Dear Fellow SARMA Members,

As I noted in a prior issue of The Risk Communicator, our annual conference this year will feature the theme:

Security Risk 10 Years After 9/11: How Far Have We Come?

As fresh as that horrible day sometimes seems, the truth is that a decade has passed and it is appropriate that we stop and reflect on the profound changes that have occurred, and continue to occur, within the field of security risk management as a result. We also feel it is important to use the occasion to honor the memories of those lost that day, and in the ongoing fight against terrorism around the world, by holding this year's event during National Preparedness Month here in the United States. In that regard, I am pleased to announce that the dates for this year's conference will be 13-15 September 2011.  

I am also pleased to announce that George Mason University (GMU) School of Law's Center for Infrastructure Protection and Homeland Security (CIP/HS), located in Arlington County not far from the Pentagon, will again serve as our co-host for this event.

One thing has definitely changed, however. Those who attended last year's event might have noticed the large construction site next to the conference venue. That site is now occupied by a beautiful new building that will serve as the site for this, our fifth annual conference. After a recent tour, I can promise that you won't be disappointed. The facility is spectacular, and we are very grateful to CIP/HS and GMU for making it available.

As I stated last month, we also anticipate that the conference will be subdivided into approximately a half dozen tracks that explore definable elements of our "10-Years-After-9/11" theme, and SARMA is encouraging its members and others in the security analysis and risk management community to send us their ideas for track subjects, as well as individual presentations. To submit your ideas, please email the Conference Team at conference@sarma.org.

In the coming months, we also will provide regular updates as the agenda firms up and speakers are confirmed... but mark your calendars now, as this will be an event you will not want to miss!

Finally, as this issue of The Risk Communicator goes to press, we are learning of the enormous toll exacted by the magnitude-9.0 earthquake and subsequent tidal waves that struck the coast of Japan on March 11. Juxtaposed against the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, we are once again reminded of the awesome power and equally unpredictable nature of our planet... and the importance of an all-hazards approach towards risk management. While the full scope of the disaster has yet to be fully revealed, we do know that many of our fellow human beings are in desperate need of assistance. In that regard, I encourage each of you to consider how you can help. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) website contains links to reputable organizations that are currently assisting in the relief efforts.   

My best,

Kerry

Kerry L. Thomas

President

Best Practices

Twitter/Social Media Key for Emergency Management, Yet Some Agencies Lag  

From public shootings to hurricanes, Twitter is emerging as a critical threat reporting tool, but many emergency response offices are lagging behind in taking full advantage of it, according to a new report from the University of Maryland's Center for Health and Homeland Security.

Too often, researchers found, emergency management officials rely on Twitter only to the extent that they can push information out to the public. While that function is critical for disseminating safety warnings, it fails to take full advantage of the service's ability to enhance the quality of emergency response itself. "All too often emergency management agencies use Twitter as a one-way-street for information dissemination rather than a tool for conversation, valuable outreach, and, in times of crisis, immediate situational awareness and information gathering," researchers reported.

But getting citizens to engage is not easy, and responders cannot wait until the emergency occurs and trust that the public will start interacting with them. "In social media, building real relationships requires a long-term focus driven by consistent engagement and substantive interaction," the report found. "When responding to disasters it's all about the relationships you've already built."

The researchers examined the tweeting practices of state emergency management and homeland security agencies nationwide. They found that 43 of them maintain twitter accounts -- though only one is officially verified, which enhances credibility -- and 16 of them do not link to their Twitter accounts from their agencies' websites. And when it comes to engaging with citizens, most fall far short of the ideal, with the "median number of users state EM agencies follow is only 26, with four agencies following exactly zero." Following other users is a key method of building the long-term relationships effective social media requires.

Federal Computer Week recently listed five practical steps for emergency responders to better engage with social media, including Twitter: 

• Reach a wider audience. Consider San Francisco, a city certain to be on the vanguard of technological development. In addition to actively using Twitter,  the city is active in sending out text messaging -- in part because Twitter is so popular there during major events that it might crash during an emergency - but restricts its use to emergencies so as not to annoy phone users and cause them to unsubscribe.

• Send and receive emergency alerts. The city of Manor, Texas is currently working with the firm CiviGuard to test a system "designed to deliver location-specific alerts to residents during a crisis and allow them to send information back to emergency responders via smart phones."

• Monitor the conversation. What others are saying to each other can be just as critical as what they are telling responders directly. The U.S. Geological Survey, for instance, is working on technology that automatically aggregates tweets that mention earthquakes and other key words to help them quickly locate high damage areas.

• Integrate data sources for social awareness. The Virginia Departments of Emergency Management recently launched a geospatial information platform that incorporates hundreds of data feeds and information system into a Web-based common operating system.

• Collaborate with responders. Many responders are working with the DHS First Responders Communities of Practice, which consists of vetted first responders at all levels. Members are able to share best practices and ask questions, all with the assurance that the others on the system are established professionals worthy of being relied upon.

HHS: State & Local Planners Playbook for Medical Response to a Nuclear Detonation

United States/Canada: Joint Border Threat and Risk Assessment

DHS: Examining Insider Threat Risk at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services