Carl Sofranko Ohio EPA Division of Drinking & Ground

Carl Sofranko

Ohio EPA

Division of Drinking & Ground Waters

8/6/08

References / Acknowledgements

� US EPA Publication- “Security Information Collaboratives: A Guide for Water Utilities”

http://www.epa.gov/nhsrc/news/news051805.html

� Scott Minamyer & Jonathan Herrmann

� US EPA National Homeland Security Research Center

� Susan Ruggles

� EPA Water Security Division, Washington D.C.

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Overview� Definition of a Collaborative

� Steps to forming a Collaborative

� Operating and Maintaining

� Benefits of Information Collaborative

� Making a Successful Collaborative

� Recap

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What is a Security-Information

Collaborative?

� A group of organizations & agencies formed to share information & address common issues regarding security (water security).

� Informal “ad hoc” group

� Formal Organization

� Charters

� Missions Statements

� Budgets

� Regularly scheduled meetings

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Types of Collaboratives

� Utility to Utility

� Utility to Public Health

� Utility to Law Enforcement

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Benefits of a Security-Collaborative

1. Enhance drinking water & wastewater security and public health

1. Develop working relationships with the people on whom they will rely on during an emergency

1. Share information from a variety of sources

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� Improved detection, response, recovery

� Working knowledge/understanding of different professional disciplines

� More effective use of different skills & resources

� Sense of trust & community among organizations

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� ID & eliminate obstacles that prevent cooperation

� Joint project development

� Enhance problem-solving & team-building

� ID & coordination of inter-organizational dependencies

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1. Evaluate your current situation

to determine whether a

collaborative is necessary

� What do you know about your neighboring utilities?

� Do you know if they’ve done VAs? Findings?

� What do you know of their ERPs?

� Do they conduct security exercises?

� What do they know about your utility?

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1. Evaluate your current situation

to determine whether a

collaborative is necessary

� What would you like for them to know?

� Are opportunities for regular interaction already available?

� Do you regularly interact with these utilities (in non-emergency settings)?

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2. Identify organizations that

should be part of the collaborative

� Water & Wastewater utilities in the region

� State primacy agency (Ohio EPA)

� County Emergency Management Agency (CEMA)

� Local or State health department

� Local Fire, Police, EMS, others

� Local Emergency Planning Committee(s) (LEPCs)

� Joint Terrorism Task Force(s) (JTTF) w/in Co. EMAs

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2. Identify organizations that

should be part of the collaborative

� Laboratories (sampling)

� Universities (specific expertise)

� Military Installations

� Regional FBI office

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3. Obtain upper management

support & keep them informed

� This is critical to the formation and maintenance of the collaborative

� Financial support, linked to time away from “normal duties” of members of the group

� They can ensure necessary resources are available

� Regular reporting to them validates efforts

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4. Invite potential members to

meet and discuss its formation

� Understand what each member organization can contribute

� Identify common areas of concern

� Develop a mission statement

� Personality types- are they “right” for the group? , …functionally speaking

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4. Invite potential members to

meet and discuss its formation

� Group dynamics / individual personalities have a significant impact on the outcome

Form – Storm – Norm – Perform

Form: the group is brought together

Storm: members express views, state expectations

Norm: eventually the group “normalizes”, realize the value of working together, & seeks agreement

Perform: the group agrees on future joint actions

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5. Establish a meeting schedule

and location

� Successful Collaboratives meet regularly

� Face-to-face meetings are best, especially at the beginning of the process

� Example: Once per month, 3rd Thursday 2-5pm

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6. Agree on how the

Collaborative will be run

� Is a formal “charter” or memorandum necessary?

� Will you have a Chairperson, who develops the agenda, facilitates meetings, prepares notes and follow-up action items? (if not, spread the wealth)

� Will you have a budget?

� How will members communicate between meetings?

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7. Establish goals and specific

steps for achieving them

� Short-term & long-term goals

� Involve each organization & the Collaborative itself when creating goals. Win/win situations

� Goals will change & evolve as progress is made

� Example: Initially focus on VAs, then ERPs. Next goal�mutual aid agreement, preparedness exercises…& so on

� Periodically review your “charter”, i.e. purpose

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Operating & Maintaining a

Security-Information Collaboration

� Remain flexible- The goal of the Collaborative is to collect and share information over the long run.

� Meet as often as necessary- may not have to meet monthly, might be quarterly. After initial meeting, conference calls & emails.

� Share the work- rotate duties

� Establish an Agenda- stay focused & manage the discussion

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� Commit staff time to water security- Utilities should already have a person(s) taking on the water security role. They should be involved in a Collaborative of this nature

� Involve senior management- support the process, give resources, time & authority to participate fully in the group. Keep senior management fully informed in turn

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� Make best use of your resources- learn about each member’s organization, & how it can benefit yours, and the group as a whole, &/or the community

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Benefits of a Security-Information

Collaborative

� Conducted a joint security tabletop exercise

� Involved local police, fire, FBI, HazMat

� Established a secure communications network

� Developed a PowerPoint presentation on the formation and nature of their Collaboration, which members present to help other utilities form the same type of Collaborative

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Collaborative

� Created a mutual aid resource list that enables members to share equipment and expertise

� Develop a set of generic tabletop exercises to share among the member organizations and other utilities

� Generate an emergency notification tree

� Developing a generic guide for water system response to emergencies

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Collaborative

� Develop(ing) a “Matrix of Risk of Cryptosporidiosis to People Who Drink Milwaukee Water”

� Develop(ing) a cost/benefit model to explain the risks identified in the Matrix

� Identified all counties, cities, and police departments with jurisdictions where water & wastewater utilities are located

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Collaborative

� Met with patrol commanders, communicated critical system assets, provided GIS maps

� Provided facility tours to all local police, inform officers of chemical, nature & function

� Met with local FBI field office, discuss protocols

� Regularly communicate with local law enforcement to share threat information, discuss issues of concern

� TEAMWORK among member organizations

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Recap

� Definition of a Collaborative

� Steps to forming a Collaborative

� Operating and Maintaining

� Benefits of Information Collaborative

� Making a Successful Collaborative

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Contact Information

Carl Sofranko

Ohio EPA

Division of Drinking and Ground Waters

(614) 644-2770

[email protected]

DDAGW Security & Emergency Response Site

http://www.epa.state.oh.us/ddagw/pwswebpg.htm

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Documents

Carl Sofranko Ohio EPA Division of Drinking & Ground