The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services along with the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) created a new emergency preparedness guidance for Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) organizations. The HPH Risk Identification and Site Criticality (RISC) Toolkit provides public and private organizations with “an objective, data-driven all-hazards assessment” that can be tailored to fit site requirements.

The RISC Toolkit includes three modules allowing users to assess their vulnerabilities based on guidance developed by leading experts in emergency management, physical security, and cybersecurity. Specifically, the modules include the following steps:

– Identify site specific threats and hazards (intentional acts, natural hazards, unintended manmade events);
– Measure facility/asset vulnerabilities (emergency preparedness and resilience, physical and cybersecurity, critical dependencies); and
– Determine criticality and consequences (evaluation of damages, impacts on facility or asset functionality).

Furthermore, the Toolkit allows users to aggregate data, which enables risk trend analysis and information sharing among facilities and other stakeholders. In addition to regular updates, the Toolkit contains reference material along with specific sections on critical infrastructure protection. In order to maintain up-to-date data, the users can share their results securely with Federal partners through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Protected Critical Infrastructure Information (PCII) Program. Significantly, the Toolkit is free to download with no additional obligations associated with its use.

The HSDL offers many additional resources related to the issues of Critical Infrastructure Protection. Visit the Featured Topics for more on Active Shooters, Cyber Infrastructure Protection, Pandemics and Epidemics, Hurricanes, and Wildfires. Please note: HSDL login is required to view some of these resources.

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