The Purpose of Safety and Security for Preparedness and Prevention - Essay Example

Running head: HOMELAND SECURITY Homeland Security –Preparedness and Prevention of the of the of the Homeland Security - Preparedness & Prevention Current global situation have added number of events which have gathered the authorities to focus their attention to the vulnerability of major terrorist events. Terrorist events are critical to the country’s infrastructure and thus vulnerability of such events could be varied. This security model for preparedness and prevention has been designed to respond to terrorist threats including emergency alerted situations. The security model accentuates the need of development of connection between the strategies and guiding principles to make the circumstances of terrorists attack to be countered with safety of organizational infrastructure. The model includes some of the most important steps which could be taken during emergency. The Need of Preparedness and Prevention Plan: The need of management for emergency circumstances is now evolving in almost every state of the world as terrorist activities have been noted to increase with extreme socio-political movements around the world. The need of the preparedness and prevention is thus important because threats can considerably cause devastation of infrastructures. One example of devastation could be taken from the attacks of 9/11 in 2001. The need of the preparedness and prevention model is due to the fact that people needs to have awareness and training regarding how to counter terrorist threats. Moreover, there are some of the preparedness plans and models for prevention of terrorist attacks which are already in action. One of the most widely used and effective preparedness and prevention plan is by National Incident Management System (NIMS) (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2004). Devastating incidents which could not be controlled by agencies separately might be solved by interrelated patterns joined together by different agencies. National Incident Management System is basically allowing the agencies to interface and work together to mitigate the threat, survey vulnerability and prevent the dangers of threat (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2004). Vision: Step # 1 Identifying the Assets: The first and foremost step in the plan of preparedness and prevention is that assets of the organization are identified. Assets could include any material or structure which could be regarded as beneficial and valued to the company. Identification of assets could be done on the basis of prioritizing the organizational structures and belongings. In case of varied and large amount of assets, it is suggested that assess are characterized in terms of its value. Categorization is the most helpful way to identify assets as noted in other preparedness and prevention plans (Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2005). Once the assets have been identified, it is suggested that more and more implications are done to analyze assets which are most vulnerable to threats. The procedure of identification of assets could be varied and altered in larger and consolidated infrastructure. Categorization could easily be done to several levels in terms of vulnerability, valuation and prioritization. Step #2 Threat Identification: The term threat is used to denote a situation of destruction, circumstances of devastation or indication of emergency. All noted situations determine loss and damages to the assets. Threat identification is the basic and most important step for the purpose of preparedness as well as prevention. Threat identification is required in order to get away with devastations or risks concerning the assets making up infrastructure. Different law enforcement agencies have used different terms in order to understand the tendency of the events. Some news agencies use the terms “hazard” synonymously with threat to confer the circumstances of natural disasters whereas the term “threat” is used to point out risk of terrorist attacks (Ashcroft, Daniels, & Hart, 2002). Identification of threats could not be easy for any organization or infrastructure because the intensity of threat is always unpredictable due to its nature of being an assumption. The previously studied statistics for the identification of terrorist threats claim that it is almost unpredictable to gauge reoccurrence of terrorist attacks. The unpredictability of such hazards would result in difficulty and subjectivity (Le Fevre, 2006). Identification of threat could be on the basis of evaluation of aggressor. The evaluation of aggressor would automatically help the authorities in understanding the cause behind the aggression. It is important to note down here that the cause behind the aggression needs to be studied in such a way that it could provide a picture of either political cause or non-political cause towards the infrastructure. The threats could be varied for instance, killing and injuring of people, damaging equipments and stealing company resources (Kean & Hamilton, 2002). There could be a possibility that the threat and aggressors would be merged. Different groups with different ideologies and cause can also join to pose a threat. It could be noted down that a threat could be problematic and difficult to prevent if it’s a combination of different purposes. Most notable terrorist attacks that could be identified as threats include following categories: I. Bomber Attacks Bomber attacks are expected to be either installed in a moving or stationary vehicle. Latest emergence of bomber attacks have been noted to deliver by a person namely suicide bomber. II. External Attacks: This category includes bomb attacks which are conducted through hand grenades or hand placed bombs. III. Ballistic Attacks Attacks done in the forms of riots with hand held weapons or rocket launchers. IV. Illegal entries: Covert entrance is the most widely known form of threat that could be undertaken by terrorist groups. The illegal entries are more likely to occur through false identify in use of terrorist. V. Contamination: Explosive chemicals could be drained through air supply which is more likely to appear as a threat to states during intensified conflicts. Step #3 Scenario Analysis: The third step is to evaluate the situation with the existing information of categorized assets which could be either be valued or categorized in terms of prioritization. Following the information of valued assets, the second type of information which is more evident and helpful is the identified threat. Scenario Analysis is basically an analyst view of the background of the terrorist groups and the potential of the attack. It is most significant to search for the history of the terrorists or aggressor groups when the information of threat is found. The background could actually be really helpful for the organization to understand the pattern of threat and approach of the aggressor group (Le Fevre, 2006). The scenario analysis basically helps in calculating the estimated time of following attacks. The targeted time and distance is the most important step of the preparedness model against a terrorist attack. The question that would come to the mind of people at reaching this step would be the sources which would answer the questions regarding patterned attacks and distance of following attacks. In such case, law enforcement organizations could be a very helpful source to gather such type of information (Ashcroft, Daniels, & Hart, 2002). In the current times, intelligence companies have switched from traditional databases to advanced and fast-tech databases. Such databases have enough data of aggressor groups that may help in finding the pattern of the attacking history of that particular aggressor group. Police departments and federal bureau can equally play a vital role in providing answers for scenario analysis in case of threat to the infrastructure. The calculation can easily be made once the scenario analysis had been done through different law enforcement agencies. Most important source that could help in scenario analysis could be National Incident Management System (NIMS) providing major Incident Command System (ICS). ICS can meet the needs of the analysis through interface of information and action plans of aggressor’s group which have been operating in the past (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2004). Step #4 Vulnerability Prioritization: The achieved information during the step of scenario analysis could further help in understand the primary vulnerable threats. Chalking down of terrorist threats which might be coming in way of an organization is the step that interrelates with the vulnerability. It is important to understand the fact that terrorist might always attack buildings and structures as their targets which would be the most valued. It is important to study the vulnerability of an asset to get affected by the threat. In order to gauge the vulnerability standard, it is important to consult engineers in case of building denoted as an asset. Engineers are recommended to mitigate the effects of explosions through studying the design of the buildings and infrastructures (Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2005). The examination of vulnerable assets and prioritizing them could be done through checking if the physical protection systems have been destroyed by the aggressor’s group or not. Such systems could sensors on the gateways and doors of buildings or other targets, cameras for high beam assessment, alarm systems for remote alert, access sheets and access cards to different departments etc. Step #5 Countermeasures: The authorities sand people involved in preparedness and prevention must understand the fact that once the primary threat had been evaluated and the vulnerability of the asset to get affected then it is suggested that effective measures are taken. Countermeasures refer to mitigation of the threat through effective planned process. The functions and critical interrelated pattern of assets needs to be studied with respect to vulnerability. It is important to note that how a threat could shake the overall asset performance. The step of selecting countermeasures is very important and must be accurate so that no terrorist threat could get worse (Le Fevre, 2006). Often times, in situations where countermeasures are selected to mitigate aggressor’s cause, it had been observed that hostages have been undertaken by aggressor or terrorist group in order to fulfill their demand. Therefore, countermeasures must be taken in a way that they would not harm the overall security of hostages. Countermeasures could be taken under the proposition of symbols in terms of numerals etc. Engineers, specialists, counter teams, computer professionals, data managers and patrol force can work as a combined force to come up with mitigation through countermeasures analysis (Kean & Hamilton, 2002). Here are some of the pointers which could be considered in during this step of preparedness and prevention model: The first scale that could help in appointing an authentic set of countermeasures must include the credibility of the analyzed threat. Selection of weapons is the most important pointer during evaluation for countermeasures. Selection of the type of weapons could be done on the basis of vulnerability of threat. Weapons which are more likely to be used by the aggressor group must be assumed by studying the prior history of the aggressor group. Once the weapons of the aggressor group are found out in the form of assumption then it is the prevention team’s task to select weapons to counter attack. Response could be varied and unpredictable especially in the case of terrorist or aggressor’s group. It could be noted down that the response of an aggressor’s group is directly related to the recovery of the threat affects to an asset. Countermeasures could be taken under few levels predicting the intensity of an aggressor’s attack to target. Leveling countermeasures would work as a backup plan for the organization to work against aggressor’s group. It is most important I search for the areas from where the aggressor’s groups would be operating. Such an area could be given a name such as red area. Area near to red area could also be given names such as yellow area to denote the emergency entrance. Road blocks thus can be efficient way out to block the entrance ways of aggressor’s group. Sealing areas and regions could be a very effective way to stop remote entrance of the aggressor’s group. Mapping of all the areas including the operational red areas and closer yellow areas would be the most important task. The mapping must be able to indicate the exits and entrances which could be used during counter operation by intelligence force. Evacuating public areas could also be highlighted with denotation of symbols. Step #6 Renewed Evaluation: The situation of an aggressor’s groups would continuously be changing with the implementation of the steps which have been noted above. The response would always be unpredictable and varied in nature. It is important to note that the countermeasures are being renewed and updates as the flow of information would be in flow. The survey must be done with every passing instance as the timely information would surely be required regarding aggressor’s group action. Data could be gathered in terms of worksheets, drawings and statistical figure of devastation caused by the aggressor’s group (Ashcroft, Daniels, & Hart, 2002). Affected regions must be surveyed in a way that special emphasis is done by critical verification of the target. Renewed evaluation can finally be directed to the prevention team to actually enlist the consequences for future condemnation and study of threats to the vulnerable assets. Prevention of threats possibilities could thus be undertaken with agencies working altogether with the help of interfacing. The final step is to confer all existing information for the future prediction. The Integrated Command System (INS) could be installed with the administration system of NIMS to interface final report with all existing agencies present (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2004). Concluding Remarks: The above proposed steps for the purpose of safety and security by preparing for threats and mitigating the response of aggressor groups could be helpful in the preparedness and prevention of major threats to the infrastructure of any country. The proposed security model could be implemented on the different organizations for instance law enforcement agencies working under governmental authorities to conserve vulnerable threats. It is important for country to make use of security model for preparedness and prevention in the current times as the aggressor’s force has greatly become unpredictable. Reference List Ashcroft, J., Daniels, D., & Hart, S. (2002). A Method to Assess the Vulnerability of U.S. Chemical Facilities. Washington DC: US Department of Justice. Bureau of Justice Assistance. (2005). The National Criminal Intelligence Sharing Plan. Washington DC: Bureau of Justice Assistance. Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2004). NIMS and the Incident Command System. Washington DC: Federal Emergency Management Agency. Kean, T., & Hamilton, L. (2002). The 9/11 Commission Report. Washington DC: 9/11 Commission. Le Fevre, P. (2006). United States Code. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. Read More