Category: Reports

Response to a Ricin Incident: Guidelines for Federal, State, and Local Public Health and Medical Officials

The purpose of this document is to provide a template for a public health and medical response to a ricin incident and some of the recovery aspects that such an […]

Breaching the Fortress Wall: Understanding Terrorist Efforts to Overcome Defensive Technologies – A Rand Corporation Report

Through case studies of terrorist struggles in a number of nations, this document analyzes the nature and impact of such terrorist counter-efforts on the value of defensive technologies deployed against […]

Government Accountability Office (GAO) Homeland Security Grants: Observations on Process the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Used to Allocate Funds to Selected Urban Areas

DHS enhanced its risk assessment by including three components – threat, vulnerability, and consequences – to estimate the relative risk of successful terrorist attacks on various urban areas. http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-07-381R

Providing Mass Medical Care with Scarce Resources, A Community Planning Guide

The purpose of this guide is to provide community planners – as well as planners at the facility/community, state, and federal levels – with valuable insights and information that will […]

Government Accountability Office (GAO) Homeland Security: Progress Has Been Made to Address the Vulnerabilities Exposed by 9/11, but Continued Federal Action Is Needed to Further Mitigate Security Risks

The report reflects conclusions and recommendations from a body of work issued before and after 9/11 by GAO, the Inspectors General of DHS, State, and Justice, the 9/11 Commission, and […]

Passenger Rail Security: Enhanced Federal Leadership Needed to Prioritize and Guide Security Efforts

This testimony, is based primarily on GAO’s September 2005 report on passenger rail security (GAO-05-851) and selected program updates obtained in January 2007. http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-07-225T

Homeland Security First Responder Grants: Cash Management Improvement Act Exemption and Cash Advance Funding Require Additional DHS Oversight (GAO) Government Accountability Office

In this report, GAO makes 7 recommendations to improve DHS’s oversight of cash advance funding for first responder grants and associated interest liabilities. http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0768high.pdf

Help for First Responders to Nuclear or Radiological Emergencies – The International Atomic Energy Agency Issues Key Guidance to Local Emergency Response Teams

The IAEA – through its Department of Nuclear Safety and Security – is issuing guidance to emergency response teams that might be called to the front lines of a nuclear […]

Trust for America’s Health Releases – Ready or Not? – Protecting the Public’s Health from Disease, Disasters, and Bioterrorism, 2006

The “Ready or Not?” report includes state-by-state health preparedness scores based on 10 key indicators that assess the nation’s health emergency-preparedness capabilities. All 50 U.S. states and the District of […]

GAO (Government Accountability Office) – Border Security: US-VISIT Program Faces Strategic, Operational, and Technological Challenges at Land Ports of Entry

DHS plans to further enhance US-VISIT’s capabilities by, among other things, requiring the new technology and equipment needed to be capable of scanning all fingerprints on both hands of persons […]