Research Paper on "Homeland Security Assessment Report on Lynchburg Virginia"

Research Paper 4 pages (1216 words) Sources: 4

[EXCERPT] . . . .

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… READ MORE

How to Reference "Homeland Security Assessment Report on Lynchburg Virginia" Research Paper in a Bibliography

Related Research Papers:

Department of Homeland Security Assessment A-Level Coursework

Department of Homeland Security

Assessment of the Future of Department of Homeland Security

The mission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is predicated on accurately and efficiently capturing a… read more

A-Level Coursework 2 pages (570 words) Sources: 2 Topic: Economics / Finance / Banking

---

Birth and Evolution of Homeland Security Research Paper

Homeland Security

The Birth and Evolution of Homeland Security

Homeland Security was brought to the forefront of political discourse in the wake of 9/11. Beginning as the Office of Homeland… read more

Research Paper 3 pages (943 words) Sources: 2 Style: Turabian Topic: Terrorism / Extremism / Radicalization

---

DHS Report Card 2007 the State Term Paper

DHS Report Card 2007

The State of Homeland Security 2007: Report Card

How secure is the United States against terrorism? How safe should Americans feel when it comes to the… read more

Term Paper 5 pages (1790 words) Sources: 1 Style: MLA Topic: Management / Organizations

---

Security Assessment Thesis

Security assessment is done to provide a picture of a business's security readiness. Only after conducting one can it clearly be seen where the gaps are and what needs to… read more

Thesis 3 pages (1108 words) Sources: 3 Style: APA Topic: Drugs / Alcohol / Tobacco

---

Future of Homeland Security Essay

Future of Homeland Security

Over the last several years, our nation has been involved in a war on terrorism that is focused on defeating those groups that want to destroy… read more

Essay 3 pages (1081 words) Sources: 3 Style: MLA Topic: Military / Army / Navy / Marines

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>