Emergency Services Sector Risk Management Agency

The Emergency Services Sector (ESS) is a community of millions of highly skilled, trained personnel, along with the physical and cyber resources, that provide a wide range of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery services during both day-to-day operations and incident response. The ESS includes geographically distributed facilities and equipment in both paid and volunteer capacities organized primarily at the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels of government, such as city police departments and fire stations, county sheriff’s offices, Department of Defense police and fire departments, and town public works departments. The ESS also includes private sector resources, such as industrial fire departments, private security organizations, and private emergency medical services providers. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) serves as the Sector Risk Management Agency (SRMA) for this sector.

Emergency Services Sector Collaboration, Resources, and Training

CISA offers many resources and training materials to help manage risks, improve security, and aid the implementation and execution of protective measures across this sector. This fact sheet lists a sampling of sector collaboration mechanisms, resources, and training materials. Unless otherwise noted below, additional information can be found at CISA | Emergency Services Sector.

Collaboration

Emergency Services Government Coordinating Council (ESGCC) and Emergency Services Sector Coordinating Council (ESSCC) convene regularly; share information; and develop tools, guidelines, and products. These groups work closely to plan, implement, and execute sector-wide resilience and security programs within the Emergency Services Sector. CISA | Emergency Services Sector: Council Charters and Memberships

Protective Security Advisors (PSAs) are security subject matter experts who assist local efforts to protect critical assets and provide a local perspective to the national risk landscape. Learn more at cisa.gov/protective-security-advisors. CISA | Security Advisors

Cybersecurity Advisors (CSAs) bring together critical infrastructure owner/operators with federal, state, local, and other stakeholders to maximize collaboration and minimize risk on matters of homeland security or emergency management. CISA | Security Advisors

Fusion Centers operate as state and major urban area focal points for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between federal; state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT); and private sector partners. Learn more at dhs.gov/fusion-centers. DHS | Fusion Centers

Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR - ISAC), part of the U.S. Fire Administration, is a major information sharing hub for the dissemination of critical infrastructure protection and emerging threat information for the Emergency Services Sector (ESS). FEMA | Emergency Management and Response - Information Sharing and Analysis Center

The EMR-ISAC distributes a weekly open-source newsletter, the InfoGram, which includes short articles about the protection of critical infrastructure and emergency responders.

Distributed as needed, EMR–ISAC also shares For Official Use Only (FOUO) Bulletins containing timely, important homeland security information affecting the ESS. Personnel currently serving in positions supporting an ESS department, agency, or function may be eligible to receive these FOUO Bulletins.

The Homeland Security Information Network - Emergency Services (HSIN - ES) community is an information clearinghouse for emergency services professionals across the United States. Whether obtaining information about a significant incident or researching a potential threat to their jurisdiction, emergency services personnel know they can turn to HSIN–ES to get resources including situational awareness reports; threat and vulnerability information; critical infrastructure protection information bulletins, alerts and advisories; state, local, tribal and territorial products; training and conference information; and relevant news feeds. HSIN – ES contains a compilation of unclassified, FOUO, and Law Enforcement Sensitive (LES) products.

Resources

The Emergency Services Sector Cybersecurity Initiative is an ongoing effort to enable the Emergency Services Sector (ESS) to better understand and manage cyber risks and to coordinate the sharing of cyber information and tools between subject matter experts (both inside and outside the federal government) and the ESS disciplines. CISA | Emergency Services Sector Cybersecurity Initiative

Emergency Services Sector Continuity Planning Suite (ESS CPS) provides a centralized collection of existing guidance, processes, products, tools, and best practices to support the development and maturation of continuity planning for the first responder community. First responders can use this resource to evaluate and improve their continuity capability and enhance their preparedness for emergencies. CISA | Emergency Services Sector Continuity Planning Suite

Training

CISA hosts the Emergency Services Sector Active Shooter Workshop to enhance awareness of and response to an active shooter event by educating participants, describing common behaviors, and fostering communications between infrastructure owners and operators and local emergency response teams. Learn more at cisa.gov/emergency-services-sector-active-shooter-workshop. CISA | Emergency Services Sector Active Shooter Workshop

The Office for Bombing Prevention offers free online and in-person Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (IED) training courses and awareness products to reduce risk to the Nation’s critical infrastructure and enhance awareness of terrorist threats. CISA | Office for Bombing Prevention Training Program

Emergency Services Sector Profile

The Emergency Services Sector supports the other critical infrastructure sectors and assists a range of organizations and communities in maintaining public safety, security, and confidence in the government. Five subsectors—performed at the federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels of government and in the private-sector—define the operations and functions of this important sector: Law Enforcement, Fire and Rescue Services, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Management, and Public Works.

Sector Components

Human

More than 4.6 million career and volunteer professionals in five subsectors:

• Emergency Management
• Emergency Medical Services
• Fire and Rescue Services
• Law Enforcement
• Public Works

Physical

• Facilities for daily operations, support, training, or storage.
• Equipment specialized for discipline and capability (e.g., personal protective, communications, surveillance).
• Vehicles specialized for discipline and capability (e.g., ambulances, HAZMAT, aircraft, and watercraft).

Cyber

• Virtual Operations – Emergency operations, communications, database management, biometric activities, and security systems.
• Internet – The Internet is widely used by the Sector to provide information and distribute alerts, warnings, and threats.
• Information Networks – Computer-aided dispatch and watch and warning systems, information-sharing portals, and social networking are leveraged to keep the ESS informed and connected.

Critical Infrastructure Security Considerations

• Cyberattacks: The Emergency Services Sector has become increasingly dependent on cyber-based infrastructure and operations, including emergency operations communications, data management, and electronic security systems. Because of this reliance, cyber infrastructure across this sector may be a key target for cyberattacks.
• Violent Extremist and Terrorist Attacks: Violent extremists are increasingly targeting emergency services personnel (especially law enforcement) along with public venues and crowded places. Secondary explosive devices, which aim to harm the first responders to an initial incident, pose a specific threat to this sector.
• Chemical, Biological, Radiological (CBR) Incidents: CBR incidents can spread across multiple jurisdictions, strain resources, and affect the health and safety of large numbers of the public and responders.
• Natural Disasters and Extreme Weather: More extreme weather increases the geographic magnitude and severity of disasters, requiring a surge of resources, often for extended periods, while also straining resources in partnering regions that might otherwise supply mutual aid.

Contact Us

For more information, contact the Emergency Services Sector Management Team at EmergencyServicesSector@mail.cisa.dhs.gov or visit CISA | Emergency Services Sector.