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November 2004
Secretary Tom Ridge’s recent resignation marks the end of a historic tenure. As the Department of Homeland Security’s first secretary, he had to be “on-watch,” protecting the nation against terrorist attacks every day, while at the same time building an organization to serve the nation well into the 21st century. Ridge leaves a legacy of many accomplishments. His successor, however, still has much work to do, learning the lessons of the department’s first years and restructuring the organization for the future. Homeland security is a strategic problem, and in areas of strategy, thought should precede action. Ridge’s greatest contribution to responding to the attacks of 9/11 was in forging a national homeland security strategy, a strategic approach to fighting terrorism. The fundamental principal of that strategy was building a “layered defense”—a balance of initiatives working together to prevent, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks. As Homeland Security Secretary, Ridge began building the foundational pillars of a truly national homeland security system. These included: • Establishing the US VISIT program. This automated entry/exit system will, for the first time in our nation’s history, allow immigration officials to account for visitors entering and leaving the country. It uses biometric data to verify identities, an added precaution to prevent fraud and screen for terrorists. • Implementing the Container Security Initiative, a cooperative agreement with foreign ports to identify, target, and search high-risk cargo. • Creating the first-ever National Incident Management System (NIMS), which establishes standardized processes and procedures for managing incidents for all emergency responders, whether federal, state, tribal, or local.
• Establishing a “flatter” department by consolidating agencies in border and transportation security and reorganizing directorates with regard both to preparedness and response and to intelligence. • Rationalizing security spending by establishing risk-based mechanisms for department-wide resource allocation and grant making. • Clarifying authorities and national leadership roles for biodefense, cyberdefense, and critical infrastructure protection by establishing and empowering lead executives.
James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., is Senior Research Fellow in Defense
and Homeland Security in the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis
Institute for International Studies at The Heritage Foundation. []
SOUTH WAVERLY -- Dan Nicholson Sr. served his country with a stint in the U.S. Army Special Forces and with the Department of Defense. Now, as an emergency management agent for South Waverly Borough, Nicholson is serving his community. Nicholson recently returned from an intensive 28-hour Enhanced Incident Management Unified Command (IM/UC) course at "Disaster City" in College Station, Texas. The course is designed to enhance participants' incident management and decision-making skills necessary to effectively and safely respond to a weapons of mass destruction/terrorism incident. The training is conducted under the auspices of the Office for Domestic Preparedness, which is a component of the Department of Homeland Security. Over the last couple of years Nicholson has completed enough disaster response courses -- from vehicle bomb search detection to FEMA's professional development certificate training to the recently completed weapons of mass destruction training -- to fill a binder with certificates. "I was in the Special Forces in the Army, so this is right up my alley when it comes to preparedness and training," said Nicholson, who is involved as an instructor for CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) and is a member of the United States Citizens Corps. "CERT is not active here in the Valley yet, but there are people working on it. It's something I hope we can get up and running soon. "The Citizens Corps is active ... it helps answer questions like 'How do I get involved,' as well as 'what do I do for my own family?,'" said Nicholson. "We distribute, as part of the process, 'Are you Ready?' publications produced by FEMA. They are being distributed now at post offices and libraries. It engages citizens in everything from natural disasters and chemical disasters to weapons of mass destruction. It's A to Z." Nicholson was the first person from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to complete training at Disaster City. Nicholson views it as a natural progression for him in his current role with South Waverly Borough. "Part of my duties is to constantly educate and prepare for disaster response, including weapons of mass destruction incidents. " "The training goes on and on. I guess that qualifies me as somewhat of an expert," laughed Nicholson. "Not really, I'm being facetious. I'm not sure if there is such thing as an expert in a weapons of mass destruction incident. "We're just a group of people who are trying to do something, and to be prepared in the event that something happens. "It was quite an experience," said Nicholson. The first question that comes to mind when speaking with Nicholson is, "Why?" Why spend your time in this manner? "Terrorism leaves us with two alternatives. We can either choose to be scared or we can choose to be prepared. I choose to be prepared," responds Nicholson. "It's preparedness and not paranoia. There's a level of preparation and things we can do to prepare prior to an incident and to actively participate in the federal government's war on terror here in the homeland," he added. Nicholson agrees that living in the Valley is somewhat safer than city living when it comes to acts of terrorism, but cautions that rural America needs to keep its eyes open. "It's more of a vigilance among the entire United States populace. There are things that we deal with in emergency management all the time, like possible hazmat incidents. We have some factories in our area that use chemicals, which presents a potential problem. "When you think of terrorism, you think of someone jumping on a plane and crashing into a building. That's not necessarily the case," said Nicholson, noting that the FBI has trained for scenarios involving terrorism in rural America. "The people in the Department of Homeland Security have to exhaust themselves in an effort to think of any scenario that is possible and then train people in that area. "General preparedness around the country is really the main focus, rather than what do we have here in Sayre that could happen? Because it could happen anywhere and you have to be prepared," said Nicholson. Again, Nicholson says preparing and not fearing a disaster, of any type, is the key to responding. "In my experience, the Valley is doing everything it can. There are numerous people in emergency management, the Red Cross and other various volunteer organizations, working for our safety. There's no reason to be afraid. There are a lot of tools available that are just getting to places like the Valley that are coming down from the federal level. It's just a matter of letting the public know they are out there," said Nicholson. Nicholson also believes that communications for emergency personnel has improved greatly since 9-11. "Communications is one of the issues that is being addressed at the national level. As a result of a lot of emergency personnel managers from around the country getting together and citing communications as one of the main problems, the U.S. has established, under a Department of Homeland Security presidential directive, a National Incident Management System (NIMS). It standardizes the entire country's approach to dealing with incidents in the incident command system. "Now, our communication abilities are alike and the types of resources that we utilize are standardized," said Nicholson. "To get funding and reimbursement from the government for
training and expenditures, jurisdictions are going to have to
be in compliance with NIMS. There is an effort, right down to
Sayre and South Waverly, to get in compliance," he said. []
The furniture arrives this week and the kids are already turning into Vols fans. Arizona transplant Kelley Mure is Blount County's first Homeland Security director and it seems she is settling in comfortably in East Tennessee. Mure started just short of a month ago today, on Oct. 25. She has come in and ``hit the ground running,'' said Blount County Finance Director Dave Bennett. Her first weeks have been filled with introductions, getting out to the fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and utilities to meet people and learn about their departmental capabilities. ``One of the most important things is establishing relationships,'' Mure, former emergency services coordinator for the city of Glendale, Ariz., said. ``You don't want to be meeting people for the first time under duress.'' One of Mure's goals will be getting the cities and counties compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS), put in place by presidential directive. NIMS standardizes practices for emergency services at all levels and aims to improve coordination for disasters, man-made or 0natural. Mure brought up NIMS during her interview with the local Homeland Security Council this summer when she was asked about long-term goals for the position. ``Her knowledge of Homeland Security and emergency services, and related specifically to NIMS, are extraordinary, and I think that's going to help a lot,'' said Bennett. There are consequences for governments that aren't in compliance with NIMS by 2006, such as loss of federal grants for equipment and pre- and post-disaster funding. But Mure doesn't seem worried that the cities or county won't be in compliance. Some of the pieces are already in place, she said, and coordination between city and county helps a lot as well. ``It's going to be one of my priorities,'' she said. Her office is in the courthouse, but the cities of Maryville, Alcoa and Blount County pay the director's salary through an interlocal agreement with the county Homeland Security Council, according to Bennett. Some other goals for the county include helping departments with assessments for NIMS and bringing back more funding to local governments for emergency preparedness. Mure has taken note of the county's many volunteer emergency services and wants to help them, too. ``One of my goals is to see the volunteer departments get the resources they need,'' she said. She also wants to improve the flow of public information regarding emergency preparedness and prevention. ``We need to make sure we're effectively communicating to the
people in our community, to the people we serve,'' she said. []
Washington, DC Thank you Kathy for that warm introduction. I’m honored to be here today with those of you who have been such steadfast partners in our efforts to better prepare the communities and families of this country. This is the week we give thanks, so let me begin by offering mine. Thank you to NAB and NCTA for hosting this event, as well as the Ad Council and BBDO for all your hard work in developing this campaign. And, of course, Marty, thank you for your continued commitment and that of the American Red Cross to this vital issue. Everyone knows the Red Cross is really the grandmother of all emergency preparedness efforts. Your hard work is critical to the progress we’ve made. When the Department of Homeland Security was stood up, President Bush laid out clear directives that have shaped our priorities and goals moving forward to protect this nation. One of those directives was to increase national preparedness. We’ve had a lot of help from private organizations such as the Red Cross who has a long history of preparing this nation to meet disasters. From state and local governments who have developed their own preparedness plans and education campaigns. And from private citizens who have taken the initiative to prepare their neighborhoods and homes. Our efforts at Homeland Security have encompassed a wide range of initiatives of which the Ready campaign is an integral part. For the preparedness message to resonate most effectively it must be delivered at the local and community level where it will make a difference. We must continue to reach out to our local and state leaders, city officials, first responders and citizens. And to invest them with the tools, direction and necessary resources to prevent and recover from any potential disaster whether natural or man-made. Most of you are familiar with our philosophy – we believe that homeland security is more than a federal department. It is a national calling. All of us have a role and responsibility in the protection of our country, and we must be both ready and willing to make security a priority. That’s why when we laid down key priorities for the Department on our first anniversary in March. Those priorities included building more prepared communities. And we have done so by developing procedures and policies that will guide our actions in the event of a terrorist attack; conducting training and exercises to ensure that our first responders possess a necessary level of preparedness; enhancing partnerships with state and local governments, private sector institutions and other organizations; and funding the purchase of much-needed equipment for first responders, states, cities, and towns. All of these activities contribute to a level of national preparedness that is critical to achieving our goal of a better prepared America. At Homeland Security we have worked with state and local partners to create a framework – a National Response Plan – for emergency preparedness planning that will guide and coordinate the integration of our national response capabilities, but also will ensure that localities and states still have the freedom to make decisions necessary to safeguard their citizens. We’re set to unveil this framework soon. This blueprint will enhance current federal capabilities and unify the team that will be charged with responding to potential attacks or disasters. It’s a plan that’s being developed with guidance from all stakeholders – including the American Red Cross. As part of this plan, we’ve introduced the National Incident Management System – or NIMS – so that, in the event of a crisis, everyone understands what their role will be – and will have the tools they need to be effective. For the first time, all of the Nation’s emergency teams and authorities will use a common language, and a common set of procedures when working individually – and together – to keep America safe. We are working with these same partners to develop a National Strategy for Preparedness. Citizen preparedness must be a component of that strategy, and I appreciate Marty Evans serving on the initiative’s steering committee, along with the efforts of others in this room and around the country. Of course, the main thrust of our operational efforts has been to provide for the good men and women on the front lines during an emergency. To date we have allocated or awarded more than $13 billion to ensure that our first responders have the right equipment, the right training and the right amount of support to continue to do their jobs well. Just as important as having the necessary resources and training is the ability for first responders to communicate and operate effectively at the scene of a disaster, regardless of jurisdiction or discipline. And so we have and will continue to aggressively pursue the establishment and implementation of interoperable standards and equipment. Emergency preparedness has changed so much through the years. We now have equipment that can detect the presence of a bomb, sensors that can pick up trace amounts of biological agents, and storm-tracking systems that give us precious warning and preparation time. And we have citizens ready to be engaged. We have professionals at all levels of government and the private sector who are smarter and better prepared than ever before. Our history as Americans has been marked by citizens ever ready to lend a hand and answer the call of those in need. On September 11th, our nation and an entire world saw the tremendous spirit of compassion and heroic sacrifice that resides in the hearts of the American people. That spirit displayed so prominently in the wake of 9/11 is a powerful force that we have sought to harness and bring to our aid in the fight against terrorism. In doing so, we have depended on our partners in the private sector, academia and all levels of government to help us engage and empower citizens to embrace a direct role in securing their families, their freedoms and their communities. Our efforts at Homeland have been centered around the work of the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Ready has truly taken off and greatly exceeded expectations. In the short time since its launch, the simple “Ready” message – make a plan, get a kit, be informed – has reached millions of American families. This past year we’ve built on the initial campaign with the launch of Ready Business and the development of Ready Kids, which will kick off within a few weeks. In September we were joined by more than 80 partners and all 56 states and territories in marking our first annual National Preparedness Month – a month in which nearly 60 million people heard the preparedness message. Yet the most important measure of accomplishment can be found in the number of Americans who have not only heard the message…but taken action. From coast to coast, 58 percent of American households have taken at least one step to prepare their homes and families – whether putting together an emergency kit, working out a family communication plan or searching for information on what to do in the event of a disaster. That number is the result of a lot of hard work by people in this room. The intent of the new ads unveiled today is to further galvanize our collective efforts so we can make that number to grow even larger. We’ve made a significant start this first year of the campaign, but that’s what it is – a start. Taking one step is great, but we need Americans to take all three steps, and we will keep working towards that aim. This is a long-term commitment and together we must be prepared to see it through for many years to come. Of great help in spreading the “Ready”” message has been Citizen Corps. Citizen Corps is an all volunteer organization that helps Americans find ways to make a personal investment in the security of their community. Citizen Corps Councils, which have grown in number to more than 1,400, have helped us deliver the Ready message at the all-important grassroots level and have provided countless opportunities for citizens to volunteer their skills and time toward preparing for a disaster. As a result, in the aftermath of the devastating hurricanes of a few months ago, Citizen Corps volunteers who had been trained in first aid, disaster relief, and who were willing to help were deployed to assist citizens of Florida, Louisiana and surrounding states get back on their feet. Both Ready and Citizen Corps have drawn upon the strength of our citizenry to make this nation stronger and more secure. It’s our responsibility to sustain that momentum and push for even higher standards of preparedness. Over the next year, Citizen Corps will continue to expand – adding 750 new Community Emergency Response Teams, bolstering integration efforts between citizen participation and homeland security initiatives and striving to have Councils in place to serve 70 percent of the U.S. population. At Homeland Security, we will continue to build on the Ready campaign by creating a mentoring initiative through Ready Business, incorporating a school based program that will complement the Ready Kids website and renewing our commitment to National Preparedness Month. In pursuing this work, we look forward to the continued support and partnership we gain from those of you who are part of this extraordinary national effort. Your time and commitment so far have been instrumental in helping us strengthen awareness and spearhead action throughout the citizenry and communities of this vast land. Bottom line – we’re all in this together. Each of us bears the title of citizen. So we must also shoulder the responsibilities that accompany that great trust. And in doing so we will ensure that future generations of citizens inherit more than just a title, but also the blessings of liberty that, in this great nation, the title of citizen represents. Thank you. ### []
If a major chemical disaster struck the Bayer campus in West Haven or the Cytek plant in Wallingford, evacuation might well extend to neighboring communities — and your level of danger might just depend on which way the wind was blowing. If Connecticut was walloped by a Category 5 hurricane, the only way to rescue you from your underwater house in New Haven might be through East Haven. A few miles to the west, the only way off Milford Point might be by boat from Stratford. If a terrorist’s bomb blew up the Yale Bowl during a football game, thousands of casualties might be cut off from New Haven. West Haven’s Allingtown Fire Department, which is on the other side, might need lots of help. For many years, police, fire, health, public works and education departments did not give these issues great consideration, at least not in any great detail beyond mutual aid for major fires. But in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — and with strong encouragement, including financial incentives, from the federal government — they’re thinking, talking and meeting about it now. The full extent of the planning might be reassuring. Or a shock. But whether it’s widely known or not, it’s taking place. One goal — especially in Connecticut, one of just two states without county government — is to use the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s National Incident Management System to establish a protocol to create a broader emergency structure that can act regionally in an emergency. Nearly $40 million in federal money is financing the effort. The idea, Wallingford Fire Chief Peter Strubel said last week at the first meeting of a new regional emergency planning body, is that in Connecticut, "We can still keep our … 169 cities and towns. But we can bring it together … and make it look like Dade County, Fla., when we need to." In recent months, area emergency officials have divided the region into four sub-regions and begun stationing equipment such as decontamination trailers in remote locations, both to keep it close to area communities and so that if one area gets cut off by a disaster, others still can respond. The equipment, much of it bought with U.S. Department of Homeland Security funds, has been selected so area towns for the first time have compatible equipment that they all know how to use, officials said. "If a situation occurs, these things don’t know any boundaries — New Haven, East Haven, West Haven," said New Haven Fire Chief Michael Grant. "By pooling all of our resources, we’re better equipped to deal with a situation. "We’ve always had communication with other towns, primarily for fire purposes," Grant said. But ever since it became clear that a major disaster might just as easily be man-made as an act of God, "it has really heightened," he said. If there is ever a chemical leak or explosion in West Haven, "It will be in New Haven in 30 minutes. It will be in East Haven in 40 minutes," said East Haven Fire Chief Wayne Sandford, chairman of New Haven Area Special Hazards, a regional emergency response team formed before 9/11 but even more vital now. The regional body, which represents 16 cities and towns, is one of five regional emergency response teams in the state, joining those in the Hartford, Norwich, Waterbury/Torrington and Fairfield County areas. It formulates the region’s response to major disasters that cut across local lines. A second body, the South Central Regional Emergency Planning Committee, aims to do on a regional level what municipal readiness committees already have done in individual cities and towns: have a plan in place for anything that might happen, be it a natural disaster or a terrorist attack. That organization held its first meeting Wednesday at the New Haven Fire Department academy, with representatives of a number of communities, including New Haven, East Haven, Orange, Milford, Wallingford, Yale University and various state and regional agencies attending. "It’s much more than just fire" departments cooperating, said Sandford. "It’s fire, it’s police, … it’s health, it’s education. It really crosses all the boundaries for emergency management," he said. "Massachusetts and Connecticut are the only two places that don’t have county forms of government and it does make it a little trickier, because you’re missing that built-in level of cooperation," said New Haven’s acting chief administrative officer Jennifer Pugh, who is in charge of disbursing $7.6 million in federal funds earmarked for New Haven and the six municipalities that border it. "But it’s actually gone pretty well," she said. "What we’re getting better at, I think, is identifying where we can cooperate, working with our neighbors." While it technically belongs to New Haven, one key regional resource is the New Haven Police Department’s new, state-of-the-art Hazardous Devices Unit Response Vehicle, which replaced the department’s 1985-vintage "bomb truck." The vehicle, bought with $136,000 in Homeland Security funds, is one of four in the state, with the others operated by the Hartford and Stamford police departments and state police. The vehicle organizes and transports all the things the department might need to identify and begin responding to an emergency, from protective "bomb suits" to sensitive chemical and radiological metering and monitoring equipment, officials said. "It’s kind of one big, rolling tool box," said Lt. Rick Rohloff, the department’s emergency services coordinator. The NHPD, under Chief Francisco Ortiz, expects eventually to become the first police department in the state to have all 417 of its sworn officers fully trained and issued protective equipment to respond to any sort of disaster, squad member Ray Crowley said. While the FBI would be lead investigator in any kind of terrorism event, "we have a great relationship with the state and federal government," Crowley said. "We train jointly with state police and the FBI." "Readiness" has been a buzzword since the days of Civil Defense and Cold War-era fallout shelters. But what’s going on today is not the same, said Sandford. "The big difference is that in the ’50s and ’60s it was totally defensive," he said. "Basically, we were building shelters to protect the residents. I think now, after 9/11, we have seen that police and fire are the defenders" of society’s security and well-being." Now the region’s health directors are meeting and coming up with a regional plan to map out the public health response to various disasters, said East Shore Health District Director Jim Monopoli. The ultimate goal is to have a statewide public health emergency plan, said David J. Brown, emergency preparedness planner for the state Department of Public Health.
[]
Some who attended said that Rove emphasized Bush's increased margins among distinct segments of the electorate _ hispanics, women, evangelicals, and others _ and a major theme was how these added majorities justified the President's claim of having received a mandate in the Nov. 2 vote. Earlier, Mehlman had also dismissed those who questioned the mandate notion, though this was not the focus of his talk. Before departing, the Republican Governor's Association members chose Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn it's new chairman, succeeding Taft. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts was chosen vice chairman. Rove's lightning visit provided some excitement but overall the annual, corporate-sponsored meeting was a bland affair. Ridge, the security czar, regaled the state chief executives _ some of whom had already fled the gathering _ with a welter of acronyms, talking up what he called a "National Incident Management System," warning the governors about "Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices" _ car bombs _ and telling them that even more money was available for homeland security efforts than they were perhaps aware of. Ridge, an ex-governor himself, came under criticism during the campaign for appearances and warnings that some said appeared overtly political, or designed to help Bush's re-election effort. The former marine curtly dismissed those critics, saying "we don't do politics" at the Homeland Security department. There was no mistaking the partisan nature of the group he addressed here Friday, however, nor of the politics-oriented buzz that surrounded the gathering: satisfaction that Republicans have now increased their previous 28-22 majority by one, with the apparent win of Washington governor-elect Dino Rossi (who got a standing ovation at the Thursday dinner); and plotting to add still more governships to the Republican column. Ridge told the Republican governors here _ as part of a message he promised for Democratic governors shortly as well: "One of the challenges we've had is getting money out the door to you. I will tell you, you haven't accessed it all." When he had done, the remaining participants bolted to planes or to a celebrated French Quarter bar, the Napoleon House, to celebrate the party's triumphs.
[]
Thank you, Governor Taft, for that kind introduction. I’m honored to be here with many of my former colleagues. They say: “Once a governor, always a governor.” I like the sound of that. And for those of you who are here for the first time, you should, too. Congratulations, you’re in good company. One of the reasons this saying has stuck around is because governors take their experiences with them wherever the next step leads: to the private sector, to independent organizations, to the Senate, to the Cabinet – or to the Presidency – for two terms! Governors balance budgets and provide services. Governors remove snow and plant trees. Governors help and heal in a crisis. And some governors make movies, at least one does. But all governors draw experience from a broad range of responsibilities. Whether you govern in Rhode Island or Texas, you have to deal with issues small and large. Well, no issue is bigger than homeland security. As you know, the responsibilities of homeland security fall largely on you, and the homeland security advisors and first responders who work closely with you. And I can assure you that my experience as governor of Pennsylvania – both before and after 9/11 – guides my work at the Department of Homeland Security every day. I realize how much we rely on your expertise and effort, which is part of the reason we have worked so hard to improve the working relationship between the federal government and our partners at the state and local level. And these relationships and partnerships have brought results – results that have made this nation more secure. I am pleased to report that together we’ve created a robust communication system and dedicated ourselves to unprecedented cooperation. Widespread coordination and information sharing are the hallmarks of our new approach to homeland security. These new tools for communication reach horizontally across federal departments and agencies and vertically to our partners at the state, local, territorial, and tribal levels. The communications systems we have developed are technologically smarter, easier to use and more effective than ever in our country’s history. For instance, our State and Local Coordination Office maintains a desk in our state-of-the-art Homeland Security Operations Center – a 24/7 nerve center for information and situational awareness. In the event of an incident, this Center will enable us to quickly and effectively get important information to everyone who needs it to protect our citizens. We’ll do that primarily through the Homeland Security Information Network. Through this system we send several products such as information bulletins and threat advisories that allow us to tailor specific information for specific recipients – for instance a part of the country or an individual sector of society. I want to assure you that we see communication as a two-way process. We collect information from the field and listen to what our partners need from us in order to do their jobs better. Let me re-emphasize that point. We listen to what you need from us, because we all have the same job to do: protect the homeland. While we make improvements to information sharing at the federal level, I encourage you to look internally as well. It’s important to continue developing intra-state intelligence fusion centers to enhance your capabilities and ensure statewide connectivity. And while we also see an important future for similar interstate fusion centers, we’d like to incorporate them into our regional structure once that becomes final. In addition, working together, we developed the National Incident Management System – you know it as NIMS. It’s a common playbook for federal, state, territorial, tribal and local governments to use as we prepare for and work to prevent domestic incidents of any kind. I sent all governors a letter in September detailing the steps you need to take to implement this uniform set of processes, protocols and procedures. As the timelines for compliance come into focus, I urge you to take action now – so that we are all ready to respond together if necessary. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking right now – it’s a movie quote, and it isn’t “I’ll be back.” You want me to show you the money. Well, we have. More than $8.5 billion has been awarded to state and local governments through our newly streamlined grant process. And another $4 billion is on the way in the FY ’05 Budget. I have visited many places throughout the country to see this money in action. Thanks to your hard work, this money is already making people safer. But we want to make sure those funds move even faster into the hands of our first responders across the country. That’s why I established the Secretary’s Task Force on State and Local Grant Funding. The task force was chaired by Governor Romney and vice-chaired by Mayor Don Plusquelic of Akron, Ohio. And it had representation from state legislatures, law enforcement, fire and emergency management as well as other mayors and governors from across the country. This group found that many of the hold-ups in moving money occurred at the state or local level, and so they made several recommendations to fix these problems. Among the most important actions recommended is to streamline state and local procurement rules and regulations as well as legislative oversight procedures. And so I urge you to personally take a leadership role as you work to implement these measures to streamline the grant process in your states, cities and towns. The Task Force also found that the reimbursement requirement under the ODP grant programs presented a problem for many cash-strapped state and local governments. This year, at our request, Congress has allowed for an exemption from the Cash Management Act – so communities in your states won’t have to spend their own money upfront to purchase new equipment. This one year exemption is an opportunity for you and local leaders across the nation to build a grants process that will work faster and smarter in the long-run. Of course, all of the technology advancements and system improvements – and even money – cannot replace one thing: the benefits of partnership. Every single employee at the Department of Homeland Security is committed to building strong partnerships with our state counterparts. Whether our folks are patrolling a border checkpoint, sitting watch in the HSOC, reviewing grant proposals or screening passengers in our airports, we are committed to working with you to achieve our mission: preserving our freedoms, protecting America: securing our homeland. And I know that you are committed to the same thing. As governors, you understand what it means to get things done, and what it takes to do so. In this case, it takes each of us working individually and together to prevent a terrorist attack. I don’t have to remind you that while we work hard to reduce our vulnerabilities and prevent an attack, we are operating at a heightened state of alert across the country. As you deal with everything from stadium construction to school performance, I urge you to remember that homeland security continues to be a critical priority for all of us. Thank you for your continued efforts to improve the already strong partnership that exists between the federal and state governments. You are stewards of a great legacy of state leadership. Your individual actions improve security for your citizens. And by working together, we can – and will – continue to protect the benefits of freedom for all Americans. Thank you. ### []
An integrated national plan for response to terrorist attacks and other national emergencies is likely to be approved by Cabinet secretaries by the end of this week, Deputy Homeland Security Secretary James Loy said Tuesday.
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Interoperability is a hot topic in homeland security discussions, where it affects voice and data communications among first responders. Although many groups, including the criminal justice, transportation and medical communities, have solved some internal interoperability problems, often the transportation community's solutions are not interoperable with those of the medical community. Recognizing the problem, officials in the Homeland Security Department's Disaster Management e-Government Initiative Office are working with members of the Emergency Interoperability Consortium to develop an interoperability language known as Emergency Data Exchange Language (EDXL). The consortium is made up of federal, state and local agency officials and information technology industry leaders. The members' goal is to have first responders use EDXL, an Extensible Markup Language standard. Systems that can handle XML will be able to handle the metadata specific to a first responder community, standards experts say. Most systems will be able to use EDXL as system development progresses. Data interoperability is crucial for nationwide emergency response systems. DHS' National Incident Management System (NIMS), for example, is needed for information sharing, said Frank Cilluffo, director of the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University. The future effectiveness of NIMS depends on common federal, state and local policies and practices that must be in place by the end of 2007, Cilluffo said. "The ability to communicate, the ability to make sure that the data is interoperable, will be absolutely crucial to these efforts," he said. Experts at all levels of government have been talking about achieving interoperability, but true interoperability has been attained only in small, regional efforts. EDXL, standards experts say, should allow emergency response officials to share information more broadly. Besides NIMS, other interoperability systems and initiatives, such as the National Capitol Region's Capital Wireless Integrated Network, could use EDXL to communicate with other systems. But EDXL alone will not fully solve the interoperability problem, public safety experts say. Policy issues also must be considered, including providing systems to cash-strapped communities and identifying the type of information to be shared. Deciding who will have access to what information will be a continual matter of debate, said John Markey, director of the Office of Emergency Management Fire and Rescue Service Division in Frederick County, Md. The EDXL standard itself is the next step in the evolution of the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), an open standard for exchanging hazard warnings and reports. That protocol has already been tested and certified as an international standard by the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, a nonprofit, global consortium that is developing e-business standards. CAP is in place and in use, and the XML schema will enhance its technical capability so that better policy decisions can be made, said public officials familiar with the protocol. With XML "headers" and "wrappers," emergency response data can be freely exchanged among systems and applications, said Jack Potter, director of emergency services at Winchester Medical Center in Virginia. With EDXL, he said, "any given jurisdiction or agency picks
the [application] that works best for them." []
Mountain Home: Concerning the Mountain Home City Council's unanimous approval of the NIMS Resolution: I went to the Mountain Home City Council meeting and urged them to read the supporting documents that precipitated the NIMS Resolution. I was concerned they would not realize the gravity of their agreement with the federal government. I do not believe we should give up personal freedoms for the purposes of receiving money from the government. I ask the people of Mountain Home to read what this obligates them to do concerning Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-5 and HSPD-8. Anyone can read all the documents by going to www.fema.gov/nims. All I asked of the city council was for them to read the documents before voting. The members would not. Also, the Baxter County Quorum Court is considering the same type of resolution. Please do not prostitute our freedom for money. "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." — Benjamin
Franklin
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