OVERVIEW

The Emergency Preparedness Network is a cooperative effort between the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department and California Highway Patrol to assist and train the community in responding to emergency situations. In event of a major disaster or terrorist act, common citizens will play a vital role in rendering aid to their neighbors during the onset of any event. E.P.N. will also provide critical information to emergency responders in areas such as the names of residents, any medical problems/disabilities, hazards and a diagram of the location which will be useful in either rescue or tactical operations.

The core of E.P.N. will be the community who must take ownership of the program. Community members will share responsibility for the operation and maintenance of E.P.N. The program will also incorporate the traditional Neighborhood Watch as a part of its overall role.

E.P.N. FILES (LOCATION FILE)

Members of E.P.N. will be afforded the opportunity to provide information which will greatly assist emergency responders, including but not limited to: Names of residents, emergency contacts, potential hazards, any medical problems/ disabled persons and diagram of the location. This information will allow for a safer and effective response to emergencies whether it be a fire or crime in progress.

E.P.N. members will be issued a window sticker identifying membership and they be entered into the "hazard file" of the Mobile Digital system which will alert field personnel of availability of the E.P.N. file.

The personal information form will be distributed by E.P.N. members and the local coordinator shall be responsible to periodically contact members and notify the Department of any changes. Information shall be entered into the computerized "Location File" and the personal data document will be filed by street name followed by the address number.

EPN groups will maintain a "communication tree" whereby critical emergency information can be distributed throughout the area in a timely manner. The "communication tree" may play a key role when normal forms of communication are disrupted.

Town Sheriffs and Team Leaders will be responsible to oversee EPN operations within their respective areas with the assistance of station volunteers and EPN coordinators.

TRAINING

The EPN Training Institute will offer monthly training sessions to aid members in dealing with emergencies and other situations. EPN coordinators and/or representatives from each group will be encouraged to attend each session. Training, which is open to the general public, will include but not be limited to: basic first aid, basic CPR, basic rescue, dealing with utilities, emergency supplies, basic surveillance, home security, auto theft, child abuse, local gangs, etc. The institute will seek to provide attendees with training and materials that they can share for the benefit of their community.

Town Sheriffs and Team Leaders will be responsible for coordinating speakers for local EPN groups as needed and will utilize experts from the various participating agencies.

EPN COUNCIL

The Council will be comprised of EPN coordinators, Town Sheriffs and Team Leaders who shall meet periodically to discuss issues concerning the needs and goals of the EPN. The Council shall review the program and seek ways to improve the EPN.

America's heightened sense of vigilance in the wake of 9/11 has carried with it a frustrating sense of urgency, a need to act in the face of an imminent – albeit often ill-defined – threat. Law enforcement has found itself in a kind of juggling act, balancing a need for an informed public with a desire not to jeopardize its intelligence.

Terrorism: The threat or use of violence, often against the civilian population to achieve political or social ends, to intimidate opponents or to publicize grievances. The term has taken on additional meaning in the 20th century. Terrorism involves activities such as assassinations, bombings, random killings, and hijackings. Used for political, not military purposes, and most typically by groups too weak to mount open assaults, it is a modern tool of the alienated, and its psychological impact on the public has increased because of extensive coverage by the media. (Source: Encyclopedia)

Excessive postage	Handwritten or poorly typed address	Incorrect titles
Misspellings of common words	Presence of residue powder or granular substance	No return address
Excessive weight	Lopsided or uneven envelope	Content makes noise when tipped like sand inside
Excessive security material (i.e., masking tape, string, etc.)	Return address bogus, unfamiliar to addressee	No letter inside the envelope
Marked with restrictive endorsements (i.e., "Personal," "Confidential")	City or state in postmark does not match return address

If you receive a letter or parcel that you believe to be hazardous:

•Move away from the substance, but remain in an adjacent room.
• Close the doors and windows of the room where the substance is located.
• Turn off the ventilation system (e.g., heating or air conditioner). The idea here is to prevent further spread of the suspect substance.
• Be aware that police officers will NOT enter the building and you should NOT exit the building until cleared to do so by other emergency responders.

This applies whether or not the letter is thought to be explosive or biohazardous in nature – isolate and contain the package and/or letter to avoid possible further contamination, then contact law enforcement authorities, who will take the appropriate follow-up.

Suicide Bomber/"Pre-Detonation" Observation

The Middle East experience has shown that men, women and older children have been used with equal efficacy as homicide bombers. Their targets have included buses, restaurants, public markets, police or military checkpoints, and other public places where people congregate and socialize. Beyond targeted demographics, there is little discretion as to who stands to be injured by the bomber's act. Women, children and the infirm have been acceptable "collateral casualties."

Often, the first on-site cue is the person whose behavior is in marked contrast to that of those around him. The individual who seems more intent on the security present than the event at hand. One Palestinian attempt was thwarted when a man wearing an Israeli uniform was seen smoking among some Orthodox Jews on a Saturday – nothing out of the ordinary in many venues, but conspicuous given the time and context.

In all events, citizens suspecting the presence of a suicide bomber should always contact law enforcement authorities.

Note: Secondary detonations are often used against emergency personnel responding to such events. This is why it is imperative that people not needed in the area be encouraged to leave.

RED FLAGS

Individually, the properties described below may or may not be indicators of terrorist activity, but as more commonalties between them occur, the greater the reason to suspect terrorist plans are in the offing.

•Theft of explosives, blasting caps, or fuses, or certain chemicals used in the manufacture of explosives
•Rental of self-storage space (for chemicals, mixing apparatus, etc.)
•Delivery of chemicals directly to self-storage facility
•Chemical fires, toxic odors, brightly colored stains, or rusted metal fixtures in apartments, hotel/motel rooms, or self-storage units
•Rental, theft, or purchase of truck or van with minimum one (1) ton carrying capacity •Modification of truck or van with heavy duty springs to handle heavier loads
•Small test explosions in rural or wooded areas
•Treatment of chemical burns or missing hands/fingers
•Untreated chemical bums
•Physical surveillance; and purchase of, or illicit access to, facility blueprints •Purchase or theft of explosives or chemicals.

In the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center (WTC) and the 1995 attack on the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, chemicals used in the manufacture of the explosive device were overtly purchased by the terrorists. Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind behind the 1993 WTC attack, purchased the required chemicals directly from a chemical manufacturer. Timothy McVeigh, the perpetrator of the attack on the Murrah Federal Building, used a combination of theft and small purchases over a six (6) week period to amass the necessary ingredients for his device. Receiving offices may wish to contact the relevant chemical manufacturers, local feed-Bio-seed outlets, trade associations, and suppliers of high-performance racing fuel within their jurisdictions to request that they report the theft or suspicious purchase of these items to the FBI. The purchase of smaller amounts of these items over time would also be reportable.

•The phrase "Translation of foreign driver's license," or "not valid unless accompanied by an original driver's license." Also look for the manufacturer's name such as the "International Auto Club, Inc.,” "American Automobile International," etc.
•Holographic laminate on the face of the card. Further inspection of the laminate will show a generic logo such as "Security," "Genuine," "Authentic," etc.
•More important than what the card says is what it doesn’t say. Look for an absence of terms showing the card was issued by a legitimate government entity, such as a country name or "United States of America.” Also, look for the absence of a signature of an issuing official (registrar or director of motor vehicle department). Look for indicators like misspellings, lack of reference to a specific issuing authority, or disclaimers.
•Another type of card may be in a small, blue folder, resembling a passport. The cover reads, "International Driving Document." The last page has a place for a fingerprint. Read anything resembling this description carefully because the false ID will confer NO authority to operate on the holder.

Be cautious when dealing with a possible false ID. If someone is presenting you with invalid identification, there's a reason. Ask for substantiating documentation. Is it a license? Where did the individual get it? Do they have a license in their home state or country? Do they have a government issued license to back this one up? Quiz the holder. Most of them, if they're smart, will memorize the data. But if it happens to be a new card, or if they use different identities, they might trip up when you're asking them questions. Ask to see their vehicle registration, a piece of mail, a bill or receipt. If there is a passenger, you can separate them and quiz one about the other.

Pay attention to their body language like excessive nervousness, stammering, sweating profusely, or shaky hands. Additionally, be aware of a vehicle registered in a third party's name or registered out of state.

If you suspect that you are dealing with someone whose credibility and/or possessions are suspect, contact law enforcement representatives.

PRECAUTIONS THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN TAKE IN ADDRESSING TERRORIST THREATS:

Anthrax:
As everyone knows, a number of cases of anthrax exposure and infection have already occurred. Inhalation anthrax occurs if enough spores of the bacterium Bacillus anthracis are inhaled. It's not contagious. Flu-like symptoms typically start within one to seven days of exposure. Inhalation anthrax should be treated before symptoms begin with an antibiotic, such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), penicillin, tetracycline or doxycycline. Once symptoms develop, the condition is fatal in more than 80% of cases.

Botulism:
This disease is a type of poisoning caused by a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. About 50% of victims die unless treated with an antitoxin.

Pneumonic Plague:
Caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, the disease causes flu-like symptoms and is highly contagious. It's deadly in more than 50% of cases unless victims are treated with antibiotics, such as streptomycin, tetracycline or gentamicin.

Smallpox:
Smallpox is spread through respiration in face-to-face contact and direct contact with infected bodily fluids. It can be carried on bed linens, clothing and possibly on letters. Airborne transmission distances are publicly unknown, as are characteristics of weaponized smallpox. Smallpox has an infection rate similar to chickenpox.

Caused by the variola virus, this disease, which was eradicated worldwide in 1979, is marked by fever and a rash that first looks like chicken pox and later turns into pus-filled lesions. It's highly contagious if one comes in close proximity to someone with symptoms, which develop about two weeks after exposure to this virus. Around 30% of patients die unless they are vaccinated within three to five days after exposure. Smallpox, considered to have been the worst disease known to man, is the only one ever to be eradicated. Once contracted, no drug treatment is available, but preventive vaccination can be effective within up to four days of exposure.

The only vaccine in use, virtually unchanged since it was developed in 1796, is itself quite dangerous. Historically, for every million people vaccinated, there were up to 52 life-threatening complications and up to two deaths; hundreds suffered some symptoms of illness. All adverse incidences would most likely rise today, depending upon complex variables that include the effect on segments of the population with weakened immune systems and skin problems such as eczema.

Researchers overseeing recent clinical trials of smallpox vaccine in healthy, college-age volunteers have been disconcerted by the array of side effects, including bedridden days, considerable swelling, high fevers and flu-like symptoms, some requiring antibiotics. Of the trials, Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said, "In the thirty years since we had routine vaccination, the public's tolerance level has gone way down." Most medical personnel in the U.S. today have never administered the vaccine and have no experience with the side effects.

Underscoring the certain inherent risks of vaccination to subjects, as well as the risks of vaccination contagion, against the hazy specter of terrorist threat, health workers and hospitals are balking at the vaccination program. As of last week, the prestigious Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and at least 80 others were saying no to the program. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the union which represents about 350,000 health care workers, wants a delay in the program while worker compensation issues are determined.

Under most scenarios, there should be no need to vaccinate massive numbers of the civilian population. The disease was finally conquered by so-called ring vaccination programs, working outward from the infected through concentric rings of those who were or could be exposed. Yes, some of us would be infected by a first strike, however that might come, but probably fewer than would suffer from full emergency vaccination of the population. When 12 cases of smallpox were diagnosed in New York City in 1947, six million people were vaccinated in just three weeks. Two people died from the smallpox, three from the vaccine. Yet many more undoubtedly would have died or have become seriously ill without the vaccinations.

Still, large gaps exist in the public and private health-care systems, which are the first line of defense against a bioterrorist attack. Doctors and nurses must be trained in how to recognize symptoms and how to treat them. City, county and state health departments need more staff and resources. Diagnostic laboratories also need to be outfitted with the technology to identify infections like anthrax in time to treat them.

What can individuals do to protect themselves?

If you develop an unusual illness or skin rash, notify your physician and local health department at once. It's also a good idea to ask your doctor to take continuing education classes about the symptoms and treatment of anthrax, smallpox and other infections.

To educate physicians, The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) recently began publishing a series of review articles on bioterrorism agents. For more information, go to the JAMA Web site at
http://www.jama.ama-assn.org.

Will a gas mask protect you in case of an attack?

Probably not. A poison gas, such as sarin, or a biological agent, such as the bacterium that causes anthrax, is generally odorless and colorless. It's unlikely that you would have warning that it had been released. That means to really protect yourself you'd have to wear the mask all the time, which is impractical.

Be on the Watch. Suspicious activity to watch out for includes people you don't recognize sitting for long periods in a car in your neighborhood or a stranger loitering around your office building taking notes, making sketches or asking questions; or someone with a bulge under his/her coat – particularly in large crowds, on subways, etc. – which could indicate possession of weapons.

It is important to report suspicious activity to the police. Describe the person(s) – height, weight, age, hair and clothing color and bags they carried. If possible, note automobile license plate numbers.

Finally, the American Red Cross provides invaluable information regarding preparations that individuals can make before a disaster or terrorist event occurs http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/
unexpected.html.

•Create an emergency communications plan: Choose an out-of town contact to call or e-mail to coordinate the actions and whereabouts of family members.
•Establish a predetermined meeting place away from home.
•Assemble a disaster supplies kit, including water, food, first aid kit, nonprescription drugs, tools and supplies, clothing and bedding, sanitation items, and special items for infants, the elderly, and pets.
http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/supplies.html

•Check on the emergency plans of schools, businesses, and other places that you frequent. Think ahead about situations that may require you to “shelter in place” http://www.redcross.org/services/ disaster/beprepared/ shelterinplace.html
or evacuate.
•Update your first aid training.

You owe it to your family to do this now.

Law-enforcement agencies have urged Americans to be alert. What exactly does this mean? It is important for individuals to report any suspicious behavior to the authorities. This means calling 911 if you see someone leaving any package unattended or spraying something in a subway, a crowded shopping mall or near the air-intake system of a building.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure probably never held more weight than now. Public access to anthrax, small pox and similar vaccines should be this nation's number one priority, if for no other reason than that such an eventuality may defray needless panic when such a breakout occurs. There have been thousands of Islamic fundamentalists who have graduated cum laude from terrorist training camps and have matriculated throughout the world for their postgraduate work. Having witnessed the losses inflicted by their peers, their resolve cannot be in question. They have the potential to carry out suicidal acts with exponentially greater losses. That they have been exposed to the best and worst of what this country has to offer and will not be seduced by rhyme or reason can be of little comfort.

Are You Ready? A Guide to Citizen Preparedness published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) www.fema.gov/areyouready

Terrorism – Preparing for the Unexpected published by the American Red Cross www.redcross.org/services/disaster/ keepsafe/unexpected

Homeland Security Advisory System, website of the Department of Homeland Security www.dhs.gov/dhspublic

For further information, please contact the Industry Crime Prevention Unit at
kglayman@lasd.org or
(626) 934-3075.