Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the federal government At COUNTERCON we believe that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal agencies are doing an important job in fighting the War on Terror. Although, we understand that DHS is inherently flawed when it comes to actually protecting U.S. citizens from manmade disasters (terrorist attacks) or natural disasters (hurricane, flooding, etc.). And here’s why: DHS includes several federal agencies: 1. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 2. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 3. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 4. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) 5. United States Secret Service (USSS) 6. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 7. and many other agencies and departments Clearly, DHS and other federal government agencies are mired in bureaucratic red tape. Each of these federal agencies and departments have real and relevant research applicable to fighting terrorism, but they are focused on “international” terrorism. This leaves them blind to how a terrorist attack will actually affect the average citizen. In addition, each of these agencies “filter out” terrorist intelligence that is “sensitive” to their respective departments so – by the time the information gets to the general public – it is watered down and, for all practical purposes, useless. As an example, when confronted with an “Active Shooter” in the workplace, FEMA recommends that you defend yourself with a pair of office scissors from your desk. The circumstances of the victims of Hurricane Sandy in the northeast, Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast and the 9/11 attacks should be proof enough that federal agencies are the last entities we should count on to help us during - or in the immediate aftermath of - any natural or manmade disaster. At COUNTERCON, we understand that the key to emergency management is local, personal preparation and planning.
Posted on: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 12:24:14 +0000