Abstract: Recent events have demonstrated the vulnerability of IT-systems of different companies, organisations or even governments to hacker attacks. Simultaneously, information technologies have become increasingly established and important for institutions of various branches. With respect to modern terrorism developments, cyber-attacks may be used to physically harm critical infrastructures. This leads to a new dimension of cyber-attacks called “terrorist cyber-attacks”. This research-in-progress paper aims to develop a process model for data acquisition and support of decision making that seeks to enhance the security of public transportation in the context of counterterrorism. Therefore, a generic process model for terrorist cyber-attacks – produced in the research project RE(H)STRAIN1 – is intro-duced as a basis for a decision support system (DSS). In the future, such models could improve the decision process by comparing the effectiveness of different security measures.

Abstract: Major incidents and disasters tend to be highly complex, contain high levels of uncertainty and may often force official responders to set aside their standard operating procedures and work collaboratively with a range of agencies and actors on the ground. Prior work has shown that establishing clear lines of communication and maintaining a shared understanding across organisational boundaries can be challenging to achieve, particularly in stressful and unusual circumstances. In the present paper we discuss ongoing work into specifying a meta-process for facilitating communication and collaboration based on the observation that common themes that emerge in communication within and across organisational boundaries can subsequently be tracked and built into an Ontology Broker. This work draws on experimental work in our laboratory, observations made in emergency control environments and, emphasised in this paper, lessons learned in the 2005 London bombings. © 2012 ISCRAM.

Abstract: Crisis management efforts in the United States public health sector aim to prepare and protect the life of an individual, family or group against a health-related event. These efforts span governmental, nongovernmental and private sectors. The need for coordination between these organizations has never been more apparent. A solution will depend heavily on standardized communication protocols using information and communication technology (ICT). Numerous initiatives are currently addressing the needs of our nation with respect to homeland security and public health, yet remain in the early stages for the nongovernmental sector. The emphasis of our research is at the local level where the governmental sector extends to the nongovernmental sector (NGO), particularly community outreach. Our analysis of the local community suggests focusing on the management of communication during public health crises to better understand the complexities and variations presented in these communities. Leveraging experiences from media-technology literature findings and emergency-response efforts, we seek to identify a framework and tools to enable effective communication for those public health practitioners who serve as front-line responders to public health crises. The major contributions of this research will be to extend the use of information systems and mobile technology to the local United States public health communities to increase effective communication between organizations, while providing a state of readiness for homeland security related events.

Abstract: The STATPack is a telemedicine consultation and emergency response system which was developed to increase statewide laboratory responsiveness to public health emergencies. Although several emergency response management information systems have been created for diagnostic laboratories at the national level, most states in the U.S. do not have the capability to share critical public health microbiology laboratory information at local levels, especially in rural communities. This paper offers a description and preliminary assessment of the STATPack as it is being deployed by the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory and should be recognized as research in-progress. Initial experiences with this emergency response system have been encouraging.

Abstract: The Interactive Media Laboratory at Dartmouth Medical School produces computer games and multimedia programs for public health preparedness. With Department of Homeland Security funding, the IML is developing the Virtual Terrorism Response Academy, which uses game technology to prepare first responders for rescue efforts in which hazardous materials may be involved. This paper looks at the history of the “Virtual Clinic” concept and the original rationale for creating what Max Boisot calls “epistemology space.” It also offers an account of the VRTA designers' responses to potential criticism from learning specialists in game studies who object that the game is too didactic and discourages trial-and-error by restraining the learner in the narrative conceit of a “simulation of a simulation.”.

Abstract: Agro Terrorism is “a hostile attack, towards an agricultural environment, including infrastructures and processes, in order to significantly damage national and international political interests”. This special session within the early warning track is aimed at reducing agro-terrorism related risks by either means of prevention (intelligence gathering using data mining and chatter mining, for example) or means to response to such an attack by early detection of exotic/foreign pathogenic agents, early prediction of disease dispersion patterns, implementation of biosecurity measures, and the development of future methodologies and techniques related to food defense and post-event response. This paper focuses on intention detection using overt data sources on the World Wide Web as they relate to agro-terrorism threats. The paper focuses on early detection that can lead to prevention of such acts, yet a variety of the techniques presented here are also useful for helping in post-event perpetrators detection. © 2012 ISCRAM.

Abstract: On the morning of April 15, 2013, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, resulting in a large number of casualties. This generated a week-long response under the US National Incident Management System. In this paper, we examine online, terse messages broadcast by responding organizations and their amplification by other official entities via retransmission. Content analysis of official messages shows strong similarities with posting patterns previously observed in response to natural hazards, with the primary exception of themes related to the criminal investigation, suggesting a possible revision of guidelines for public information in light of the needs arising from extended counterterrorism operations undertaken in an urban environment. Network analysis demonstrates message posting and amplification were dominated by local actors, underscoring the importance of local readiness for management of official public information activities in the context of extremely high-profile events.

Abstract: Greene County in Dayton, OH houses Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), whose estimated 2009 economic impact within its Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is $5.17 million. Despite its military/strategic importance as the largest base in the U.S. Air Force, literature search did not uncover a published comprehensive risk analysis for WPAFB, or even Greene County, across the entire spectrum of hazards from natural to technological to man-made (including terrorism). This paper presents a summary report on risk determination and economic impact data for Greene County and WPAFB (within Greene County) in the context of riverine flooding, using FEMA's HAZUS-MH tool. It is hoped that the results will further the regional compilation of data and thus prove of use to the local disaster management community while generally growing the overall body of work in risk analysis. Future work aims to expand regional risk determination to other natural disasters and terrorism scenarios.

Abstract: In this paper, we evoke first the ubiquity and the importance of the so-called 'nonfictional narrative' information, with a particular emphasis on the terrorism- and crime-related data. We show that the usual knowledge representation and 'ontological' techniques have difficulties in finding complete solutions for representing and using this type of information. We supply then some details about NKRL, a representation and inferencing environment especially created for an 'intelligent' exploitation of narrative information. We will also supply some examples concerning a “terrorism in Southern Philippines” general context to illustrate our approach.