HomelandHometown Security A Coherent National Strategy to Protect

Homeland-Hometown Security: A Coherent National Strategy to Protect the Homeland Dr. John Comiskey Monmouth University

Avon’s Emergency Service Sector • police department • fire service • first aid and rescue squad • public works • office of emergency management • lifeguards • U. S. Coast Guard Station Shark River study timeline • Avon’s history & major events (1900 -2015) • 2015 off-season > beach season > off-season validity & reliability • multiple sources of info (interviews, direct observations, reports) • standardized interview protocol • member checks

homeland security • broad and complex network of related issues including counterterrorism, disaster preparedness wherein single failures can lead to significant human and financial costs • HLS enterprise must coordinate its activities • HLS is about all-hazards threats • HLS is triggered by focusing events essentially, HLS is about risk management and contingent coordination homeland security is about hometown security • hometown security officials are on the frontline • hometown security officials are protecting the Nation’s critical infrastructure

• • • seasonal beach community size: . 426 miles land population: 1, 900 summer population 8, 000 racial makeup: 97% white median income: $83 K 38 th wealthiest county local govt. = 3 member commission critical infrastructure/key resources National in scope

230 cables world wide/60+ in United States 95% + of all U. S. international data transmissions 6

significant/focusing events • Great Hurricane (1938) • World War II (1941 -45) • Brinley Inn Fire (1980) • Belmar MTV Concert (1992) • Nor’Easter (1992) • Hurricane Felix (1995) • 9/11 (2001) • Hurricane Katrina (2005) • Superstorm Sandy (2012) • Sandy Hook Elementary School (2012) • Paramus Mall Shooting (2013) • nationwide swatting attacks (2015) • nationwide heroin epidemic (2015) • beach crowd crisis (2015)

Police Department • 11 full time & 20 part-time (summer), K 9, SWAT, Narcotics • 4, 800 calls for police • community policing: officers know most residents by first name • small town problems: rare theft & juvenile delinquency • biggest concerns: summer crowds • other concerns: active shooters, swatting attacks, heroin crisis in County • grant-subsidized Fire Service • 25 active members (all volunteer) • 135 calls for service (40% out of town mutual aid) • preventive role/referrals to code enforcement officer • large civic role: education, parades, cookouts, open house • grant-subsidized First Aid and Rescue Squad • 30 active members (all volunteer) • 350 service calls (60% out of town mutual aid requests) • State emergency medical strike team • responded to WTC for 9/11 relief • large civic role with FD also run 5 K race

Office of Emergency Management • 1 full-time and 1 part-time (FT hired post-Superstorm Sandy) • coordinates all public safety agencies • FEMA’s Community Rating System • HUD’s Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation, & Mitigation • NOAA’s Coastal Management Program • grant-subsidized Department of Public Works • 8 full-time & 20 part-time workers (summer) • coordinate private sector utilities • all water & sewers (64 fire hydrants) Lifeguards • 27 part-time lifeguards (seasonal) • 470 rescues & 6, 000 preventive actions • marine threat advisories (shark scare 2015) • public health advisories

U. S. Coast Guard Station Shark River Substation Station Manasquan • 34 active duty members • 21 reserve members • 17 auxiliary members • 100 Sea Air Rescues (SARs) annually • 100+ vessel inspections annually • America’s Waterways Watch Area Network of Shore Water Emergency Responders (ANSWER) • 24/7 year round water rescue capability • 5 local towns and U. S. Coast Guard • emergency management • police • fire services • emergency medical services

Whole Community Approach to Hometown Security L O C A L S T A T E F E D E R A L P R I V A T E

Avon’s Emergency Service Sector = whole community • Avon is a close-knit community • HLS = all-hazards • shares resources and information • “always talking about concerns” • mutual-aid (informal & formal) • know who to call: • government • private sector • community • resilient concerns • beach crowd surges • hurricanes & Nor’easters • active shooters & swatting-attacks • heroin-opioid epidemic

conclusions 1. homeland hometown security are interdependent 2. focusing events impacts may vary 3. hometowns security officials • are an integral and vital part of the whole community • help protect Nation’s CI/KR • dependent on State and Federal funding (grant) and resources 4. resilience is key element of homeland security 5. National preparedness assessment not fully understood by local governments recommendations 1. White House-DHS should define HLS with whole community 2. White House should develop new National Strategy for Homeland Security 3. More transparent National Preparedness System 4. HLS-education & training > match to HLS-core capabilities future-research • multiple/comparative hometown case studies • financial implications for homeland-hometown security • GIS-template for Monmouth County and especially coastal communities for stakeholder decision tools

Thank you! Questions? Dr. John Comiskey jcomiske@monmouth. edu