Homeland Security Directives

Again, it is also important to remember that chemical emergency situations can easily reach beyond the boundaries of any industrial plant. This is to be expected, especially in this age of population explosion with its characteristic urban sprawl. It is not unusual to find, for example, a chemical industrial plant site or other industrial plant that originally was isolated from city dwellers but later became surrounded on all sides by neighbors. The point is that when a chemical spill or chemical disaster occurs in an isolated area there may be no cause for general alarm however, when such a deliberate disaster occurs in the plant site as described in the sugar plant incident, it should be clear that the purpose of PSM, RMP, the Patriot Act, Homeland Security directives, OSHA s Combustible Dust NEP, and other safety/security factors is far-reaching—and absolutely critical to the survival of a free society. 

HSPD-10—Homeland Security Directive 10, Bio-Defense for the 2P Century. HSPD-10 was issued in response to the fears of bioterrorism following the anthrax attacks of 2001, the threat of pandemic influenza, and the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome. HSPD-10 serves as the basis for the country s biodefense program. This directive calls upon hospitals not only to plan for more traditional hazards, such as explosive or incendiary threats, but also to be ready to respond to bioterrorism attacks. 

We also received during the first day of the incident our Homeland Security PODS (truck boxes without wheels filled with badly needed incident supplies and equipment that stay with response teams for days at a time). The PODS were shipped in from Columbia, South Carolina, and were very impressive in the equipment and supplies they contained. During the first day, we held an orderly evacuation (The Sheriff s office directed the mandatory evacuation of those who has been sheltering-in-place within a mile radius of the accident scene, which amounted to as many of 5,400 persons. Some people had to wait eight days to return home, while others had as long as fourteen days). 

What does all this information about PSM/RMP have to do with protecting chemical industry infrastructure Good question. For those already familiar with the tenets of these important regulations, the answer is obvious. That is, in combination, these regulations set the basis, became the vital foundation for subsequent directives related to post-9/11 Homeland Security and protection of vital infrastructure, including chemical industry infrastructure, from terrorism—homegrown or otherwise. 

HSPD -11 Comprehensive Terrorist-Related Screening Procedures. Implements a coordinated and comprehensive approach to terrorist-related screening that supports homeland security, at home and abroad. This directive builds upon HSPD-6. 

Department of Homeland Security (2008). Homeland Security Presidential Directives, www. dhs.gov/xabout/laws/editorial 0607.shtm (accessed February 6, 2009). 

Along with direction provided by the Homeland Security Presidential Directives listed in sidebar 4.1, statutory authority to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to regulate chemical facilities for security is provided by the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 (P.L. 109-295), Section 550. This law directed the Secretary of... 

The Secretary of Homeland Security has been directed to assume responsibility for managing the domestic incident by the President. 

White House. (2003, February 28). Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-5. Retrieved December 19, 2004, from http // www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/02/20030228-9. html... 

Under Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security is the principal federal official responsible for domestic incident management. Initial responsibility lies with local and state officials the federal government assists when state capabilities are overwhelmed or when federal interests are involved. 

Implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 involves two core documents ... 

The provision of comprehensive public health services is critical to the nation s health and well-being, and to homeland security and defense. Directing mass immunization programs, assessing the immunization needs of school-aged children, identifying infectious disease threats and delivering treatment are public health... 

Owing to its applications in homeland security, sterilization validation, and astrobiology, bacterial spore detection has become a hot field. However, direct detection of bacterial spores can be challenging for the same reasons that make endospores difficult to irradicate. The tough spore coat is impermeable to staining techniques, so most microscopy and flow cytometry methods are not useful. Endospores are also highly resistant to lysis, meaning that common DNA extraction protocols are difficult to perform. The lack of measurable metabolism renders microcalorimetry and cellular respiration techniques ineffective. 

The Office of the Secretary provides leadership for the entire DHHS. It is responsible for advising the President on issues relating to health and welfare. The most recent expansion in the OS is the formation of the Office of Public Health Preparedness (OPHP) in late 2001. This office was created in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The OPHP directs the DHHS activities aimed at protecting the population from acts of bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. Working with the Office of Homeland Security, OPHP s efforts are aimed at coordinating the preparation for and recovery from such events. 

In response to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9, USEPA, in collaboration with other agencies, must develop surveillance and monitoring systems in order to provide earlier detection of intentional or accidental water contamination. It is... 

White House. 2004. Homeland Security Presidential Directive 10 Biodefense for the 21st Century. Accessed on January 29, 2007, at http //www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/20040430.html. 

The Agriculture Department was budgeted 354 million, a 26% increase, for bioterrorism defense activities, the State Department 71.8 million, and the National Science Foundation 31.3 million, particularly, in accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9 (HSPD-9), Defense of United States agriculture and food, January 30,2004. Finally, the Environmental Protection Agency received an 87% increase to 185 million, primarily for decontamination capabilities, to protect water and food supplies, and for training, the study says. 

Biodefense in the 2ist Century is a White House directive that integrates the sustained efforts of the national and homeland security, medical, public health, intelligence, diplomatic, and law enforcement communities. The four pillars of the biodefense program as described are threat awareness, prevention and protection, surveillance and detection, and response and recovery. The latter two pillars speak to the need for improved capabilities in the areas of surveillance, specifically detection and diagnostics, as well as medical countermeasures development and decontamination. 

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