Emergency Planning and Security Preparedness - Essay Example

Importantly, homeland security seeks to reduce the vulnerability or the risk of exposure of United States’ citizens to terrorism and other criminal acts. In addition, homeland security has been instrumental in minimizing the losses or damages that may occur due to terrorism and other criminal acts (Coppola, 2008). This paper explores the impacts of technology and the emphasis of homeland security on security planning. In addition, the paper explores the changes realized in the emergency security protocol in the wake of increased security threats to the U.S. Effects of the Emphasis on Homeland Security on Security Planning The United States Department of Homeland Security was formed in 2003 following the reorganization of about 187 U.

S agencies including the United States National Guard, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the United States Secret Service, and the Transportation Security Administration among others (Coppola, 2008). Homeland security, through the concerted efforts of all the agencies involved, has been quite successful at detecting and preventing terrorist attacks within the national boarders of the U.S. The elaborate security planning that has been occasioned by the interconnectivity and the cooperation among the agencies has further played a crucial role in fostering national security.

Security planning has particularly been improved as a result of the enhanced preparedness, response, and recovery, which are the hallmarks of the Department of Homeland Security. In addition, the availability of funds for the Department of Homeland Security’s use in the planning and execution of its strategies and policies has prompted the effective, appropriate and necessary security planning. Homeland security has thus improved planning with regard to emergency preparedness and response planning (medical, emergency management, and police responses) (Sauter & Carafano, 2005).

The planning of both international and domestic intelligence and security operations have been done more promptly, more so by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The other aspects of national security planning that have benefitted due to the emphasis laid on Homeland Security include border security, transportation security, bio-defense, research, and detection of radioactive and radiological materials. Unfortunately, a lot of criticism has targeted Homeland Security, particularly about international laws.

Thus, there have been conflicts between the United States and international bodies that are signatory to the Geneva Convention, whose provisions some of the status created by the Homeland drive have contravened (Sauter & Carafano, 2005). For instance, certain Homeland Security statuses have been found not to entirely conform to the conditions of the Geneva Convention. The importance of Homeland Security to national security thus emphasizes the need to further integrate domestic, foreign, and military policies touching on national security, an integration that would promote the collaboration of military services, security departments and agencies of the Government in the handling of security matters (Sauter & Carafan