Homeland Security Issues and Secured Implementation
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There have been various technical issues on homeland security in the world. Engineers and Designers have identified several of these (potential homeland security) issues, designed the systems as a solution to these issues, and got them constructed by a general contractor and its subcontractors. However, there is no secure implementation process. The complete design and construction information is open and available to general public under the public information act. At the current age after 911 incidents, the author is concerned about national security of government mass transit systems and facilities which thousands of riders use in their day to life to get to work, to home, visit a friend or to go from point A to point B. Currently, the security can be compromised by designers, contractors whose routine work is completed by their in-house staff and information is shared during regular meetings and reporting, since the design information is available to everyone. The author proposes that a new and unique secured scheme be developed for homeland security issue, separate from normal operation for the safety and security of public. The author proposes a third party, centralized nationwide classified and bonded Homeland Security Organization (HSO), separate from the local transportation agency. The HSO with their staff will design, construct, monitor, control and manage the homeland security related items for all local transit organizations throughout the country. The HSO group will provide uniformity for the nation’s homeland security plan and keep the privacy of the information intact. The HSO will be separate from local transit agency. They will keep their information classified. This paper proposes a controlled approach of implementation of homeland security protection items by the HSO. Local transit agency’s staff (Controllers and Operators) will perform their normal and emergency functions. However, the HSO will have their added tools to manage homeland security type items. The HSO group will advise the local agency staff to take certain steps to respond to the homeland security annunciations in a certain way, such as turn on a fan or run the generator or respond to the alarm etc, without knowing the intent of the action. The local authority will not have knowledge of the design intent. The HSO’s limited staff will have total control of these homeland security items, just like Fire Department currently has a separate control for managing fire/smoke and evacuation for the safety of public at the emergency management panel. The idea is not to take away the normal and general emergency functions from the local authority’s staff but to have a few homeland security functions with the new agency HSO. Due to the classified level of work, there will be no training provided to local transit staff. They will work per the instruction of the HSO staff. Just like the fire department take charge of the situation for fire management, the HSO will take charge of the homeland security issues. A reasonable and separate budget should be allocated and committed by the FTA for this homeland security organization for their important role. 0.5% of the construction cost seems like a reasonable budget for such an important function provided by HSO.