HSFA discusses disaster, civil liberties, routine crime and terrorism in the United States. 5 mins. 55 secs.  More information on HSFA can be found at http://www.hsfamerica.org or http://www.awareness.hsfamerica.org

 

 

The Homeland Security Foundation of America publishes its Mission Template and begins to deploy field offices in every congressional district, bringing new jobs, projects, opportunities and free resources to Americans during the worst economic times we’ve seen in years.

 

 

Atlanta, GA Mar 11, 2009 – The Homeland Security Foundation of America (HSFA), a non-profit, non-Federal public agency, today published its Mission Template, an overview of operations, including project details and potential economic impact.  HSFA hopes to address a number of issues involving public safety, energy security and health and human services while increasing employment and volunteer opportunities nationwide.

 

“This Mission Template presents a unique approach to American recovery,” said Eric Brown, President, HSFA.  “Our plan puts skilled workers back on the job, but also offers opportunities to people who need training.  We’re actively seeking support and mobilizing volunteers across the country.  Our non-profit, public status means financial contributions are converted directly into well-paying jobs, so with the right level of support, we can begin hiring within months.”

The Homeland Security Foundation of America

Mission Template

 

 

Through a coalition of good people who love America, HSFA is changing the face of homeland security, building strength through awareness and empowering citizens with the resources they need to protect their family against all types of hazards.

 

Working with passion and determination, we’re bridging gaps between the government, the American people and a brighter future for all.

 

We’re harnessing the power of innovation and generosity to eliminate Phishing and minimize ID theft by 2010 with secure authentication technology delivered at no charge to the public.

 

Recognizing the awesome capabilities of nature, HSFA seeks to build real partnerships with people across the planet, promoting a progressive disaster preparedness agenda, including specialized programs to strengthen our infrastructure with green technology, products and services and fresh ideas.

 

We’re combining cutting-edge scientific research with the experience of industry experts to better understand patterns of behavior and tactics of criminals, give law enforcement agents an edge, and help guarantee the future FREEDOM, SAFETY and PROSPERITY of humanity…   

 

TOGETHER, WE CANNOT FAIL. 

 

 

PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

 

The following is a snapshot, including an overview, access information and the economic impact of HSFA Public Safety programs:

Patrick A. Brown, Manager of NERC and Regional Coordination, PJM Interconnection, Lloyd P. Bumanglag, CEO, Foresight Enterprises, Jeff Davis, CEO Southern Data Solutions and Anthony Jones, CEO Digital HeadStart join HSFA’s Board of Directors

Atlanta, GA, November 23, 2008 — The Homeland Security Foundation of America (“HSFA”), a non-profit, non-Federal public entity for Public Safety, Energy Security and Health and Human Services announced today the appointment of Patrick A. Brown, Lloyd P. Bumanglag, Jeff Davis and Anthony Jones to its Board of Directors.

 

“The addition of Mr. Brown, Mr. Bumanglag, Mr. Davis and Mr. Jones to the Board is confirmation we’re moving down a good path,” said Eric Brown, President and Chairman, HSFA.  “The organization will benefit greatly from their knowledge, skills and abilities.  Together they represent the type of diverse group we need to effectively serve the American People.  HSFA’s made big promises to provide forward-thinking solutions, create jobs and promote volunteerism.  We’ll make good on these promises and do it in a way that’s inclusive with much needed focus on diversity.  America faces extraordinary challenges, now more than ever.  We’re fortunate to have these new directors’ on board to support the mission and help the nation during these difficult times.  We’re also actively seeking other highly motivated, experienced people who are passionate about ensuring freedom, safety and prosperity for all Americans.”

by Eric V. Brown

In the post-9/11 era, we face significant challenges in intelligence, counterintelligence and homeland security. With Islamic terrorism on the rise and a continued conflict abroad, we have significant areas of opportunity for information assurance at home, leaving the door wide open for routine crimes like ID theft to top the charts when it comes to national threats. ID theft, fraud and other computer crimes cost Americans billions of dollars each year, and the question we should be asking is who’s getting all that green?

There’s a direct link between routine crime and terrorism. Recent trends indicate terrorist groups launch unconventional, nonviolent attacks against Americans, profiting from criminal activities, including but not limited to theft, kidnapping, extortion, and cyber-financing in order to execute deadly attacks in the future. The impact of these crimes on our national security is great especially

when numerous successful attacks are executed over a long period of time. This strategy has a three-part effect resulting in an immediate reduction in financial stability, increased burden on law enforcement, and diminished response and investigation capabilities for the real attack forthcoming.

ID theft in particular is a highly lucrative form of cyber-financing that can be originated anonymously outside our borders, and, despite recent indictments by the U.S. Justice department, can be nearly impossible to investigate. Most victims won’t even know they’ve been violated for years, and by then, the damage is already done. This makes ID theft the perfect fundraising tool for terrorists. 

by Bill and Janet Liebsch

Today marks the 7th anniversary of 9/11, reminding us that terrorist attacks are still a possible threat to our nation and our way of life. The thought of a chemical, biological or nuclear attack on our soil can be overwhelming, but we need to acknowledge the threats exist and prepare ourselves for the unexpected.

Keep in mind, a terrorist attack is a very low risk possibility. More common disasters that affect families and businesses year round are things like earthquakes, chemical spills forcing evacuations, fires, floods, power outages and injuries.

The Department of Homeland Security has designated September as National Preparedness Month to increase awareness as well as encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action, make a plan and prepare for emergencies.

Planning is a fact of every day life. We plan and make lists for our chores, the kids’ activities, shopping trips and vacations. But when it comes to planning for a disaster, many of us don’t do it. A recent study by The Ad Council found “91% of Americans say it is important to be prepared for emergencies but only 55% have actually taken steps to prepare”.  

by Jeffrey Reynolds

Review the following two ID Theft scenarios, the first being fairly simplistic, the second more of a high tech sophistication. Note the varying degree of results.

Scenario 1: A large retailer had a clever employee that made a copy of a credit application. They then filled out the credit application again with a different address. This resulted in two credit cards under the same name and Social Security Number. The resulting extra card was unknown to the original applicant for two reasons: they never received a bill in the mail AND the abusing party used the card for months and made the payments on-time. Then one day original applicant was denied credit from a different institution. This was a surprise as they knew they had good credit. A free credit report inquiry was made. To their horror they found they had two retailer credit cards with different credit limits going to two different addresses. After almost a year of usage, the abuser simply stopped using the card and left a fairly large balance.

In less than one week the credit institution completed their investigation and the issue was resolved, which included a letter with an enclosed new credit report showing the removal.

Scenario 2: A large bank was offering favorable savings account rates. A large sum of money was deposited into the savings account. The account owner filed away the monthly statements in the home filing cabinet, never looking at the enclosed statement. 

by Laura Billon

Aman’s castle is his kingdom, his shrine, his home. But what do you when your castle is burning? We have all seen the recent devastation as wildfires wreaked havoc across our country, images of structures, homes, landmarks and businesses going up in flames. No amount of preparation can help you deal with the fact that your home was there one day and gone the next. Certainly in terms of a fire, this is one of the most difficult and trying things you will have to experience. Wildfires leave little standing in their path save a bunch of memories and debris.

On a smaller scale, and unlike a brushfire when you can see the fire as it heads towards your location, fire company personnel are knocking on your door telling you to leave, public service announcements identify evacuation locations and shelters, what do you do in your own home?

Recent findings published from the US Fire Administration show that over seventy-two percent of fire injuries to civilians occur in residential structures, with thirty-nine percent of those occurring from residents attempting to control or extinguish the fires themselves. While it is understandable to want to extinguish the fire yourself and keep it confined to a small portion of your home, more often than not, failure to immediately evacuate and therefore delay the response of emergency responders, results in increased damage, injuries or death due to inhalation of toxic fumes and gases.  

It is crucial to know how to escape from your residence. Do not attempt to suppress the fire yourself – unless it is small and absolutely controllable. Leave the fire fighting to those who are professionally trained. Instead, make your way out of the building as determined by a preset, preplanned, and often practiced evacuation route. 

by Jeff Davis

We the people… What a great start to a great nation. Unfortunately, that encapsulates the malicious people as well. We are all running to catch up in the digital age and sometimes our awareness falls by the wayside. HSFA is trying to bring awareness back and we owe that to ourselves, family, and most importantly our children, as they are the minds of tomorrow. I’d like to describe a few ways we can make our “digital self” more protected. Be advised that this pertains only to personal computers. If you have a company owned computer, consult your system administrator for solutions and do not install any product without reading all of the terms of agreement. Research each product for yourself.

Below are some helpful hints:

Microsoft Updates – Occasionally on a computer you will see a balloon pop up in the bottom right hand corner of the screen prompting you to install updates. These updates are usually from Microsoft and are very important. Most of the desktop world belongs to Microsoft and there are people with too much time on their hands that are trying to find “holes” in Microsoft software. When a hole is found, these people try to write their own software that will exploit this hole and wreak havoc on your computer or your company’s network. We know them better as viruses. Viruses are simply software that is written for malicious purposes that usually ends up in a destructive ending. To protect us from these exploits, Microsoft responds very quickly with patches, service packs, or hot-fixes to remedy these vulnerabilities in the form of updates. The next time you see the balloon (you can wait until you get ready to leave for lunch or go home), click on it and install the updates. You can also get the latest updates by visiting http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. 

by Anna T. Cianciolo, Ph.D.

American military commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan are taught that the key to success (and survival!) is to know their Area of Operations, or “know the AO.” Knowing the AO involves gaining a detailed understanding of the social networks of families, tribes, and religious groups that influence whether someone will support U.S. efforts to promote self-governance and rule of law. The expertise of civilian specialists – their knowledge of culture, language, and the challenges of developing countries – is especially valued for its importance in building the personal relationships that foster cooperation. Mutual understanding, respect, and trust serve as indirect metrics for success in neutralizing insurgents who oppose American interests in the Middle East.

In the interest of enhancing homeland security, one wonders: How might these lessons learned overseas apply to Americans stateside who share a concern about the threat of terrorism? Must effort to enhance homeland security focus solely on attack response and prevention? Or, following the wisdom gained abroad, might we not achieve success in neutralizing terrorism by also creating the social conditions, the personal relationships that preclude the growth of hostile sentiment? Military counterinsurgency doctrine suggests our answer.