By Shelomo Alfassa, MPA, CEPD – Contributor
Practitioners within the Homeland Security and Emergency Management communities have seriously discussed how their respective industries converge when responding to threats and emergencies. This discussion led to an intellectual debate on determining the juncture point where the Homeland Security and Emergency Management enterprises deviate from one another. A prime reason these sectors have divided into two branches is due to the traditional employment career paths and backgrounds of those involved. This may include individuals who originated from a law enforcement background or from other public safety positions, such as the fire service.
One can surmise these discussions planted seeds that have been germinated from the oft-cited parallel role that both enterprises play in America’s overall response to threats and emergencies. This is a primary reason why the number of contemporary academic programs that provide training in these similar, but different fields has increased immensely since the passing of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. A reason for having such a discussion is due to the fact that the newer generation of Emergency Managers and Homeland Security Professionals are entering into the field having earned their university degrees prior to entering the workforce. Previous generations of Emergency Managers and Homeland Security Professionals began their career paths by doing on-the-job training first and then perhaps a mid-career degree later in their career lives.
There are numerous all-hazard scenarios that require attention by both the Homeland Security and Emergency Management communities. Some examples include any large-scale terrorist attack, such as bombings, mass shootings, or Hostile Vehicles Attacks (HVA). However, some types of incidents may fall more in line with a Homeland Security situation and the same can often be said for situations that fall under the rubric of Emergency Management. This article will not visit the various all-hazard scenarios in this short piece. However, one of the clear-cut situations in which both Homeland Security and Emergency Management converge is the Hostile Vehicle Attack, or also known as the HVA.
Background
The dichotomy between the Homeland Security and Emergency Management sectors has been discussed by those within academia and in government. Today there are numerous career fields in which both the attributes of Homeland Security and Emergency Management are employed. However, this includes the standard divisions, such as mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery in each sector.
In addition, the post 9/11 years have witnessed tremendous growth in university degrees focusing on Homeland Security, Emergency Management, or a combination of both. These courses of study often intertwine the differences of these fraternal sectors of civic duty. For example, the American Public University System (APUS) offers a BA degree in Homeland Security where classes, such as ‘Emergency Planning’ and ‘Emergency Disaster Incident Command’ are offered. Tulane University’s BA in Homeland Security has courses in ‘Emergency Management’ and ‘Health and Medical Issues in Emergency Management.’ Arizona State University offers a joint BS degree in ‘Emergency Management & Homeland Security.’
The co-mingling of similar topics between the various headings of Emergency Management and Homeland Security may be a bit confusing to those first entering the field. This can especially happen when topics, such as ‘Emergency Planning’ and ‘Incident Management’ are analogous to either sector. In addition, government and private agencies seeking candidates to fill jobs in Homeland Security and Emergency Management have requirements that often include desirable skills and certifications in areas, such as ‘Emergency Planning’ or ‘Incident Management’ which are equally relevant to both sectors.
History of Modern Homeland Security and Emergency Management
It can be argued that the origins of what we call modern Homeland Security and Emergency Management originated from the US Council of National Defense (CND) which came about during World War I. The CND consisted of several executive cabinet secretaries as well as the heads of the Armed Services. The mission of this Council was to advise the President and heads of Executive departments on the strategic placement of industrial goods and services that would be needed in a national security emergency, or for use in times of war. The Council served its purpose during the First World War and then suspended operations in 1921.
By 1940, the Council of National Defense was brought back to life as war fully erupted in Europe. U.S. mayors were increasingly concerned with the potential for having to deal with emergencies in the domestic front. At the time, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established an Office for Emergency Management within the Executive Office of the President. That office was tasked with maintaining liaison between the President and the Council of National Defense. This was a significant development in what can be considered as an early national security and incident management dichotomy that gradually evolved into both the modern Homeland Security and Emergency Management sectors.
Shared Similarities Between the Two
An important point worth mentioning is that professionals in the Homeland Security and Emergency Management sectors are those who actually prepare for emergencies; respond to emergencies, and help society recover from emergencies. Both Homeland Security and Emergency Management share commonalities, such as the training of both the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the National Response Framework (NRF). Both NRF and NIMS are utilized by those in Homeland Security and Emergency Management—as the titles indicate at their core, “Incident Management” and “Response,” that make up the essence of both sectors.
For example, the Homeland Security community offers standardized training of every federal law enforcement officer and federal agent. It also includes the mandatory study of both the National Response Framework and the National Incident Management System. The former teaches how the country is established in responding to major incidents. This includes the U.S. response doctrine, roles and responsibilities of the partner agencies which make up the NRF, and additional actions that support the national response. The latter focuses more on how agencies utilize a universal set of standards that work together to communicate and manage resources, incorporate tactics, and act collaboratively. This has been illustrated while using an interoperable approach to all-hazard incidents.
Traditionally, the mitigation, preparation, planning, and response to hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, power failures, catastrophic fires, and other events, has been the purview of the Emergency Management community. Conversely, those in Homeland Security mitigate, prepare, plan, and respond to incidents related to high-level physical security threats. However, we see both sectors become mobilized to deal with the crisis and consequence when a certain type of emergency or terroristic event, such as a hostile vehicle attack (HVA) occurs.
The ‘HVA’ as a True Emergency and Security Threat
The Hostile Vehicle Attack (HVA) has become a very common method that is utilized by terrorists. This is much more common than the Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED). In fact, the use of HVA’s typically occurs when a hostile actor is operating a vehicle that is meant to cause harm. The perpetrator intentionally enters a restricted or unauthorized area while driving the vehicle at a high speed in order to cause a combination of injury, death, disruption of business, or to promote a personal or group cause. Such a vehicle may be used to ram a building at high speed, a crowded pedestrian area, or it may carry an improvised explosive device. No matter the specific particulars of the attack, such an attack is of immediate joint concern to both Homeland Security and Emergency Management officials. The HVA is a true emergency and it is a true security problem to the United States.
Once a hostile vehicle makes an attack run, such as crashing a truck into an occupied hotel lobby or driving through a crowded holiday market, a full cadre of both fire and emergency services will respond to the aftermath. In a large city, such as New York, Emergency Management will respond and assist with the overall operation. They will coordinate needs, such as being the eyes and ears of the Mayor’s office, coordinating the media, as well as distributing information among several agencies, such as the department of buildings, the fire department, hospitals, and NGOs such as the American Red Cross, etc.
In addition, Emergency Management will help coordinate with the immediate sheltering (if need be) of civilian casualties and will be there to assist with liaison and communications in order to obtain supplies and ensure that the necessary resources are provided for any city agency or department that may have an urgent need. Generally, Emergency Management will set up an Emergency Operation Center, where coordination of all of their activities will take place. Concurrently, the role of those who work among the Homeland Security enterprise (such as local investigators, police, federal law enforcement among others), will respond to secure a general perimeter, stop any immediate further threats, establish communications, initiate an investigation, maintain and secure the incident site to ensure evidence is minimally contaminated and such. They too will establish a Command Center where they will conduct their operations.
The roles and relationships of those who respond to a Hostile Vehicle Attack (HVA) are similar albeit different. After an HVA, the overarching goals are unified as they strive to stabilize the situation, assist the victims, obtain justice for the victims (which may mean individuals and society), and mitigate against future occurrences. Everyone’s roles may be different, but they still serve a common purpose and goal. This is why it is vital for coordination and understanding of roles and functions to be streamlined and maintained in all possible scenarios.
Conclusion
Unlike a major natural disaster or any sort of stand-alone large criminal event, the HVA will call upon the resources and expertise that is found in both the Emergency Management and Homeland Security sectors. It will also call upon those who can deal with the immediate critical crisis and the subsequent consequences that will need urgent attention. While Emergency Management and Homeland Security have distinct roles, both sectors converge when dealing with this type of terrorist attack.
The intellectual debate on whether if or where there is a fine line that separates the modern Homeland Security and Emergency Management sectors will continue for quite some time. However, what is currently known is that those who have worked together as partners in each of these sectors will remain working in tandem, especially with incidents pertaining to an HVA. Those who follow each of these career paths tend to be people who often possess a mature sense of civic responsibility and a strong desire to come to the public aid when a scenario, such as an HVA causes chaos, panic, and disorder within an environment. Whenever this type of situation happens, it won’t matter what hat one is wearing as long as there remains a strong culture of collaboration and coordination that is geared towards rectifying the situation.
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Shelomo Alfassa is Director of Communications and a homeland security analyst for VIRSIG, LLC. He has worked in Public Safety for 25 years and has served with FEMA on several deployments as Deputy Commander of a national CBRN team (G8 Summit, the Atlanta Olympics, etc.). He has a BA in Homeland Security and an MPA in Emergency Management at American Military University (AMU), which is part of the American Public University System (APUS).
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