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PID
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When a disaster strikes, states have to trust that neighboring states have properly identified their responders and attributed accurate credentials to each. Stories of impostors penetrating the scene to do harm and take advantage of a crisis situation make state leaders second-guess their neighbors' ability to identify. With PID, states can work in unison to achieve the highest confidence and trust in their neighboring states' identification processes.

Events including the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina brought home the need to tightly control who is allowed on disaster scenes and at the same time, get emergency responders identified and dispatched quickly.

The Department of Homeland Security has worked to develop a First Responder Authentication Credential (FRAC), envisioning a system in which communication could occur to authenticate the identity and qualifications of federal, state and local responders as they arrive at the scene. However, the high cost associated with the federally-defined FRAC program has slowed wide-spread implementation.

States must move forward quickly to cost-effectively deploy a first responder credentialing system that prepares the state for rapid and effective response and recovery efforts for its residents.

Personal Identification or PID serves as the backbone for an identification standard for state and local first responders that promotes interoperable credentials across the state. PID allows states and commonwealths to securely establish first responders' identities at the scene and confirm their qualifications and skills in real time, allowing incident commanders to dispatch them quickly and appropriately. States also have the capability to issue time-specific credentials to emergency responders in real time when needed and turn off this access at any time. This enables incident commanders to maintain control while allowing access to response officials not anticipated prior to the event.

ELIMINATE DISASTER RELIEF VULNERABILITIES

Privacy does not exist in America. The lack of a uniform policy for identification puts Americans at risk for identity fraud. Identification processes used by state agencies utilize weak credentials to verify a resident's identity, further contributing to the risk. Without a uniform policy, each state and commonwealth enables individuals to take advantage of vulnerabilities and create alias identities that infect agencies and programs.

Through PID, state emergency management agencies can work in tandem with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to prevent fraud in relief payments. The GAO reported a total of $1 billion in improper and fraudulent payments made during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, of which an estimated $20 million were duplicate payments to residents.1 By uniquely identifying all residents prior to a disaster, states can help eliminate duplicate payments and ensure only eligible recipients receive assistance. States enable FEMA to overcome vulnerabilities in disaster relief and stop paying those who abuse the system.

Victims often lose identification cards and documents during disasters and have nothing to prove their identity. A physically-linked PID credential enables states to utilize presently-available technologies to verify the identities of residents in the event of a disaster. Utilizing a handheld biometric scanner on-site at relief locations allows states to account for individuals and administer services as needed.

PID: AN ESSENTIAL PART OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE EFFORTS

First Responders

Residents

Source: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Disaster Relief: Continued Findings of Fraud, Waste and Abuse. Government Accountability Office, GAO-07-300, March 2007.
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