Monday October 29, 2012
Threats and Challenges

 

7:00 a.m.     Registration Opens

9:45 a.m.     Opening Color Guard; Pledge of Allegiance

9:55 a.m.     Opening: Lt. Governor Robert Duffy

10:05 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.     Opening Remarks: Jerome M. Hauer, Commissioner, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

Description: DHSES Commissioner Jerome Hauer will provide an update on the Governor's initiatives, the state's new approach, the threats we face, and improvements that have been made since Fall 2011. Updates will include specifics on the Governor's reorganization and improvements to emergency management and catastrophic disaster planning, regional disaster logistic centers, strategic regional response, and incident management teams.

10:10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.       Norway Lone Wolf: Bombing in Oslo and the Utoya Shooting

Presenter: Hans Halvorsen, Deputy Chief Police Commissioner, Norwegian National Police Directorate
Moderator: Kevin Gagan, New York State Police, First Deputy Superintendent

Description: The 2011 Norway attacks were two sequential "lone wolf" attacks carried out by an individual against the government, the civilian population and a Workers' Youth League (AUF)-run summer camp in Norway on 22 July 2011. The first was a car bomb explosion in Oslo within the executive government quarter of Norway, killing eight people and injuring at least 209 people, twelve of them seriously. The second attack occurred less than two hours later at a summer camp on the island of Utoya. A gunman gained access to the island and subsequently opened fire at the participants, killing 69 of them and injuring at least 110, 55 of them seriously. It was the deadliest attack in Norway since World War II.

11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.     Awards

                                             Awards Presented by:
                                             Lt. Governor Robert Duffy
                                             Jerome M. Hauer, Commissioner, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
                                             Joseph Martens, Commissioner, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
                                             Joseph D'Amico, Superintendent, New York State Police
                                            Major General Patrick A. Murphy, Adjutant General, New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs

12:15 p.m.     Remarks by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

12:30 a.m. - 1:25 p.m.     Lunch

1:30 p.m. - 2:25 p.m.      Extreme Weather: Update from the National Hurricane Center

Presenter: Richard Knabb, Director, National Hurricane Center

Description: New York State has one of the most diverse risk portfolios in the nation, regularly experiencing major weather related disasters. With its coast-line and rivers, New York remains extremely vulnerable to flooding. As of August 2012, New York has already had more than eleven confirmed tornados, beyond the state's average. Over the past 15 years, severe weather has occurred with more frequency, inflicting damages to infrastructure and communities.

2:30 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.       The New Invisible Threat: Cyber Security

Presenter: Patrick Gray, Security Strategist, Cisco System
Moderator: Jerome M. Hauer, Commissioner, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

Description: As a center for technology research and commerce, New York remains a top target for cyber threats. New York's counties, cities, and municipal governments rely heavily on digital technology to manage their operations and infrastructure, exposing them to cyber attackers. With so much of our society and economy on-line, this presentation is a terrific opportunity to get high-quality information about keeping ourselves and our information safe. As networks grow, mobile devices, and interface become interdependent, cyber disruption and terrorism pose a greater threat to critical infrastructure and commerce.

3:20 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.      Break

3:30 p.m. - 5:50 p.m.      Expert Studies in Terror

Presenters: Peter Bergen, CNN National Security Analyst;
                     Rohan Gunaratna, Head of Singapore's International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research;
                     Brian Michael Jenkins, Senior adviser to the president at the RAND Corporation; Member of the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security; Adviser to the National Commission on Terrorism under President Clinton's tenure
Moderator: Jamie Rubin, Counselor on Competitiveness and International Affairs at Empire State Development and Former Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and Chief Spokesman for the State Department

Description: As a center of the media industry and commerce, New York State remains a number one target of this threat. Today the specter of a nuclear Iran, instability in the Arabian Peninsula, and the continued radicalization of Islam remind us that many factors influence and contribute to the threat of terrorism.

Three of the world's Leading Experts on Terrorism come together to discuss our greatest threats. Peter Bergen serves as CNN's national security analyst and is the last journalist to have interviewed Osama Bin Laden. Rohan Gunaratna has authored 14 books and testified before the 9-11 Commission on the structure of Al Qaeda. Brian Michael Jenkins, senior adviser to the president at the RAND Corporation, is the author of Will Terrorists Go Nuclear (2008, Prometheus Books) and of several RAND monographs on terrorism-related topics.

6:00 p.m.     Reception (Light Refreshments)

Tuesday October 30, 2012
Preparedness, Planning and Knowledge

 

Available All Day     Governor Cuomo invites you to special tours of the newly renovated New York State Capitol

Tours will begin at the New York State Capital, on the State Street Side. Albany, NY

Description: The Capital is a stunning and beautiful example of 19th century architecture. The Capitol was initially designed by Englishman Thomas Fuller, who also designed the Parliament buildings in Ottawa, Canada. However, the Capitol that Fuller envisioned was never completed. In 1876, Fuller was replaced by two prominent American architects, Leopold Eidlitz and Henry Hobson Richardson. Spanning four decades, the finished Capitol took 32 years to build, from 1867 to 1899. The final cost was a staggering $25 million dollars. Today, that same structure would cost a half billion dollars to build.

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.      Workshop 60 minutes Sessions (Choose one of three panels)

1. The New York Approach to Emergency Preparedness
   
   Presenters: Joseph Martens, Commissioner, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
                        Joseph D'Amico, Superintendent, New York State Police
                        Nirav R. Shah, M.D., MPH, Commissioner, New York State Department of Health
                        Major General Patrick A. Murphy, New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs.
   Moderator: Jerome M. Hauer, Commissioner, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
   
   Description: Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York State has taken a proactive posture to supporting communities during disasters and emergencies. This has included developing building stockpiles, enhancing emergency communications, expanding regional infrastructure to support emergency needs, and empowering State agencies to provide resources and expertise during emergencies. This panel will include commissioners from key State agencies that manage public health and safety programs and support local government during emergency response.  It will provide an update on key initiatives and will enable attendees to speak directly with State leadership on the State's new approach to emergency preparedness.  

2. An Emerging Menace: Planning for Active Shooter Threats
   
   Presenters: Samuel Mayhugh, PhD, Behavioral Specialist
                       Jonathan Richeson, Security Specialist, Department of Homeland Security.
   Moderator: Kevin Gagan, New York State Police, First Deputy Superintendent
   
   Description: Active shooter incidents continue to occur across our nation, and serve as a reminder of today's ever-changing threat environment and the challenges we face. An active shooter incident can unfold quickly, requiring a multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional response from the public safety community. This seminar will focus on the behavioral aspect of the active shooter scenario. Common behavior, conditions and situations associated with active shooters will be discussed, as will the importance of fostering communication before an incident occurs. The session will also discuss important options for consideration such as having escape routes and plans when inside or attending an outdoor event.

3. Catastrophic Planning
   
   Presenters: Clifford Oliver, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Maryland's University College Fire Science, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Program
                        Joseph Bruno, Commissioner, New York City Office of Emergency Management
                        John Farrell, Director, Greene County (NY) Emergency Management
   
   

Description: Because of limited staffing and resources, all-hazards planning efforts lack depth during large, complex disasters. The threat of terrorism, as well as global climate change and the location of human population centers, will continue to occur at an ever-increasing rate and scale. Standard emergency planning practices have been shown to be insufficient to address such events. It is essential that we shift our thinking on how to effectively manage the complexity of catastrophic disasters. This workshop will include practical experience of emergency managers that have been involved in catastrophic planning and complex events. Mr. Oliver will provide an overview of the key tenets of catastrophic planning.

4. Managing Trauma: The Hidden Disaster
   
   Presenters: Ann Norwood, MD. Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS).
                        Robert Ursano, MD. Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland.
                        James Halpern, PhD. Professor of Psychology and Director of the Institute for Disaster Mental Health SUNY New Paltz
   Moderator: Michael Hogan, PhD, Commissioner, New York State Office of Mental Health
   
   

Description: The impacts of disaster and emergencies extend beyond the immediate damages and injuries that happen during or immediately following an incident. Emergency responders and survivors must cope with trauma and grief. Emotional impacts related to disaster-related trauma, if not recognized and treated, may have long-term consequences that affect survivors' physical and emotional health, job performance, and relationships. This workshop will feature a panel of nationally-renowned clinicians that will explore the effects of trauma and the strategies that individuals and organization can employ to mitigate these effects.


5. Chemical Casualties: The Rise of Chemical Suicide
   
   Presenter: Jacob Oreshan, Deputy Chief, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control
   Moderator: William R. Davis Jr., Deputy State Fire Administrator
   
   

   Description: Chemical suicides have plagued the United States since 2008 and continue to be on the rise. This method of suicide originated in Japan in 2007, where they have seen more than 2,000 cases. Chemical suicide, or detergent suicide, involves mixing common household chemicals to create deadly hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas, which is lethal in contained areas. These incidents also pose a threat of acute injury to first responders who are called to these incidents. This workshop will explain this emerging threat, discuss health effects, explain methods for detection, use of personal protective equipment for responders, and treatment.
   
   

6. Talking Risk: Effective Communication in Disaster
   
   Presenters: Richard Esposito, Senior Investigative Reporter for ABC News
                        Deborah Feyerick, CNN correspondent
   Moderators: Allison Gollust, Director of Communications New York State Governor's Office
                         Richard A. Bamberger, Former Director of Communications New York State Governor's Office
   

   Description: In public safety, advances in information technology and communications continue to present opportunities to improve emergency dispatch, incident assessment, mass notification, responder safety, and other areas. Using the news media is the quickest and most effective way to communicate with the public during disasters and emergencies. To use media effectively, public officials must understand the needs of media professionals and develop positive relationships with them. This workshop will feature media professionals who have responded to disasters to discuss media operational needs and share strategies to foster productive relationships that benefit the public during any type of incident.
   
   

7. Mobile Heroes: Incident Management Teams
   
   Presenter: Robert Maynes, Deputy Assistant Chief, New York City Fire Department
   Moderator: Bryant Stevens, State Fire Administrator, NYS DHSES, Office of Fire Prevention and Control
   
   

   Description: As Tropical Storm Lee pounded New York's Southern Tier, the New York City Fire Department's (FDNY) multi-hazard incident management team (IMT) deployed to Broome County to assist county officials in managing response activities. The 100-member team supported emergency operations center activities and provided field assessments that guided the county's decision-making and resource allocation. The FDNY team was one of several incident management teams that were deployed to assist local governments throughout New York State. This presentation will outline FDNY's challenges and activities during their three-week deployment, and demonstrate how IMTs can support emergency management operations during large events.

9:35 a.m. - 10:35 a.m.      Workshops Repeat (See above for descriptions)

10:40 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.    Break

10:55 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.    Workshops Repeat (See above for descriptions)

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.       Lunch

1:35 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.       Overcoming Catastrophe: The Joplin Tornado

Presenters: Mark Rohr, City Manager, City of Joplin;
                     Mitch Randles, Chief, Joplin Fire Department;
                     Lane Roberts, Chief, Joplin Police Department
Moderator: Jerome M. Hauer, Commissioner, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

Description: On May 22, 2011, a catastrophic EF-5, multiple-vortex tornado struck the City of Joplin, Missouri. 158 people were killed and approximately 1,000 injured. The disaster, part of a larger, late-May tornado outbreak, reached a maximum width in excess of one mile (1.6 km) during its path through the southern part of the city. This was the third tornado to strike Joplin since May 1971. The insurance payout has been reported at $2.2 billion - by July 15, 2011, there had been 16,656 insurance claims. Incidents of this size and scope pose extreme challenges in emergency response, including the impact on continuity of government. This session offers an opportunity to learn about the management of a sudden catastrophic disaster from those responsible for responding to it.

3:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.      Break

3:35 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.      Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse: Lessons Learned in Mass Gathering Planning

Presenter: Joe Wainscott, Director, State of Indiana Department of Homeland Security
Moderator: Jerome M. Hauer, Commissioner, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

Description: On August 13, 2011, a stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair caused the death of seven people. The State of Indiana conducted an exhaustive investigation and found numerous deficiencies that contributed to the tragedy. As a result, the State of Indiana made several changes to its practices and laws. Indiana State leaders will discuss county and state fair planning, including the State's response to the incident, lessons learned, and changes to State law and code enforcement practices.

5:20 p.m.      Closing Remarks; Presentation of Certificates; Conference Closes

Speakers: Jerome M. Hauer, Commissioner, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services