By Allison G. S. Knox, IPSA TEMS Committee Member

There are numerous social science theories surrounding the notion that society affects policy and policy affects society. An important theory that highlights some of the key factors of policy development is that of Multiple Streams Framework. John Kingdon's arguments in his book, Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies highlight some of the ways policies emerge in the American government system in response to the needs of society. Kingdon's ideas also potentially explain how public safety agencies may have an opportunity to further promote the development of more Tactical Emergency Medical Support departments throughout the United States.

Society, policy and active shooter

Numerous political scientists argue that society impacts policy and policy subsequently impacts society. We have seen this in recent times, particularly as different social issues become major problems requiring some sort of intervention on behalf of the government. Recently, one of these issues has become a global concern: handling active shooter events and preventing them from ever taking place.

These tragic events are creating all sorts of policy problems that politicians are desperate to fix. The situation is dire, and public safety agencies are also working tremendously hard to create realistic protocols and procedures to prevent as much loss of life as possible.

Opportunity for change

Kingdon argued that three streams would come together creating a window of opportunity for a new policy to emerge: politics, problems and policies. These streams are essentially major issues in society that emerge creating a window of opportunity to change policy for the better. Active shooter events have put tremendous pressure on local governments to develop new concepts for handling these special circumstance emergencies.

This crisis has created a window of opportunity, as Kingdon would suggest, for new policies to emerge in response to the active shooter events in our society.  

Protecting the loss of life becomes particularly important as active shooter events continue to evolve. It becomes more important, too, for local jurisdictions to work to save lives and to rethink how they handle such situations. This is one of the reasons why TEMS may have a window of opportunity, as Kingdon may have argued, because there needs to be new measures to handle active shooter events.

A paradigm shift

One of the most important things that emergency medical support can do is understand the important pieces of how the paradigm is changing. Of course, local jurisdictions are going to want to change how they handle active shooter events - particularly if they know they can increase the likelihood of survival for victims of the incident.

The window of opportunity may have arrived for such support as it is now up to department heads to push through the various policies they’ll need to create their own TEMS units.

Policies are created out of society’s wants and needs. Lawmakers will understand the wants and needs for a society based on a variety of different factors. Conversely, it can be difficult for some agencies to gain the traction for creating extra departments that local government officials may not see a need for. Budgetary constraints only complicate these matters making it harder to justify the creation of specialty agencies. 

Active shooter events, however, have created a window of opportunity for local governments to rethink how they may handle such special circumstance emergencies. As a result, there may be an opportunity for TEMS agencies to be created.

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Webinar: Organized Response to MCIs

By Stop.Think.Connect.^TM Campaign

Every day, police officers, firefighters, paramedics, transit operators, utility workers, and other public safety workers rely on computer systems to do their jobs, but these essential systems are increasingly vulnerable to attacks from cyber criminals.

According to the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, the ransomware strain WannaCry affected “tens of thousands of computers in dozens of countries” in May. This included technologies within hospitals, banks, railways, colleges, and telecommunications companies. The massive scale and severity of this attack demonstrated the devastating impact ransomware can have on businesses and organizations of every type, including public institutions.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a malicious software (malware) that infects a computer system and blocks access to it until a ransom is paid. Ransomware typically spreads through phishing emails or infected websites.

Once a computer system is infected, it will display a message saying that the computer has been locked and its files encrypted. To unlock the computer, the attacker will demand a ransom, which usually keeps increasing until it is paid.

How ransomware threatens public institutions

Public institutions – including fire stations, emergency medical service providers, police stations, and hospitals – are prime targets for ransomware attacks because they hold valuable data, such as medical records, social security numbers, home addresses, and bank account numbers. Cyber criminals are highly motivated to attack these types of sensitive data because they can extort higher ransoms for them.

Ransomware can be especially damaging to police stations, hospitals, and fire stations because they cannot continue operating without irreplaceable data and systems, such as medical information, dispatch centers, and investigative documents. Cyber criminals are also fully aware that these institutions and their systems often lack adequate cybersecurity to defend against ransomware attacks. 

To keep computer systems and critical information safe, public safety leaders must know how to protect their organizations from ransomware. Here are five proactive steps for defending against and responding to ransomware attacks.

5 steps for defending against ransomware

1. Back up your data. Make sure all your essential data is backed up offline and that your backups are regularly tested and updated. Ransomware operates on the idea that you have just one copy of highly valuable information. If you have secure, offline copies, then the copy the hackers stole has less value. With up-to-date backups, your institution can quickly recover from an attack and resume operations.
2. Have a contingency plan. Discuss what a ransomware infection would cost your institution and consider your response before an infection occurs. Keep in mind – even if you pay the ransom, you are not guaranteed to get your data back. Paying the ransom could also fund further criminal activity and encourage cyber criminals to continue generating ransomware attacks.
3. Train your employees. Every person with access to your computer system has the potential to encounter ransomware, which is why training is so important. Make sure every user of your computer system understands the danger of ransomware attacks and knows to be cautious of this threat. Simple concepts – like flagging suspicious emails and not clicking on links from unfamiliar sources – are crucial for preventing ransomware infections. 
4. Keep patches updated. A patch is a piece of software created to fix or update a computer system. Cyber criminals usually target out-of-date applications and operating systems in ransomware attacks, so it’s crucial to update your software and operating systems with the latest patches. Patching your computer system reduces the number of entry points an attacker can exploit.
5. Test your system. Penetration testing of your system can help you identify vulnerabilities in your network protection and test the effectiveness of your response and recovery plan. It can also help you develop protocols for multiple ransomware scenarios and increase employee awareness of potential cyber threats.

If your institution falls victim to a ransomware attack, be sure to disconnect the impacted devices from your network to prevent the infection from spreading. You should then report the attack to an FBI field office as well as the Internet Crime Complaint Center. You can find out more about current ransomware threats by visiting the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team’s website. 

About the Author

The Stop.Think.Connect.^TM Campaign is a national public awareness effort aimed at helping the American public stay safe online. The campaign offers resources and tools to help Americans strengthen their cybersecurity practices and understand cyber threats. Learn more at https://www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect.

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By Shirl Tyner, Lexipol, an Official IPSA Supporter

 It’s 1702 on a Friday afternoon. Suddenly, the call of officer down blares across my police radio. I am several miles away from the incident, having dinner with some officers. We drop everything and run out the door.

As a non-sworn employee, I know it’s not my place to respond immediately, but I also know I’ll be needed. I don’t want the scene jeopardized in any way. So my trainee and I drive as fast as we can to get there. Traffic is a nightmare. At one point, we drive on the sidewalk; it’s the only way to get through, and nothing is more important than getting there. I know the officer; he’s on my team. He’s a friend.

Despite my lack of lights and siren, I arrive just after the officers from my group. The suspect is gone; he’s taken the officer’s gun and car. A manhunt is underway. The scene is secure and the officer has been transported. We lock down the crime scene and wait, knowing we will be spending the next 8 to 10 hours there. At first, I think the worst part is not knowing whether the officer has survived. But then word spreads that he has died, and I discover the worst part has just begun. For the next several hours we work the most difficult scene I have ever faced. The emotions are overwhelming. Many times, we have to stop to find a private place to cry before continuing.

Well after midnight, we return to the station, exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. We had been told peer support and the counseling team would be available for anyone who needed someone to talk to. But when we inquire, we’re told they have all gone home.

How could we have been forgotten? Everyone was exhausted no doubt, but how could they forget those of us who just spent several hours at such a difficult crime scene? I wanted them to care about what I had just been through. I wanted someone to listen to what I was feeling about the things I’d seen, smelled and heard. I had touched his blood, seen the evidence of a struggle—I had visions I knew I would never forget. But instead, I had to go home, alone, with it all built up inside me.

I’m sure my department did not intentionally forget about us. Perhaps it was the “out of sight, out of mind” perspective, or maybe everyone was so exhausted they just weren’t thinking clearly. I knew they cared about us, but I felt lost and very unattached. Unfortunately, my experience is repeated all too often in departments across the country. Even as law enforcement continues to improve critical incident stress management for sworn officers, we are in danger of letting all our other employees fall through the cracks.

Trauma affects everyone

It's easy to understand why peer support responds after an officer-involved shooting, a serious firefighter injury or a fatal collision.

• But what about the effects on members who were not on scene but knew the personnel involved?
  
• What about those unsung heroes who wait on the sidelines doing whatever they can to help, but feel helpless just the same?
  
• What of the dispatcher who is trying desperately to get assistance to an officer struggling with an assailant?
  
• Or the evidence technician who is processing the scene in which an officer she knows was critically injured or killed?
  
• What of the clerk or custodian who was a close friend of the firefighter killed in a fire?
  
• Or the records clerk who must process reports and photos of a child abuse victim or department employee?
  
• Or the volunteers pressed into service to direct traffic at a grizzly crime scene involving an officer they know?
  

These and many other incidents occur all too frequently. And just as frequently, many non-sworn personnel are left out of the peer support process as well as the incident debriefing.

Sometimes, we create divisions between sworn and non-sworn that seem to make sense, but can have unintended painful repercussions. A few years after the incident that began this article, an officer at a neighboring city committed suicide. As a supervisor, I encouraged my team to attend the funeral if they wanted to, and I went with them. I had been through a police funeral and I knew all too well the feelings of loss and heartache at losing a fellow officer.

In the church, I noticed the non-sworn members from the agency were not sitting with the sworn officers in the front row. When I asked one of them why, she told me they were not allowed to walk in with the other officers and sit with them because they were not sworn.

My heart sank. The employee went on to tell me their department did not treat the non-sworn the same way; they were routinely left out. She expressed the feeling of being forgotten or not as important. The officer who had committed suicide was a friend of hers. She was devastated he had taken his own life and that even as a close friend she had been unaware he was so sad. The feelings of guilt and shame overwhelmed her—and here she was in the back of the room, feeling as though she didn’t matter.

Although I had only met her a few moments earlier, I felt connected because I knew these emotions all too well. I told her how my department had grown so much in how they treated their non-sworn and I encouraged her to speak to someone to let them know how she felt. These situations are usually the product of leadership being oblivious, rather than intending to hurt someone. Until someone speaks up, things will never change.

There is definitely a brotherhood among officers, firefighters, paramedics and the like. But those in a support role are part of that brotherhood because every day they are there beside them. Just because their role is different does not mean traumatic events don’t impact them in the same way. Non-sworn employees aren’t looking for recognition or special treatment; they just want to belong because they are part of the team.

A call to action

What can your agency do to ensure all affected personnel are taken care of following a tragic event? Here are a few practical suggestions:

• Ensure your critical incident checklists include identifying non-sworn employees involved in the incident. Critical incidents are chaotic and complex; it’s easy to overlook those who are not first responders or who were not directly involved. Providing incident commanders with a simple checklist to jog their memory can go a long way to ensuring non-sworn employees have access to the same post-incident resources as sworn employees.
  
• Include a non-sworn employee on your peer support team. Diversity of perspective is important in peer support. Incorporating a civilian employee on the team will help you better address the mental health needs of both sworn and non-sworn members.
  
• Ensure non-sworn employees know how to contact peer support and mental health resources. Reach out to employees who can’t attend debriefings or support sessions to let them know how to access hotlines and other resources. Better yet, consider all employees when planning such sessions, and hold multiple sessions until everyone is reached.
  
• Follow up with chaplains and peer support team members. Helping your colleagues deal with mental and emotional stress takes a tremendous toll. Who cares for the caregivers?
  

We are becoming much better at taking care of our civilian employees and volunteers, but we still have a long way to go. We need to look out for one another. Critical incidents affect us all. If we value our co-workers and we are serious about the investment we have made in their lives, we need to be serious about providing them care following trauma. Let us commit to leave no one behind.

The Lexipol Law Enforcement Policy Manual and Daily Training Bulletin Service provides essential policies that support all officers and members of the department. Departments can use it to add policies and procedures specific to their agency. Contact us today to find out more.

About the Author

Shirl Tyner is a Management Services Representative for Lexipol and has 25 years of law enforcement experience as a civilian (non-sworn) employee, serving with the Oceanside (CA) Police Department and the Tustin (CA) Police Department. Her tenure included positions as front desk officer, field officer, report writer, field evidence technician, crime scene investigator and fraud investigator. In many of these areas she held supervisory positions, and she served as a field training officer for 20 years. Shirl has experience as a Trauma Intervention Volunteer and has been heavily involved in peer support, with a special focus on PTSD. A graduate of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Deputy Leadership Institute, she has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Graduate Certificate in Forensics and Crime Scene Investigations and is currently working on a master’s degree in Forensic Science. Shirl teaches Criminal Justice and Forensic courses at both the high school and college levels.

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By Tom Joyce, Vigilant Solutions, an official IPSA Supporter

I can’t believe it has been more than a decade since September 11, 2001. I was a first responder that day, and I wanted to share some stories about the ancillary events of 9/11 and the detectives of the NYPD 79th Detective Squad.

Crime doesn’t stop

Like many members of the NYPD, the detectives of the NYPD 79th Pct. Detective Squad, where I was the “Whip,” responded to the events at the World Trade Center. We were critical in helping people evacuate Manhattan, getting them to modes of travel such as buses and trains (subway and commuter) in Brooklyn. During the terror attacks at the WTC and the massive evacuation, the detectives were also tasked with three unrelated homicides that same day. One case occurred the night of 9/11, when Henryk Siwiak was shot and killed while walking to work. The second case was a double murder that occurred a month earlier when a mother and her infant baby boy were stabbed to death by her husband and left behind in their apartment.

Additional homicides in NYC on 9/11

Henryk Siwiak, a Polish immigrant was heading to his first day at a new job when he found himself at the wrong subway station. Unfortunately, Henryk became the victim of a robbery shooting in which he sustained fatal injuries. He spoke no English and was most likely disoriented, as he was approximately two miles away from the Pathmark supermarket where he was due to work. Sadly, Henryk’s case didn’t get the normal crime scene response to gather information, collect evidence and memorialize the scene due to strained resources from the events that had occurred earlier in the day. Still to this day, Henryk’s case remains unsolved. However, because of the dogged determination of my former esteemed colleague Detective Mike Prate, the case was never forgotten; just like the victims at the WTC.

In addition to Henryk’s case, the squad was also tasked with investigating a double murder, which occurred in early August within the confines of the 79^th Precinct. The offender was in the hospital after receiving severe injuries from being hit by a car. Due to to the skillful interview techniques of the assigned detective Chris Scandole, he was apprehended. In the middle of our response to the WTC attacks and the evacuation of NYC, I am proud to say the squad investigated this incident thoroughly; processed the arrest that night and the offender was ultimately convicted and sent to prison.

First responders’ jobs never stop

So, while NYC and the country had come to a complete stop and the world was processing the horrific events of 9/11, Bed-Stuy Brooklyn was still business as usual. From being tasked to evacuate the city to canvassing and solving homicide cases, the events of 9/11 helped every member of the NYPD who ever worked that job know they are the finest. And I am proud to say that in the midst of the chaos of 9/11, I also saw “the Greatest Detectives in the World” do what they do best – get it done.

About the Author

Tom is a retired member of the NYPD in the rank of Lieutenant Commander of Detectives. He commanded the NYPD Cold Case Squad upon his retirement and additionally held many other roles within the detective and organized crime bureaus. Prior to working with Vigilant Solutions, Tom was the Director of Law Enforcement Market Planning for LexisNexis Government Services. Tom often lectures on various subject matters relating to Homicide Investigations and has published numerous articles on criminal investigations. Tom is currently a member of the International Homicide Investigators Association’s Advisory Board.

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By Columbia Southern University, an Official IPSA Supporter

Human trafficking is perhaps one of the most insidious crimes that targets thousands of men, women and children—young and old, rich and poor—in the U.S. and abroad. Some may think this crime only exists outside their communities, but the reality is that the U.S. deals with trafficking just as much as other nations.

Statistical reality

Human trafficking, as defined by federal law, includes sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Human trafficking of either type does not require movement, either within the U.S. or across a border. And its prevalence can be seen in these statistics:

• In 2016, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children estimated that 1 in 6 endangered runaways reported to them were likely sex trafficking victims.
• According to the Office of Justice Programs under the U.S. Department of Justice, 82 percent of reported human trafficking incidents in the United States between January 2008 and June 2010 involved allegations of sex trafficking: labor trafficking accounted for 11 percent of incidents; and other or unknown forms of human trafficking made up the remaining 7 percent.
• In 2016, human trafficking in the United States rose 35.7 percent from the previous year, according to data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which fielded 26,727 calls in 2016. California was the No.1 state with 1,323 cases followed by Texas with 670 and Florida with 550. All three states reported an increase in trafficking crimes.

While these statistics are grim, there is hope as more private and public agencies, companies and government law enforcement offices work to combat the exploitation and slavery of individuals in the U.S.

Accepting the unfortunate reality to build awareness

One of the key weapons used to fight human trafficking is awareness. The U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons offers many tips on what citizens can do including 15 ways to fight trafficking. They also denote the indicators you should look for in someone who may be a victim of human trafficking:

• Answers appear to be scripted and rehearsed
  
• Employer is holding identity documents
• Inability to speak to individual alone
• Living with employer
• Multiple people in cramped space
• Poor living conditions
• Signs of physical abuse
• Submissive or fearful
• Under 18 and in prostitution
• Unpaid or paid very little

Educational opportunities

For those in law enforcement, social services or a related field, there are courses to help you gain more insight and awareness on human trafficking. These classes can be vital to clearing up misconceptions and lack of understanding, as well as teach students how to recognize and mitigate human trafficking.  Such training initiatives can help improve law enforcements’ ability to detect and respond to such activity.

Columbia Southern University, through a partnership with the Human Trafficking Investigations and Training Institute, offers education for law enforcement professionals to help them combat human trafficking with continuing education. The courses educate students on recognizing human trafficking issues, freeing victims and bringing traffickers to justice.

Overseeing the program is CSU professor Barry Goodson, a military veteran and former member of the CAC Investigation Task Force, which handles human trafficking cases. The three courses within the program will address human trafficking awareness, the U.S. response to trafficking and a class on law enforcement investigations of human trafficking crimes.

To learn more, visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu/HTI, email ContinuingEd@ColumbiaSouthern.edu or call 800-313-1992.

About Columbia Southern University

One of the nation’s pioneer online universities, Columbia Southern University was established in 1993 to provide an alternative to the traditional university experience. CSU offers online associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees such as business administration, criminal justice, fire administration and occupational safety and health. Visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu or call (877) 347-6050 to learn more.

By Mark Chamberlain 

The technological advances of the past 20 years make it instantly possible to know who is in our jail. We need only open our jail management software and start pointing and clicking away. We’ll get a neat, alphabetized list of everyone who is in our custody. If we delve further, we can view an inmate’s current charges, bond amount, housing location and a host of other information. All that being said, do we truly know who we have in custody at a given moment?

I’m reminded of a situation that took place when I was a young deputy sheriff working in a jail in South Florida. Officials from Puerto Rico paid us a visit one day to pick up an inmate who we had in custody awaiting extradition. The previous year, this same inmate had served eight months of a one-year sentence for a non-violent offense at our minimum-custody facility. The inmate was assigned as a motor pool “trusty.” Five days a week, for eight months, this inmate boarded a bus and rode, unrestrained, with 15 or 20 other inmates, to work in our agency’s motor pool. There he was supervised by the mechanics and other non-sworn staff as he performed minor repairs and oil changes to the agency’s fleet of patrol and specialty vehicles.

This inmate did his time without any problems, earned his gain time and was released without incident. Months later, he was arrested on an active National Crime Information Center hit out of Puerto Rico for first-degree murder of a Puerto Rican police officer.

First-degree murder, terrorism

The murder took place before the inmate began his sentence at our facility. Due to a lengthy investigation and process to obtain the warrant, it wasn’t until after he was out of our custody that the NCIC warrant entry was made. Had we known about this situation, do you think we would’ve given this inmate free rein around police vehicles, deputies, tools, civilian staff members and minimum-custody housing? Of course not. But as the saying goes, you don’t know what you don’t know.

Consider a more widely known and more glaring example: Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh. Just 90 minutes after the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, McVeigh was arrested and booked for having no tag on his vehicle and for carrying a concealed firearm. He was taken to the Noble County, Oklahoma Courthouse and Jail, which at the time housed a maximum of 19 inmates, where he remained on a $5,000 bond before federal authorities pieced together his involvement in the bombing. There is no way that the deputies who had him in custody knew (or could have known) that he was the most prolific domestic terrorist to date during his short stay at the jail.

Incomplete criminal history

We know the current criminal charges an inmate is facing. We know an inmate’s documented criminal history (in the US at least). But have you ever given thought to how many crimes inmates may have committed that didn’t lead to arrest or conviction? The inmates are certainly aware of their record. Other inmates probably know too. Our motor pool trusty certainly knew what he had done and what he was capable of—but we had no clue.

The point here is that we must be careful about assigning labels (such as trusty) to inmates. We must resist the temptation to let our guard down based upon someone’s custody level, job assignment or even their behavior while incarcerated. In my experience, many murderers and sex offenders are the best-behaved inmates. I’m not saying that everyone should be treated as a maximum-custody inmate, but we do need to have policies and practices in place to help us minimize these risks—e.g., requiring the use of restraints on all inmates during transports, or including sworn or certified staff in supervising inmate work details.

In corrections, we never truly know who gets booked into or who stays at our facilities. We must remain vigilant and do what we can to ensure that security, housing and classification issues are resolved in our favor.

About the Author

Mark Chamberlain served as the first Chief Deputy of Corrections for the Garland County Sheriff’s Office in Hot Springs, Ark., from 2014 to 2016. Prior to his selection, Mark worked for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in West Palm Beach, Fla., for over 26 years, starting off as a Corrections Deputy and retiring as a Captain/Division Commander. Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Northwood University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Barry University. He is a graduate of Class #10 of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Senior Leadership Program and holds a correctional certification in Florida and a senior law enforcement certification in Arkansas as well as instructor certifications in both states. Mark joined the Lexipol team as a Training Coordinator in August 2016.

Lexipol’s Custody Policy Manual and Daily Training Bulletin Service provides essential policies that help reduce risk associated with inmate classification and support efficient, legally sound correctional facility operations. Contact us today to find out more.

By James Dundas, Chair of the IPSA Memorial Committee

Like many firefighters, law enforcement officers and EMT’s, public safety is a family affair. After arriving at the North Tower on 9/11, one of the Chief Officer’s instituted incident command issuing tactical orders to arriving units. His brother, another firefighter, responded on one of the initial engine companies.

Knowing that rescue was the priority, the Chief Officer ordered companies into the tower to effect rescue of those trapped by the searing fires. His brother, one of the first in, never came out.

There are stories of heroism, sacrifice and incredible loss in public safety history, and 9/11 was one of the most tragic day’s in our nation’s public safety community. Tragedy does not seem to capture the absolute horror these brave responders experienced on that day of terror.

A few years later, when I met this Chief Officer and heard his personal story about 9/11, I also got to meet his aide – they shared the same last name, but the two were not related. They seemed inseparable. Sadly though, the aide recently passed away from 9/11 related cancer.

The number of losses from 9/11 continues to climb due to related illness and exposure to toxins at ground zero. I was fortunate to see him before he passed. He was heroic in his conduct and attitude. He set in place programs and services to assist those suffering from the tower collapses, knowing that he would not be a beneficiary of those services. He is a shining example of the human spirit.

To him, and to all who rush into harm’s way, we will never forget.

By Gregory L. Walterhouse, Bowling Green State University, IPSA Member

In a study of the public’s perception of the fire/rescue service 51 percent of respondents had an excellent perception of the fire service, with 27 percent reporting a good perception and 12 percent a satisfactory perception. This reflects an overall positive perception of the fire service by 90 percent of respondents. Yet, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel are increasingly the subject of violent attacks sometimes resulting in serious injury or death. A recent study by Drexel University found that paramedic’s risk of being violently assaulted is 14 times greater than the firefighters they work alongside.

Violent attacks against firefighters and EMS personnel are not limited to the United States, as the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service reports a 16 percent increase in violent attacks against on-duty fire fighters in less than two years.

Assault types, locations vary

Assaults against first responders include being shot, stabbed, bitten, physically assaulted, being attacked with fireworks and motor vehicle hit-and-run. The following are representative examples of the types of violent assaults being perpetrated against first responders.

On December 24, 2012, two firefighters were shot to death and two were wounded in an ambush in Webster, New York. More recently shots were fired at a Vallejo fire station and engines in Chicago , Savannah and Youngstown among others have been struck by bullets. Fortunately, there were no injuries in these incidents. Illustrating the hazards associated with Narcan use for overdose reversal a Missouri man attempted to shoot fire and EMS personnel after being administered Narcan.

In Houston, a Fire Captain was stabbed in the eye by a man he was attempting to rescue from a fire and in San Diego two firefighters were stabbed while giving medical aid to a man. In another incident a firefighter was physically assaulted by a resident he was attempting to remove from a burning house in Logansport, Indiana which contained a drug growing operation.

Further, a Florida Battalion Chief who was assisting a deputy at the scene of a motor vehicle crash had his arm bitten so severely by the suspect that it required surgery and hospitalization. Firefighters in Dallas responding to a dumpster fire were attacked by individuals shooting fireworks at them. And, a firefighter working a “fill-the-boot” event in Lansing Michigan was killed in an intentional hit-and-run incident.

These are but a few examples of unprovoked attacks and assaults on firefighter and EMS personnel which have prompted departments and state legislatures to take action.

Dispatch and PPE

The first line of defense in protecting first responders is good dispatch information. When dictated by dispatch information, fire and EMS should stage at a safe distance until arrival of law enforcement. The second line of defense is situational awareness. First responders must always be aware of their surroundings and ensure that the scene is safe. First responders must follow their instincts and “street smarts” that only come with training and experience. If the situation does not seem “right” it probably isn’t.

Due to the increased danger of being shot, the Federal Emergency Management Agency suggests that all firefighters be equipped with ballistic vests when responding to mass shootings and other critical incidents. This is exactly what many departments are doing.

A few of the departments that have purchased ballistic vests for fire and EMS personnel include: FDNY, Cleveland, Detroit, Fairfield, California, Portsmouth, Ohio, Gwinnett County, Georgia, Pinellas and Orange County in Florida and Orlando which also purchased ballistic helmets in addition to vests. While some departments are equipping apparatus with ballistic vests for critical incidents other departments are issuing ballistic vest directly to personnel to be worn daily.

The Mt. Pleasant, Michigan Fire Department went a step further. In addition to providing ballistic vests for their firefighters, they have, in cooperation with their Police Department trained firefighters in self-defense tactics including how to avoid confrontation. They have also trained and equipped firefighters with pepper spray which is carried during deployment at special events.  Self-defense training is easily obtainable for all departments through the Firefighter Support Foundation’s free download program Self-Defense for Firefighters and EMTs that consists of a PowerPoint program and video presentation.  

Other departments are developing rescue task forces and other integrated response programs which coordinate the response of law enforcement, fire and EMS for response to active shooter and other active violence incidents.

Integrated response however should not be limited to the big incidents and should be used on day-to-day incidents where first responders are subject to potential acts of violence. Effective policies must be in place for any type of multidisciplinary integrated response to be effective.

The Report of the Joint Police/Fire Task Force on Civil Unrest recommends that “policies and procedures for joint ventures should be developed, approved and accepted by all agencies involved, in order to clearly establish responsibilities and avoid discrepancies and disagreements during the crisis” (USFA, 1994). The report goes on to indicate that the ideal scenario is one where policies are adopted in a joint police/fire preparedness stage and anticipate as many contingencies as possible.

Legislative action

State legislatures are also taking action in response to the increased acts of violence that target first responders. Last year the Governor of Kansas signed into law H.B. No. 2502 which permits public employees including firefighters to carry concealed handguns while engaged in official duties. In Texas H.B. No. 982 introduced in January 2017 would permit certain first responders to carry handguns while engaged in the discharge of the first responder duties. The Texas senate recently endorsed a similar bill. A similar bill has been introduced in Michigan. H.B. No. 4842 of 2017 would exempt firefighters and medical first responders from pistol-free zones. Also in Michigan, S.B. No.127 of 2017 would make the commission or attempt to commit a felony against a police officer, firefighter, or emergency medical service personnel a two year felony to be served consecutively with any other charges. Ohio, H.B. No. 38 of 2017 recently passed by the House and now under consideration by the Senate imposes extra prison time for criminal offenders who assault first responders or members of the military.  

All first responders perform dangerous work which has become more dangerous due to violent attacks on those that are there to help others. While there is always the potential for injury there are steps that can be taken to lessen the probability of first responders being assaulted and injured.  Though there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to protecting first responders, there are a number of viable options, some that come with little to no cost, from which departments can develop their own custom programs and procedures to protect their most valuable asset.

About the Author

Greg Walterhouse is a member of the IPSA and a full-time faculty member in the Fire Administration and Masters in Public Administration programs at Bowling Green State University. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Oakland University, a Master’s degree in Legal Studies from the University of Illinois and a Master’s degree in Management from Central Michigan University. Before joining BGSU he had over 35 years of experience in fire/rescue and emergency management with 18 years in upper management, including Manager of Emergency Services and Chief of the Rochester Hills (MI) Fire Department and Chief of the Mt. Pleasant (MI) Fire Department.

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Webinar: Is this scene safe?

By Mr. John Meehan UAS Integration Office, AUS-430, Safety & Operations Branch, FAA

Mr. John Meehan was one of four panelists during the 2017 IPSA Webinar Week – FAA Considerations for Getting Operational with UAS in Public Safety. Hundreds of public safety professionals attended the event. The IPSA selected the top questions by the audience and Meehan responded.

Our department wants to get a new UAS program in place. Who do I contact first at the FAA to get started?

Download the FAA Advisory Circular AC 00-1.1A and review the Statutes (49 USC 40102 and 40125) concerning public aircraft operations (PAO) to help you understand if your entity qualifies to operate as a PAO. Not all public safety entities qualify to operate as a PAO under the Statutes (must be a political subdivision of a State, for example) and some missions will not meet the “governmental functions” listed in the Statutes to be flown as a PAO, and therefore must be flown under the civil rules, Part 107. And then if you have additional questions, we invite public safety entities to reachout to Steve Pansky and/or John Meehan, until there is some basic starter information posted on the FAA website.

What are the requirements for demonstrating UAS airworthiness?

107.13 Registration.  A person operating a civil sUAS must comply with the provisions of 91.203(a)(2).  The procedures for registration are on www.faa.gov/uas.

107.15 Condition for safe operation applies here. Prior to each flight the RPIC must check the sUAS to determine whether it is in a condition for safe operation.

107.49(c)(d)(e) Preflight Familiarization, Inspection, and Actions for Aircraft Operation also applies. Again, prior to each flight the RPIC must ensure that all control links between ground control station and the sUA are working properly; ensure that there is enough available power for the sUAS to operate for the intended operational time; and ensure that any object attached or carried by the sUA is secure and does not adversely affect the flight characteristics or controllability of the aircraft.

How much concern should public safety agencies place into security concerns over foreign UAS products and software? And will agencies such as DARPA weigh in on the issue soon? Does the FAA have an official stance?

The FAA is most concerned about safety of the NAS and people and property on the ground. Security concerns should be determined by each public safety entity in accordance with their own needs and requirements.

The FAA website had sample COA's that you could look at for best practices. Those appeared to be taken down in May or around that time frame. Is there an opportunity for them to come back?

COA applications are not cookie cutter exercises as each entity has their own unique circumstances and missions, and some of the information in the COAs is protected. The FAA does not publish the approval of all COAs for public agencies, however for there are some older COAs available that were requested under the FOIA. 

However, these examples are relatively old and may not be good examples for your use. UAS in the NAS is evolving every day and requirements change as we learn more or modify our processes, knowledge, and expectations from operators, for example.  For Civil Part 107 approvals, the location was renamed and the new location. If you want to obtain Part 107 waivers, pay close attention to the Safety Waiver Guidelines and answer those requirements carefully and thoughtfully. Remember that the FAA’s mission is the safety of the Airspace (NAS) and those who use it, so keep the safety of the NAS and persons and property on the ground foremost in your mind as you complete the applications. Don’t assume technology by itself will solve the fundamental safety issue.

Who do I contact to speak about removing DJI geofencing that is hampering our jurisdiction? Name, phone, email please.

You’ll have to contact the manufacturer or software producer on that issue. 

Can you go over a few of those UAS use cases for law enforcement and the fire service to help demonstrate the need for a UAS program?

Use cases are best developed from discussions with your fellow public safety entities who have successfully implemented UAS, and with your leadership and community to determine who, what, when, where, why, and how you will deploy your UAS. We suggest you reach out to trade associations, interest groups, and fellow first responders who have developed those use cases since the applications for UAS are infinite. The FAA does not favor or disfavor any particular use case, as long as they comply with the regulationss and laws and do not compromise safety.

About the Author

John is a Management & Program Analyst and Industry Liaison in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Team, located at FAA Headquarters in Washington, DC. In this role, John provides technical support, subject matter expertise, and performs detailed research in response to inquiries from within the agency, other agencies, industry, Congress, and the general public, and coordinates responses with appropriate FAA personnel. John holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument rating rotary wing, a Private Pilot Rating with Instrument rating, single engine land airplane, and a UAS Remote Pilot Certificate.

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By M.K. Palmore, CISSP, FBI

Mr. M.K. Palmore was a 2017 IPSA Webinar Week instructor. Hundreds of public safety professionals attended the event How a cyberattack can bring down your department & how to identify, respond, recover. The IPSA selected the top questions by the audience and Palmore responded.

What is your opinion of the recommended NIST password changes?

There has been a fair amount of concentration on the development of complex passwords, but not enough emphasis on the ability of two-factor authentication (2FA) to mitigate threats. 2FA is a largely effective counter to the threat actor’s ability to infiltrate systems and is readily available to both consumers and businesses as an effective control measure. I would highly recommend its implementation and use.

What is Assurance Process Integration?

Quality assurance is an existing process used in most manufacturing and software development. It is the periodic, but formalized testing that ensures that an end product meets all necessary requirements.  Information security should be a part of the assurance process. While testing functionality, information security should be tested ensuring the completeness of the product or system.

I heard that dark web healthcare records are often sold for $400 per patient record, is this true?

Patient records are more valuable than any data currently offered on the dark web. These records last for the life of the victim and sometimes beyond. The value fluctuates, but they are consistently amongst the highest in value and desire to obtain by cybercriminal threat actors.

Does this happen in other public safety professions (e.g. law enforcement, fire)?

Any business or entity that has operations utilizing networked environments can fall victim to a cyberattack. It is a common belief in the security business that obscurity is not a defense.

What are the six areas of the incident response playbook?

Preparation, Identification, Containment, Eradication, Recovery and Lessons Learned are the six areas generally covered in developing an incident response “playbook.”

About the Author

M.K. Palmore, CISSP, is a Senior Federal Law Enforcement Executive and has strong leadership and mentoring skills responsible for cybersecurity, risk management and strategic-vision creation and implementation. His skilled competencies and areas of excellence include Cybersecurity, Enterprise Risk Management, Governance & Compliance, Information Security Program Development, Digital Forensics, InfoSec Incident Response & Management, Physical Security, Executive-Protection, Crisis Response & Management, Business Continuity and Disaster Response Planning.