Incorporating Critical Infrastructure into the Fusion System
Beginning in 2007, the Washington State Fusion Center (WSFC) partnered with PNWER to engage key stakeholders in a process to incorporate critical infrastructure and key resources (CI/KR) organizations and other essential service providers to an expanded fusion system that enables cross-sector, two-way sharing of information, situational awareness, and analysis. The Seattle UASI Region--consisting of King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties--was chosen as the pilot area for this initiative to utilize the stakeholder relationships already developed through the Puget Sound Partnership for Regional Infrastructure Security. After development and testing by stakeholders, the CI/KR component was to expand to enable cross-sector information-sharing throughout the rest of the state. Read the full overview here: Washington State Fusion Center and the Pacific Northwest Economic Region: Building a Critical Infrastructure/ Key Resource Information Sharing Capability
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The effects of a global influenza pandemic on critical infrastructures and essential service providers was the focus of the fourth Blue Cascades regional interdependencies tabletop exercise, held January 25, 2007 in Seattle, WA. Participants included more than 250 representatives from public, private sector, non-profit, academic, community, and other organizations. The overall goal of the exercise was to raise awareness of impacts on critical infrastructures and essential services from a pandemic and of stakeholder preparedness plans and resources; illuminate issues related to roles and missions; and gauge the effectiveness of regional communications and coordination. A major objective of Blue Cascades IV was to enable participants to identify shortfalls and potential solutions that could be incorporated into a regional pandemic preparedness Action Plan.
The scenario, procedures, and supporting materials for Blue Cascades IV were developed by a Scenario Design Team of more than 50 key stakeholders, with facilitation provided by the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region, a state-chartered consortium of five states (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana) and three Canadian jurisdictions (British Columbia, Alberta, and The Yukon Territory). The scenario focused on Puget Sound, Washington State and cross-national border activities in response to a hypothetical avian influenza H5N1 outbreak that spreads to the United States from Asia. During the day-long exercise, participants were provided “mini-briefings” from public health officials and experts on local, state, federal and private sector pandemic plans and policies. Among topics explored were public health impacts, implementation of disease control measures such as quarantines, isolation, travel restrictions, school closures, and bans on public gatherings; personnel shortages and related human factors; and impacts on transportation, water and waster water systems, supply chains (e.g., food and pharmaceutical supplies), hospitals, financial institutions, electric power, natural gas, and fuel. Also addressed were the roles of the National Guard, law enforcement, private security personnel, the Coast Guard, and regional military assets. A particular focus of the scenario was telecommuting and communications challenges and associated cyber security concerns related to employees working from their homes during a pandemic. The exercise scenario in addition looked at the ability of responders to deal with other disasters during a pandemic (in this case, a severe storm) and focused on restoration activities through a second wave of the influenza pandemic. Now defunct, WashingtonFIRST was a coalition of financial sector institutions operating in Washington State, collaborating with one another to identify risk and improve the resiliency of our members and our communities. The coalition was formed in 2006 as the Pacific Northwest Regional Coalition for Financial Services and had participation from over 20 financial institutions. Annie Searle founded the coalition at the request of the U.S. Department of Treasury and the FDIC, and Washington Mutual hosted many of the coalition meetings in the first several years. Shelby Edwards of PEMCO was the first co-chair of the coalition.
The intent behind WashingtonFIRST was to serve as an investment in the event of a crisis, ensuring that Washington's financial sector institutions were collaborating with one another, the public sector, and other critical infrastructure sectors at all levels. WashingtonFIRST provided a unique forum for local and regional preparedness and enhanced resiliency as well as being part of a national network of partner coalitions. Mission
For more information, feel free to contact us. The Blue Cascades Interdependencies Exercise Series began in 2002 as way for regional stakeholders to proactively identify and strengthen gaps in their infrastructures. The Blue Cascades tabletop exercises are scenario-based discussion events developed by and for key stakeholder organizations that have roles and responsibilities or significant interests in assuring the security and resilience of the Puget Sound Region and the critical infrastructures and essential service organizations that underpin citizens’ health, safety, and economic well-being.
Developed and facilitated by the stakeholders themselves, the Blue Cascades exercises focus on all-hazards. The chief goal of these tabletop exercises is not to test plans and procedures but rather to raise awareness of infrastructure interdependencies and associated vulnerabilities, impacts, and preparedness gaps, identifying potential solutions to make needed improvements. The After Action Reports of the Blue Cascades Exercises are used to develop Action Plans of stakeholder recommended and prioritized activities. These activities may be short-term (one year or less), medium term (eighteen months to two years), or long-term (multi-year). All require cross-sector, multi-jurisdiction, and in most cases, multi-discipline collaboration and expertise to implement. Participants in the Blue Cascades exercises represent all levels of government, utilities, businesses, and other private sector organizations, non-profits, academic, and community institutions. Blue Cascades Interdependencies Exercise Series:
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