Summary The Critical Infrastructure Resiliency Task Force (CIRTF) was recently formed in Chicago, Illinois. It expands upon existing programs by combining public sector organizations (Fire, Police, Emergency Management) with private sector representatives (utilities, building-owners, financial firms, etc.). Background The Critical Infrastructure Resiliency Task Force (CIRTF) was formed in Spring of 2010 as an initiative by the Mayor's Office, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), and financial collective ChicagoFIRST. The group is intentionally restricted to a manageable size to avoid bureaucratic delays, and includes senior-level operational representatives from each agency or institution. The purpose of the group is to "fast track" solutions to common issues affecting both the private sector and the public sector. The primary focus of the group is on infrastructure and interconnected systems. Goals and Objectives Informally, the group's goals could be described as: Promoting high-level contacts between the public and private sectors; Assessing and recognizing critical infrastructure and interconnected systems; Identifying and developing redundancies within critical systems; Exercising and training to consistently raise standards of preparedness Description The working group is co-chaired by the Executive Director of OEMC (public sector) and the Executive Director of ChicagoFIRST (private sector). Goals and agendas are jointly established and focus on actions that could benefit both sectors. The group meets every 2-4 weeks, and focuses on a project-based target list. Each function is assigned a "lead" from among the group members, and progress reports are delivered at each meeting. Current initiatives include: a tabletop exercise on downtown evacuation; a full-scale exercise on downtown evacuation; critical information-sharing processes; crisis communication and public education. Active partners include: the Mayor's Office, the Chicago Fire Department, the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago OEMC, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), ChicagoFIRST, AT&T, Commonwealth Edison, and Peoples Gas. Requirements for Success Critical for success is the joint participation and buy-in of both public-sector and private-sector representatives. It is also crucial that these participants have an operational background with their organizations, and the authority to make substantive decisions. Resources CIRTF has the following resources available through its partnership- Resources to help prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters; tools and templates; and joint training and exercises. Training and Exercises CIRTF hosts and participates in joint training exercises with the private sector. Communication Tools CIRTF uses the following methods of communication with their public/private sectors; email alerts; in-person meetings; conferences and other events; teleconferences; and website. Contact Information Tom Henkey Senior Emergency Management Coordinator tbhenkey@cityofchicago.org 312-746-9412 DISCLAIMER FEMA’s Private Sector Division of the Office of External Affairs facilitates information sharing and good practices for developing effective public-private partnerships. This Web site and its contents are provided for informational purposes only, without warranty or guarantee of any kind, and do not represent the official positions of the US Department of Homeland Security. For more information on the Private Sector Division, please email FEMA-private-sector@dhs.gov or visit www.FEMA.gov/privatesector Big City-Critical Infrastructure Resiliency Task Force, Chicago, IL