David DEmarco EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Can responders from various disciplines communicate situational awareness more effectively during homeland security incidents? Homeland security incidents vary widely in type and scale, from minor local events contained within one jurisdiction to major events that might span local, regional, and state boundaries. Responder’s decisions must be supported by the best possible…
Volume XI
Notes from the Editor (Volume XI)
Download the full issue December 2015 The December 2015 issue of Homeland Security Affairs features an essay which develops a methodology for the comparative assessment of homeland security risks and hazards. In “Assessing Homeland Security Risks: A Comparative Assessment of 10 Hazards”, Russell Lundberg and Henry Willis examine the challenges associated with comparative risk assessment…
Assessing Homeland Security Risks: A Comparative Risk Assessment of 10 Hazards
by Russell Lundberg and Henry Willis Abstract The National Academy of Sciences recommended that the Department of Homeland Security use methods of qualitative comparative risk assessment as part of its approach to strategic planning. To provide insight into how this can be done, this paper examines a set of ten homeland security risks– including natural…
Surviving the ‘Storm’: Expanding Public Health’s Capabilities in Response to the Increasing Threats Posed by Novel, Pandemic Strain Viruses
by Daniel P. Mackie and Anke Richter Abstract The recent emergence of two separate outbreaks of two new viruses has generated renewed interest in the threat of pandemics. For a significant portion of the total fatalities associated with these infections the cause of death was due to an over-reaction of an infected body’s immune system.…
Identifying Security Checkpoint Locations to Protect the Major U.S. Urban Areas
by Daniel M. Watkins, Leticia Cuéllar, Deborah A. Kubicek, Erick Rodriguez, Phillip D. Stroud Abtract Transit networks are integral to the economy and to society, but at the same time they could allow terrorists to transport weapons of mass destruction into any city. Road networks are especially vulnerable, because they lack natural checkpoints unlike air…
Book Review: A Practitioner’s Way Forward: Terrorism Analysis by David Brannan, Kristin Darken, and Anders Strindberg (Salinas, CA: Agile Press, 2014)
Reviewed by Erik J. Dahl Suggested Citation Dahl, Erik. “Book Review: A Practitioner’s Way Forward: Terrorism Analysis” by David Brannan, Kristen Darken, and Anders Strindberg. (Salinas: Agile Press, 2014). Homeland Security Affairs 11, Article 9 (September 2015). https://www.hsaj.org/articles/6317 This short (141 pages) and very readable book is a good introduction to some of the most useful…
To Save Lives and Property: High Threat Response
by Michael Marino, John Delaney, Paul Atwater, Reed Smith Abstract The emergency services community must recognize that the world is constantly changing and adjust accordingly. It will have to be more nimble and proactive with its capabilities if it wants to prepare effectively for future threats and respond to atypical emergencies. Over the past several…
UAS on Main Street: Policy and Enforcement at the Local Level
by Alison Yakabe Disclaimer The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office or the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC). Abstract Due to increasing system sophistication and affordability, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are becoming more…
The Continued Relevance of the November, 2008 Mumbai Terrorist Attack: Countering New Attacks With Old Lessons
by Shahrzad Rizvi and Joshua L. Kelly Abstract The 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai was characterized by a sense of public confusion and frustration. Throughout the event, the attackers were able to avoid an operationally superior counterterrorism force and for four consecutive days managed to spread terror in India’s most populous city. One of the…
A Tribute to Alis Gumbiner
This volume of Homeland Security Affairs and the Journal’s new online format is dedicated to its long-time managing editor Alis Gumbiner. This past fall, Alis stepped down after nine years at the helm. Alis was instrumental in the Journal’s early years in taking the initial vision and making it a reality. She worked her magic…