Department of Homeland Security: Emergency Response

Abstract

The Department of Homeland Security was created in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks when it was discovered that though several different agencies had pieces of information regarding the impending attacks, there was no protocol for cross-communication or knowledge sharing that could have prevented the attacks. There were also many issues due to a lack of centralized communication during the attacks when first responders were not able to communicate over radio with each other. The goal of establishing DHS was to allow many agencies to share information and collaborate on national health and safety issues. The Department was created to streamline emergency systems and coordinate prevention and response activities. Since its creation in 2001, the Department has grown to encompass many different areas of national security (Department of Homeland Security).

Department of Homeland Security: Emergency Response

On September 22, 2001, Tom Ridge was appointed the first head of the Department of Homeland Security. Ridge was appointed to work on coordinating a national response for terrorist attacks and to work on agency partnerships and cross-communication protocol to prevent future attacks. Though Ridge was appointed in 2001, the Department of Homeland Security was not officially created until November of 2002 with the passing of the Homeland Security Act by Congress. DHS has since grown to include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the United States Secret Service (USSS), several directorates and offices (Bullock, Haddow & Coppola, 2013, p. 98). The creation of DHS integrated 22 different departments and agencies in to one. The mission of DHS is “to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure and resilient against terrorism and other hazards” (Department of Homeland Security).

In order to insure a streamlined, effective DHS, the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) looks at all of the different agencies within the Department and assesses how they are functioning together (Bullock, Haddow & Coppola, 2013, p. 100). The goal of the review is to improve current functioning of the Department and to eliminate unnecessary components. Under the QHSR, the Homeland Security Enterprise (HSE) also looks at efficiency and necessity. However, its focus is on the economics of the Department. The goal of the HSE is to increase fiscal responsibility and to “recover hundreds of millions of dollars,” (Department of Homeland Security) while improving quality of services. Both the QHSR and HSE have an impact on the functioning of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

FEMA operates using the National Response Framework (NRF), which is a guide detailing appropriate responses for disasters and emergencies on a national level (Department of Homeland Security). The NRF is always in place, meaning it can be enacted on a national level at any time during a disaster. The NRF prioritizes saving lives and protecting the environment and property. NRF functions in part due to the standards set by the National Incident Management System (NIMS) (Department of Homeland Security). NIMS is the system from which response decisions during national disasters are standardized, ensuring that protocol will be followed in every area of disaster response.

Just under NIMS is the Incident Command System (ICS) (Department of Homeland Security). The ICS provides protocol standardizing the response to disasters for those who are on scene. It guides planning and disaster management and is a standard for first responders to follow on scene. It also provides the guidelines for cross-agency communication.

In order to streamline the communication and organization processes during a disaster, the Unified Command (UC) establishes a standard for emergency response when agencies from different regions and jurisdictions are working together (Department of Homeland Security). The UC eliminates inefficiencies that can occur when many people are attempting to do the same job.

The Department of Homeland Security is one of the largest departments in the U.S. government. It establishes guidelines and emergency response protocol for everything from national crises such as terrorist attacks, to regional emergencies, including weather disasters. DHS has grown at an incredible rate since its inception in 2001, increasing the need for an increased focus on communication, efficiency and streamlining of processes.

References

Bullock, J. A., Haddow, G. D., & Coppola, D. P. (2013). Governmental homeland security structures. Introduction to homeland security (4th ed., pp. 97-174). Waltham: Elsevier.

Homeland Security. (n.d.). DHS News Releases. Retrieved March 16, 2014, from http://www.dhs.gov