Executive Brief on Strategic Planning for a Military Base for Homeland Essay

Executive Brief on Strategic Planning for a Military Base for Homeland Security Class - Essay Example to wane over time, supporting Erik Auf der Heide when he declared that â€Å"interest in disaster preparedness is proportional to the recency and magnitude of the last disaster.† (p. 3) such public attitude has been crucial in national policymaking that determines America’s preparedness for terrorist attacks. When the 9/11 disaster occurred, the public and the government were finally seized with the realization of how important it is to address the issue. This did not come, however, without a price. Hundreds of Americans lost their lives and the impact of the crumbling Twin Towers sent ripples not only economically but also in the psyche of America as a nation. Scholars point to tragedies such as the 9/11 as some catalyst that spur the public and authorities into action. They become opportunities in order to improve the emergency response capability in America. Immediately after the 9/11 incident, the FBI Academy Handbook stressed that in addition to improving capabilit y, there is now a need for an active municipal and citizen involvement to fight terrorism. It stressed that these stakeholders are the in the frontlines in the on-going battle, being the first to be affected and the first to respond in cases of terrorist attacks. (IBP 2002, p. 48) For this purpose, there is now a concerted effort to improve municipal capabilities and resources to address the terrorist problem. The Office of the Homeland Security leads these efforts. This brief outlines the program that has been set in place in Carroll County as part of its role in the national strategy for terrorist threat preparedness. One of the most important of the county’s goal is to ensure that the Fire and EMS departments are integrated and coordinated to effectively carry out the responsibilities assigned by Homeland Security. Currently, the EMS and the fire departments in Carroll County work in a loosely coordinated system and mostly staffed by volunteers. The landscape is a primarily a consequence of