A Solution to Terrorism Theater?

In a field filled with so-called "security-experts", I have always found Bruce Schneier to be one of the few voices of reason on security issues. In a recent article in the New York Times, he makes the case for what we emergency managers would call an "all-hazards" approach to security.

As we have learned over the years, scenario-based planning has its uses but can be too specific and therefore limiting. Instead, we have tried to develop a flexible response capability using a functional approach that addresses response-generated needs rather than focusing solely on specific agent-generated needs. In other words, we really don't care whether the incident was caused by a natural hazard or by a human agent - tasks such as rescue, evacuation, and sheltering will still be accomplished in essentially the same way.

Schneier makes the case that we have let our response to terrorism be influenced by very specific scenarios, creating a situation where our security is actually less effective than we would like. In Schneier's words:

"A far better strategy is to spend our limited counterterrorism resources on investigation and intelligence - and on emergency response. These measures don't hinge on any specific threat; they don't require us to guess the tactic or target correctly. They're effective in a variety of circumstances, even nonterrorist ones."

Schneier is proposing a strategy of mitigation (prevention to you Homeland Security types) and preparedness. Sure sounds familiar...

Comments

[Cynthia]

How much easier/more effective would emergency management planning be if it (and FEMA) were taken out from under the Homeland Security umbrella?

[Lucien Canton]

There’s no simple answer to that question. There’s certainly a consensus that they are two separate cultures, DHS focusing outwards on threats to national security and EM focusing inward on building resilient communities, and should not have been merged. However, disentangling the two at this stage might just increase the confusion and political infighting. Sounds like a good topic for a future blog!

[Cynthia]

You're welcome!