Open Source Homeland

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick released a pretty extensive homeland security strategy for the state. Ill be vetting it over the next few days, The thing that caught my eye in a preliminary story was the idea below about the centrality of the state as the coordinating body (rather than Federal or local) in the event of an emergency.

I agree with that estimation, but the only problem with that is that state government tends to think of emergency response efforts narrowly in terms of official governmental entities. They need to consider, cull, and coordinate informal response as well.

Patrick report gives security tips - The Boston Globe
The report says the most important thing the state can do is improve communications between first responders and state and local officials. Undersecretary for Homeland Security Juliette Kayyem says that while local communities have learned lessons from the Sept. 11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina, only the state can coordinate large-scale disaster management.

Download the complete Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Homeland Security Strategy report here. (PDF, 440KB, 31 pages)

Included in a recent story on DHS-sponsored gadgets is something about the National Applications Office, “a clearinghouse for expanded output of imagery to police, border security and other law enforcement outfits”. Despite the reservations of the House of Representatives, this could have a huge trickle-down affect on sparking innovation in private industry (i.e. the non-defense contractor portion of private industry– the web-based mapping companies that are currently driving innovation). The DHS should consider opening up their geospatial data to more than just police departments and state police, but this is moving in the right direction.

Tech wonders on homeland security horizon
In other surveillance developments, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is defending a plan to make broader use of eyes in the sky that, until now, have mostly fed military and scientific needs.

“The use of geospatial information from military intelligence satellites may turn out to be a valuable tool in protecting the homeland,” Democrats on the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee wrote to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff this month.

But they voiced privacy and civil liberties concerns about the scheduled Oct. 1 launch of the National Applications Office, a clearinghouse for expanded output of imagery to police, border security and other law enforcement outfits.

“We are so concerned that, as the departments authorizing committee, we are calling for a moratorium on the program until the many constitutional, legal and organizational questions it raises are answered,” Chairman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and colleagues wrote on Sept. 6.

 Chicago received cash today to help solve the problem identified in recent interoperability reports. Got to get less turf war between county and city.

City to get $16M for police, fire communications upgrades | Crains
Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said the money will answer “the urgent need for firefighters, police, and other first responders to be able to communicate effectively with one another.”

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the money should get the entire country up to a basic standard of effective emergency communication by 2009 — but only if the local authorities coordinate with each other and avoid turf fights.

Well done.

Boing Boing: SF writers advise on homeland security
The Homeland Security Department has called up their special team of science fiction authors, a group called Sigma, to help them imagine various terror scenarios and ways to fight the “war” on terror. Sigma members Jerry Pournelle, Arlan Andrews, greg Bear, Larry Niven, and Sage Walker, all attended a Homeland Security conference in Washington this month about science and technology. Andrews formed the group fifteen years ago and apparently the last time they met was to envision a post-nuclear age. From USA Today:

Just might apply for this: DHS: DHS Announces $29.1 Million Available For National Preparedness Training Initiatives

The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the availability today of $29.1 million to eligible state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, national associations, higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, and private sector businesses as a part of the 2007 Competitive Training Grant Program (CTGP). This program awards funds to competitively selected applicants to develop and deliver innovative training programs for high priority national homeland security training needs.

CTGP provides funds to support training initiatives that are national in scope and further the department’s mission of preparing the nation to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from catastrophic events. The emphasis this fiscal year is on the development and delivery of courses in one of the following five focus areas:

* Public communications
* Executive leadership of homeland security programs
* Intergovernmental coordination and planning
* Managing homeland security risks
* Legal issues in preparation, response, and recovery

Eligible entities must apply for funding through the Grants.gov portal, accessible at www.grants.gov, no later than 11:59 pm EDT on May 4. Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time process, but first time registration could take 3-5 business days to validate, confirm, and receive a user name and password. It is highly recommended to start the registration process as early as possible.

Since 2003, CTGP has developed more than 40 training programs targeting areas like community outreach; vulnerable populations and special needs; intelligence, information sharing, and fusion centers; cyber-terrorism; agriculture; regional collaboration and continuity of operations planning; transit, port and infrastructure protection; rural communities; law enforcement; and mass casualty.