Homeland Security Assessment the State

Homeland Security Assessment

The state of Virginia is considered to be a major security threat for terrorist activities. This is because the state is sitting in the backyard of the nation's capital. At the same time, it has over 64 urban areas which are increasing these vulnerabilities. According to a study that was conducted by the Justice Department they determined that communities throughout the state are high profile targets with them saying, "The state had 34 terrorism-related convictions from Sept. 11, 2001, through March 2010, according to the Justice Department, and ranks fourth in the nation. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District in Alexandria handles many international cases that do not otherwise have a state-based venue. Virginia has two of the 64 urban metropolitan areas that have been designated by the federal government as "high-threat, high-density" with regard to acts of terrorism: Richmond and Norfolk. One major terrorist plot related to Virginia has been thwarted since 9/11: the Virginia Jihad Network (or Northern Virginia "Paintball" Group) plot in Alexandria in 2003, in which 11 men were accused of training for and working with an overseas terrorist group. The intelligence community ranks Virginia in the top 10 states with the largest Muslim populations, a measure that it applies to potential threats of homegrown terrorist involvement." ("Top Secret America," 2012) This is illustrating how the entire region is vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

In the case of Lynchburg, the city is susceptible to an Oklahoma City style bombing or 911 type of attacks which are focused on specific targets. These could include: the colleges / universities, the transit system or the regional airport. At the same time, the city is sitting at crossroads between Washington D.C. And Charlotte, North Carolina. ("About Lynchburg," 2012) ("Lynchburg Virginia Emergency Operations Plan," 2012)

The combination of these factors has made Lynchburg an attractive target. This is because it is close to major population centers, but is far enough away to become a hub for commerce and transportation. ("About Lynchburg," 2012) to fully understand what is happening requires conducting a security assessment. This will be accomplished by focusing on: homeland security stakeholders, hazards / risk management, disaster responses / recovery / incident command and professional accountability. Together, these elements will highlight the effectiveness of Lynchburg's program.

Homeland Security Stakeholders

The homeland security stakeholders include local law enforcement, first responders and administrators. They have to interact with state and federal officials in effectively coordinating their response to a terrorist attack. The largest stakeholders are the general public, whose lives are impacted by how efficiently everyone is working together. ("Lynchburg Virginia Emergency Operations Plan," 2012)

Hazards, Risk Management and Preparedness Issues

The biggest hazard is that terrorists will target some place in Lynchburg that is vulnerable and capable of producing lots of casualties. Like what was stated previously, the transportation system and colleges / universities are susceptible. This could occur with groups planning on conducting some kind of Mumbai (India) type of terrorist attack to using more conventional means (i.e. explosives). ("Lynchburg Virginia Emergency Operations Plan," 2012)

To address these potential challenges, the city has created the emergency operations plan (EOP). This is coordinating the decision making and response of local officials. At the same time, it is establishing procedures for working with state / federal officials and the public. In general, the city is prepared for a variety of threats. ("Lynchburg Virginia Emergency Operations Plan," 2012)

However, given the changing nature of tactics there must be continuous training. This reduces the chances of some kind of event occurring in which no one is prepared for. As a result, the EOP has tremendous amounts of flexibility in helping to give personnel a background that can be augmented with specific situations. ("Lynchburg Virginia Emergency Operations Plan," 2012)

Elements of Disaster Response, Recovery, and Incident Command

In the event of a disaster, the City Manager is appointed as the local spokesperson for all issues, events and the coordination of resources. They work directly with the Mayor and the City Council (who sit as an advisory board to the City Manager). In the event that there are any political issues, the Mayor will interact with officials. This is streamlining communication and reducing the overall amounts of confusion. As a result, the incident command is split between the Mayor / City Council and the City Manager. ("Lynchburg Virginia Emergency Operations Plan," 2012)

Professional Accountability

Professional accountability rests with the Mayor serving as a go between for the City Council and City Manager. The City Council has the power of oversight and monitoring for potential abuses as well as where different resources should be utilized. The basic idea is to have three different parties that can work together and watch the activities of each other. This is taking place by having the City Council conducting oversight. While the Mayor, is working with the City Council and is helping the City Manager. They are responsible for spearheading local recovery efforts. ("Lynchburg Virginia Emergency Operations Plan," 2012)

Complete an evaluation of the application of other county responses and policies as applied to Lynchburg. Is it feasible?

Lynchburg has an effective response plan in place that is taking into account a number of scenarios. This is in line with biblical ideals such as Genesis 6:21 which says, "And remember, take enough food for your family and for all the animals. God could have easily provided enough food every day for all people and animals on board, but He had Noah prepare ahead of time." This is illustrating how having a strong foundation can protect against unforeseen events. (Holly Bible, 1992)

When Lynchburg's plan is compared with other municipalities, it is feasible. This is because there is a focus on streamlining decision making and responses. Moreover, there is an emphasis on having continuing training at the local level to deal with a host of challenges. This improves coordination and prepares officials for a variety of threats that are constantly changing. In other areas, many of these plans were created several years ago and have not been updated. This hurts everyone's ability to understand the nature of the threats and how to respond to them. ("Emergency Operations," 2012) ("Lynchburg Virginia Emergency Operations Plan," 2012)