Response and Priority Areas Handling and preparing for terror attack is crucial and sensitive matter that needs not to be taken for granted. It's a huge task and I would take it with the seriousness it deserves because failure to carry out my obligations effectively will entail putting the lives of many innocent Americans on the line. Furthermore, terrorist attacks are well planned, well coordinated and well executed. With this understanding, I would begin by ensuring tight security measures at all American border points with the help of Homeland security agents. Secondly, I would go ahead to identify major likely terrorist targets that are highly vulnerable to terrorism attacks. According to the testimony of Assistant Secretary for infrastructure protection James L.Snynder, complex terrorist attacks are executed in a multiple patterns particularly in hotels and religious locations that carry a large number of people. Sometimes terror attacks may change from an overland entry to a water-borne entry, and I would therefore not hesitate to secure the American coasts and beaches and lastly the transportation sector. My major role and responsibility would thus focus on all vulnerable areas as pointed above (Homeland Security, 2012). Procedural Steps and Agencies to involve After identification of vulnerable areas that can easily be affected, secondly, I would lay and develop a strategic plan on preparedness including the communication of terror threat, then proceed to risk
The last subject I would like to mention is the interface between emergency management and homeland security. The interface between them is staying in their own lane especially when a disaster or crisis occurs. There are no grey areas when it comes to these two entities. According to David McIntyre, he considered the interface as a “sibling rivalry” because “one was older than the other” (Lucus-McEwen, 2012). Department of Homeland Security was created to focus on terrorism. While focusing on terrorism the emergency management piece was deprived resulting in emergency management taking a life on its own. No matter how you look these two entities they are family. But the funny thing is neither one can stand on its own without the help
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was formed more than a decade ago with a very significant mission of safeguarding America's homeland from hazards, threats, and national disasters. This department conducts its mission through securing the country's borders, preventing terror attacks, and responding to incidents or threats to its citizens (Miller, n.d.). Generally, the most important roles of the Department of Homeland Security are to lead a concerted national effort in securing the United States and preserving the American way of life. The department was established in 2002 in reaction to the 9/11 terror attacks and has since developed a nationwide strategic plan for evaluating and updating its mission statement and effectiveness of operations. These plans can be updated and transformed to accomplish the needs of the Department for Homeland Security and the American people.
Intelligence and Warning is Border and Transportation Security is responsible for protecting America's borders, territorial waters, and transportation systems by centralizing information-sharing and databases that track and monitor all aspects of border control and America's transportation systems. Domestic Counterterrorism covers a wide variety of activities, ranging from National Security Agency monitoring of telephone conversations to local police monitoring of persons of interest. Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets identifies a clear set of national goals and objectives and outlines the guiding principles that will underpin our efforts to secure the infrastructures and assets vital to our national security, governance, public health and safety, economy, and public confidence. Defending against Catastrophic Threats reduces vulnerability of the United States to terrorism. Emergency Preparedness and Response will create one emergency response plan to be used at all levels of government and will ensure that first-responders, from the federal government level down to local levels, receive proper training and equipment.
In the area of national strategy, the Office will work with executive departments and agencies and state and local governments to make certain the adequacy of the national strategy for detecting, preparing for, preventing, protecting against, responding to, and recovering from terrorist threats or attacks in the U.S. and will revise that strategy as necessary.
The homeland security is a department responsible for developing various mechanisms aimed at ensuring that the country is safe. The main focus of homeland security is to shield or reduce the cases of terror attacks. The prevention and response to both manmade and natural disasters also fall under homeland security (McElreath, Jensen, and Wigginton, 10). The Department of Homeland Security, therefore, has a broad range of responsibilities. At its formation in 2003, the department was composed of twenty-two federal agencies with over 180,000 employees. Homeland security’s formation was necessitated by the September 11th attacks in United States. Today, the Department of Homeland Security
By understanding the steps to prepare for countering and responding to a terrorist, the well-being of US national security interests can be promoted and the exposure to risk and susceptibility to experiencing harm can be efficiently managed for communities, families and individuals in the event of a terrorist incident. The welfare of US national security, citizens and property can be effectively safeguarded through the understanding of protection strategies administered collectively by local communities, families and individuals. Local emergency operations planning, family disaster planning, as well as self-protection planning each represent important protective measures, which serve to educate the nation and its citizens how to
Preventing the actions that took place on 9/11 is the top priority of the United States. The U.S.A. has taken many precautions to limit the rise of terrorism. One being more security on what a person can do. They check our bags in the airport, making sure we don’t have anything that can cause harm to the people. People have to be checked to enter events, and public spaces to give us more precaution. I believe people should be thoroughly checked in public places, vehicles, and on event where there would be many gathered. Security has to be stricter to prevent less actions of terrorism in the
The proper resources can be applied and allocated to various sectors to ensure protection of CIKR is maintained. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a significant role to ensure CIKR are protected, and to ensure necessary security measures are implemented. Risk management is an important process that must not get overlooked. The reason is because many roles and agency partners need tools to maintain a heightened posture of readiness. If each hazard is getting overlooked, CIKR will become an easy target of opportunity for a terrorist group. Communication at all levels of leadership to include each American can be very beneficial to support CIKR protection (DHS, 2009). It is amazing how a little awareness can be so beneficial in protecting the homeland. DHS freely provides security awareness information on their website about current threats, trends, and even holiday travel information. Additionally, this type of open source information is a proactive way to keep every American aware of what it takes to
Decrease the vulnerability of all critical structure, key resources, vital leadership and all major events that could be targeted by terrorist group.
In this research paper, I am going to discuss the plan that the Department of Homeland Security has set forth for the years of 2012-2016. This plan outlines the entire vision of the department to essentially accomplish their missions and goals. The plan consists of missions varying from border security to cyber security. We must not forget the men and women on the front line working hard to ultimately secure and provide safety for the United States of America.
Accordingly, the Department of Homeland Security’ mission statement addresses and appears to reflect the definition that the six crucial points of the National Strategy, which are first, intelligence and warning; second border and transportation security; third domestic counterterrorism. The fourth point of the National Strategy is the protection of critical infrastructures and vital assets, fifth defending against catastrophic threats and lastly emergency preparedness and
“We have learned as a Nation that we must maintain a constant, capable, and vigilant posture to protect ourselves against new threats and evolving hazards. But we have also learned that vigilance and protection are not ends in and of themselves, but rather necessary tools in the service of our national purpose.”(Napolitano, 2010, p.iv) In the wake of the September 11th, 2001 attacks our nation has taken upon itself extreme vigilance to ensure the security and defense of the American people. The relationship between homeland security and homeland defense is one that is tightly knit. Each has a very distinct mission set but somewhere along the spectrum they cross over and mutually support each other in the best interest of the nation.
As the Secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security, you are qualified to deal with this issue due to the immense threat it poses to
4. In the aftermath of the attack, what would you be worried about? What actions would you recommend?
One of the best guidance documents for these communities is the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 201 (CPG201). In this guide, communities will complete the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment. The THIRA has a detailed four-step process in developing a robust Risk Assessment to allow the community to develop its plans. The first step is to “identify the threats and hazards of concern” to the community. Some of the challenges described by the Department of Homeland Security may not be applicable to the community or may pose extremely limited threat. The second step in to “give the threats context” which states how