You are here

Home

General Security and Resilience

Extremism Building to the “Doorstep of Another 9/11,” DHS Officials Says

Speaking before the U.S. House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism last week, Elizabeth Neumann, assistant secretary for Threat Prevention and Security Policy in the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said “every counterterrorism professional I speak to in the federal government and overseas feels like we are at the doorstep of another 9/11.” She was speaking in particular about threats to the U.S.

New EPA Product – Water Operators: Delivering Safe Water Every Day

The EPA developed an activity book entitled, Water Operators: Delivering Safe Water Every Day, to inform children in grades 3-8 about the importance of the services provided by water utility operators. It prompts children to think about what it would be like if water and wastewater services weren’t available, such as the result of natural disasters and power outages, and describes the role of utility operators as first responders. The book can be used by water utilities and school teachers during field trip visits and community day events.

Annual Australian Threat Assessment Spotlights Terrorism and Foreign Interference

Earlier this week, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Director-General Mike Burgess delivered his agency’s annual threat assessment, explaining the security environment Australia is facing and what is being done to address it. Burgess spoke about two key threats ASIO is focused on: terrorism and foreign interference.

FEMA Prep Talk, “Why People Underprepare for Disasters”

FEMA has released the PrepTalk “Human Biases: Why People Underprepare for Disasters” by Dr. Howard Kunreuther. Dr. Kunreuther is the co-director of University of Pennsylvania Wharton Risk Management Center and the co-director of James G. Dinan Professor Emeritus of Operations, Information and Decisions. Dr. Kunreuther explores why disaster damages and fatalities from disasters increased globally through the early twenty-first century despite advances in forecasting and warnings.

New Jersey Fusion Center Report Assesses Threats to the State, U.S.

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) has published its 2020 Terrorism Threat Assessment, describing terrorist activities that occurred both in the state and in the overall U.S. in the past year and presenting its perspectives on terrorist trends to be on the lookout for. Its assessments of the threat levels associated with each type of threat actor are focused on New Jersey, but they apply to the wider U.S. as well.

Al Qa’ida Branch Names New Leader with Lengthy Media Resume

In a new audio recording, the al Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) confirmed what the U.S. announced earlier this month – that its leader, Qasim al-Raymi, has been killed. AQAP also named al-Raymi’s successor, Khalid al-Batarfi, who has a background in the group’s media operations having appeared in several of its video series, including a 2015 tutorial on how to think like al Qa’ida. He’s also praised lone actor attacks and has encouraged more attacks in the West.

DHS Private Sector Resources Catalog (2020)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released the 2020 version of its Private Sector Resources Catalog, a document that features detailed summaries of DHS trainings, publications, guidance, alerts, programs, newsletters, and services available to the private sector. Recognizing the breadth and diversity of the available resources as well as the DHS’s continually evolving work, this catalog is a living document, updated every two years. Some of the sections of the document that are likely to be of interest to water and wastewater utilities include:

FBI’s Office of Private Sector Partnership Promotional Video

The FBI’s Office of Private Sector (OPS) has developed a promotional video to highlight the benefits and importance of the partnerships it has developed with other organizations, including those in industry. As first-hand accounts from FBI personnel and private sector partners in the video demonstrate, the collaboration has helped individual organization meet their security goals; it has also supported the FBI’s national and economic security missions.

DHS Announces Release of Funding for FY 2020 Preparedness Grants

On Friday, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf announced the release of funding for eight Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 preparedness grant programs totaling nearly $1.8 billion. The programs are intended to provide funding for state and local governments, as well as private sector organizations, for projects that improve the nation’s readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies.

Pages

Subscribe to General Security and Resilience