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.”

HSFA’s Mission Template offers hope because of new work based on emerging technologies.  Project US Privacy Protection helps eliminate phishing and unauthorized network access, giving the country a fighting chance against electronic fraud and ID theft.  Project Feedback helps Community Action Agencies leverage technology for increased efficiency and government compliance.  But, this Mission Template is not just about technology – HSFA is slated to deliver a wide range of services to the public.  Project Green Village helps homeowners and businesses “green up” and decrease our dependency on foreign oil.  Ready Roadmap USA offers safety day events nationwide to help fight routine crime.  Project STAN, an advanced research program to help combat terrorism, requires scientists, academics and professionals from all walks of life.  Another unique initiative, Project Little Language, promotes cultural awareness while preparing youths for a challenging career in the Foreign Services Community.

“This is what we signed up for,” said Lloyd Bumanglag, Chief of Staff, HSFA.  “We have to challenge ourselves to be more than just status reporters.  Our goal is to help improve quality of life for people in every district in America.  We’re accomplishing this through grassroots initiatives and by putting new solutions on the table.  When we introduce our programs to communities, we bring new jobs and volunteer opportunities to a diverse group of individuals.  That’s a good formula for helping stimulate the economy.  We encourage Americans to get involved in any way that’s best for them, whether volunteerism or employment.  The longer people are out of work the worse the economy will get, so we’re focused on securing adequate funding and always accepting resumes.  We’re confident we’ll begin hiring soon.  In the interim, we hope people will get out and volunteer.  This helps us learn about their capabilities and allows them to gain hands on experience.  Candidates with HSFA volunteer experience have priority in hiring.  However, volunteering in your community is an experience like no other and a chance to help shape the future of America one project at a time.”

This Mission Template underscores HSFA’s commitment to help make America better through bold, forward-thinking strategies.  In addition to funding these efforts, HSFA has committed to grant nearly all products and services to the public at no cost.

“There’s no doubt, this is a tall order,” said Brown, “but by focusing on the needs of each district and partnering with the government and businesses, we’ll get the job done expeditiously.  Together, we can put Americans back to work and sustain our commitment to the public in subsequent years through grants and charitable contributions.  President Obama has called each of us to action during this challenging time.  We’re honored for HSFA to be among the many Americans who are bravely answering that call.”

HSFA leadership plans to create nearly 1 million jobs across the nation.  Dividing their operational grid into congressional districts is a strategy they believe will help meet an aggressive goal of servicing every household and bridging the gaps between the government and the public.  Agency officials say putting Americans back to work on projects that directly benefit this country is their highest priority and by doing so the nation will see economic growth, positive environmental impact and improved homeland security. 

The organization’s received substantial contributions from companies like BroadRiver Communication Corporation, Nomad Security and Air Tran Airlines.  Leadership expects more corporations will explore HSFA’s efforts and offer their support.  The organization is also contacting members of congress and reaching out to key government officials for their support.

Despite the challenges of a widespread economic crisis, HSFA believes they can gain the support needed to deploy the Mission Template in all 435 districts and help make a real difference in the lives of Americans nationwide.

To learn more about HSFA or access a copy of the Mission Template visit http://www.hsfamerica.org.

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The Homeland Security Foundation of America (“HSFA”) is a public, non-profit, non-Federal agency for public safety, energy security and health and human services, incorporated in Georgia in 2002 and reorganized under IRC 501(c)(3) with 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) status to help ensure FREEDOM, SAFETY and PROSPERITY for all.  HSFA is not an agency or instrumentality of the Federal government.

For more information, contact:

Laura Billon

Press Secretary, HSFA

877-859-6850

comments@hsfamerica.org

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:

Overview: Formerly the Campaign for Child Safety and Protection, CSP 2008, Ready Roadmap USA is a domestic, nationwide, grassroots public safety initiative to build awareness for emergencies, natural or manmade, including disasters and terrorist attacks as well as routine crime, i.e., drug trafficking, child trafficking, computer crimes, ID theft, fraud, etc.  The primary objective is to reduce loss of life and property by educating Americans on the hazards in their communities and around the nation and equip them with the training and resources they need to protect against all hazards and threats.

Ready Roadmap USA services each congressional district through small and large Safety Day events.  The goal is to help people understand the hazards in their local area and teach them how to mitigate them.  Preparedness saves lives – Ready Roadmap USA is a high priority and one that’s ongoing.

Ready Roadmap USA Safety Days provide the public with:

a.      A copy of the local Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) brochure (where available)*;

b.      A copy of our Disaster Preparedness and First Aid Manual, “It’s a Disaster!”

c.      A digital child safety ID for children of all ages;

d.      Safety materials from HSFA, the FTC, FEMA and County Emergency Offices (where available)*.

* – Where resources are unavailable, HSFA will assist in developing / securing them.

Access: This program services all households at no cost in every U.S. congressional district.  We are also making an aggressive effort to service Spanish-speaking and other non-English speaking communities through the Ready Roadmap USA program.

Economic Impact: This program creates an estimated 300,000+ new jobs for Full-time Equivalents (FTE), Part-time Equivalents (PTE) and community volunteers, including positions for managers, event coordinators, sponsorship coordinators, visual communications specialists, marketing specialist and public relations agents.

Overview: HSFA, utilizing a high-tech donation from BroadRiver Communication Corporation, has developed a robust, advanced national information technology infrastructure, the BroadRiver Enterprise, which serves as a platform for:

• Internal HSFA operations;
• A nationwide communications platform; and
• A Public Safety / Health and Human Services web portal for the public. 

Access: This platform will provide citizens with access to free disaster preparedness resources, secure authentication technology, Head Start software, and a host of other services and technologies offered at low or no cost.

Economic Impact: This program creates an estimated 150+ new support jobs for FTEs and PTEs, including positions for datacenter personnel, software and web developers, database administrators, IT professionals, managers, project managers and quality assurance agents.

Overview: Phase 1 of the U.S. Privacy Protection Initiative (USP-I) helps the public combat computer crimes by providing secure authentication technology (SA technology) to the small to medium-sized business (SMB) market at no cost, eliminating a major source of privacy violations for employees and consumers.  Phase 2 (USP-II) will offer centralized public access to SA technology via a secure web-based Public Safety Portal in the BroadRiver Enterprise.  This technology is currently in active / production status, ready to be distributed to the public.

ID thieves and fraudsters target home users, small-to-medium businesses, and corporations.  Most large corporations have the resources to implement a Safeguards and Security program for their IT infrastructure; however, the majority of small businesses and even some medium-sized businesses do not.  Home users must rely on the effectiveness of businesses’ security models to protect their identity.

Our SA technology removes public access for any system or application, especially web services.  All other network access is denied, removing unauthorized access and eliminating potential risks of network attacks.  It combines Client-end point policies with digital identity to eliminate Phishing and deny fraudulent access to network resources.  Trust is established at the user level and not the system level.  This eliminates the need to integrate services with new or existing processes, which reduces the costs and complexity of administration and support.   This technology offers an end-to-end solution for secure access management, i.e. – Digital Certificates, Digital Signatures, Certificate Revocation Lists, Encryption and Decryption. 

Access: The resulting deliverable will be provided at no cost to small and medium-sized businesses, organizations and governmental units.

Economic Impact: We believe we can eliminate Phishing in the SMB market by 2010 and drastically minimize ID theft and computer fraud.  This program creates an estimated 150,000+ new jobs across the nation for FTEs and PTEs, including positions for software and web developers, database administrators, trainers, deployment technicians, support staff and subcontractors.  This program will also require a fully staffed call center for up to 24×7 phone support.

Project STAN (Strategic Terrorism Analysis Network):

Overview: A technologically advanced network designed to simulate the behavior and tactics of terrorist groups. The implementation of such technology would result in additional insight and analysis capability for terrorist activity. This technology would also establish a basis for identifying links between organized crime, espionage, and terrorism. STAN builds upon existing Department of Justice (DOJ) National Institute of Justice (NIJ) infrastructure, such as, the Terrorism Database. These DOJ NIJ assets provide a foundation for developing the Strategic Terrorism Analysis Network (STAN), a computer based simulator with Artificial Intelligence and learning capabilities that enable the system to autonomously exhibit patterns of behavior and simulate the tactics of Anti-American terrorist groups. Project STAN received favorable reviews from a DOJ peer-review panel (see comments below).  Combining the capabilities of hybrid neural network technology and advanced forecasting methodologies, the system will execute real-time simulations utilizing a social profile, historical inputs (key threats) and outputs (attack events). Criminal justice personnel will have the ability to interact with the system, providing real-time inputs that result in the system exhibiting patterns of behavior characteristic of terrorist organizations and developing strategies that exploit United States homeland vulnerabilities. The capabilities of this system can be leveraged and integrated into existing counterterrorism programs to significantly increase the effectiveness of investigations and preemptive counterterrorism initiatives.  America has launched preemptive strikes to disable a number of terrorist organizations; however, the effectiveness of this strategy continues to be debated. To increase our potential to win the War on Terror, we must first neutralize the capabilities of the enemy by empowering law enforcement with a more realistic understanding of the nature of terrorism. Project STAN leverages the current criminal justice information infrastructure to enable new defensive strategies.

Department of Justice Peer-Review Panel Comments:

“STAN could also be used to study cybercrime and espionage as well.”

“Reviewers felt that STAN was very intriguing and had a real intuitive appeal – gaming terrorist activity”

“There are no potential pitfalls described.  If pulled off, the project would be very innovative and creative. This new software technology would be very valuable”

“The project would be invaluable as a training and forecasting tool in counter-terrorism.  It would hold tremendous significance for advancement in the field and would improve training and capabilities in counter-terrorism.”

“These findings could also be shared with practitioners, policymakers, and security personnel.”

Access: The resulting deliverable will be provided at no cost to local, state and Federal law enforcement agencies and other organizations, focusing on counterterrorism.

Economic Impact: This program creates an estimated 5,000+ new jobs across the nation for FTEs and PTEs, including positions for math experts, social scientists, electrical engineers, computer scientists, software developers, database administrators, project managers, support staff, quality assurance personnel and trainers nationwide.  This program also requires consulting from local, state and Federal law enforcement agents.  This program is expected to reduce the governmental burden associated with counterintelligence training, investigations, emergency management and response.

Overview: HSFA will deploy community learning and training centers in every congressional district to disseminate safety education information to a wide, public audience.  Learning center curriculum is designed to build awareness of routine crime, disasters and terrorism in America, reducing the potential loss of life and property from identity theft, espionage, corporate theft, cyber crimes, fraud natural and manmade disasters and terrorist attacks.   Learning centers also offer specialized advanced training to first responders, law enforcement and emergency managers.  Learning centers will also administer our Health and Human Services program, Project Little Language, which teaches foreign languages and cultures during early childhood development.  Finally, learning Centers will offer training and certification programs for new technology, green technology,

Access: Learning Center courses will be offered at no cost to individuals who volunteer on HSFA or non-HSFA community projects and to government units.  Courses will be offered at low cost to corporations and organizations.

Economic Impact: This program creates an estimated 200,000+ new jobs across the nation for FTEs and PTEs, including positions for teachers, administrative staff, IT professionals, developers and other personnel.  However, there are other important large-scale impacts.  We believe there’s a direct link between routine crime and terrorism.  Criminals take advantage of individuals who are not aware of the things they can do to keep their households and communities safe.  Increasing their awareness and providing the resources they need to safeguard their communities will inherently minimize the window of opportunity for criminals to strike.  Combined with the U.S. Privacy Protection initiative, this will minimize the billions of dollars in losses Americans absorb annually, reducing operational costs and increasing spending capabilities.  Helping people understand the hazards in their community and what to do in a disaster means we can potentially reduce loss of life and property and minimize the local, state and Federal burden associated with disaster response.  Finally, offering specialized training, certifications and other future-supporting curricula, the Learning Center program will strengthen our workforce, help people advance their careers and foster volunteerism across the nation.

ISSN:   1938-1905

URL:    http://awareness.hsfamerica.org

“Awareness” is a quarterly publication that offers information, helpful hints and ideas on how to prepare for and protect against disaster, criminals, civil liberty violations, and other public safety concerns.  ”Awareness” is for the people by the people – patriots from all walks of life submit their articles for inclusion, working together for a safer America for future generations.  This resources is currently available in electronic format.

Access: “Awareness” is distributed at no cost to the public.

Economic Impact: This program creates an estimated 100+ new jobs across the nation for part-time and full-time writers, contributors, investigators and other staff.

Overview: The US Civil Defense (USCD) program is an organized non-military effort to prepare American civilians for military attack and protect freedom and democracy. USCD is a classified Public Safety initiative that encompasses the following directives:

1. Build Public Awareness
2. Provide Early Threat Detection and Warning
3. Conduct Emergency Operations
4. Conduct Law Enforcement Investigations
5. Ensure Continuity of Government
6. Defend America Against Domestic Attacks

USCD will establish three divisions with bases located in the United States, including a primary Operations and Training center, a signal command center, a research and development center.  We will also establish several support facilities as required.  Together, these three divisions will identify and defend against all hazards, natural or manmade, and threats of direct attacks against the US on its shores by land, sea or air when support is needed.

Access: Civil Defense services will be provided to the entire nation at no cost to individuals or government.

Economic Impact: This program creates an estimated 250,000+ new jobs across the nation for FTEs and PTEs, including positions for peace officers, trainers, support staff, managers, facilities, personnel, communications specialists, detectives/investigators, technicians, first responders, medics, mechanics, pilots, and other trained/certified field operators.  This program will also employ private businesses / contractors to build several bases and support facilities.

 ENERGY SECURITY PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

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

Overview: Through the Energy Security program, HSFA identifies and disseminates to the public information on Global and National energy security policy and threats and new technology, processes and tips for improving energy utilization.  Activities include the following items:

1.      Actionable Items – these items include those activities the general public can take personal action to implement, including:

a.      Electric Power

                                          i.     Demand side management

1.      Conservation

2.      Market-based initiatives

a.      Smart meters

b.      Vehicle-to-grid

                                         ii.     Intermittent resources

1.      System impact

2.      Pros & cons

3.      How to participate in programs

                                        iii.     Physical asset security

1.      Utility assets

2.      End user assets

                                       iv.     Cyber security issues

b.      Natural gas / fuel oil

                                          i.     Conservation

                                         ii.     Physical security

                                        iii.     Cyber security

c.      Automotive fuel

                                          i.     Conservation

                                         ii.     Alternative fuels

1.      Electric vehicles

2.      Flex fuel

3.      Pros & cons

2.      Information Only Items – these are items the general public cannot impact directly, but contain essential background or historical information:

a.      Energy policy

b.      Basic supply and demand issues

c.      Future threats

Access: This information will be provided at no cost to individuals in every congressional district.

Economic Impact: This program creates an estimated 50+ new jobs across the nation for FTEs and PTEs, including positions for Energy Security Committee Members, energy experts, industry workers, researchers and writers.

Project Green Home provides disadvantaged families in each district with new green technology and energy efficiency upgrades/repairs for their homes.  By offering existing technology, e.g., tankless water heaters, solar panels, insulation, energy efficient light bulbs, Energy Star compliant devices, and making repairs that impact energy efficiency, e.g., damaged pipes, leaking roofs, and faulty wiring, we’ll reduce energy consumption nationwide and improve the overall quality of communities.  Disadvantaged homeowners will receive these upgrades at no charge, installed by certified professionals.  HSFA will also provide these families free materials, i.e., brochures, flyers, etc. on energy conservation and green living. 

Access: Green upgrades/repairs will be provided to disadvantaged families in every district at no cost.

Economic Impact: This program creates an estimated 200,000+ new jobs across the nation for FTEs and PTEs, including positions for project managers, electricians, heating and air technicians, general contractors and administrative / support staff.  The Green Home project will stimulate the economy with new jobs and purchases for equipment to be donated.  Additionally, we expect this work to increase home values in disadvantaged areas.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM SNAPSHOT

The following is a snapshot, including an overview, access information and the economic impact of HSFA Health and Human Services programs:

Overview: Early childhood development is crucial the future of America.  Our Digital Headstart program offers certified Head Start centers advanced internet-based software technology at no cost (in-kind technology grant) to automate processes and provide an effective management system to ensure the highest quality of services are delivered to children and their families.  This technology is currently in active / production status, to be integrated in the BroadRiver Enterprise and distributed to the public.

Access: The deliverable will be provided at no cost to certified Head Start centers that service disadvantaged communities and government units.  The deliverable will be provided to private businesses at low cost.

Economic Impact: This program creates an estimated 1,000+ new jobs across the nation for FTEs and PTEs, including positions for web developers, database administrators, account managers, and support staff.  Providing this feature-rich web application to Head Start centers at no-cost means they can ensure compliance with program requirements regarding electronic records and continue to provide critical early childhood development services in their community without interruption.

Overview: HSFA is developing a secure internet-based medical records web-application for public access via the BroadRiver Enterprise.  This application will allow physicians to log on securely, generate electronic prescriptions and store digital patient medical records.  These records will be accessible via managed access for pharmacies and other physician-authorized representatives and responsible organizations, e.g. Medicaid / Medicare. 

Access: The resulting deliverable will be provided to all physicians and related organizations at low or no cost based on their disadvantaged status or the area/zone they service.

Economic Impact:  This program creates an estimated 200+ new jobs across the nation for FTEs and PTEs, including positions for web developers, support staff, program administrators and call center resources.  By offering this resource at no cost, we allow more physicians to maintain complete and accurate patient records, reducing the cost of medical care, increasing the efficiency of their office and the administration of prescriptions as well as decreasing environmental impact from paperwork reduction.

Overview: This program provides foreign language resources to schools and community centers.  It’s designed to target children from grades 3 – 8 and teach them one or more foreign languages.  The objective of this program is to introduce multiple languages and cultures to children at an early age when studies show they are most effectively absorbed.  This program has the potential to produce more qualified foreign services agents and result in a more culturally sensitive America.

Access: Language learning resources will be provided to schools and early childhood development programs at no cost.

Economic Impact: This program creates an estimated 150,000+ new jobs across the nation for FTEs and PTEs, including positions for program administrators, teachers, support staff, and Learning Center resources.

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. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean terrorists have connected all the dots, but consider for a moment the potential operational capabilities of a terrorist group such as Al Qaeda or Hezbollah if they no longer need to rely on funding centers or individuals to make donations that can be investigated. Keep in mind terrorist groups are not like routine criminals, i.e., drug dealers and kidnappers. Criminal gangs operate to make profit, but terrorist groups don’t care about profit – their interest is not in taking money, but in taking lives, which means they can’t be stopped or even slowed down by conventional deterrent methods that typically involve law enforcement putting the squeeze on financial resources. Simply put, when faced with such a challenge, they’ll just find another way to fund their operations.

Who’s to blame for these activities? Just imagine the impact of a new-age, radically Islamic terrorist group with some working knowledge of U.S. intelligence culture effectively utilizing deception in its portrayal of itself while mastering the world’s fastest growing anonymous crime. Imagine them committing ID theft against Americans, with little or no resistance, building a wealth of resources that they in turn use to launch coordinated, deadly attacks against the U.S. and her allies. In this scenario, it would be difficult to argue that America did not play a role in feeding the terrorists when little has been done to combat ID theft.

The “sweep-it-under-the-rug” approach big corporations take to dealing with ID theft and fraud leave the majority of Americans open to attack. There’s little legislation and few lawmakers who can stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new scams and emerging technology. Furthermore, with the nature of the crime, there’s little the average citizen

can do to prevent it. Many organizations have begun to offer special ID theft protection, credit monitoring and alerts and other pay-for-protection products, but these defenses offer a false sense of protection as most activate only after a crime has occurred and a report filed by the victim.

ID theft is a costly crime that’s different from other types in which the victim may be able to give investigators a description of the perpetrators or recall recent suspicious activity in the neighborhood. In most cases where personal records have been compromised through security violations, the theft takes place outside the home in facilities controlled by private corporations and government agencies. Since 2005, there have been more than 230 million records compromised in incidents ranging from lost or stolen government laptops to complicated high-tech intrusions on unsecured corporate networks. The FBI has moved ID theft up to the number three spot on their priority list, but resources, specifically budget allocations and total number of agents assigned to the task, simply do not match up with the priority level.

ID thieves target average, every day American citizens, many of whom are unaware how the theft occurs. So, how does it happen, and how do we stop it? I think the secrets to life’s mysteries are revealed to us when we simplify the complicated, but in so doing, we must be careful not to complicate the simple. In the spirit of simplification, I believe the real threat, when it comes to attacks that originate offsite or offshore, exists at the point of Phishing. With the exception of low-tech violations, i.e., dumpster diving and surveillance, Phishing is the gateway for ID theft, fraud and other computer crimes. I believe the key to reducing potential loss associated with these crimes is eliminating Phishing.

By making Phishing a tool of yesterday, we will help prevent terrorists of tomorrow from expanding operational capabilities off “easy money” and advancing their planned acts of terror to the next level, which, without exaggeration, could involve detonating a low-yield nuclear device (suitcase bomb) on sovereign U.S. soil.

If we can potentially save millions of lives in the future simply by exploring the link between routine crime and terrorism, then it’s incumbent upon us to take a serious look at ID theft and other security violations that offer high gains with low risk to terrorist groups.

There are many who might argue a nuclear attack inside U.S. borders is too grandiose a scenario to actually happen, and perhaps they’re right – maybe it will never occur, but there are few experts who deny the potential for it to happen. In being right, we can’t afford to travel down the same road of neglect that led to the devastating loss of life on the morning of 9/11. As we approach the 7-year anniversary of 9/11 and move forward to face new challenges, U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agents must consider all possibilities and develop reasonable strategies for defending against the unknown.

As an American and a potential target, what can you do to prevent terrorists from attacking? Not a whole lot, but the things you can do to ensure the future safety, security and prosperity of this great nation are many. First and most importantly, learn about your privacy rights – understand your rights and exercise them. Take notice of how businesses and websites use your private information and whether they’ll sell it to the highest bidder. Keep a close watch on your social security number, driver’s license and other forms of identification like military ID cards and Medicaid cards which still show your full social security number on the face of the card. Download training materials from the FTC and other trusted sources – share this information with your family and have an open dialogue about the importance of safeguarding private information. Never give your information to a stranger or over the phone in response to a direct mail piece that may promise free resources or give notification of sweepstakes winnings. Remember, if something appears too good to be true, it probably is.

Eric V. Brown is President of the Homeland Security Foundation of America (HSFA) and serves as Chairman of the Board. Brown is an experienced field operator and has conducted successful undercover campaigns for public and private operations. He is currently Department of Homeland Security / FEMA certified in homeland security, emergency management, and disaster preparedness and mitigation. His affiliations include the National Association of Investigative Specialists and the Association For Intelligence Officers.

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This article can be found in the Fall 2008 issue of HSFA’s “Awareness: Journal of Public Safety Studies in America”, available at http://www.hsfamerica.org/Awareness.

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”.  

Unfortunately, disaster preparedness is often thought of moments before or immediately following some sort of crisis or emergency. For example, how many times have you seen images of people stocking up on water, canned goods and batteries just before the hurricane comes ashore? It’d be easier (and cheaper) to purchase things in advance and have them in a kit with other supplies. Planning for something that may never happen is difficult … but what if something does happen? Are you and your loved ones prepared?

For 9 years our company has quietly been helping the country prepare with our book called “IT’S A DISASTER! …and what are YOU gonna do about it?” The 284-page reference manual helps families and businesses prepare for and respond to most types of emergencies, first aid needs, and natural or man-made disasters (including Terrorism).

We’ve worked with many government agencies, businesses and nonprofits to get hundreds of thousands of copies into the public’s hands. This information needs to be in every home and business in America. We believe if more people would take responsibility and learn what to do in advance, it could alleviate a lot of problems, anxiety and loss.

Some important things you can do for National Preparedness Month include:

• Get a Disaster Supplies Kit for your home, office and car;
• Make a Family Emergency Plan;
• Learn about different types of disasters and emergencies;
• Get Involved in community efforts;
• And visit https://www.hsfamerica.org/RedBook to get copies of IT’S A DISASTER! for your family, friends, employees and customers … and help support HSFA in the process!

Bill & Janet Liebsch are co-founders of Fedhealth and co-authors of “IT’S A DISASTER! …and what are YOU gonna do about it?”

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This article can be found in the Fall 2008 issue of HSFA’s “Awareness: Journal of Public Safety Studies in America”, available at http://www.hsfamerica.org/Awareness.

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. 

The associated ATM card was still in the original envelope and had never left the house or been activated.

After two years, the account owner needed some money and attempted to make a withdrawal from said account. Much to their surprise “It was gone!” How could this have happened?
The bank conducted a thorough investigation and identified a VERY high tech ID theft ring had somehow obtained information from the bank.

According to bank records, the ATM card was used to take out monies in January of 2005. The account owner denied this ever occurred and it went back and forth. Here is the interesting high tech part:
The depositor was on a business trip on that day in a small city (City X) outside Los Angeles. After checking into a major hotel with a different bank card, their ID was stolen within 30 minutes by usage of another ATM card used in a Casino bank in New England. Interestingly, the name of the city in New England has the same exact name as (City X).

Currently, the investigation has found a card was manufactured with a PIN number and used 30 minutes later. The investigators now group like ID thefts to find a pattern of this high tech theft.

How can you protect yourself from these types of crimes?

• Use the free credit reports online or by writing to various credit reporting institutions. This report lists ALL accounts and if something looks odd, call the credit card company immediately. You might find resistance as in this case, the two different addresses caused the agency to not want to close the account.
• Open your statements and read the balances each month even when you think you know how much is in an account.
• Be diligent and have a home shredding machine, they are inexpensive and easy to find.

These are two real world cases, not hypothetical situations. The first had a happy ending in a short timeframe. The second does not have a happy ending and is still pending investigation after two years of the infraction and 1 year of discovery. The depositor does not yet have the money, as it is being held in escrow pending the investigation.

Protect yourself so that this does not happen to you!

Jeffrey D, Reynolds is on the Board of Advisors of the Homeland Security Foundation of America. He serves as a technical editor to Awareness and has over twenty years experience in the IT field.

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This article can be found in the Fall 2008 issue of HSFA’s “Awareness: Journal of Public Safety Studies in America”, available at http://www.hsfamerica.org/Awareness.

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. 

A home filled with smoke is a dangerous and often deadly place. It is often too late before you recognize the affects of the gases you are taking into your lungs. Vision becomes hindered and the inhalation of the toxic gases will lead to dizziness followed by disorientation. It was not uncommon for our suppression crews to find bodies near exit doors, people who were unable to make their escape before they were asphyxiated and succumbed to the fire.

Ensure that your smoke alarms are functioning properly and while planning your escape route, make sure you have two ways out. If there is only one door in or out of your home, plan and practice a way out by means of a window, recognizing that an escape ladder may be necessary. Blocked exits or individuals being trapped below or above a fire contribute to injuries sustained in fires. Have procedures in place for those requiring assistance such as small children or elderly citizens. Getting out as quickly and safely as possible is the priority. If a pet will come with you freely and not hamper your evacuation, take them with you. If you cannot do so, tell the suppression teams that you have pets in the building.

DO NOT GO BACK INSIDE THE BUILDING! Once you are out, stay out, As difficult as it may be to imagine and comprehend, THINGS can be replaced, you and your family cannot be replaced. Have a designated meeting place that is established and identifiable by all family members – the old Oak tree around the block, the mailbox one block over. Practice your plan regularly; ensure that each person knows the way out. Always remember to call 911 from a location other than your own home.

With fire season upon us and the winter months following quickly behind, make sure that your family is protected by knowing what to do should there be a fire in your home.

Laura Billon has a Masters Degree in Forensic Science and is a Certified Fire Investigator. She has been in the Fire Service for over eighteen years in California and works as an evaluator for the Center For Arson Research. She is certified as a Hazardous Materials Technician and as a Hazardous Materials Investigator. She teaches in the Arson Department of the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland and is an adjunct professor of Fire Science at Miramar College in San Diego.

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This article can be found in the Fall 2008 issue of HSFA’s “Awareness: Journal of Public Safety Studies in America”, available at http://www.hsfamerica.org/Awareness.

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. 

Spyware – Spyware is very similar to viruses and can cause just as much damage to our computers. Everyone should be or already is running some type of anti-spyware program. What a lot of people do not know is that they have to keep it up to date just like an anti-virus. These updates alert the anti-spyware program to the different kinds of spyware so it will know the patterns to look for, identify, and cleanse. I personally have used, with great success, Spybot Search and Destroy (http://www.spybot.com), which is a free program, to protect myself and my clients from spyware attacks. Remember to keep it up to date and run a full weekly scan.

Anti-Virus – To touch briefly on viruses, as we have all probably been subject to a virus attack and the pain of cleaning it, viruses are no more than a software program written to independently or run in conjunction with another application to wreak havoc on a pc. Viruses have been around for a long time and will probably remain a constant for a long time to come. AVG (http://free.avg.com) is a free anti-virus software that you can run on your pc and help protect you from viruses. Remember to keep it up to date and run a full weekly scan. These are just a few weapons to keep in your arsenal to protect you, your family, and your pc. Know that the malicious people out there have their own weapons and they are seeking you out. HSFA is now, and will continue to seek out new forms of awareness to keep the American people in the know and up to date.

Jeff Davis has worked in the IT field since 1992 actively working in project management, technical consulting, system administration, network engineering and project implementation. Mr. Davis is Certified as a Microsoft System Engineer and Cisco Certified Network Associate. He serves on the HSFA Board of Advisors.

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This article can be found in the Fall 2008 issue of HSFA’s “Awareness: Journal of Public Safety Studies in America”, available at http://www.hsfamerica.org/Awareness.

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. 

Like deployed soldiers and civilians, each of us might consider knowing our own “AO”—learning more about the social relationships that give rise to the way we and others behave so that we may build personal relationships, mutual understanding, respect, and, yes, even trust with people of different social groups (e.g., different religions, different socioeconomic status, different race or ethnic identity, and so on). As social psychologists and military scientists agree, personal relationships foster social connections to one another that transcend stereotypes and pave the way to collaboration. In other words, the best way to defeat the enemy is to make a friend.

When you consider what you can do today to enhance homeland security, consider visiting a mosque or Islamic association, try learning a new language and practicing it with native speakers, volunteer to assist the economically disadvantaged. Reflect on how many friends, true friends, you have with people of different nationality, race, religion, or even political party. As Americans overseas can attest, change doesn’t happen in a day, or even weeks or months, but social knowledge and personal relationships wield tremendous power to make positive change. Remember, friends are not just people you know, but more importantly, people who will do you no harm.

Dr. Cianciolo earned her Ph.D. in engineering psychology from Georgia Institute of Technology, where she studied how the characteristics of a task influence the abilities people need to achieve and maintain advanced levels of performance. After graduating from GA Tech, Dr. Cianciolo served as a two-year postdoctoral research associate at the Yale University Center for the Study of the Psychology of Abilities, Competency, and Expertise (PACE Center). While at the PACE Center, Dr. Cianciolo continued her study of performance development with a focus on understanding how to assess and develop experience-based, or tacit, knowledge. After completing her postdoc, Dr. Cianciolo served as the Senior Scientist of Instructional Technology at Global Information Systems Technology for two years before founding CPResearch. Dr. Cianciolo also is an adjunct assistant professor for the Institute of Aviation, Human Factors Division at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

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This article can be found in the Fall 2008 issue of HSFA’s “Awareness: Journal of Public Safety Studies in America”, available at http://www.hsfamerica.org/Awareness.