In the United States, the federal CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) has brought out an Infrastructure Resilience Planning Framework (IRPF). It documents how to plan for the resilience of critical infrastructure, based on risk assessment.
Risk in the homeland security context, according to a 55-page document, is defined ‘as the potential for an unwanted outcome resulting from an incident, event, or occurrence, as determined by its likelihood (a function of threats and vulnerabilities) and the associated consequences. Resilience is part of the risk equation in that it can influence an entity’s vulnerability (or exposure) to different threats and hazards, as well as the consequences that might arise from an event. Ultimately, the process of analyzing risk is important because it shapes decision making on ways to manage risk by accepting, avoiding, transferring, or controlling it to an acceptable level at an acceptable cost.’
While noting that nearly all sectors are reliant on energy, water and wastewater, communications, and transport, the document lists 16 sectors:
1. Chemical Facilities that manufacture basic chemicals, specialty chemicals, agricultural chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and consumer products.
2. Commercial Facilities Publicly- and privately-owned facilities that draw large crowds of people for entertainment and/or media; gaming; lodging; outdoor events; public assembly; real estate; retail; and sports purposes.
3. Communications Voice and data services and/or terrestrial, satellite, and wireless communication networks.
4. Critical Manufacturing Facilities supporting the manufacture of primary metals, machinery, electrical equipment, appliances, and components, and transportation equipment.
5. Dams – Assets in the sector include dam projects, hydropower plants, navigation locks, levees, dikes, hurricane barriers, mine tailings, and other industrial waste impoundments. The National Inventory of Dams lists more than 100,000 dams throughout the United States. A large and diverse set of public and private entities own and operate these facilities under highly distributed regulatory oversight from federal, state, and local entities.
6. Defense Industrial Base: Laboratories, special purpose manufacturing facilities, organizations, and supply chains that perform research and development, design, manufacturing, systems integration, maintenance and servicing of military weapon systems, subsystems, components, subcomponents, or parts that support military operations.
7. Emergency Services Facilities, communications structures, other specialized equipment supporting/housing law enforcement, fire and rescue services, emergency medical services, emergency management, and public works.
8. Energy Facilities and systems for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution, and for oil and natural gas extraction, refining, and distribution.
9. Financial Services Depository institutions, providers of investment products, insurance companies, other credit and financing organizations, and the providers of the critical financial utilities and services that support these functions.
10. Food and Agriculture Areas or facilities associated with the production, processing, and delivery of consumable products (e.g., restaurants, food outlets, food facilities, and farms).
11. Government Facilities Facilities owned or leased by federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal governments, as well as government and private sector-owned education facilities and national monuments and icons.
12. Healthcare and Public Health Public and private healthcare facilities, research, suppliers, manufacturers, and other physical assets.
13. Information Technology Physical assets and virtual systems and networks involved in creating information technology products and services, such as research and development, manufacturing, distribution, upgrades, and maintenance.
14. Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste Nuclear power reactors and their facilities, research and test reactors, cooling ponds, and fuel cycle facilities.
15. Transportation Systems Aviation, terrestrial or maritime transportation systems (e.g., mass transit, ships, railroad, roadways, and pipeline systems).
16. Water/Wastewater Systems Potable water systems, wells and wastewater treatment systems.
Comment
On release of the document, Dr David Mussington, CISA Executive Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security, said: “Reading through the Playbook process, not only are the IRPF steps articulated with clear inputs and outputs but the additional guidance on resilience concepts will help communities increase their readiness and bounce back quickly after a disaster. We anticipate that the IRPF Playbook will address a crucial challenge by not only outlining the IRPF steps but also providing guidance on their practical implementation in disaster preparedness planning.”
Other resilience planning resources are at the Resilience Planning Program webpage at cisa.gov.
