 National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C. Vol. 33, No. 23 * December 10, 2001 Previous story | Table of Contents | Next story FBI briefs Homeland Task By Stephanie Osborn
The role of technology in assisting counties to secure America was the theme for the second meeting of the National Association of Counties’ Homeland Security Task Force, which gathered Nov. 28 in Santa Fe County, N. M. At the meeting, the task force examined the threats to critical infrastructures, learned about technologies available to better secure communities, updated the policy agenda it adopted at its first meeting Oct. 26, and approved a plan for NACo to provide programs, services and resources to counties on homeland security. “We moved from a focus on policy to one of model programs and best practices for counties,” said NACo President Javier Gonzales, commissioner, Santa Fe County, who chairs the task force. The task force heard presentations from Special Agent Perryn Collier of the FBI’s Albuquerque field office on cyber-terrorism threats and from Nancy J. Wong, deputy director of the program at the U.S. Department of Commerce, about the federal government’s Critical Infrastructure Assurance program. Collier told task force members that cyber-terrorism differs from the type of terrorism experienced on Sept. 11. “It’s not about creating fear,” Collier said, “it’s about taking advantage of weaknesses to paralyze the system.” He also said that while county information systems may be vulnerable if they are not secured properly, he does not expect nor recommend a reversal in the trend toward e-government. Wong discussed the work her office is leading with all levels of government and industry in the areas of information and communications, electric power, transportation, oil and gas, banking and finance, water, emergency services and critical government services. Wong said these critical infrastructures are vital to national defense, the orderly functioning of a national economy, and public health, welfare and safety. Despite the best efforts of government and industry, however, “there is no such thing as 100 percent protection,” Wong told members. “You’re looking at managing your risks. Public confidence is a major issue,” she said. The task force then learned about various technologies that can assist counties to better secure communities. Presentations about these technologies — from the use of geographic information systems to map damage and manage the repairs of infrastructure in New York City to hand-held personal computers used to connect the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office — were given by representatives of IBM, ESRI, E-team, Oracle, Accenture, PSComm and Microsoft. Costis Toregas, president of Public Technology, Inc., also discussed the role of technology in security, highlighting the local level as where “homeland defense will be erected, managed and fought.” Toregas talked about the importance of communications interoperability and database interfaces. “A decentralized strategy of [emergency] preparation and risk management is not only possible, but essential,” Toregas said. “In order for such a strategy to work, there must be perfect communication…and strong leadership roles must be assumed by local elected officials.” “Technology has a role to play in such efforts,” he added. Later in the afternoon, the task force took up a plan for NACo to provide programs, services and resources for counties on homeland security. The approved plan, later adopted by the Board of the Directors, calls for NACo to carry out a range of educational programming on homeland security such as conducting training sessions at upcoming conferences, preparing a series of articles for County News, identifying model programs, ordinances and experts and expanding the peer-to-peer program, developing materials to assist county officials to communicate with the public, and restarting an e-mail list for county officials to exchange information. Finally, a handful of revisions were adopted to the Policy Agenda to Secure the People of America’s Counties, first approved on Oct. 26. These changes addressed border security, evacuation and mutual aid immunity issues, as well as the need for federal laboratories to release research and information (and declassify such information, as appropriate) that would assist counties in protecting the homeland. Gonzales formed the Homeland Security Task Force in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 to focus attention on counties as first responders to acts of terrorism and other emergencies, serve as a forum to educate federal officials about the role counties play in securing the homeland, and provide NACo with direction on policy issues and programs and services to assist counties. The task force is comprised of 45 county officials, representing the NACo Executive Committee, steering committees, urban and rural caucuses, standing committees and various affiliate organizations. Its third and final meeting will take place March 1, 2002, in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the NACo Legislative Conference. |
