State Partnership- Arizona The State of Arizona’s Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) has incorporated business, corporations and enterprises that have a stake in protecting critical infrastructure and key resources into the State Emergency Response and Recovery Plan. The Private Sector entities that meet the criteria of critical infrastructure sectors and their associates are encouraged to join Arizona’s efforts in the mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery of incidents and events. In October 2004, the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC) opened its doors as the first fusion center in the Nation. The Threat Mitigation Unit was a part of that beginning. It incorporates the efforts of several local, county and state agencies that are already involved in working with the Private Sector in securing their facilities and accomplishing preparedness to all types of hazards. In 2007 ADEM established a Private Sector Unit and assigned a full time employee. The Private Sector Coordinator’s responsibilities include; the management and partnership with the Private Sector; the establishment and oversight of the Business Emergency Coordination Center (BECC); and participation as a member of Arizona Partners for Arizona’s Safety & Security (AZ PASS)Steering Committee. Goals and Objectives • Partner with the Private Sector to form a strategy for creating an organization that would enable the communications, collaboration and action necessary to resolve the effects of a catastrophic event that neither the public nor private sector can manage independently. • Establish the Business Emergency Coordination Center (BECC) to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the state’s response capabilities and protect the interest of our state’s communities and constituents by providing the Private Sector a voice during an incident or event. • Provide an informational forum with bi-directional communications for the dissemination of information that is beneficial to the Private Sector in their efforts to protect the critical infrastructure of Arizona. Today, the ADEM Private Sector Liasion has evolved into the Private Sector Partnership(PSP) and has joined as a PASS team member with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, InfraGard Coordinator, the United States Department of Homeland Security, Protective Security Advisor and ACTIC’s Community Liaison Program to incorporate the efforts of these liaisons. These four agencies work together in establishing close relationships with members of the Private Sector and combine forces to reduce duplication of effort. Even though each program maintains its own objectives, the networking of each program enhances Arizona’s goal in involving the Private Sector in managing emergencies and planned events. This PASS team is part of the collaboration of Arizona Partners for Arizona’s Safety & Security (AZ PASS). The AZ PASS Steering Committee is a partnership between the Private Sector, the FBI’s InfraGard Program, the Arizona Division of Emergency Management, and the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center (ACTIC), through their Community Liaison Program (CLP) / Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO) Program and includes the Arizona Department of Homeland Security, Arizona Department of Health Services and the United States Department of Homeland Security. The concept is to direct situational awareness information to the Private Sectors via an Information Bulletin distributed by electronic mail. AZ PASS members consist of groups and individuals responsible for the protection of the 19 Critical Infrastructure/ Key Resources (CI/KR) located in Arizona. (Because tourism is prominent in Arizona, Hospitality was added as the 19th CI/KR Sector.) Membership into AZ PASS is available by a request through one of the previously mentioned governmental liaisons working with the Private Sector. The membership is an informal, unofficial network for collaboration in the protection of Arizona’s critical infrastructure. AZ PASS provides members an avenue in which to post information to other members of their Sector, other CI/KR Sectors and public partners via the AZ PASS Information Bulletin. These bulletins, delivered to each member by electronic mail, include information pertaining to terrorist or criminal acts, major forest fires, flooding, earthquakes and other destructive events that would adversely affect the critical infrastructures as published by the appropriate agency. The Threat Analysis Office at ADEM provides AZ PASS members an electronic avenue to “One Page of Notes”. This is an Executive Summary of current events in the Private Sector. Also available is the “Mid-Week Watch”; a summary of the ADEM Duty Officer briefing, which deals with the week’s past and coming events including; upcoming weather, energy concerns, health (flu) events, border security, homeland security information and other immediate pertinent information. Other benefits of AZ PASS for the members of the Private Sector includes; gaining a better understanding of the interdependencies between Sectors; the opportunity to participate in Inter-Sector exercises; providing alerts pertaining to health issues and affords a liaison with the Governor’s Office regarding Private Sector Partnerships. Making CI/KR information queries to the ACTIC is an additional benefit of membership in AZ PASS. Training opportunities and exercise information is also directed through AZ PASS to include the Private Sector. The Arizona Division of Emergency Management provides the Private Sector a voice during a disaster to the State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) through the forum of the Business Emergency Coordination Center (BECC). The BECC is essentially a warm, Incident Management System emergency operations center which is owned and staffed by members of the Private Sector to address the economic stability of Arizona, its citizens and its businesses during an event or disaster that may have a significant impact on the Private Sectors of the State. The purpose of the BECC is to provide information to the SEOC reference the impact of the disaster on the Private Sector. Provide the SEOC assistance to prioritize the restoration of utilities and transportation corridors; resources necessary for movement of emergency services, logistical support and assets required to support the economical stability of Arizona. In October 2007, the BECC was activated during TOPOFF 4 as a beta-test for state officials considering a Private Sector Operations Center. Seven Critical Infrastructure Sectors participated in the exercise providing an opportunity for the engagement in two-way communications between government and the specific sectors. The annual State-Wide Exercise is planned for November 2011, in which the Private Sector will be involved in the activation and management of the BECC. Each participating critical infrastructure sector will establish their own incident management team and fill ICS positions as needed. Usually a unified command structure is established as many Private Sector entities are affected by the disaster at the same time. Even though there are many factors needed to be achieved that will bring success to these interfacing programs; the paramount factor for success is an effort of each the 19 Private Sectors to organize with-in themselves through associations and coalitions with the efforts of the PASS team. The ability of the Sectors to network with like companies, as well as other Sectors, prior to incidents enhances the mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and communications during an event. Networking must be a continued throughout the year and keep members actively engaged. As public officials responsible for the protection of these critical infrastructures, we must strive to gain the trust of the Private Sector especially when disaster strikes. Members of the PASS team continue to work closely incorporating the needs and concerns of the Private Sector, not only for incident response, but also for planned events and exercises. The Arizona Division of Emergency Management, Office of Training and Exercise provides members of the Private Sector access to the same classes offered to public employees in emergency management, incident command, homeland security and hazardous materials training. Private Sector members are encouraged to attend classes that are routinely announced on AZ PASS. Registration for attending the courses is accomplished through the state maintained enrollment and records system, the Event Registration & Management Application (ERMA). In efforts to establish a viable BECC, the Private Sector is encouraged to complete ICS 100 and ICS200, as well as ICS/EOC Interface, MAG 191, and EOC Management, MAG 775. This training sets the framework for the roles and responsibilities of each member of the BECC prior to an incident. Classes are offered by ADEM and taught upon request by the Private Sector to that particular Sector. Exercise is an important part of all of emergency and continuity planning. In the past, the Private Sector has had an active role in statewide exercises, including TOPOFF 4 in 2007. The State of Arizona is started planning an exercise in November 2011. The Private Sector is providing personnel to participate as Exercise Planning Team members. The majority of communication to the Private Sector is accomplished through AZ PASS via the electronic mail system. The Private Sector can also use the system to post information to all Sectors or a specific Sector. Attendance in conferences, training, exercises and other events is utilized as communications tools. In-person meetings are essential to developing personal interaction with Arizona’s members of the Private Sector. Links http://www.dem.azdema.gov http://www.threat.azdema.gov http://www.erma.az.gov http://www.azactic.gov http://www.azdps.gov Contact Information Billy Ross Private Sector Coordinator 5636. E. McDowell Road, Building 5101 Phoenix, Arizona 85008-3495 602-464-6308 Work 602-244-0504 Public 602-464-6523 Fax Billy.ross@azdema.gov