Does the fire service, or emergency services in general, have a role in the world of intelligence? This question probably would never have been asked prior to Sept. 11, 2001, but it is being asked now. Given that firefighters are among the country's first responders to terrorist incidents, natural disasters, industrial accidents and everyday emergencies, the answer is a resounding yes.

On Sept. 11, the nation watched firefighters lead the way to rescue thousands of civilians, and then toil in the recovery phase for months after the attack. That day tested the fire service not only in New York; Washington, D.C.; and Shanksville, Pa.; but all over the country. Immediately after the attacks, fire departments went on alert in cities and jurisdictions far from where those four planes were used as weapons. Nationwide, cities and counties also were facing the unknown. Were there any more attacks underway? If so, would it be more planes, or were there other tactics to look out for, such as vehicle bombs? Those very questions thrust the fire service into the intelligence world.

But entering the world of intelligence analysis and information-sharing has been slow. Many fire departments have tried to get more information, only to be told they have no need to know or that they should get information from law enforcement. Yet law enforcement was experiencing a less-than-warm welcome from the intelligence community. Only now is the law-enforcement community elevating its role in intelligence and information-sharing. But law enforcement has its own intelligence needs that are distinct from those of the fire service; this makes it impossible for law enforcement to be the gatekeeper of information for the fire service. So how does the fire service enter the world of intelligence and information sharing? Or, if some fire departments have already entered this world, how do they enhance it?

The first step was to get a fire representative into the Department of Homeland Security's National Operations Center. The DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis met with the U.S. Fire Administration in April 2006 to discuss this and other actions both departments could undertake to enhance information-sharing with the fire service. Within a few months, USFA assigned a temporary representative to NOC two days a week. Recently, USFA hired a full-time employee to staff the fire representative desk five days a week.

Next, DHS teamed with the New York City's fire department to develop and execute a pilot information-sharing project. Phase I ran from December 2006 to March 2007.

Since the project commenced, both DHS and FDNY have learned many lessons on the benefits of increased information sharing between the federal government and the fire service. Many questions have been answered regarding specific information that each organization could offer and receive, and the institutional requirement to enable two-way information-sharing.

Last September, a conference was held to roll out what had begun in New York to more fire departments across the country. Fifteen fire departments, along with representatives from the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Fighters, met with representatives from the federal government at the inaugural Fire Service Intelligence Enterprise Conference.

There were representatives from DHS' Office of Intelligence & Analysis, Homeland Infrastructure Threat and Risk Assessment Center, National Preparedness Directorate, USFA, Emergency Management Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center, NOC, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Lessons Learned Information Sharing, Risk Management Division, and the Director of National Intelligence's Office of the Program Manager for the Information Sharing Environment. The 15 fire departments included, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Seattle, Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore and Miami-Dade County. Boston's representative was unable to attend because of a line-of-duty funeral.

The purpose of the conference was to bring together decision-makers from major fire departments and leaders in the intelligence and information-sharing realm of the federal government to discuss information and intelligence needs and best practices. Another purpose was to begin developing protocols for information-sharing within the fire community.

FSIE's objective is to establish a direct information conduit between the fire service and DHS. The agency will pursue a direct information-sharing relationship with the fire service per a directive of the National Response Plan. NRP mandates the alignment of federal coordinating structures, capabilities and resources into a unified, all-discipline, and all-hazards approach to domestic incident management.

Through sharing pre-incident information and intelligence and real-time incident updates, situational awareness will be enhanced to support the preparedness efforts of both local fire departments and DHS. Rapid and comprehensive information sharing also is imperative to establishing a common operational picture on the local and national levels during a major incident.

An example of the need for this type of collaboration occurred in October 2006, when New York Yankees' pitcher Cory Lidle crashed his plane into a New York apartment building. Many initially thought the incident was a terrorist attack, and cities across the country went on alert. FDNY firefighters were among the first to arrive on scene, but because there was no direct link to a state fusion center, they were limited in relaying initial information to federal and state officials. Conversely, they were slow to receive information from intelligence sources to confirm or deny a possible terrorism nexus. The Lidle incident demonstrated the position of many fire departments in critical minutes following an incident, and reinforced the need to establish protocols to enhance the ability to receive and share valuable information.

DHS Asst. Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Charles Allen was the keynote speaker at the FSIE conference and pledged to support expanding the direct intelligence capabilities of the fire service, both as recipients and suppliers of information. He says he will push for greater fire representation within state fusion centers. He also says he will work to get the intelligence community to see fusion centers and the fire departments they connect as customers and as valuable sources of information.

As the FSIE conference was wrapping up, two work groups were formed. One will work on how the fire service and the federal government will communicate. A steering committee of seven fire departments will look into renovating existing DHS computer-based communication channels to allow secure information and intelligence-sharing portals for the fire service.

The second group will work on the information and intelligence requirements. A similar steering committee will oversee the development of national intelligence requirements for the fire service by identifying information and intelligence needs, the critical information required to protect the United States from national strategic threats, and what fire agencies must know to prepare for and safely respond to incidents. This group will report on its progress at the National Fusion Center conference in San Francisco in March 2008. The progress of the working groups will be evaluated, but more importantly, there will be interaction with those who run state fusion centers in more than 40 states. The goal will be to build relationships with state fusion centers while the fire service and DHS work on the protocols in the governance and requirements for intelligence and information sharing.

It is time to define and shape the fire service's role in intelligence and information sharing. The National Strategy for Information Sharing states, “Authorities at all levels of our federal system must share a common understanding of the information needed to prevent, deter, and respond to terrorist attacks. The common understanding will be achieved through a framework that enables: (1) federal entities to work together to provide information in ways that better meet the needs of state, local and tribal partners; and (2) information gathered at the state and local level to be processed, analyzed, disseminated and integrated with information gathered at the federal level.”

FSIE has set the fire service on its way to enhancing its role as a non-traditional member of the intelligence community. Much more work lies ahead, such as coordinating intelligence requirements with volunteer fire companies and corporations. But with cooperation comes results. If the dedication shown at FSIE by those in attendance is any indication, the fire service will quickly reach its goal of enhanced intelligence and information sharing among its own community, as well as with its state, local and federal partners.

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Diane Pitts is a senior fire-intelligence analyst for the Department of Homeland Security.