Critical Infrastructure

Critical Infrastructure Protection

The Office of Homeland Security is committed to enhancing the protection of Tennessee’s critical infrastructure and key resources.  Working cooperatively with federal, state and local government agencies, as well as the private sector, the Office of Homeland Security intends to build a safer, more secure environment through its Critical Infrastructure Protection Program.

For more information, please e-mail John Curatolo.
 

What is Critical Infrastructure?

Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CI/KR) are any assets that the destruction or exploitation of can:

• Cause adverse health effects or large mass casualties.
• Impair federal departments and agencies.
• Undermine state and local government.
• Damage the private sector’s capability to deliver essential services.
• Negatively affect the economy.
• Undermine the public’s morale and confidence.

The nation’s infrastructure is organized into eighteen CI/KR sectors:

• Agriculture and Food
• Banking and Finance
• Chemical
• Commercial facilities
• Critical Manufacturing
• Dams
• Defense Industrial Base
• Emergency Services
• Energy
• Government Facilities
• Information Technology
• National Monuments and Icons
• Nuclear
• Postal and Shipping
• Public Health and Healthcare
• Telecommunications
• Transportation
• Water and Waste
   

Building a Critical Infrastructure Program

Every asset or agency falls into one of these sectors, sometimes into more then one. If you are interested in enhancing security of your infrastructure, below are some starting points to build your own program.  For more information, please contact the contact the Office of Homeland Security at 615.532.7825.

Educating Your Employees

• Know what to look for
• Know how to report
• Know where to report

Planning

• Develop security plans
• Develop specific protective measures
• Know what to do during elevated color-coded threat levels (green, blue, yellow, orange or red)

Partnering

• Get involved in Private or Public Critical Infrastructure Councils and InfraGard
• Develop closer partnership with local law enforcement
• Share lessons learned and best practices with your peers

Managing Risk

• Raise awareness
• Randomly exercise your protective measures, which validate your security plans and enhance your protection
• Train your employees on what to do in case of an emergency
• Get involved with a professional security organization to review your security and assess Continuity of Business Operations
   

Get Involved

If you are a government agency or a private sector owner/operator, we encourage you to become our partner by getting involved in the InfraGard.