• Overview
• Chemical Sector Training Resources and Tools
• Chemical Sector Security Summit
• Chemical Sector Publications and Resource Kits

Overview

The Chemical Sector-Specific Agency (SSA), within the National Protection and Programs Directorate's Office of Infrastructure Protection, works collaboratively with sector partners to develop free, voluntary programs and publications to help mitigate security risk in the sector. A selection of training and resources available to private sector partners is included here.

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Chemical Sector Training Resources and Tools

For more information on trainings and tools, please send an e-mail to ChemicalSector@dhs.gov.

Web-Based Chemical Security Awareness Training
The Web-Based Chemical Security Awareness Training Program is an interactive tool available free to chemical facilities nationwide to increase security awareness. The training is designed for all facility employees, not just those traditionally involved in security. Upon completion, a certificate is awarded to the participant.

Voluntary Chemical Assessment Tool (VCAT)
VCAT is a secure, web-based application and self-assessment tool designed for use by the chemical industry. The tool allows owners and operators to identify their facility's current risk level using an all-hazards approach. VCAT facilitates a cost-benefit analysis by allowing users to select the best combination of physical security countermeasures and mitigation strategies to reduce overall risk. A webinar demonstrating the tool followed by a Q&A session is also available.

Security Seminar & Exercise Series for Chemical Industry Stakeholders
This is a collaborative effort between the Department's Chemical Sector-Specific Agency and industry partners such as state chemical industry councils, state homeland security offices, industry trade associations and state emergency management agencies. The intent of the program is to foster communication between facilities and their local emergency response teams by encouraging representatives to share their insight, knowledge, and experiences during a facilitated tabletop exercise. The exercise is catered toward the specific interests of the organizing entity and can include a wide variety of topics and security scenarios such as an active shooter, a hostage situation, a suspicious package, or a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED).

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Please contact Chemicalsummitreg@dhs.gov for more information.

Select presentations from the 2012 Chemical Security Summit are available for viewing. Learn more.

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Chemical Sector Publications and Resource Kits

To request any of these materials, please send an e-mail to ChemicalSector@dhs.gov.

Who's Who in Department of Homeland Security Chemical Sector Security
The Department has multiple components, directorates, divisions, and offices that interact with the private sector. This document clarifies roles and responsibilities, so that chemical industry executives know: Who is who?

Chemical Sector Security Awareness Guide
The purpose of this document is to help owners and operators improve basic security awareness at their chemical facility and to provide information on the security threat presented by explosive devices and cyber vulnerabilities.

Chemical Facility Security: Best Practices Guide for an Active Shooter Incident
This guide draws upon best practices and findings from tabletop exercises to help with chemical facilities plan, train, and pose specific questions that an effective active shooter response and recovery plan will answer. It is designed to help both management and employees prepare and respond by designating roles and needed actions.

Infrastructure Protection Sector-Specific Tabletop Exercise Program (IP-SSTEP) Chemical Sector Tabletop Exercise (TTX) Materials
The IP-SSTEP Chemical Sector TTX is an unclassified and adaptable exercise developed to help public and private critical infrastructure stakeholders and their public safety partners to address gaps, threats, issues, and concerns identified in previous exercises and their after-action processes affecting the Chemical Sector. The IP-SSTEP Chemical Sector TTX allows participants to gain an understanding of issues faced prior to, during, and after a terrorist threat or attack and how to coordinate with other entities, both private and government, regarding their facility. It also contains everything needed to conduct a Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) compliant TTX.

Surveillance Detection Awareness - Discussion Resources Kit
The Department's "If You See Something, Say Something™" campaign raises awareness of potential indicators of terrorism, crime, and other threats. This resource kit, provided on a compact disc, emphasizes the importance of reporting suspicious activity to appropriate authorities and encourages every employee to be an active participant in safeguarding their workplace. The CD includes resources to support your own discussion of surveillance detection, including:

• Recording of the Surveillance Detection Roundtable Webinar from September 2010. The Webinar consists of a series of video scenarios followed by commentary by a panel of experts.
• Surveillance Detection Awareness PowerPoint briefing outlining key points of each video scenario.
• Video files of each scenario used in the September Webinar.

Chemical Sector Training Resources Guide
The guide contains a list of free or low-cost training, web-based classes, seminars, and documents that are routinely available through one of several component agencies within the Department. The list was compiled to help facility security officers train their employees on industry best practices, physical and cybersecurity awareness, and emergency management and response.

The Roadmap to Secure Control Systems in the Chemical Sector
This Roadmap describes a plan for voluntarily improving cybersecurity within the Chemical Sector. It brings together Chemical Sector stakeholders, government agencies, and asset owners and operators through a common set of goals and objectives.

Industrial Control Systems Security
The chemical industry has been working in partnership with DHS to launch an industrial control systems (ICS) security awareness campaign. The group collected a wealth of training and reference information to help owners and operators address ICS security.

These resources are available on a DVD and can be mailed to you upon request. Materials on the DVD include:

• Case for Action (PDF, 8 pages - 1 MB) – As the ICS Security Awareness Campaign's central document illustrates the importance of taking action with the materials provided.
• ICS Security Training Resource – Provides information on available training designed for professionals who work in areas relevant to the process control and automation industries.
• Standards and Guidelines - Facilitates research on existing standards in the area of control systems security.
• Incident Response and Reporting - Illustrates the importance of a chemical company reporting a cyber incident to ICS-Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT), and how this can positively impact the Chemical Sector.
• ICS Procurement Language - Provides example language to incorporate into procurement specifications.
• Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercise – Includes all materials and templates needed to conduct a tabletop exercise with minimal planning.

Additional references and tools made available to sector partners and stakeholders are the Cyber Security Evaluation Tool (CSET) and the ICS-CERT 2010 Year in Review and Incident Handling brochure.

For those interested in more documentation on ICS security, please visit the Control Systems Security Program page.

Dealing with Workplace Violence Tabletop Exercise (TTX) (Chemical SSA)
This exercise focuses on an active-shooter situation in the workplace. The TTX is broken up into three modules: the pre-incident phase, including recognizing potential warning signs of workplace violence; the incident and response phase; and the assessment phase. The TTX focuses discussion on how to limit escalation and reduce the threat of violent behavior, as well as how facilities can work with their employees and public and private partners during an incident.

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