Homeland Security and You

1. Homeland Security and You University of Virginia Police Brian Del Vecchio Emergency Planning Coordinator

2. Answers to these questions: • What is terrorism and who are its targets? • What weapons do terrorists use?

3. Answers to these questions: • What is Homeland Security? • What do the Homeland Security Alert System symbols mean?

4. Answers to these questions: • What can I do to protect myself and others? • What are the University Police doing to safeguard the Grounds?

5. What is terrorism? • The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.

6. What is terrorism? • Terrorists often use threats to: • Create fear among the public. • Try to convince citizens that their government is powerless to prevent terrorism. • Get immediate publicity for their cause.

7. Current trends in terrorism • Increasing lethality and focus on weapons of mass destruction. • Targeting general population, not specific objectives. • Use of secondary devices to attack emergency personnel.

8. Potential targets of terrorism • Business and industrial facilities and personnel • Special events and public gatherings • Educational institutions • Houses of worship • Critical infrastructure

9. Weapons of Mass Destruction (B-NICE) Biological Nuclear Incendiary Chemical Explosive Other forms of terrorism Arson Hijacking Homicide Cyber-terrorism Hate-motivated attacks Potential forms of terrorism

10. Nuclear agents • Types: • Nuclear weapons • Radiological waste • Dirty bombs • Least likely of all forms of attack • Only instruments can detect radiation

11. Biological agents Classes of potential biological agents: • Bacteria • Anthrax and the plague • Viruses • Smallpox and Ebola • Toxins • Botulism and Ricin

12. Biological agents Dispersal of biological agents (bacteria, viruses, toxins): • Mail delivery • Aerial spraying • Explosive devices • Injection • Food source contamination

13. Biological agents • Delayed effects make identifying the attack more difficult. • Signs and symptoms of many biological attacks first manifest as flu-like. • Only a few biological agents are contagious: • - Smallpox • - Plague • - Viral hemorrhagic fever (Ebola)

14. Chemical agents • Extremely toxic • Quick acting • Many are readily available or easy to make

15. Limitations of NBC agents: Effective dissemination difficult. Delayed effects can detract from impact. Counterproductive to terrorists’ support. Potentially hazardous to the terrorist. Development and use require skill. Nuclear-Biological-Chemical agents

16. Incendiary agents • Fire bombs • Arson • Time-delayed devices

17. Explosive agents • Pipe bombs • Letter bombs • AMFO (ammonium nitrate and fuel oil) • TNT, dynamite • Military ordinance

18. Homeland Security In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, 22 previously disparate domestic agencies were coordinated into the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/

19. Homeland Security • The new department's first priority is to protect the U.S. against further terrorist attacks. Component agencies: • Analyze threats and intelligence • Guard borders and airports • Protect critical infrastructure • Coordinate the response for future emergencies

20. Homeland Security Advisory System The world has changed since Sept. 11, 2001. We remain a nation at risk to terrorist attacks and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Five “Threat Conditions” represent levels of risk of terrorist attack.

21. Homeland Security Advisory System • Exercise preplanned protective measures. • Provide training on this Advisory System and on specific preplanned department or agency protective measures. • Regularly assess facilities for vulnerabilities and mitigate these as possible. Low Risk(Green)

22. Homeland Security Advisory System • Check communications with designated emergency response or command locations. • Review and update emergency response procedures. • Provide the public with any information that would strengthen people’s ability to act appropriately. Guarded Risk(Blue)

23. Homeland Security Advisory System • Increase surveillance of critical locations. • Coordinate emergency plans as appropriate with local jurisdictions. • Assess whether the threat requires further refinement of preplanned protective measures. • Implement, as needed, contingency and emergency response plans. Elevated Risk(Yellow)

24. Homeland Security Advisory System • Coordinate with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies or national guard, other armed forces organizations. • Take additional precautions at public events; consider alternate venues or even cancellations. • Prepare to execute contingency pro-cedures such as moving to an alternate site or dispersing the workforce. • Restrict threatened facility access to essential personnel only. High Risk(Orange)

25. Homeland Security Advisory System Under most circumstances, the protective measures for a Severe Condition are not intended to be sustained for substantial periods of time. Severe Risk(Red)

26. Homeland Security Advisory System • Increase or redirect personnel to address critical emergency needs. • Assign emergency response personnel and pre-position and mobilize specially trained teams or resources. • Monitor, redirect, or constrain transportation systems. • Close public and government facilities. Severe Risk(Red)

27. Protect yourself and others • In general: • Be alert and aware of your surroundings: • Conspicuous or unusual behavior • Threatening or suspicious remarks • Unattended objects: backpack, briefcase, luggage • If you suspect it, report it!

28. Protect yourself and others What is wrong with this picture? Unclaimed luggage

29. Protect yourself and others When calling 9-1-1, provide the following details: • What happened • Where it happened • Is anyone injured? How many? Nature of injuries? • Suspect / vehicle description • Where you will meet the responder(s)

30. Protect yourself and others • Prepare in advance. The very nature of terrorism suggests there may be little or no warning. • Rehearse emergency plans with family. • Keep an emergency kit at home, at work, and in your car. • Know how to turn off your utilities.

31. Protect yourself and others • Mail delivery: • Each day, the U.S. Postal Service delivers nearly 680 million pieces of mail to 136 million business and residential addresses. • 208 billion pieces annually – almost half the world’s mail. • UVA handles millions of pieces annually.

32. Protect yourself and others • Characteristics of suspicious mail: • Letters with oily stains. • Envelopes that are lopsided, rigid, bulky, discolored or have a strange odor. • Unexpected envelopes from foreign countries. • No postage, excessive postage, and non- cancelled postage.

33. Protect yourself and others • What to do with suspicious mail: • Do not touch. • Do not open the envelope or package. If already open, reseal to limit additional exposure. • If powder is present, do not attempt clean-up. • Keep others away. Immediately close doors to contain the area; evacuate. • Call 9-1-1.

34. Protect yourself and others What to do with suspicious mail: • If you have made contact with suspicious material, • Do not touch your eyes, nose or any other part of your body. • Wash hands and body thoroughly with soap and water. • Change clothing immediately. • Do not contaminate others or adjacent areas. • Call 9-1-1.

35. Protect yourself and others • At work: • Report suspicious people or activities, packages or vehicles. • Report abandoned or unattended vehicles. • Check physical security arrangements. • Check security cameras to ensure they are working properly.

36. Protect yourself and others • At work: • Have you been requested to provide an unusual service or task? • Have you had a request for information that is proprietary in nature? • Maintain secure areas, restrict access. • Allow only authorized cleaning personnel into the facility.

37. Protect yourself and others • At work: • Know your emergency evacuation assembly point vs. shelter in place. • Keep an emergency kit in your office along with a change of clothing & comfortable shoes. • Have an emergency communication plan so you can contact family.

38. Protect yourself and others • When traveling: • Do not leave bags unattended, even for a minute. • Do not accept packages from strangers. • Minimize the time spent in public areas at airports. • Move quickly from check-in to secured areas. • Remain aware of your surroundings.

39. Protect yourself and others • When traveling abroad: • Consult the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs site at http://www.travel.state.gov for • Travel warnings • Information sheets • Regional travel brochures

40. What is UVA doing? • Crisis Incident Management Team • City/County/University Emergency Operations Plan • Evacuation drills / tabletop and field exercises • UVA Emergency Critical Incident web site at http://www.virginia.edu/emergency/plan.html • Training such as CERT/Medical Reserve Corp • Liaison with local, state, federal agencies is ongoing

41. Fallacies and myths • It can’t happen here. • B-NICE agents are so deadly, the victims will all die anyway. • There is nothing we can do.

42. Summary of tips for your safety • Know your neighbors and your environment. • Have personal emergency kits and plans in place. • Immediately report anything suspicious. Call 9-1-1. • Review UVA emergency preparedness materials at http//www.virginia.edu/emergency/plan.html

43. Brian E. Del Vecchio434-243-7019 Emergency Planning Coordinatorbed@virginia.edu Becky CampbellCommunity Relations 434-924-8845crc7u@virginia.edu University of Virginia Police