ODESSA, Texas —
InfraGard connects owners and operators within critical infrastructure to the FBI, to provide education, information sharing, networking and workshops on emerging technologies and threats.
“This is basically a joint partnership between the FBI and the civilian side of this group. These are civilian experts who joined. They're not part of representing a company per say. They are individuals who have an interest in doing this INFRAGARD mission, which is protecting the United States against any threat to our infrastructure,” said Walter Boyle, special agent and InfraGard coordinator for the El Paso FBI office.
The FBI El Paso office says that areas like the Permian Basin also stand to benefit from InfraGard given the presence of oil and gas and the energy industry, which they say is crucial to U.S. infrastructure.
“We do have a lot of Members out there. Yes, a large amount fall under the oil and gas, under energy, because we know how critical that is for the United States. So, not just in our area of responsibility, but the greater United States,” Boyle continued.
But the FBI wants to make it clear that it’s not just companies or large organizations that can join InfraGard but also small business owners or individuals as well and they’re just as important of members as well.
“I'd say very much so. Certainly, most of the large majority of individuals that we have that take part are part of larger companies in most cases, but we do have a lot of small business owners, a lot of people who understand the need to protect not just their own business but understand what other things might be out there,” Boyle added.