National Infrastructure Protection Plan - Term Paper Example

National Infrastructure Protection Plan Introduction This paper aims at discussing the overall role of the national infrastructure protection plan in the United States. This is the body responsible for ensuring the protection of natural resources and ensuring proper allocation of resources all over the US. The body is controlled by the government and plays a central role in ensuring security and safety of Americans. In addition to this, the body is responsible for maintaining peace and equity within the country. The National Infrastructure Protection Plan has a specified role in ensuring a more secure, peaceful, neutral, and timely response in cases of disaster. It is also responsible for preventing the country against cases of terrorism. It is also responsible for ensuring rapid recovery of the critical infrastructure and key resources. In times of natural calamities, the department of homeland security is always available to take care of human interest. The body is also responsible for ensuring rapid emergency response and preparedness in case of any disaster. The National Infrastructure Protection Planhas 18 critical infrastructure sectors that are responsible for the wellbeing of the lives of Americans. The sectors include food and agriculture. This sector ensures that food security in addition to proper agricultural activities is conducted within the country. the sector also ensures that it follows the protocol s of the United Nations in supporting countries that are suffering from food insecurity. This is a sector of public interest and therefore the government ensures that it does everything possible to prevent exploitation from private and foreign investors. Commercial facilities are also another critical sector that is under the National Infrastructure Protection Plan. The government controls building and development of commercial facilities especially within the major cities. This ensures that the facilities are built under good quality to avoid sub standardization. The department also restricts exploitation by foreign investors and ensures equitable allocation of land while developing commercial facilities. The government also ensures taxes are paid accordingly. Dams in the US are also other critical sectors that fall under the plan. Dams are used for generation of electricity and rapid irrigation within the country. the government must control such facilities due to public interest with he aim of avoiding exploitation by foreign investors and private developers. Energy is also another sector under The National Infrastructure Protection Plan. The department is responsible for providing energy, which is also a national resource with common interest. Informationand technology is also another sector under this plan. The government ensures that proper informational channels are followed and breach of contracts by the media and the internet is not done. They are also involved in protection of information to protect the government against terrorists. Postal and shipping sector is under the plan also. The government due to public interest operates it; the aim is to prevent exploitation. The services provided are sometimes very expensive hence; the government provides subsidies when in control of such services. Transport system is also a very important sector controlled by the government. The sector is controlled since it can paralyze the whole government and country in case of any failure. The government ensures efficient and fair transportation is provided. National monuments and icons is a sector under plan. The sector controls the number of icon that is representedhistorically. The country has a long history and many icons need to be represented. The government initiates those who come under national recognition. Banking and finance is also another sector under control. The government controls finance in the treasury ensuring proper allocation of resources. Through this, the government also ensures prevent cases of inflation. Government facilities are also another sector controlled by the department of homeland security. The department ensures that the national resources are exploited fully for the benefits of US citizens. Defense industrial base is amongst the 18 critical sectors under watch. The country is always vulnerable to terrorism being a super power in the world. Ensuring safety and security of Americans is the first role of the homeland security. Chemical is a major sector under The National Infrastructure Protection Plan. The chemical production is usually critical since it usually involves production of poisonous chemicals, whichmay be used wrongfully leading to rapid death of innocent people like in the case of World War II. Critical manufacturing is an industrial sector under the plan. The sector is responsible for employment and development of the national economy. It is for this purpose that the government must pay attention in ensuring equity and growth of the sector. Emergency services in case of disaster attacks by terrorist and natural calamities are a national interest resource. The government ensures efficient response in case of such cases. Healthcare and public health is one of the 18 sectors under critical watch by the department of homeland security. This ensures that every citizen is entitled to proper healthcare facility. Vulnerability Assessment Most of the physical features and facilities remain under the threat of terrorists, private investors, and foreign investors. It is for this reason that the department of homeland security is continuously conducting vulnerability assessment to ensure the wellbeing of the citizens. This is done in all sectors and must follow certain criteria. After this, the report must be crosschecked at national level to assess the situation. The report is then handed back to necessary authorities with strict measure to be undertaken indicated. In cyber, vulnerabilities involve lack of firewall such that communications can be paralyzed and terrorist can get access to private critical information that can be dangerous to national security. In humans, it may be lack of proper training by the defense force hence creating a security threat. In cases of security assessment protective security advisor, work hand in hand with CIKR in ensuring state protection. Canada and Mexico are close allies of the US. The Mexican country is well known for drug trafficking. Through the order transparency, the department of homeland security is able to drug trafficking. Asia Pacific Cooperation is responsible for tracking terrorist who prevent funds, goods, and people from moving from one place to another. Framework used in NIPP The National Infrastructure Protection Plan develops various strategies and frameworks aimed at dealing with physical security and key assets as well. The strategies are derived from the president’s national strategy that aims at articulating infrastructure and physical wellbeing to reduce the rate of vulnerability of the country. Thestrategiesare mainly developed from world-learnt experiences such s the 9/11 bombing attacks. Attacks on infrastructure are likely to jeopardize the government activities together with the business, which can lead to escalating effects in the country. The strategy directs on how resources are allocated. In case of direct terrorism serious losses in form of human casualties, economic losses, and ruining of public damage is highly possible. The key sectors include public health, security, governance, economy, transport, and communication in addition to public confidence. Another strategy used by the NIPP is through education and training of individuals. This ensures long existing credibility of national security to its citizens. The training ensures that individuals are provided with skills necessary for performing different roles and responsibilities in the government and other private sectors. Organizational training is also conducted to improve expertise in ensuring NIPP and CIKR combat terrorism. At this point it is also important to balance the sharing and protection of information. Protection of sensitive information is necessary to protect the national security, which may be compromised. Distribution of information involves use of various tools for disseminating information [The09]. DHS operations nod works closely with both the government and the private sector. This sector provides 24/7 analysis and alerts to responsible protection units mainly the CIKR protection unit. The DHS collects and gather information all round especially mainly from population all-round the cities. The DHS works closely with HSC in prioritizing the NIPP through partnership of groups such as SCC and GCC in coming up with better requirements. This takes place between February and June. On the other hand, the Sector Specific Agencies works with different sectors in developing NIPP requirement during the same time. SSA also gets involved in budgeting and allocation of the budget. Between June and September, DHS aggregate annual reports before submitting them to CIKR on 1st September. Consequently, the SSA submits its sector annual report by 1st June to DHS which later summarizes and hands in to NIPP. Read More