CIP Update


January 5, 2007

This newsletter is for cities, counties, and communities involved in public-private partnerships for joint emergency preparedness, planning, and prevention. 

Michigan State University (MSU) produces the newsletter through the Critical Incident Protocol (CIP)-Community Facilitation Program under a grant awarded by the Office of Grants & Training, Preparedness Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  This newsletter provides ideas, suggestions, best practices, and lessons learned to establish critical incident protocols using public-private partnerships.

Please go to: www.cip.msu.edu for more information about the program.

Participating Communities

Allentown, PA / Annapolis, MD / Bethlehem, PA / Brooklyn, OH / Brown County, WI / Carroll County, MD / Casa Grande, AZ / Clark County, NV / Douglas County, KS / Evansville, IN / Hoover, AL / Layton, UT / Lewis & Clark County, MT / Libertyville, IL / Littleton, CO / Marquette County, MI / Milwaukee, WI / Monroe County, MI / Northampton County, PA / Norwalk, CT / Oakland County, MI / Perkiomen Valley, PA / Redmond, WA / Racine, WI / Richmond, VA / Rockville, MD / Sandy City, UT

We are currently working with 27 communities and will work with another 22 cities, counties, and communities over the next couple of years.  Of the available CIP Programs, we are in contact with 10 communities.  Is there a location in the nation that you think may be interested in building a public-private partnership for joint emergency preparedness?  If so, please let us know.

Centralized Database of Resources for Managing Critical Incidents

 

Michigan State University and the Chesapeake Critical Incident Partnership (CCIP) are asking for your assistance.  Does your community have a centralized database that is used for resource management?  Or, do you know of a city, county, community, or region that is using one?  If so, please contact Arnie Shore by email 3ashore@comcast.net or phone (410) 849-872.  You may also contact Brit Weber at weberbr@msu.edu.

 

The CIP Program is offered at no cost to cities, counties, and regions across the nation to assist communities in establishing/enhancing partnerships between the private sector (businesses and non-profit organizations) and the public sector (police, fire, EMS, health, emergency management and other stakeholders) for joint critical incident management.  Annapolis, MD participated in the CIP program and subsequently created the CCIP, which is closely aligned with the city, county of Anne Arundel and the Annapolis and Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce.

 

Arnie Shore suggested creating a centralized resource database to other CCIP members and government leaders.

 

In the CIP Program, the first workshop for each participating community involves four (4) break-out sessions with public and private sector participants collaborating on various issues.  One break-out session topic is establishing a centralized location for the community that will contain all available resources.  Traditionally, public sector agencies utilize their own resource system if available.  Yet, communities are discussing whether there should be a one-stop centralized location that manages resources available to all government agencies when a crisis occurs.

 

For resource management, the idea of a centralized database is advantageous for communities.  Of course, the value of incorporating private sector resources and their expertise will enhance the ability of public and private emergency responders to quickly mitigate the impact of disasters, crisis, and emergencies.

 

Free Business Continuity Workshops

 

The State of Utah is offering free business continuity workshops through their Ready Your Business program, introduced last August by Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. and Lt. Governor Gary R. Herbert.  You may visit the program website at: http://beready.utah.gov/business.html.

 

According to Program Manager Renee Murphy, small and medium size companies typically desire information in small chunks versus receiving a large notebook packed with information or attending an all-day seminar.  Businesses and employees want information that is easy to understand and in quantities that are manageable, which does not require all day attendance at a workshop removing them from business obligations.

 

The Utah Division of Homeland Security developed a series of workshops that are 1 to 1 ½ hours each and consist of 12 points that are covered in a maximum of six workshops.  Topics include creating a planning team, continuity of authority, risks and hazards, resources and capabilities, vulnerability assessments, essential business functions, human resources, evacuation, emergency supply kit, insurance, vital records and data protection.  Murphy indicated that the attendance is high and participants who attend a workshop will most likely complete the series.

 

Their Ready Your Business 12-point Business Continuity Planning Guide is available on our “CIP Information Exchange” website.

 

Virtual Advisory Committee to Emergency Preparedness, Chamber of Commerce

 

One participating community in the CIP Program is Perkiomen Valley, PA.  The program is co-sponsored by Montgomery County Department of Public Safety Emergency Management, Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce and D. H. Kropp & Associates.  These organizations have been committed to developing a stronger partnership between public agencies and businesses for joint crisis management.

 

Perkiomen Valley is one of the fastest growing areas in Pennsylvania, and the Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce is an integral mainstay and resource which continues to champion the importance of emergency preparedness.  Presently, they are in the process of announcing a new service to their membership, which is the availability of emergency management, business continuity, and security expertise through their website.  The Chamber has formed a Virtual Advisory Committee to Emergency Preparedness composed of personnel from the co-sponsors listed above, in addition to Michigan State University participation.  The hope is that the membership will take advantage of this resource.

 

For more information on this program, please contact the Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce at either info@PVchamber.net or by phone (610) 489-6660.

 

Weekly Newsletter of Homeland Security

 

There are a number of valuable resources for homeland security practitioners, but one of the best newsletters which addresses international, national, state, and local governments, as well as the private sector, is the Weekly Newsletter of Homeland Security.  This free publication provides a diverse assortment of news articles, government publications, and reviews of educational institution programs. 

 

According to their website, this weekly newsletter service has over 40,000 subscribers.  This newsletter is offered through the Homeland Security Institute (HSI), Arlington, VA.  To subscribe to this publication, please go to the HSI website and click on newsletter on the menu.  Their website is located at: http://www.homelandsecurity.org.

 

CIP Happenings

 

If you would like to attend one of our workshops, please contact us.  We have finalized dates to initiate the CIP Program in the following locations:

 

CIP Program Resources Availability

 

The CIP Program is federally funded; therefore, program materials and services are available to the public at no cost.  Please feel free to link to our website at www.cip.msu.edu or our publication, the Critical Incident Protocol – A Public and Private Partnership at http://www.cj.msu.edu/~outreach/CIP/CIP.pdf.  The publication is also available on our website, along with access to the archives of our newsletter.  Further, we maintain a large database of articles, publications and other documents on homeland security, emergency management, business continuity, security, and related emergency preparedness information in our CIP Information Exchange website.

 

For example, if you are looking for some guidance on the private sector’s role in the joint planning process, consult the Critical Incident Protocol – A Public and Private Partnership publication.  Among the different responsibilities of the private sector, “major companies should demonstrate leadership in plan development and encourage/support suppliers, contractors, and other community businesses (Jones, 2000, p.15).” 

Recent Postings to CIP Information Exchange Website

To enter the "CIP Information Exchange" website, please go to https://angel.msu.edu and enter “msu.msu@angel” in the User/NetID and “partnership” (both without quotation marks) as the password to log in.  Click on CIP, which launches to the main menu.

Located in the folder "Bulletin Board - Information for all Communities" are a variety of postings, including the following:

There are numerous other resources located on the website.  To locate a specific topic, use the "search" function, which can be found on the main menu page on the right-hand side in the green task bar.

Past Newsletters

If you are interested in viewing past CIP Update newsletters, please go to www.cip.msu.edu and select "Newsletters" from the main menu.   

Closing

If you have any topics and/or ideas for a future CIP Update newsletter, please contact Brit Weber at weberbr@msu.edu or (517) 355-2227 or other MSU staff members.  About every three weeks you will receive this newsletter via email.  If you no longer wish to be on this list, please reply to this email.

Disclaimer

The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or Michigan State University.

Source

Jones, R.W.  (2000).  Critical Incident Protocol—A Public and Private

Partnership.  Office for Domestic Preparedness, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  Available at:  www.cj.msu.edu/~outreach/CIP/CIP.pdf.

 

Brit Weber
School of Criminal Justice
Michigan State University
1407 S. Harrison Rd., 335 Nisbet
East Lansing, MI 48823
Work:  (517)  355-2227
Cell:  (517) 206-1640
Visit our website at www.cip.msu.edu