By Calvin Biesecker
Communications between the Department of Homeland Security and the state governments appear to be improving, according to an annual survey of Governor’s Homeland Security Advisors released yesterday.
More than 75 percent of the state homeland security directors say they are satisfied with their communication with DHS in 2008 versus just 42 percent in 2007, according to the survey one by the National Governors Association for Best Practices. Moreover the “quality of communication” is improving, the survey says.
The vast majority of the state directors prefer electronic communication with DHS, followed by telephones and the use of non-governmental organizations and associations.
Most of the respondents, 86 percent, believe that the federal government still needs to provide more emphasis on increasing grant monies. A majority of respondents, 78 percent, also would like DHS to coordinate more closely with the states before policies are released and implemented.
The survey also found that state priorities have remained constant. The top five priorities in order of importance are coordinating the efforts of state and local agencies, developing interoperable communications for first responders, identifying and protecting critical infrastructure, developing a state intelligence fusion center, and strengthening citizen preparedness. Only the first two priorities are reversed from 2007.
Of the top priorities developing interoperable communications is the one that states need the most federal assistance in terms of funding and guidance. States also need significant federal assistance in developing fusion centers and coordinating the efforts of state and local agencies, according to the survey.
The survey says that “almost every” respondent said their state has either a fair or significant amount of local input in the development of their respective homeland security strategic plans.
Regarding interoperable communications, the survey notes that 2008 marks the first time that this capability wasn’t the top priority for state homeland security directors. The likely reason, according to the survey, is communication plans and funding justifications required in a 2007 grant program. As a result of the Public Safety Interoperable Communications grant program, 78 percent of respondents reported having a better interoperable communications structure than in 2007, the survey says.
Still, challenges remain to attaining true interoperability. The most challenging components of state interoperable communications plans that must be implemented are technology, standard operating procedures, governance, regularity and usage, and training and exercise.
In the area of critical infrastructure protection, every state has coordinated, or is in the process of coordinating, security plans with privately owned critical infrastructure, the survey says.
For state intelligence fusion centers, one of the main challenges is sustaining operations without federal funding. Only 25 percent of respondents said they can operate their fusion centers without federal monies. The fusion centers are critical for communications with DHS as more than 60 percent of respondents say the centers are their primary conduit for sharing intelligence with the department. The survey says 75 percent of respondents actively use their fusion centers regularly.
Regarding intelligence sharing by DHS, just over half of the respondents are satisfied with the timeliness and specificity of the intelligence received from the department. Forty-seven percent of respondents are satisfied with the actionability of the intelligence they are receiving from DHS.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said last month that state fusion centers need to be bolstered (Defense Daily, Feb. 26). The Obama administration’s FY ’10 budget request related to homeland security grants is expected to boost personnel for state and local intelligence analysis (Defense Daily, Feb. 27).
About 80 percent, or 43 state homeland security directors, responded to the 2008 survey.