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Mariner's Guide for Hurricane Awareness in the North Atlantic Basin
"Analysis & forecasts of all tropical cyclone activity rely heavily on ship observations in order to obtain the best estimate of the synoptic patterns guiding tropical cyclone motion and intensity. Three hourly ship observations in the vicinity of any active tropical system are an extremely valuable data point for input into tropical cyclone forecasts and guidance. All ship observations recorded near tropical cyclones are greatly appreciated and provide a most valuable data source used in determining current and forecast wave heights & wind fields associated with these systems."
United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Holweg, Eric J.
2000-08
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Bureau of Justice Statistics 2000: At a Glance
"The Bureau of Justice Statistics collects, analyzes, publishes, and disseminates information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. These data are critical to Federal, State, and local policymakers in combating crime and ensuring that administration of justice is both efficient and evenhanded."
United States. Bureau of Justice Statistics
2000-08
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Disaster Relief Fund: FEMA's Estimates of Funding Requirements Can Be Improved
"[T]his report addresses (1) the accuracy and timeliness of FEMA's estimates of remaining costs for past disasters, (2) the reasonableness of FEMA's approach to estimating the timing and cost of future disasters, and (3) the impact of FEMA's initiatives on the rate of obligating disaster relief funds. We found problems with both the accuracy and timeliness of the information FEMA provides monthly to the Congress on estimated remaining costs for past disasters. FEMA's headquarters staff relies on data provided by its regional offices to produce a monthly report to the Congress on funding requirements for past disasters. However, as of the end of August 1999, for a third of all past disasters, we found that staff from headquarters and regional offices disagreed on the amount of funds obligated to date. Collectively, differences in reported obligations between headquarters and regional staff totaled nearly $250 million--with headquarters reporting obligation amounts that were $18 million higher than the regions reported obligations. Obligation amounts reported by regional staff were both higher and lower than amounts reported by headquarters staff, and FEMA officials could not tell us which amounts were correct. When regional offices questioned the accuracy of the data, FEMA headquarters staff responsible for reconciling discrepancies initially failed to determine the cause and make the needed corrections. Instead, FEMA used the inaccurate data to report on remaining costs for past disasters. In addition, because of the time needed to assemble and analyze the data, the information on remaining costs in the monthly report is based on obligation data that are 4 to 6 weeks old. FEMA officials acknowledge that data problems exist and have taken steps to correct them. For example, FEMA is developing a new automated system to estimate remaining disaster costs on a real-time basis. The new system is projected to be operational in August 2000."
United States. General Accounting Office
2000-08
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Foreign Military Sales: Changes Needed to Correct Weaknesses in End-Use Monitoring Program
"This is the second in a series of reports that respond to your request that we review the Foreign Military Sales program. Our first report addressed the process for approving technology and arms transfers. This report focuses on the Department of Defense's implementation of end-use monitoring requirements. Specifically, we assessed (1) the implementation of the Department of Defense's requirement to observe and report on defense articles and services transferred under the Foreign Military Sales program, (2) the Department's implementation of requirements to perform end-use checks, and (3) the extent to which the Department has satisfied the reporting requirements of the end-use monitoring amendment to the Arms Export Control Act."
United States. General Accounting Office
2000-08
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Final Report: Environmental Assessment for Infrastructure within U.S. Border Patrol Naco-Douglas Corridor, Cochise County, Arizona, August 2000
"This Environmental Assessment (EA) addresses the actual and potential cumulative effects, beneficial and adverse, of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) activities within the USBP Douglas and Naco Station areas of operation (AO). This EA evaluates the past, on-going and future INS and USBP infrastructure projects within the Douglas and Naco AOs, hereinafter referred to as the Naco-Douglas corridor. For the purposes of this EA, the Naco-Douglas corridor is defined as a 10-mile wide corridor along the US/Mexico border from the western boundary of the USBP Naco AO to the eastern boundary of the USBP Douglas Station AO. These improvements have been completed or are being proposed by INS and USBP in an effort to enhance the USBP's capability to gain, maintain and extend control of the US/Mexico border. Infrastructure improvements that will be addressed include, but are not limited, to roads, fences, vehicle barriers, helipads, lights, USBP stations, and checkpoints. These infrastructure improvements may be installed by military units and/or private construction contractors. The cumulative effect of these improvement projects since 1995 and into the reasonably foreseeable future, in conjunction with other programs or projects proposed or implemented by other agencies is the primary focus of the this EA."
United States. Immigration and Naturalization Service
2000-08
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Offenders Returning to Federal Prison, 1986-97
"Between 1986 and 1994, 215,263 offenders were released from Federal prison for the first time. Of those offenders, 16% (or 33,855) returned to Federal prison within 3 years. The proportion of offenders returning to prison increased from 11.4% of those released during 1986 to 18.6% of those released during 1994. Among offenders released between 1986 and 1992, the proportion that returned to Federal prison within 3 years increased from 11.4% to 18.2%; of those released between 1992 and 1994, the proportion increased from 18.2% to 18.6%."
United States. Bureau of Justice Statistics
Sabol, William J.; Adams, William P.; Parthasarathy, Barbara
2000-08
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Information Operations: An Act of War?
Technology has expanded at an astronomical rate over the past several years, making logarithmic leaps in both complexity and utility. As technology has dramatically increased, so has our dependency upon it. As we have discovered the efficiency of these technological advances, we are slowly weaning ourselves of the once-predominant "low-tech" ways to perform these same functions. For this reason, an effective computer intrusion followed by additional adverse information operations (such as data "theft," corruption, denial, or delay) could be more devastating than we realize. If these types of operations could be launched against the U.S. (and its computer networks), it makes sense for us to explore the applicability of this technology to similar operations. Are we doing so? The full extent of U.S. offensive capabilities is among the most tightly held national security secrets. According to various accounts, the government has explored ways of planting computer viruses or "logic bombs" in foreign networks to sow confusion and disruption. It has considered manipulating cyberspace to disable an enemy air defense network without firing a shot, shut off power and phone service in major cities, feed false information about troop locations into an adversary's computers and morph video images onto foreign television stations. Although there is practically no unclassified information available regarding U.S. offensive information warfare capabilities or programs, George J. Tenet, the director of central intelligence, has commented "we're not asleep at the switch in this regard." The available technology provides many new applications that far exceed the ethical limitations on such use, according to one high-ranking DoD official. We can assume that every technologically modern country is aggressively pursuing a "cyberwar" program, including both info-protect and info-attack types of operations.
Air University (U.S.). Press
Dicenso, David J.
2000-07-31
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Prospects for a Conventional Arms Reduction Treaty and Confidence-Building Measures in Northeast Asia
The paper is presented in four sections. The first contains a review of some considerations for a future NEA multilateral forum, and it reviews the proposal for conventional arms reduction and CSBMs in the NEA region. The second section highlights some ongoing activity currently promoting confidence and trust in the region. These activities serve as possible foundations for future activity that would promote confidence and trust among the Northeast Asian states. The third section explores some possible options for building openness and trust among states in the region that would one day provide a basis for a regional security forum. The Northeast Asian states could meet in a forum that would not be a "security forum," but one that focuses on other areas of interest. This "interim" multilateral Forum would transition to a Northeast Asian Security Forum (NEASF) once the states, through this "interim" Forum, have developed the necessary trust and confidence to engage in a security dialogue. The fourth section is the most ambitious. It describes a proposed Northeast Asia Security Forum including the participating states and organizations. In addition to the participants, it outlines a number of working groups subordinate to the Forum that would report to the Forum. Finally, there is a brief discussion of the recent White House decision to ease some sanctions on North Korea with the understanding that North Korea would not test long-range missiles of any kind as the US and North Korea work towards normalizing relations and possible next steps.
USAF Institute for National Security Studies
Jenkins, Bonnie D.
2000-08
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Defense Science Board Letter Report on DoD Science and Technology Program
"This report is in response to the Congressional Language in Section 212 of the FY 2000 Defense Appropriation Report. That Section requests the views of the Defense Science Board on the adequacy of the Department's FY 2001 Science and Technology Program budget requests. Since a Defense Science Board Task Force studied the Department's Science and Technology Program in 1998 under the Chairmanship of Walter Morrow, it was decided by the OSD and DSB leadership that a summary should be prepared based on the report of the 1998 Study of the Department's Science and Technology Program."
United States. Defense Science Board
Morrow, Walter E.
2000-08
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National Evaluation of the COPS Program: Title I of the 1994 Crime Act
"This research report expands on findings presented in the Research in Brief, The COPS Program After 4 Years"National Evaluation. The document reports on the overall effectiveness of the Community Oriented Policing Services program, including program objectives, grant applications and funds distribution, agencies' use of funds, officer hiring and redeployment, and the organizational impact of community policing. More than 100 exhibits illustrate the research findings, and a methodological appendix explaining the survey process are included."
United States. Office of Justice Programs
Roth, Jeffrey A., 1945-; Ryan, Joseph F.
2000-08
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Compendium of Weapons of Mass Destruction Courses Sponsored by the Federal Government
"The U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command (SBCCOM) was designated as the Program Director for Domestic Preparedness to coordinate, integrate, and execute a program to enhance domestic preparedness to nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) terrorism. The purpose of this program is to provide for training of state and local emergency responders in the event of a terrorist incident involving nuclear, biological or chemical (NBC) weapons of mass destruction. The Domestic Preparedness program is providing the train the trainer courses to only the first 120 cities by population. This program cannot address the training needs of the entire nation, although it does greatly enhance the nation's current state of preparedness. The federal agencies recognize this and have prepared this compendium of other federal courses which relate to the performance objectives developed for the Domestic Preparedness Train-the-Trainer courses."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2000-08
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Using Personal Digital Assistant Technology to Conduct Fire Prevention Inspections
"This research paper incorporated the use of personal digital assistant (PDA) technology with conducting fire prevention inspections. A lack of staffing to perform consistent inspections necessitated the consideration of the use of PDA and computer technology to increase the rate and effectiveness of facility inspections. The purpose of the project was to create (a) a PDA fire inspection application to be used for field inspections in lieu of the paper forms, and (b) a PC [Personal Computer] mail merge inspection report and cover letter that will use data collected from the PDA. This research paper employed action research to (a) determine if there are any fire departments or other public service agencies using PDA technology to provide services, (b) ascertain if there are any private sector agencies using PDA technology to increase their efficiency and profitability, (c) assess the importance of reevaluating programs that are not having the desired results, and (d) determine the technical options that must be considered before implementing a procedure based on PDA technology. The primary modality employed was reviewing literature and previous studies on this technology in terms of increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, and profitability of organizations that have adopted this technology. For the literature review, extensive use of the World Wide Web was incorporated. The primary findings of this research paper were that both the public and private sectors are successfully employing PDA's with both improvements in efficiency and cost savings. Options on various PDAS, operating systems, PDA to PC data synchronization, and form letter generation were also explored."
National Fire Academy
Phillips, Peter E.
2000-08
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Should the Santee Fire Department Modify its Firefighter Recruitment Policy to Reflect Generational Changes in the Applicant Pool?
"This research project analyzed generational differences in the workplace as a possible modification of the recruitment process and thereby enhancing retention of entry-level firefighters for the Santee Fire Department. The problem considered was that the current recruitment process may not be considering contemporary generational factors in the work environment. Hence, the current process may not be maximizing the probabilities for success by appealing to the most qualified candidates. The purpose was to determine if an enhanced understanding of generational differences could be used to provide a more effective recruitment process. The research employed both historical and evaluative research to answer several questions: (1) Is the current recruitment process outdated? Does the current process fail to consider the changing workplace cultures and generational differences? (2) What is the attitude and general awareness of the current department workforce with regard to generational issues in the organization? (3) What does the literature offer to provide guidance to the organization to best utilize generational distinctions? (4) Can an enhanced understanding of generational issues be utilized to improve the current recruitment process? If so, what recommendations can be made to the City of Santee Fire Department regarding modification? The objective of this research project was to provide sufficient information to guide the City of Santee in the possible modification of recruitment procedures using an understanding of workplace generational differences. Each employee was surveyed via a structured questionnaire designed to obtain the knowledge and opinion of employees regarding generational considerations. Data from the survey questionnaire was collected, compiled, evaluated and utilized for a recommendation."
National Fire Academy
2000-08
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Consolidation of Fire Protection Services in Central Penobscot County
"The problem was identified that many small communities in central Penobscot County Maine are having difficulty providing the level of fire and emergency medical services demanded by the public. The purpose of this applied research project was to explore if consolidation of fire protection agencies could improve the delivery and efficiency of fire and emergency medical services in central Penobscot County. The descriptive research methodology was used to answer the following questions: Question 1. What are the benefits of consolidating fire protection agencies? Question 2. How have other governmental agencies consolidated fire protection services? Question 3. Are local municipal officials in central Penobscot County receptive to the consolidation of fire protection services? The procedures in this research included selecting the communities and their respective fire departments to be studied, which were the fourteen cities and towns in central Penobscot County. A literature review of fire department consolidations, mergers and regionalization efforts was conducted to examine the benefits, limitations and challenges facing fire protection agency consolidation. A survey was conducted of local municipal officials, including town managers and local fire chiefs from the fourteen communities to determine whether they are receptive to consolidation and what concerns they would have with consolidation of fire protection services. The results of this research determined that there are many benefits to be derived from consolidation of fire protection services between the fourteen communities in central Penobscot County."
National Fire Academy
Ellis, James L.
2000-08
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Maximizing the Effectiveness of Residential Smoke Detectors Through a Free Community Smoke Detector Program
"This research project evaluated the factors that impact the success of smoke detectors in providing early warning for occupants of residential fires so that evacuation can be accomplished and lives saved. The problem was that fire death in residential occupancies in the United States remains one of the highest among all industrialized nations. The purpose of this applied research paper was to determine to what extent are the residential communities of Moraga and Orinda protected by smoke detectors and whether the Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District (District, MOFD) can improve the level of protection. The research employed was both evaluative and action. The research was evaluative through the utilization of a community survey, the results of which were compared to national statistics and trends. The research was action research in that the information gathered was applied in a real-world context through the implementation of a smoke detector program. The research questions to be answered were: 1. Are there citizen groups that need smoke detectors, and how does the District identify them? 2. Are smoke detectors within the District optimally utilized through sufficient number, proper location and in operational working order? 3. How can the District effectively and economically implement a smoke detector installation program? The principal procedure utilized a survey to determine the age, location, testing and replacement of smoke detectors within the communities of Moraga and Orinda. The survey was sent via a Fire District newsletter. The data collected was utilized to identify and address specific smoke detector deficiencies in the communities."
National Fire Academy
Johnston, Jim
2000-08
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Developing Departmental Requirements for Implementing a Health and Safety Officer for the Fresno City Fire Department
"The Fresno City Fire Department (FCFD) does not have a departmental health and safety officer. The purpose of this research paper is to determine the necessary requirements to implement the position of health and safety officer in the FCFD. An action based research method was used which resulted in a draft plan of action, which is provided in an Appendix. Research questions that were answered were: 1. What are the laws and standards relating to the position of health and safety officer? 2. What are the knowledge and skills required for the health and safety officer position? 3. What are the organizational roles and responsibilities of the Health and Safety Officer? The leading procedure used was to review the current laws and standards supporting the use of a health and safety officer, also materials focusing on the knowledge and skills necessary for the position. Literature and publications were reviewed that were primarily focused on the identified issues. Findings revealed that several national fire service standards and codes support the implementation of a department health and safety officer. Several other factors outlining the knowledge and skills necessary for assignment to the position were noted in said research. The result of the research shows that the implementation of the position of health and safety officer within the FCFD is necessary to be in compliance with nationally accepted standards. It also allows for the development of guidelines concerning the duties of the health and safety officer along with the knowledge and skills essential for assignment to the position."
National Fire Academy
Bradley, Michael H.
2000-08
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Foreign Trade Zones: U.S. Customs Procedures and Requirements
This brochure "briefly explains procedures and requirements of foreign trade zones."
U.S. Customs Service
2000-08
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Volpe Center Highlights [July/August 2000]
"Welcome to this special edition of the Volpe Center Highlights focusing on our work for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, it is appropriate to recall that the FAA has been a key customer of the Center since our inception and continues to be a major sponsor today. Together we work to ensure that when you fly in the United States, you are traveling on the safest, most efficient form of transportation available." The focus of this edition of "Highlights" is supporting safe air transportation. Key programs discussed in this issue include Strategic Systems Planning; Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS); Aviation Safety; Human Factors; Physical and Information Security; Aircraft Noise Measurement, Modeling, and Analysis; and Policy, Planning, and Economic Analysis. Also in this issue is an article on "Technology Efforts to Reduce Runway Incursions Demonstrated at National Runway Safety Summit."
John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
2000-08
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Mount Hood - History and Hazards of Oregon's Most Recently Active Volcano
"Mount Hood's last major eruption occurred in the 1790's not long before Lewis and Clark's expedition to the Pacific Northwest. In the mid-1800's, local residents reported minor explosive activity, but since that time the volcano has been quiet. Someday, however, Mount Hood will erupt again. What will those eruptions be like and how will they affect us? Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are studying the volcano's past eruptive behavior to better anticipate and prepare for future eruptive activity."
United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)
2000-08
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Foreign-born Population in the United States: March 1999
"This report describes the foreign-born population in the United States in 1999. It provides a profile of their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, such as region of birth, geographic distribution in the United States, age, educational attainment, and poverty status. These characteristics are compared with those of the native population, and because the foreign born are a heterogenous group, variability within the foreign-born population is also discussed. The findings are based on data collected by the Census Bureau in the March 1999 Current Population Survey (CPS). The Foreign Born were not U.S. citizens at birth. Natives were born in the United States or a U.S. Island Area such as Puerto Rico, or born abroad of a U.S. citizen parent."
U.S. Census Bureau
2000-08
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Coming to America: A Profile of the Nation's Foreign Born
"As of March 1997, according to data collected in the Current Population Survey, the estimated foreign-born population of the United States was 25.8 million- the largest in U.S. history. The number has climbed 6.0 million, or 30 percent, since the 1990 census, and 16.2 million, or 168 percent, since 1970, when the United States had the lowest number of foreign born in this century. The number of foreign-born U.S. residents now exceeds the population of all but 36 of the world's nations and each of our country's states, except California. Meanwhile, the proportion of the U.S. population that was foreign born reached an estimated 1 in 10 in 1997, the highest proportion since 1930. The 1997 figure is midway between the highest figures during a period of large-scale migration from Europe (14 percent in 1870 and 15 percent in 1890 and 1910) and the lowest figure during the culmination of a long period of limited migration (5 percent in 1970)."
U.S. Census Bureau
2000-08
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FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin: August 2000
The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin is a collection of criminal justice stories, reports and project findings. It provides a forum for the exchange of information, news, and commentary on various aspects of the field of law enforcement. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin is an official publication of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice. Topics discussed in this issue include: Investigative uses of computers; Identity theft; Color of law investigations; Getting along with citizen oversight; Anonymous tips and frisks; Investigative priorities; Police deaths.
United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation
2000-08
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Security for Private Branch Exchange Systems
Hacker attacks on computer networks are well known, but Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems are also vulnerable. In one case, a hacker penetrated the Private Branch Exchange (PBX) system operated by a hospital in Escondido, California. For nearly two years, on various occasions, he blocked calls to and from the hospital, connected hospital operators to spurious numbers (including the county jail), and placed bogus emergency calls that appeared to be coming from inside the hospital. Unfortunately, the hospital's experience is not unique. Failure to secure a PBX system can result in exposing an organization to toll fraud, theft of proprietary, personal, and confidential information, loss of revenue, or legal entanglements. Depending on how the organization's network is configured and administered, information leading to intrusions of data networks may be compromised as well. A PBX is a sophisticated computer-based switch that can be thought of as essentially a small, in-house phone company for the organization that operates it. Protection of the PBX is thus a high priority. This bulletin introduces some of the vulnerabilities of PBX switches and describes some countermeasures that can be used to increase the security of your PBX. For a more detailed treatment of these issues, see NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-24, PBX Vulnerability Analysis (see http://csrc.nist.gov).
Information Technology Laboratory (National Institute of Standards and Technology)
Kuhn, D. Richard
2000-08
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Technical Information Bulletin 00-7: All-Optical Networks
All-Optical Networks (AONs) are expected to come out of the laboratory and grow
rapidly in popularity over the next several years due to their high speed and ability to overcome the "electronic bottleneck" offered by today's electronic or electro-optic networks. It is anticipated that communications infrastructures will evolve to support gigabit and terabit speeds, and new applications such as desktop videoconferencing, distance learning, telemedicine, and video-on-demand will evolve to become important commonplace capabilities. These and many other bandwidth-intensive applications have
great potential to improve National Security and Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP)
communications. This report examines AONs, addresses issues associated with their applications, and discusses their applicability into NS/EP environments.
National Communications System (U.S.). Office of the Manager
2000-08
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Information Security: Software Change Controls at the Department of State
"This letter summarizes the results of our recent review of software change controls at the Department of State. Controls over access to and modification of software are essential in providing reasonable assurance that system-based security controls are not compromised. […] [W]e suggest that you review State's software change control policies and procedures and consider adopting industry best practices such as the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model for Software. In addition, we suggest that you review related contract oversight and personnel policies and practices and implement any changes that you deem necessary. Because we also identified software control weaknesses at other agencies covered by our review, we have recommended that OMB clarify its guidance to agencies regarding software change controls as part of broader revisions that OMB is currently developing to Circular A-130, Management of Federal Information Resources."
United States. General Accounting Office
McClure, David L.
2000-07-30
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Army and Marine Corps Manual: NBC Decontamination
The use of NBC weapons creates unique residual hazards that may require decon. In addition to the deliberate use of these weapons, collateral
damage, natural disasters, and industrial emitters may require decon. The presence of contamination generally reduces the effectiveness of our combat power. Contamination forces us into protective equipment that degrades our ability to perform individual and collective tasks.
FM 3-5 integrates the nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) fundamentals published in FM 3-100
and implements Standardized North Atlantic Treaty Organization Agreement (STANAG) 2426. The extent and timing of decon depends on the tactical situation, the mission, the area of contamination, and the decon resources available. Survivability and reducing the effect of any chemical threat are the ultimate goals of decon. This manual provides detailed guidance on conducting decon operations performed by chemical and nonchemical personnel. Individual soldiers and leaders must be
familiar with the basic procedures and concepts in this manual.
United States. Department of Defense
2000-07-28
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Security Protection: Standardization Issues Regarding Protection of Executive Branch Officials, Statement of Bernard L. Ungar, Director, Government Business Operations Issues, General Government Division and Robert H. Hast, Acting Assistant Comptroller General for Special Investigations, Testimony before the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice Oversight, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate
From fiscal years 1997 through 1999, 42 executive branch positions at 31 executive branch agencies--including all 14 Cabinet secretaries, four deputy or under secretaries, and 24 other high-ranking officials (mainly heads of agencies)--had security protection. Personnel from 27 different agencies protected them: 36 officials by their own agencies or departments and six from other agencies or departments, such as the Secret Service and the Marshals Service. Most agencies favored establishing a repository of protective intelligence to facilitate sharing of threat information about their officials. Also, agencies reported that their protective personnel received different amounts of protection training and from different sources. Most agencies opposed centralizing security protection under one agency. No single agency or official is responsible for handling issues relating to routine protection of executive branch officials. This fragmentation has serious implications because 14 of the protected officials are in the line of presidential succession. Moreover, the lack of thorough threat assessments documenting the level of protection needed makes it difficult to determine the basis for and reasonableness of protection being given. This testimony summarizes the July 2000 report, GAO/GGD/OSI-00-139.
United States. General Accounting Office
2000-07-27
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State Strategy Technical Assistance Fact Sheet
"Under the State and Local Domestic Preparedness Technical Assistance Program, the Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support (OSLDPS) has implemented a State Strategy Technical Assistance component to assist states in meeting the needs assessment and comprehensive planning requirements under the OSLDPS' Fiscal Year 1999 State Domestic Preparedness Equipment Support Program. State Strategy Technical Assistance provides three distinct training sessions to better prepare state and local jurisdictions in developing and implementing a three-year state strategy. These are: 'Understanding and Implementing the Assessment Process, How to Conduct Assessments at the Jurisdictional Level, and Developing a State Strategy.'"
United States. Office of Justice Programs. Office for State and Local Domestic Preparedness Support
Straub, C.H., II
2000-07-27
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Critical Infrastructure Protection: Challenges to Building a Comprehensive Strategy for Information Sharing and Coordination, Statement of Jack L. Brock, Jr., Director, Governmentwide and Defense Information Systems, Accounting and Information Management Division, Testimony before the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology, Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives
The unprecedented growth in use of the Internet has revolutionized the way much of the world communicates and conducts business. Without proper safeguards, this widespread interconnectivity poses enormous risks to America's computer systems and to the critical operations and infrastructures they support. For example, hostile nations or terrorists could use cyber-based tools and techniques to disrupt military operations and communications networks. According to the National Security Agency, potential adversaries are developing a body of knowledge about U.S. systems and about methods to attack these systems. Information sharing and coordination among organizations are central to producing comprehensive and practical approaches and solutions to these threats. The "ILOVEYOU" virus is a case in point Because information sharing mechanisms were unable to provide timely warnings, many entities were caught off guard and forced to take their networks off-line for hours. Data on possible threats--viruses, hoaxes, random threats, news events, and computer intrusions--must be continually collected and analyzed. Appropriate warnings and response actions must be effectively coordinated by strong partnerships to ensure that the right data are in the right place at the right time. Jointly designed, built, and staffed mechanisms among involved parties is most likely to obtain critical buy-in and acceptance. After determining what information to collect and report, guidelines and procedures must be established. At present, there is a shortage of persons with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to undertake these efforts.
United States. General Accounting Office
2000-07-26
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Combating Terrorism: Linking Threats to Strategies and Resources, Statement of Norman J. Rabkin, Director, National Security Preparedness Issues, National Security and International Affairs Division, Testimony before the Subcommittee on National Security, Veterans Affairs, and International Relations, Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives
To develop sound programs to combat terrorism, the United States must develop a thorough understanding of the terrorist threat. U.S. intelligence agencies track and analyze terrorist threats, including the use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. In GAO's view, some public statements made about CBRN do not include important qualifications to the information they present. For example, terrorists would have to overcome significant technical and operational challenges to successfully make and release chemical or biological agents of sufficient quality and quantity to kill or injure large numbers of people without substantial assistance from a foreign government sponsor. Secondly, much federal effort to combat terrorism has been based on vulnerabilities and worst case scenarios rather than an analysis of credible risks. A threat and risk assessment can be used to develop a nationwide strategy and guide resource investments. Officials in five foreign countries GAO visited--Canada, United Kingdom, Israel, Germany, and France--said that because of limited resources, they make funding decisions for programs to combat terrorism on the likelihood of terrorist activity, not on the countries' overall vulnerabilities. These countries maximize their existing capabilities to address a wide array of threats, including emerging threats like CBRN, before they create new capabilities or programs to respond to such attacks.
United States. General Accounting Office
2000-07-26
