By Aman Chabra, Local News 8 Reporter

IDAHO FALLS - The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) now has a major presence in the Gem State with the help of the INL.

Tuesday, Greg Schaffer, Security Assistant Secretary of Cyber Security and Communications for the Dept of Homeland Security, spoke at a dedication ceremony for the Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS CERT) facility in Idaho Falls.

"You have a series of firsts here at the lab, for example the first use of nuclear fission to produce electricity, and I consider this a first on the same proportion in my perspective,"

Most major private sector facilities use computer systems for their operations. 

The DHS facility in Idaho Falls employs about 75 people who work to defend various private sector industries against threats from hackers and other cyber predators.

"You'll see industrial engineers as well as cyber security engineers paired together to discover the vulnerabilities that exist within the industrial control system," said Marty Edwards, Program Manager for DHS with the INL.

Tuesday's dedication ceremony is the culmination of six years of work to get the cyber security facility to the Gem State.

"We have a great relationship with the Idaho National Lab, and have for many years, and over the last six, we've been developing capability here for these industrial control spaces," said Greg Schaffer.'

Operations performed by the facility differ from that of the NSA and other similar agencies.

While the NSA focuses on protecting the U.S. Government communications and information systems.  The Idaho Falls-based facility will focus on protecting businesses in the private sector such as banks, postal and shipping suppliers, and even commercial nuclear reactors, among other things.

INL officials say building this facility in Idaho Falls is a major achievement for the INL.

"I think it speaks  very well of the confidence that (the Department of Homeland Security) has in our people and in our local economy to sustain this facility for them," said Marty Edwards.

The facility's location is only made known to its employees.  INL officials say it is located in the Idaho Falls city limits, but is NOT part of the INL campus in the city.