post-Sept 11, 2001 Public Safety Events
Domestic Terrorism/Anti Government
Mass Shootings/Active Shooter
Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
Drug Cartels
Sovereign Citizen Movement
Failing Economy
Current Public Safety Trends
Fusion Intelligence Centers
ARIC
Mandatory Incident Command Training
Vital Information is sent to First Responders
Increasing use of technology
Creation of TLO Position
Tactical Scenario Training: Urban Shield
The next steps
Policy Directive 21 (Presidential PPD-21): Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience advances a national policy to strengthen and maintain secure, functioning, and resilient critical infrastructure. This directive supersedes Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7. Effective Feb 2013
Challenges
Employee Retirements ( experience with major events)
Reliance on technology, less human inspections
Budget Constraints
Increase of Domestic Terrorism
Coordinated Communication
Lack of knowledge / Silo mentality
Closing the GAP
Training for Utility Personnel on Suspicious Activity
Training for Public Safety on Basic Utility Operations
Use Liaison person between Public Safety or TLO and Utility Provider
Include Utility Infrastructure Damage during Tactical Training Scenarios
Resources
www.dhs.gov/critical-infrastructure-sectors
www.dhs.gov/fusion-center-locations-and-contact-information
www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/index.htm