Posted by The protection of the critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) is an integral function component within the Homeland security department. In the case of a security crisis, the magnitude of a hurricane, the department has t create an integrated communication plan with a target of ensuring a seamless response strategy. All these efforts should be geared towards the absolute protection of sensitive and key infrastructure installations. A 3 dimensional response strategy would require a multi-agency approach. The various agencies would combine their functional capacities to sufficiently address the challenge in Florida
The first response action is on legislation. Technically, any step taken has to be done within the law. As such, lawmakers have to move with speed and enact statutes that provide a support framework towards the response (National Infrastructure Protection Plan, 2009). There are already adopted laws that can guide the process. One such policy is the Public Law Issue no.110-This piece of legislation clearly outlines responsibilities and assigns them to the relevant bodies. With the mandate now recognized in law, the institutions can now move to the next point of action; Lay out the actual protection strategies. The team can now identify all the resources required to address the hurricane in Jacksonville.
The Homeland Security department has, within it, a number of strategic units specifically designed to come up with practical infrastructure protection plans. One such sectorial unit is The National Strategy for The Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Key Assets. This unit was clearly created with a sole mandate of guarding CIKR. It was instructive from the Presidency that the unit was to develop and manage a protection system which, through interconnection, was to reinforce the security measures needed to succeed in the mission of CIKR protection. The department’s bosses immediate action is to send out a an urgent circular to all the persons responsible, inviting them to fully prepare for a duty outing in Florida
The next step in a coordinated response plan is the identification of the actual infrastructure that falls within the mandate of Homeland Security. A response cannot succeed if the items under protection are not accurately profiled. All persons in charge, with the overall head coming from Homeland security, have to use all tactics available to assess the damage (Bucci et al., 2016). Information can be obtained from the ground at Florida and run against the CIKR database. Any piece of infrastructure destroyed is then recorded in a new database. In this identification segment, a priority list can be created to outline sensitive infrastructure. The destroyed telephones, seeing that the communication framework is at risk, can be the first items to appear here.
There are a number of agencies that are, directly, concerned with response measure in the Hurricane at Florida. The sole agency trusted with internal emergency response is the Homeland Security Department. It, however, has a number of specialized unit with specific agendas on disasters response. The first sub agency is the Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA). This is an emergency oriented unit and they have the responsibility of creating and coordinating response plans on disasters beyond the control of local authorities (Bucci et al., 2016). The Department of Defense, upon request from FEMA, and approval from the president, can enjoin itself in a disaster response exercise. The Homeland Security team can actually reach to very many other agencies depending on the magnitude of the disaster.
Transport infrastructure is also under threat from disasters just like any other infrastructural component. Structures under this include bridges, tunnels and the various management centers. The disasters that can strike a transport resource may vary from biological to nuclear. As such, all should be done to increase the disaster preparedness factor in these scenarios.
One such preparedness action is the installation of remote sensors. The main function of sensors is to capture data on the ground and send it to coordination centers. The sensors are capable of extracting information from the captured images thus sending structured information to the management centers. In the case of an emergency within a transportation infrastructure installation, the sensors can immediately capture the data, detailing the nature and extent of the disaster and then relay it immediately to the emergency center. If a water bridge has collapsed at a point in River Mississippi, the rapid transfer of that data to response center can see a team immediately dispatched to arrest the situation. The clear description, through capture of accurate data, empowers the team to prepare adequately. This way, they can gather adequate resources, mobilize the necessary team and design an effective response plan.
Geospatial Information System, using geographical coordinates, collects field data and relays it in quick time. The functional element of this system intersects with remote sensing in the data collection point (Folger, 2011). They have a conjoined surveillance capability. GIS being an all-time data collection system enables the staff at the emergency centers to keep tabs on the situation on the field. A 24 hour round the clock system supervisor ensure that the management team has the accurate position of the state of Transport Infrastructure within the system range. With full time data from the GIS and timely situational data from the remote sensors, any disaster response team should always be adequately prepared to act.