Government Facilities Sector is one of the largest and most complex sectors of the 17 critical infrastructures that’s included in the National Infrastructure Protection Plan. The Department of Homeland Security, General Services Administration and the Federal Protective Service (FPS) were given the responsibilities as co-leads and Federal interface for this sector by PPD-21. The government facilities sector will arrange for the protection, safety, and security of all government assets, employees, and visitors to the facilities under its sector, as well as balanced management of physical and cyber risk, so that essential government functions and services are preserved without disruption. The execution of this will require GFS to reduce the nations …show more content…
Identifying and assessing the risks of facilities, that if attacked and damaged, would result in significant consequences, negative impact on national economic security, national public health and safety, public confidence, national governance, or some combination of these adverse outcomes is important. The order of precedence would follow the path of facilities, equipment, conveyances records, artifacts, and materials. With prioritized approaches put in place to mitigate the effects of incidents, the owners and operators of these facilities can make risk-informed decisions during incidents and following through with rapid response and restoration, even during times of limited resources. These actions not only allow for an increase in security, but it also strengthens resilience through such an approach that identifies and prioritizes these actions. The Government Facilities Sector (GFS) is in ownership of assets that are owned or operated by 56 states and territories, 3,031 counties, 85,973 local governments, and 566 tribal nations, totaling more than over 900,000 constructed assets (Homeland …show more content…
During these attacks, two jet airliners were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center that contained offices that were occupied by U.S. government agencies and many businesses and organizations involved in finance and international trade, and one was flown into the Pentagon Building which is the nation's military headquarters located near Washington D.C. These assets were more than likely targeted because they provide unique services, perform sensitive functions, contain irreplaceable artifacts, and have significant symbolic value. The threat assessment process and analysis has shown that threats to any of our government facilities sectors usually involves natural and manmade events when the outcome of devastation is so severe. To minimize any further attacks on government facilities on that day, buildings such as the White House and offices of the federal government were evacuated, airplanes were grounded, U.S. stock exchanges stopped trading, and many businesses and public landmarks closed early and sent employees home (New World Encyclopedia, 2017). Even though the attacks on the World Trade Center was well documented and publicized, the FBI confiscated all footage from nearby businesses that may have had video recordings capturing the attacks on the Pentagon. The only evidence of Flight 77
As a member of the Homeland Security Assessment Team for our organization, we will attempt to build a program that will allow us to meet the goals of our business plan as well as the needs of our Homeland Security Assessment that we will create from the results of our evaluation of our organization (Fisher, 2004). We will utilize the Baldridge Criteria to combine our two-goal seeking areas of our business plan as well as our Homeland Security Assessment goals that we are identified at the conclusion of our Homeland Security Assessment. When we do our Baldridge Criteria measurements of our organization we will be able to determine the areas of our organization that we are already protected from weaknesses and vulnerabilities; and will be able
Upon detonation the bomb tore all the north side of the federal building. This act of terrorism began an era in United States history that would have a toll for years to follow. (1) In the days, weeks and months following this terrible act, many public agencies,
Fifteen years after the fateful date of September 11, 2001, this school year marks the first year that almost no American high school freshman was alive for the day forever engrained in America's past. Anyone old enough to remember that clear Tuesday morning can pinpoint what he or she was doing when the press released the astounding news: a plane had crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. No matter how routine their day may have been, most witnesses can at least recall their feelings, as the American sense of safety would forever be tainted. As the world watched in dismay from their televisions, the state inside the World Trade Center was declared an emergency. Those on floors 78 through 84, where the first plane ripped
On September 11, 2001, 343 FDNY firefighters and innocent people tragically died inside the Twin Towers. This horrific event will never be forgotten, and it marks hope, resilience, and unity as a nation. Through the examination of 9/11 and the influence that it had on the United States, especially with the deaths of FDNY responders, related illnesses, and the rebuilding of the One World Trade Center, it becomes abundantly clear why 9/11 should be remembered. On September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked by foreign al-Qaeda terrorists who hijacked four commercial airline planes.
Reduce the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and key resources, essential leadership, and major events to terrorist attacks and other hazards. Provide grants, plans and training to our homeland security and law enforcement partners. We have taken significant steps to create a unified and integrated Department that will enhance our performance by focusing on accountability, efficiency, transparency and leadership development. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was the final weak link in the then-existing confusing chain of command. FEMA 's head, Wallace E. Stickney, had no apparent experience in emergency management or disaster response (Franklin, D. 1995).
In accordance with the 2014 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, the terrorist threat is one of the prevailing challenges that pose a significant risk level to the United States as well as to American citizens abroad and many U.S. allies (Department of Homeland Security, 2014). In the United States, the Federal Government assumes the responsibility for leading the efforts that seek to manage the risk level of the terrorist threat. That is why the Federal Government has created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), whose main mission is to prevent terrorist threats by managing their risk levels (DHS, 2014). Since the terrorist threat is a very complex threat to manage for one entity or agency alone, the DHS is able to accomplish its main mission by working in partnerships with many federal agencies; State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLLTT) Governments; private and public organizations; international partners; and communities all across the United States (DHS, 2014). In all of those partnerships, the Federal Government through the DHS plays a leadership role
Have you ever wondered why New York City is one of the most protected cities in the world? On September 11, 2001 there were four terrible attacks in the United States of America. There were attacks on both of the Twin Towers in New York City, one on the Pentagon in Washington DC, and one was headed for the either the Capitol building or the White house in Washington DC but was taken down in a field in Pennsylvania. The plane that was taken down was crashed into a field because two brave men knocked out the pilots and put the plane down in a safe location without many people. Over 3,000 people were killed in the attacks.
The hardening the critical infrastructure and potential targets since 9/11
It is no secret that the United States was completely unprepared for an attack of the magnitude of the attack on the Twin Towers. The U.S is protected by Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it was formed just right after the attack. The Department of Homeland Security, mission is to protect and secure the nation from the many threats we face. According to The U.S. Department of Homeland Security focus on three goals, prevent terrorist attacks.
More and more authorities continue to be taken away and have been spread across many agencies within DHS. “FEMA no longer manages a comprehensive emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery and the agency function that President Carter and the Governors envisioned in 1979 no longer exists” (FEMA, 2013). The sole focus has turned to terrorism disaster preparedness and FEMA has become somewhat dismantled and lost its ability to provide the command and control that it had prior to the move to DHS. This will prove to be a major flaw and will again, show the failure of FEMA in the next occurrence of natural disaster the United States faces. There are other agencies within the DHS that need to be scrutinized as
Mission Overlaps within the Department of Homeland Security In the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is primarily responsible for ensuring the safety of the general public. Aside from that, this department seeks to protect the U.S. from terrorists, and it ensures that the immigration and customs is properly managed, and that disaster is efficiently prevented, as the case may be. However, some have called for the shutting down of the DHS because mission areas overlap within this department. In line with this assertion, this paper will identify the possible mission areas or responsibilities that overlap within the DHS and at the same time, this paper will also provide recommendations for possible consolidation.
In July of 2005, Secretary Chertoff announced a six-point agenda for the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) that would address the policies, operations and the structures for present and future threats to the United States (Department of Homeland Security, n.d). These new initiatives would provide a new structure for the Department of Homeland Security that would allow it to manage risk better. The purpose of the agenda was to strengthen the countries vulnerabilities to the increasing threats from terrorism, natural disasters, technological disasters and cyber threats. These initiatives would increase the countries overall preparedness for a national incident, provide security enhancements to the countries transportations system, strengthen
On September 11, 2001 four U.S. planes were hijacked by the terrorist group, al-Qaeda, and were used as weapons of mass destruction in a suicide terrorist attack which targeted four separate U.S. locations. Over 3,000 people died, more than 6,000 people were injured and there was over $10 billion dollars in damage, to property in the United States. These occurrences which took place on September 11, 2001 were among the most devastating hits to the United States in history, to date. [1].
9/11: The Day That Changed America Forever On September 11, 2001, nineteen terrorists boarded four planes, all transcontinental flights full of jet fuel. 9/11 became the first of many hijackings in the United States. The terrorists turned two flights into flying weapons of destruction, knocking down America’s tallest buildings. The third plane rammed into the Pentagon and the fourth plane was crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.
National Security in the 21st Century will encompass threats ranging from fraud, corruption, illegal migration, transnational crime and environmental degradation. One could consider seven broad subject areas of focus, economic security, food security, health and environment security, personal security and community security. The new threats to national security will come from emerging issues like terrorism, oil and gas depletion, environmental concerns, including climatic alterations, HIV/AIDS and over-population. National Security