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Resource Type or Special Collection is Theses & Research Reports
Publisher is Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
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Agroterrorism Risk Communication: Challenges and Implications for Communicators
From the thesis abstract: "There are many potential targets for terrorists in the United States, one of which is the food supply system. An attack on the food supply system would create great need for information to many audiences, primarily the general public, about the risk resulting from such an attack. The Multi-State Partnership for Security in Agriculture, a collaborative effort of 10 states, has identified the need for development of a strategy for communicating to the public the risk resulting from an agroterrorism incident. Before the Partnership begins development of a strategy, however, it must take into consideration the factors that are important when communicating about agroterrorism risk: recognition that communication of risk about food carries with it specific challenges; the public's level of trust in government will affect how it perceives and accepts risk messages; and Americans' post-September 11, 2001 fear associated with terrorism alters perception and acceptance of risk. Recognition of the existence of these factors is not enough, however. The Partnership must recognize, as well, that these factors may present barriers to effective communication. To overcome these barriers, the Partnership should apply tried-and-true risk communication principles, tailored to specifically address the factors that make agroterrorism risk communication unique."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Parker, Lucinda J.
2005-03
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Hospital Based First Responder Mass Prophylaxis Plan
From the thesis abstract: "As the United States improves its collective awareness and emergency preparedness in the face of increased terrorist activity, more efforts are being made to create and enhance community readiness for catastrophic events. There have been substantial efforts to improve the nation's bioterrorism preparedness. Better planning, equipment, training, surveillance, and pharmaceutical caches have elevated the nation's readiness for biological attacks. In order to effectively meet the challenges created by a bioterrorism attack, its first lines of defense, the first responders, must be rapidly prophylaxed to allow the continuance of their mission. Many states and localities have tackled the gigantic undertaking of mass prophylaxis plans to provide chemoprophylaxis to civilians should the need arise. Many cities have developed and tested their plans to provide general public mass prophylaxis. It is assumed, or briefly mentioned, that the mass prophylaxis of first responders will occur, but few plans have been developed. The primary objective of this research is to develop, test, and make recommendations for a straightforward, adaptable mass prophylaxis plan to meet the prophylactic requirements of local first responders in the event of a biological attack."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Massey, Mary S.
2005-03
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Recommendations for Homeland Security Organizational Approaches at the State Government Level
"State governments have been recognized as the fusion point for a significant portion of policy, operational, and implementation activities for homeland security. Additionally, the most critical decisions for allocating resources and prioritizing efforts have been delegated to states. The federal government has required this role of states and has asked them to organize task forces to deal with these challenges but has provided little guidance about how states might establish, administer, and ensure effectiveness of these structures. States have begun to establish decision-making bodies independently, inconsistently, and with few measurements to evaluate effectiveness. This thesis provides a roadmap to success for individual state organizational approaches for Homeland Security. The recommendations are based upon an analysis of directives, expectations, national strategies, existing approaches and a case study of one state's efforts. The call for organizing for the war on terror is acknowledged, accepted, and for the most part, vigorously answered. But how the nation's states organize and to what ends their resources are applied will determine national and even international victory in this war. This project provides a model charter, recommended outcomes and outputs for a state structure, and several policy considerations for the State of Washington's Homeland Security infrastructure."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Woodbury, Glen L.
2004-06
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'Maintain Course and Speed...' Command and Control for Maritime Homeland Security and Homeland Defense
"Since 11 September 2001, a number of authorities have provided definitions for both Homeland Security (HS) and Homeland Defense (HD), however, as the definitions develop, they provide less functional detail. The most often asked question posed to professionals in the field is "what is the distinction between the Homeland Security mission and the Homeland Defense mission." What they are really asking is, in a particular scenario, "who's in charge of the operation?" "When is it law enforcement, or non-military, and when is it a military operation"? Many have argued that the command structure between the two Services needs to be changed to ensure the seam between HS and HD is minimized. This is a natural approach because command and control is possibly the most important of all operational functions. The objective of this thesis is to argue that the Navy and Coast Guard should not establish a joint interagency command structure for the missions of Homeland Security and Homeland Defense. They should continue to coordinate and support one another, when required, but they should not combine the two Services together into a permanent single organization."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Breor, Scott F.
2004-06
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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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Metrics for Success: Using Metrics in Exercises to Assess the Preparedness of the Fire Service in Homeland Security
"The Fire Service is at an important crossroads in its history. The increasing threat of terrorism, along with the need for the Fire Service to make a major contribution to the Homeland Security effort, compels firefighters to expand upon their traditional mission requirements. They must deepen and widen the skills they possess for responding to all hazard incidents, and must also cover the terroristic events and weapons of mass destruction incidents that are inevitable during this war on terrorism. This will only be possible if the Fire Service embraces major conceptual changes in the way that it trains and exercises its members. In many respects, that exercise and training system is excellent and serves as a model for other disciplines. In other ways, however, it tends to be flawed and burdensome, preventing the Fire Service from taking major strides forward in its training efforts - especially with respect to the use of metrics to objectively evaluate performance capabilities for Homeland Security-related operations, and the embedding of assessment techniques in a broader system to provide for improved performance. This thesis examines the current approach taken by the Fire Service to training and exercising, especially in the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), and identifies gaps and problems in those existing systems. Then, the thesis examines relevant "best practices" from the United States Military and the private sector that might be applied to the shortfalls in Fire Service training and exercising. The remainder of the thesis proposes changes to the training and exercise system, designed to make a measurable, sustained impact on the capabilities of the fire service to accomplish Homeland Security and traditional mission requirements."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Doherty, Vincent J.
2004-06
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Homeland Security Advisory System
From the thesis abstract: "In March of 2002, through the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 3, the Homeland Security Advisory System (HSAS) was developed. The original intent of the HSAS was to provide a warning mechanism for the federal government; other state and local agency responses were voluntary. However, the intent expanded to include a warning system for local, state, federal agencies, the private sector and the general public. Five orange alerts later, the confusion continues with a mix of complacency and misunderstanding. State and local officials complain about the general nature of the intelligence and the lack of specificity directed at regions or targets. The cost of orange protective measures is adding up into the billions of dollars. Warnings specific to New York City have a different value in Utah. Solutions require a new federal intelligence culture with a new name and location under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security distributing specific intelligence. We need highly trained intelligence analysts working with multi-agency state or metropolitan fusion centers. The media should help in educating the public on the HSAS and promoting volunteer organizations, encouraging participation to assist in Homeland Security and to reduce the fear of a catastrophic event. Customized HSAS should be developed for each community, state and private sector business to better utilize protective resources. Protective measures should be implemented with specific intelligence to support the elevation of the HSAS."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Behunin, Scott M.
2004-06
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Private Security as an Essential Component of Homeland Security
"This thesis argues that first preventers are not limited to law enforcement and/or intelligence personnel. Private security officers are our true first preventers because they control access to the myriad of facilities we enter and exit every day. They are the individuals with their boots on the ground in our efforts to recognize abnormal or unusual activity. Based on the observation by President George W. Bush in the 'National Strategy for Homeland Security' that 85% of the nation's critical infrastructure is owned by private agencies and organizations, one conclusion is incontrovertible: No one is in a better position to be a first preventer than the private security officer in America. In New York State, a professionally trained and licensed security officer's primary directive is defined as detecting, deterring and reporting on conditions which might harm life or property. It is incumbent upon government public security officials, and private security executives themselves, to cultivate and exploit this undervalued segment of our efforts to combat terrorism on a national basis. In order to do so, and to assure the public of the competency of the private security workforce, it is imperative that private security officers be mandated to meet minimum standards. Therefore, this thesis makes the argument that advocating nationwide, state controlled licensing and training of private security officers is essential to the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security to employ 'First Responder' and 'First Preventer' strategies in the war on terrorism."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Hetherington, Christopher John
2004-06
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Leveraging National Guard Counterdrug Assets for Homeland Security
"This thesis describes how existing capabilities in the National Guard
Counterdrug (NG CD) Support Program can be leveraged for use in Homeland Security (HLS) missions and explains what the implications are for organizing a NG HLS Support Program. National Guard CD assets should be made dual-use for HLS activities and additional missions should be added to the CD mission, leveraging existing resources for HLS prevention. The Governors will have the flexibility of having highly trained and equipped soldiers that can be utilized for HLS activities according to the needs of the state and the current threat level. An already established integrated program in West Virginia provided a suitable model for conducting a case study to determine additional missions to supplement the NG CD Support Program in other states. Examples of additional CD-HLS missions include CD intelligence analysts tracking suspicious activities and CD ground reconnaissance teams cross-trained to assist with the FSIVA mission for the protection of critical infrastructure. Potential challenges of integration identified include funding and personnel shortages along with legal restrictions. Solutions include developing stabilized and fenced funding with cross-leveling up to a designated threshold, adding more dual-use personnel and HLS core staffing, and amending the CD statute."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Wilkinson, Nachelle M.
2004-06
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Strategies to Build a Trusted and Collaborative Information Sharing System for State-Level Homeland Security
"At all levels of government, strategies to prevent terrorism will rely on the development and distribution of actionable information. It is essential that the United States strengthen its capacity to gather, share, analyze and disseminate such information. In the State of Utah, however, these efforts have been jeopardized by a failure to adequately understand the cultural impediments to building more effective information systems. Spending more money on "stuff" (hardware, communications systems, etc.) will not provide for better information sharing, unless cultural barriers to change are recognized and taken into account in State planning. Public safety officers in Utah are, in my experience, extremely dedicated and competent public servants. Nevertheless, the top priority in Utah should be building a new culture where trust and collaboration exist among the organizations involved in homeland security. This thesis argues that such collaboration does not exist today, and will not grow naturally on its own. Further, states such as Utah need to develop and implement a strategic plan to build a culture of collaboration. This thesis proposed such a plan, tailored to overcome the specific problems that my research has uncovered."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Flowers, Robert L.
2004-06
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Funding for First Responders from a Threat and Prevention Approach
It has been thirty-three months since the United States was attacked by terrorists on September 11th 2001. Yet, in distributing grants to States and localities to build their capacity for homeland security, the Nation continues to rely on funding formulae that are deeply flawed. Many grants are distributed in ways that ignore need-driven criteria, such as where terrorists are most likely to strike and which targets are most critical. This thesis develops an alternative formula that takes need into account (and therefore is much more likely to send funds where they are required). After reviewing need-driven formulae from a range of fields that might be applied to homeland security, the author uses the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to break the objectives of homeland security capacity-building into discreet, measurable components. He then analyzes the criteria that should be used to build a grant allocation process to accomplish those objectives, including population density, criticality of infrastructure, the threat to a municipality, vulnerability to that threat, and terrorism prevention. The resulting formula is far better structured than the current system to put homeland security grant funds where the Nation most needs them.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Weinlein, Michael
2004-06
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Multi-State Initiatives: Agriculture Security Preparedness
To defend American agriculture against foreign or domestic terrorism, it is essential that states build multi-state partnerships to provide for the collaborative plans, programs and operations needed to protect the nation's food security. The National Homeland Security Strategy puts states on the front lines in the war against terrorism---including the struggle to secure the agriculture industry from potentially devastating attack. The issues surrounding agro-terrorism are vast and complex and the resources of the Federal government to address these issues are limited and overextended. If states attempt to address this threat independently, important opportunities to reduce vulnerability and enhance capability will be lost. To achieve the capabilities needed for agro-terrorism detection, mitigation, preparedness and response, states must collaborate to build the partnerships and programs their citizens require. This thesis argues multi-state partnerships are critical to defeating this threat as well as providing a robust response to an attack. Whether intentionally introduced or naturally occurring, infectious diseases can easily cross state borders before an outbreak is even detected. States must be prepared to act quickly to mitigate the effects of any crisis. There is a significant opportunity for states to strengthen their abilities to provide for a stronger agriculture counter terrorism preparedness system. The states can further their ability to combat attacks on agriculture actively by demonstrating leadership in implementing administrative agreements and ultimately adopting compact(s) between states as well as with the private sector.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Gordon, Ellen M.
2004-06
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Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center: A Model for State and Local Governments Role in the Intelligence Community
Since 9/11 there have been many demands for robust intelligence efforts and information sharing in the context of Homeland Security. This thesis focuses on the critical need for the inclusion of local and state intelligence collection efforts into the broader intelligence community and describes a model for states to follow when creating a statewide Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Key organizational and relationship principles are examined. Establishing state ISACs and including them as partners in the fight against terrorism benefits all levels of government at the strategic and tactical intelligence levels. Requirements for successful state level ISACs are identified through numerous cases studies focusing on the Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
English, Charles D.
2004-06
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Bio-Terrorism: Steps to Effective Public Health Risk Communication and Fear Management
"A potentially serious gap exists in the preparedness of the public health system to respond to terrorism: risk communication. Unless this system is better structured to provide American citizens with a clear understanding of the potential risks and hazards associated with a terrorist event - particularly a bio-terrorism event - citizens not only run the risk of taking inappropriate protective actions, but also of experiencing increased (and potentially debilitating) levels of fear. This thesis is based on a survey conducted of public health officials in an eleven state regions which found that significant opportunities for improvement exist in emergency preparedness planning. Of particular concern, was the states' limited risk communication planning. Nonetheless, there was a high level of confidence in the states' perceived level of preparedness to respond and communicate risks during a potential bio-terrorism event."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security; Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Jones-Hard, Susan
2004-06
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Center for Homeland Defense and Security [website]
"The Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense & Security (CHDS) has been the nation's premier provider of homeland security graduate and executive level education since 2002. NPS and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are partnering to pioneer the development and delivery of homeland security education programs for governors, mayors and senior homeland security leaders from across a wide spectrum of disciplines in local, tribal, state and federal government, and the military."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
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Homeland Security Affairs Journal [website]
"Homeland Security Affairs is the online journal of the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) at the Naval Postgraduate School and is the nation's preeminent peer-reviewed journal providing a forum to propose and debate strategies, policies, and organizational arrangements to strengthen U.S. Homeland Security. The instructors, participants, alumni, and partners of CHDS represent the leading subject matter experts and practitioners in the field of Homeland Security. E-published by issue, Homeland Security Affairs captures the best of their collective work, as well as that of scholars and practitioners throughout the nation, through peer-reviewed articles on new strategies, policies, concepts and data relating to every aspect of Homeland Security. These articles constitute not only the 'smart practices' but also the evolution of Homeland Security as an emerging academic and professional discipline."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
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Officer Safety: A Strategy for Local Law Enforcement Encountering the Sovereign Citizen Movement
"The 9/11 Commission's Report observed that 'imagination is not a gift usually associated with bureaucracies, yet, imagination is precisely what is needed to address emerging threats'. The Sovereign Citizen Movement is an example of an emerging threat within the broader framework of homeland security strategies. We must consistently revisit our priorities and ensure our domestic approach can address multiple types of violent extremism. Addressing this emerging threat can create a preventive strategic plan built upon existing federal, state, and local partnerships and regional collaboration. This threat 'requires the expertise and resources from all relevant agencies' , including, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Joint Counterterrorism Task Force, the Fusion Centers, the State Police, and local law enforcement. We must be vigilant in identifying, predicting, and preempting emerging threats; we must work together supporting local capabilities and programs on the frontlines to address problems of national concern."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Welch, Michael
