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God Protocol: In Search of a Common Ethical Approach to Disaster Response
From the thesis abstract: "The evolution of domestic disaster response within the United States has created a dissonance between the capabilities of response resources and public expectations. Resource shortages in a catastrophe will compel decision-makers in disaster response organizations at all levels of government to make difficult choices. Given America's social contract, the ethical foundation for these choices should be common and consistent between the various actors. This research provides a primer on the abstracta (philosophical) and concreta (practical) issues impacting ethical choices about the allocation and distribution of food and water in response to a catastrophe. A single case study reviewing the Cascadia Subduction Zone provides a focused, threaded scenario to illustrate the interplay of the philosophical and practical issues. The research and application within the case study found that while the social contract creates both rights and expectations, government response cannot be assessed solely on the basis of quantifiable outcomes. The measure of effectiveness for response remains largely socially constructed due to the discursive framing by the various actors involved in disaster response. While a common ethical approach may be overly ambitious, this thesis recommends various procedural remedies to achieve greater consonance in ethical approaches."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Soucie, Eric D.
2018-12
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Using the Fire Service to Build Community Engagement
From the thesis abstract; "Modern American society lacks active citizen engagement in disaster preparedness. Membership in social and religious organizations, too, is declining. FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] has acknowledged that it can no longer sustain response and recovery without a whole-community approach, yet efforts to engage citizens in the process of preparedness are limited; first responders alone are responsible for the success or failure of a disaster response. What can the career fire services do to better engage citizens so that communities can support themselves in times of disaster? Using a case study approach, this thesis analyzes Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs from two fire departments to determine which parts of the programs produced more engaged citizens. A critical component of citizen engagement is a dynamic and dedicated fire department liaison who can keep volunteers coming back to the organization." Supplemental statistical information for this thesis may be found at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=811402]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Garrels-Bates, Melanie J.
2018-03
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Defining the Role and Responsibility of the Fire Service within Homeland Security
From the thesis abstract: "Many fire service providers (FSPs) do not adequately address homeland security. While some FSPs in the United States have dedicated homeland security divisions or operational practices, the majority do not. The current roles and responsibilities of most FSPs appear to be broad and vague, as there are no overall adopted best practices for developing homeland security response procedures and/or practices. While the majority of FSPs deliver fire suppression and emergency medical services, the majority of FSPs have not broadened their service delivery models to address the preventative, emergent and recovery phases of service delivery within homeland security. While there are no widely accepted practices, regulations or standards addressing FSPs and their expectations within homeland security, it is possible to create a structure upon which FSPs may build. This document will demonstrate the importance of cultural acceptance of homeland security services, which will lead to effective planning and preparedness as well as appropriate resourcing and training practices. From these components FSPs, regardless of their size, jurisdiction served, geographic location, jurisdictional target threat assessments, budgetary resources and staffing matrixes will be able to create a structure that will allow them to provide effective and efficient homeland security services."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Jones, Dennis D.
2010-03
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Mass Care (ESF-6) Preparedness for Catastrophic Disasters
"The author of this thesis asserts that the current mass care response capability of the state of Missouri is insufficient to meet the sheltering, feeding and bulk distribution needs of the projected affected population in a catastrophic disaster. This thesis focuses on a catastrophic seismic event along the New Madrid fault zone resulting in an earthquake with a Richter scale reading approximating 7.7 or higher to determine the baseline mass care needs. A capability gap exists due to an insufficient number of trained, qualified mass care volunteers. Correcting this deficiency requires a new approach including the modification of the current management structure and the active participation and collaboration between all levels of government, volunteer organizations and the private sector. The author proposes concepts that appear to be basic in nature to emergency managers, but when presented to the volunteer community were welcomed, but perceived as progressive. These corrective actions include a state-wide recruiting effort, standardized training and a more hierarchal management structure within the Emergency Support Function 6."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Charrier, Ronald J.
2009-09
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Finding the 'Sweet Spot' for Catastrophic Incident Search and Rescue
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis examines the national preparedness to conduct catastrophic incident search and rescue (SAR) using organization-specific doctrine, concept plans, congressional research reports and testimonies, after action reviews, periodicals, federal government plans, interviews, a focus group and two benchmark studies. The research indicates that individual organizations conduct SAR activities well, but combined, joint and interagency catastrophic search and rescue preparations are lacking. Should another catastrophic incident occur tomorrow, the SAR results will likely exhibit the same unacceptable inefficiency as was found in Hurricane Katrina. Finding the sweet spot for response to catastrophic incidents is needed. There are three major findings: First, a national strategy for SAR is needed. This epic effort will help to improve the interagency coordination between equity holders of the search and rescue megacommunity and set the conditions to improve catastrophic incident SAR. Secondly, a Joint Air Ground Coordination Center (JAGCC) is critical to effective response operations. Two benchmark studies suggest a framework for developing a SAR coordination center using experiences of the wildland firefighting community and the United States Secret Service. Finally, domestic and international interagency coordination through integrated strategy development, planning, training and exercises is needed to improve response operations."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Bleakney, Eric M.
2009-09
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First Responder Weapons of Mass Destruction Training Using Massively Multiplayer On-line Gaming
"This thesis proposes the development of a Massively Multiplayer On-Line Game (MMOG) to deliver Weapons of Mass Destruction Training to the nation's first responders and civilians. MMOG technology offers a cost effective alternative to existing training methodologies. Existing first responder WMD training often uses traditional in-residence classes. These current training methods are expensive, lack standardization, and do not have provable outcomes. Scaling up existing training to meet the needs of millions of responders would be cost prohibitive. Modern information technologies such as MMOGs offer a safe, efficient, effective and fun alternative mechanism to deliver training. MMOGs could scale to meet the volume of training need at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. The DoD has proven the effectiveness of simulation games as a training tool, and the use of gaming and simulations is recognized in academia."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Richardson, Thomas J.
2004-06
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Synchronizing Federal Operational Planning for National Catastrophes
"This thesis proposes the establishment of a Center for National Catastrophe Planning to address systemic problems in the planning for national catastrophes. The state of the art planning capabilities of the federal government do not include a structure to coordinate, validate and synchronize federal level operational plans effectively. Nor does it include the means to integrate nonfederal stakeholders into the planning process. Since the Three Mile Island disaster, the governance structure has been modified after each major catastrophe to address major shortcomings that resulted in poor response performance by the federal government. These failures were consistently attributed to the lack of coordination and synchronization of federal operational plans with key stakeholders. Today, the federal government has a modernized governance framework but the core structure that caused the problems remains in place. The system is based on the assumption that the federal departments and agencies have the required planning capabilities and follow the governance structure as designed to develop, coordinate and integrate operational plans for catastrophes. History has proven the folly of this assumption. The Center for National Catastrophe Planning could effectively bridge these gaps by providing a structure with adequate authorities to integrate and synchronize federal operational plans."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Ithier, Jan P.
2010-03
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Safety Risk Management for Homeland Defense and Security Responders
"Responders at the Federal, state, and local level are critical to Homeland Defense and Security (HLDS). Building from the recently published RAND and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) report on responder safety, this thesis explores the issues associated with creating a safety risk management capability that will enable HLDS responders to better protect themselves from harm and enhance their readiness. Risk management experiences within the military were benchmarked with emphasis upon lessons learned from the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy. This revealed that Operational Risk Management (ORM), a risk-based decision-making tool that systematically balances risk and mission completion, and Crew Resource Management (CRM), a human factors-based team coordination training, should be the primary components focused upon to build the safety risk management capability. Development of ORM and CRM capabilities for HLDS responders will require strong national and local leadership, innovative measurement tools, clear accountability, and should be implemented via the national preparedness model outlined in Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5) and HSPD-8. ORM and CRM, if successfully established, can provide HLDS responders with the safety risk management capability that enables them to safely and effectively provide their vital services to the Nation."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Meyers, Tommey H.
2005-09
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No Emergency Incident Recognizes Borders
From the thesis abstract: "The state of Arizona and the bordering towns of northern Mexico acknowledge the need for capability planning. They recognize the benefits of bi-national response and collaborative sharing of resources in times of disaster. Municipalities in southern Arizona and northern Mexico are taking a preventive approach and have created the Bi- National Arizona Emergency Response Task Force (BAERTF). The goal of the BAERTF is to deliver a timely, supportive response and automatic, mutual-aid capability to any jurisdiction in the state of Arizona or northern Mexico that experiences a disaster, terrorist-based or otherwise, that overwhelms the local response on either side of the border. Consequently, the expertise and application of the task force will be all-hazard (natural disasters, manmade disasters, and terrorist acts), adhering to the U.S. federal vision of comprehensive emergency management achieved through integrated emergency management systems both in the United States and Mexico. The intent is to address a perennial problem faced by small jurisdictions in both countries when dealing with disasters: events of any magnitude may quickly outstrip the ability of the jurisdiction and its local mutual aid to respond effectively while waiting for federal response.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Anderson, Christopher A.
2011-03
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Effective State, Local, and Tribal Police Intelligence: The New York City Police Department's Intelligence Enterprise- a Smart Practice
"State, local, and tribal law enforcement (SLTLE) agencies play a significant role in homeland security. Their intelligence function supports their hometown and the nation's homeland security. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) recognized that the same intelligence that secures the homeland is required to secure New York City. NYPD restructured its organizational structure and external business practices to acquire the requisite intelligence to secure NYC and in effect facilitated the nation's homeland security. This thesis identifies NYPD's intelligence practices as a smart practice that SLTLE agencies should adopt, scaled and tailored to their realities and needs, to secure their hometowns and to compound a national effort to secure the homeland."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Comiskey, John G.
2010-03
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Sports Venue Security: Public Policy Options for SEAR 4-5 Events
From the thesis abstract: "Although the United States made considerable advances in improving sport venue security following 9/11, many sporting events remain vulnerable to attack. The perceived lack of threat to smaller venues, budget limitations and technical constraints are restricting the level of patron and vehicle screening at Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) 4--5 events. This thesis assesses the risk of attack by analyzing 21st century developments in explosive trace detection and closed-circuit television technologies, as well as trends surrounding the terrorist target value of SEAR 4--5 events. The research shows that these events have become viable, valuable terrorist targets because of increasing attendance and rapidly expanding exposure via cable television, satellite broadcasts, and the Internet. It identifies shortcomings of national protection doctrine and outlines potential cost-effective policy options to better support SEAR 4--5 sporting event venue security. Establishing a national doctrine, organizational support and training standards, along with deploying select surveillance and detection technologies, will bring untold benefits to the national protection mission."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Gehring, James M.
2014-06
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Enemies List: The Foreign Terrorist Organization List and Its Role in Defining Terrorism
From the thesis abstract: "The United States defines terrorism through the lists it maintains identifying those who are engaged in, support, and/or facilitate terrorism. One such list is the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list. Because the FTO designation process occurs without the organization's knowledge or ability to challenge the evidence, uses classified information to make the determination, and has limited judicial oversight, concerns have been expressed that the Executive Branch has too much discretion in this process. The concerns are exacerbated by the perception that political motivations dominate the decision-making process. Using content analysis, the FTO list is analyzed using a quantitative and qualitative approach. First, the terrorist designation processes used in allied countries is examined, and the list is analyzed by reviewing FTO decisions made before and after 9/11. Through an analysis of the annual State Department country reports describing the FTOs, the nonstatutory factors that influence FTO decisions emerge, and include whether a group attacked Israel or other allied nation of strategic interest to the United States, attacked the United States or its citizens, or is affiliated with al Qaeda. These nonstatutory factors and their application to U.S. counterterrorism strategy, is how the United States defines terrorism at any point in time." An 8-min, 47-second video interview on this thesis is also available at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=752920]
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Decker, Eileen M.
2014-03
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Using a Counterfactual Process to Identify the Applicability of Emerging Technology
From the thesis abstract: "Law enforcement is often ill-prepared to identify and adopt emerging technologies into its agencies and communities. This ineffectiveness frequently leads to unintended consequences, as well as a technological gap between police departments and the criminal elements. This thesis examines how counterfactual analysis might assist law enforcement organizations to successfully implement emerging technologies into society. A counterfactual thought experiment was conducted using a historical event in which the applicability of an emerging technology (or antecedent) was analyzed. The antecedent for this scenario was Augmented Reality technology, in the possession of law enforcement personnel during the Boston Marathon Bombing that occurred on April 15, 2013. This thesis found that counterfactual analyses could allow agencies to assess the value of emerging technologies by considering their hypothetical use in past incidents and determining applicability in the future. Adopting this process might assist law enforcement in becoming more efficient in acquiring and implementing new technologies into its communities."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Johnson, Michael William
2014-09
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Should Cops Be Spies? Evaluating the Collection and Sharing of National Security Intelligence by State, Local and Tribal Law Enforcement
From the thesis abstract: "Presidential commissions, the Congress, and numerous national law enforcement groups have noted that the unfettered collection and sharing of intelligence is key to the prevention and mitigation of terrorism in the United States. The sharing of classified national security intelligence collected by the United States Intelligence Community with nonfederal law enforcement is, however, problematic, particularly since the tragic events of September 11, 2001. This thesis examines problems associated with the collection and sharing of classified national security intelligence with and by state, local and tribal law enforcement. It explores four policy options for the collection and sharing of national security intelligence, including Intelligence-led Policing, Nationwide Suspicious Activities Reporting Initiative; the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force; the National Counterterrorism Center/National Fusion Center; and the British Special Branch system. It recommends an American adaptation of the British Security Service and Metropolitan Police Service Special Branch model meant to improve the sharing of classified national security intelligence vital to the protection of the homeland. The recommendations in this thesis are designed to promote a debate on the utility and feasibility of classified national security intelligence collection within the homeland by state, local and tribal law enforcement."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Gomez, David C.
2013-03
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Terror Sting Operations in the Muslim Community-Developing Recommendations for Improving Public Support
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis analyzes the criticisms surrounding the use of terror sting operations by law enforcement agencies for the purpose of developing recommendations to increase public support, particularly among the American Muslim population. The relevant literature is replete with criticisms surrounding the behavior of civilian informants during terror sting operations and the effect those actions have on community relations. Critics claim that terror sting operations constitute spying, profiling, and entrapment. Contrary to that claim, however, is the fact that these operations have successfully withstood intense legal scrutiny; trials in which defendants are accused of carrying out these plots have always resulted in conviction. The goal of this thesis, therefore, is not to argue that the operations not be conducted, but rather to identify improvements that law enforcement agencies can implement to minimize the perception that terror sting operations are a form of entrapment or profiling. The results of this research are recommendations centered on addressing the most common or legitimate criticisms. The goal of these recommendations is to minimize the negative impact on community relations while simultaneously improving the quality of terror sting operations."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Huerta, Jason
2013-09
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Preparing the National Capital Region to Conduct a Multijurisdictional and Interdisciplinary Law Enforcement Investigation
From the thesis abstract: "When the DC Sniper shootings occurred in 2002, local law enforcement (LE) agencies in the National Capital Region (NCR) did not have a framework in place to investigate a large-scale multijurisdictional investigation involving dozens of federal, state, and local LE agencies. As of 2013, the NCR still does not have a framework. This thesis used multiple sources of information and analysis to develop a list of recommendations directed to the NCR Police Chiefs Committee about how such a framework could be developed and what some of the features should be. The sources of information included lesson learned from the after-action analysis of the DC Sniper case by the Police Executive Research Forum, academic research on collaboration, the National Incident Management System, and input from 19 multijurisdictional and intergovernmental subject matter experts (SME) in the NCR, including SMEs from the LE, fire, fusion center, and public information disciplines. In February 2013, the NCR Police Chiefs Committee endorsed the recommendations and started the process to create a framework for managing a multijurisdictional investigation in the NCR."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Raum, Philip C.
2013-09
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'What the Hell Do We Do Now?' A Policy Options Analysis of State, Local, and Tribal Law Enforcement Participation in Immigration Enforcement
From the thesis abstract: "Many components come together to form not only the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but the larger homeland security enterprise across the country. State, local and tribal assets are part of the fabric of homeland security efforts, along with federal entities, in prevention, response and recovery. While immigration enforcement at the federal level was formally brought into DHS, state, local and tribal (SLT) enforcement agencies are potential partners in that effort, as pointed out in the 9/11 Commission Report. This thesis outlines some of the legal authorities for the use of local agencies, the diversity of approach and opinion in these efforts, and a cross-section of agency policies and SLT ordinances that direct enforcement efforts. Using a Policy Options analysis framework, SLT agency policies were examined and evaluated in five areas: effectiveness, legality, acceptability, efficiency, and implementation. Based on this research, it is apparent that not only is there a disparity of opinion and approach to immigration enforcement, there is a lack of any policy at all for a majority of agencies. Recommendations for enforcement efforts include not only the importance of forming a policy but doing so in a collaborative way, including federal, SLT and community partners."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Nelson, Jeffrey M.
2013-09
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Active Shooters: Is Law Enforcement Ready for a Mumbai Attack?
From the thesis abstract: "Between April 16, 2007, and December 14, 2012, the United States has seen 25 mass shootings, seven of which occurred in 2012. A report by United States Department of Homeland Security, in 2009, suggested that the United States will be the target of a terrorist act that could cause a high number of casualties. The November 26, 2008, attack on Mumbai is a transparent example of how determined terrorists, trained to die fighting, can bring a large metropolitan city to its knees. It is entirely probable that Mumbai-type attacks could occur in the United States. Since the local law enforcement respond to attacks in progress, any active shooter event would be handled by the local jurisdiction. Many law enforcement agencies have begun to incorporate tactical plans to respond to Mumbai-type terrorist attacks. This thesis focused on police preparedness of select large metropolitan law enforcement agencies for potential Mumbai-type terrorist attacks. A comparative analysis of these police agencies was conducted, which showed that the frequency of training was found to be varying and inadequate by these agencies. A similar concern was that none of the agencies had equipped all the police officers with rifles, which were deemed critical to engage well-equipped active shooters. It is the conclusion of the thesis that gaps in preparedness exist and law enforcement organizations have room for improvement. It was also concluded that agencies need to enhance communication capability between neighboring jurisdictions and focus on triage of the victims during the early stages of attacks when medical personnel would be unable to approach."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Justice, Joel M.
2013-09
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Improving the All-Hazards Homeland Security Enterprise Through the Use of an Emergency Management Intelligence Model
From the thesis abstract: "As the all-hazards approach takes hold in our national Emergency Management [EM] and Homeland Security efforts and continues to seek greater collaboration between these two fields, an area that has yet to be explored to its fullest extent is the utilization of an intelligence process to enhance EM operations. Despite the existence of multiple Federal-level policies that outline the importance of intelligence and information sharing across the all-hazards community, EM is still by-and-large an outsider to the Intelligence Community (IC); the problem is one of both policy and of practice. Formalizing both an intelligence process and EM role culled from best practices of the FBI, U.S. Military, and local law enforcement, and subsequently equipping and training emergency managers in the use of intelligence would be substantially beneficial in all phases of a disaster. Once established, an intelligence process could also help EM augment and integrate into the IC to provide more robust HS capabilities, including a significant role in the State/Local Fusion Centers. This formalized EM Intelligence Cycle (EMIC) lays the groundwork for better EM-IC collaboration, better support to first responders during large-scale events, a more proactive role in preventing future disasters, and a more robust all-hazards community as a whole."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Schulz, William N.
2013-09
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Submersible Threat to Maritime Homeland Security
From the thesis abstract: "Small submersible vessels have been used for years by nation states, terrorist groups, and criminal organizations to achieve operational objectives. These entities have sought to capitalize on the overriding tactical advantage of submersible technology which is stealth. For example, drug trafficking organizations in Central and South America have been routinely using self-propelled semi-submersible vessels to clandestinely transport large quantities of illicit drugs to North America. Small submersible vessels can also be nefariously used in the maritime domain to transport persons or weapons or they could be used as waterborne improvised explosive devices. Terrorists and criminals are complex adaptive adversaries and are driven to innovate when confronted with threats to their operational effectiveness. Innovation and adaption are driving these foes to leverage disruptive technology towards the development or acquisition of fully-submersible vessels. Furthermore, there is a growing population of privately owned submersibles within the U.S. that policymakers have little visibility of. Homeland security policymakers lack adequate situational awareness regarding the vulnerabilities, threats, and consequences to the maritime transportation system from the malicious use of submersibles. The core challenge for the maritime homeland security enterprise with regards to submersibles is developing effective strategies to mitigate their potential risk."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Davis, Donald B.
2013-09
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Reading from the Same Map: Towards a New Situational Awareness Model for Emergency Management
"Situational awareness (SA) is a critical issue for public safety disciplines, including emergency management, law enforcement, and the fire service. These fields operate substantially differently from each other, but share a common model for SA, based on John Boyd's OODA loop. Boyd's model, though applied widely, is heavily shaped by artefacts from its origin in the culture of fighter pilots. These artefacts include premises that the practitioner can perceive information directly, has a clear understanding of the nature of events, and is primarily concerned with their own actions. While some disciplines have enough in common with pilots for this SA model to match their activities, emergency management does not. In emergency management, practitioners are separated from the event, events are uncertain in type and duration, and coordination among teams is a primary function. These differences in culture create mismatches between emergency management activities and the SA model, which lead to repeated failures of SA across many organizations. Furthermore, despite a large body of applicable scholarly research on SA specifically and shared cognition in general, little of it has been adopted by practitioners in any discipline. This thesis will examine the SA model to identify mismatches with emergency management, consider research on shared cognition to identify useful elements, and summarize those elements to present options for consideration and further investigation."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Rau, Erik
2020-03
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Fire Service's Role in Maritime Homeland Security
From the thesis abstract: "Since September 11, 2001, the fire service role as first responders has changed to include acts of terrorism. United States ports and areas in the marine domain provide terrorists with a wide variety of targets to attack. The marine domain presents many difficult and unique problems to homeland security. The open nature of ports with the high volume of goods and services, key infrastructures, and the large number of agencies with jurisdiction create a complex environment to protect. Many fire departments that protect and respond to incidents in the marine domain have little specialized equipment, special knowledge, or training needed to respond to terrorists attacks in this area. This document looks at the roles the fire service has in homeland security in the marine domain. Based on findings from maritime leaders, five roles emerged: Homeland Security Presidential Directive-8, intelligence and information sharing, area maritime security committee, interagency exercises and training and public/private partnerships. This document demonstrates the fire department's role in each of these areas, and provide a framework fire departments can use to enhance maritime homeland security."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Foerster, Paul S.
2011-03
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President Has No Clothes: The Case for Broader Application of Red Teaming Within Homeland Security
From the thesis abstract: "Missing in Department of Homeland Security (DHS)' current gap and vulnerability analysis approach to Red Teaming is the employment of broader decision support Red Teaming--which would provide a strategic assessment tool, assisting the organization in overcoming group thinking and a lack of organizational creativity, while avoiding mirror imaging. DHS, by broadening its use of Red Teaming, will improve its decision-making processes across all levels of homeland security. This research uses a selected case study--identifying and challenging assumptions inherent within TSA's security system, analyzing the problem using an alternative model, and looking at the problem from different perspectives. Combined with evidence and analysis from historical examples, this effort is designed to determine whether decision makers can benefit from Red Teams and Red Team fundamental concepts, and whether these concepts will be effective in assisting DHS and its partners in making better decisions. America's Homeland Security System is hampered by bureaucratic challenges. The U.S. government must dramatically re-orient itself. America needs to redefine its homeland security approach into a flexible adaptive system. Understanding the U.S. layers of security, and how they interact to defeat the terrorist threat, is as critical as understanding 'Red'--what our enemies are doing. Trained Red Teams apply creative thinking, and Red Team fundamentals, challenge the organization's assumptions, provide alternative analysis to the organization's plans, and provide the decision maker with alternative perspectives on the current operating environment. Education on the Red Team Fundamentals should be implemented as mandatory for all homeland security leaders."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Nettles, A. Bentley
2010-06
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Homeland Security Advisory System: An Assessment of Its Ability to Formulate a Risk Message
From the thesis abstract: "The Homeland Security Advisory System was conceived in 2003. Within seven years, the system has become marginalized, even though the country continues to be at war with the forces of terrorism. The reason for this is that the system as designed does not allow for the successful crafting of a complete warning message. A warning message needs to be specific enough to allow the warning recipient to make the appropriate linkages between the warning message and the physical and social manifestations of the threat. This linkage allows the recipient to form his own unique risk reality. Once that is formed, the recipient may be motivated to take appropriate precautions to counter the threat. A warning message that does not allow for the formation of a risk reality can never be effective because the recipient will fail to internalize the risk and thus fail to take the appropriate action to counter the threat."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Ryczek, Martin E.
2010-06
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Unity of Command for Federal Consequence Management
From the thesis abstract: "The United States eventually will face an existential catastrophe. An 'existential catastrophe' would result in cascading effects extending well beyond the physical boundaries of the event. When studying the federal response to major disasters, it is apparent higher levels of presidential interest provide a positive impact on results. The lack of coordination of federal response efforts and the inability of the president to impose his will to marshal fully federal resources effectively were major problems identified after Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew. The inability of the federal government to coordinate the federal response efficiently to a catastrophe appears throughout 60 years of modern federal disaster response. This thesis argues the most efficient way for the president to supervise the federal response to an existential catastrophe is to delegate authority for operational decisions to a single federal official that would allow the president and his cabinet to focus on strategic decisions. The Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator, who would be supported by an empowered Emergency Support Function Leadership Group, with authority to direct all agency capabilities released to them by the president and their agencies, would lead the portion of the federal operational response formerly known as consequence management."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Lucie, H. Quinton
2013-09
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Improving TSA's Public Image: Customer-Focused Initiatives to Encourage Public Trust and Confidence
From the thesis abstract: "The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) can improve its public image by looking at the problem from the customer's perspective. This thesis explores TSA's public-image challenges and identifies customer-focused solutions. Research methods include a case study analysis on Southwest Airlines and Disney and an extensive literature review to identify smart practices that are applicable to TSA. TSA needs to implement customer-focused strategies that are more effective in dealing with the agency's public-image challenges. A TSA strategy designed to build a more positive work environment, improve messaging and information sharing, increase the focus on customer service, and utilize customer feedback to improve operations, will begin to improve public opinion. There is a disconnect between TSA's intentions and the public's perceptions, and it is time to seek new opportunities to improve the public's trust and confidence. It is easy for some to be critical about an agency that screens over 1.7 million passengers each day and often has to get into the passenger's personal space in order to do so. TSA's first priority is and should be security, but public opinion is also important. Increasing public confidence in TSA may also result in more acceptance and cooperation with security processes, resulting in increased security effectiveness."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Bierle, Patricia S.
2013-12
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Improving Risk Management and Resiliency: A Plan for a Proactive National Policy on Insurance Practices in FEMA's Public Assistance Program
From the thesis abstract: "Disasters happen. The risks cannot be completely eliminated. However, the risks to insurable public infrastructure can be reduced or controlled through better federal guidance that shapes the value and importance of insurance in risk financing and improves mitigation utilization for risk control. This thesis explores the areas where the federal guidance on insurance can be updated. The intent of Congress is clear. However, the federal guidance on insurance is dated, imprecise, and incentivizes poor risk management. Updated federal guidance can more accurately provide the appropriate incentives and disincentives to promote better risk management in the protection of insurable facilities. Federal policy must allow the flexibility to manage risk while encouraging sound insurance decision making by facility owners to reduce or eliminate the reliance of federal disaster assistance. This can be accomplished through the requirement of insurance, ineligibility of deductibles, flexibility in types of insurance, and promoting resiliency through incentives for hazard mitigation. By improving risk control for insurable infrastructure, we can begin to reduce the costs of disasters and increase the resiliency of communities across the nation."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Eaton, Gregory W.
2013-12
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Use of Social Media Networks and Mobile Phone Applications for Reporting Suspicious and Criminal Activities on Mass Transit
From the thesis abstract: "The threat of terrorism remains in the forefront daily, and public transportation systems remain a preferred target for terrorist attacks. Mass transit customers have long served as the 'eyes and ears' of the public transportation environment. In support of the Department of Homeland Security's See It Say It campaign, mass transit customers contribute to this effort by reporting suspicious and criminal activities on subways and buses. The use of social media networks and mobile phone applications by mass transit law enforcement is slowly evolving as a tool for reporting suspicious and criminal activities on subways and buses. By reviewing the data and current use of social media networks and smartphone applications such as by mass transit law enforcement agencies, this thesis demonstrates that citizens want to play a role in assisting law enforcement in solving crimes. Mass transit law enforcement agencies can leverage community involvement and reduce crime by providing customers with an anonymous means for reporting suspicious and criminal activities. However, whether the use of social media networks and smartphone applications have resulted in an increase in reporting suspicious and criminal activities and a reduction in crime is unresolved, warranting future study in this area."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Donald, Jennifer S.
2013-12
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Homeland Security as a Stock Market: Antifragility as a Strategy for Homeland Security
From the thesis abstract: "Since 2002, there have been varying definitions of homeland security. Disagreements about what homeland security is can cause misalignment with budgets and homeland security priorities. The objective of this thesis is to better understand homeland security through the lens of risk and uncertainty using a metaphorical approach comparing homeland security and financial markets. The usefulness of the financial market metaphor is it allows one to conceptualize homeland security as an investor's financial portfolio that is subject to market volatility, market sentiment and mood, investing costs, and market booms and busts. This metaphorical approach for understanding homeland security suggests a nontraditional risk-based antifragile strategy. More than being robust or resilient, which resist or absorb volatility, an antifragile strategy benefits from volatility, adapts, and becomes better. To make something antifragile, individuals and organizations should invest more time in identifying things or processes that are negative rather than focus on the positive. Removing things that are negative can uncover hidden options that can better prepare people or organizations for uncertainty and market volatility. This is a strategy that relies less on definitions of homeland security and is a bottom up, rather than a top down, approach to risk management."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Egan, John T.
2013-12
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Role of the Private Sector in the National Response System
From the thesis abstract: "As indicated by the 9/11 Commission, the private sector accounts for approximately 85% of the critical infrastructure in the United States and accounts for approximately 80% of the gross domestic product. The private sector clearly is the engine that drives U.S. economic vitality, and as such, it is critical that it maintains business continuity in the face of a disaster. Moreover, it is equally important to the private sector that communities affected by a disaster recover as quickly as possible to enable it to conduct normal dayto- day business once again, which drives the bottom-line for most companies. The impact of disasters on economic vitality is readily available in numerous studies. It was estimated that the worldwide economic losses incurred during 2004 due to natural disasters was over $145 billion, or more than twice as much as in 2003. Moreover, disasters such as Hurricane Katrina have highlighted the inadequacies of the national response system when faced with catastrophic disasters and the further inability to incorporate willing participation and resources properly from the private sector. The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate how response and relief operations at the federal, state and local level can be further improved by providing a better implementation of a network-based methodology for the private sector to participate in the national response framework."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
McKenna, Robert E.
2013-12
