Reference no: EM132996917

Follow along from the last unit's scenario serving as a relatively new planner with a county emergency management (EM) team. There is one major difference for this unit however; this week you must select an actual county (for which you will provide a pseudonym) to serve as a model for your assessments. You will need to familiarize yourself with your selected county's infrastructure, threats and hazards, vulnerabilities, budgetary challenges, and other assorted relevant details. You will use this same county for future assignments, so no research you do here will be wasted.

In your capacity as an EM Planner, you have impressed the Director of County Emergency Management with your knowledge of existing federal policy and doctrine. You recognize that at the county level, operators often focus on operations, tactics and skills sets. But you've also learned through your education that strategic plans and frameworks can be essential for laying the foundation and provide a baselinefrom which plans et al. can be drawn. The strategic framework that is provided in the quadrennial homeland security review (QHSR) presents a common focus as well for every community, to help align the goals and objectives of entities at all governmental levels, in all sectors, and including individuals or collectives of citizens and groups.

The QHSR also serves to present users with a better understanding of concepts that were never previously well-defined, including that of homeland security. Essential principles, priorities, and vision are incorporated, reflected the basic components of a solid strategy. Remembering that strategy is broad, conceptual, and in this case the means for providing a framework, it should not be confused, nor used for specific procedures, prioritization, nor any thorough understanding of a given organization's (other than DHS) roles and responsibilities.

For this unit's individual project, you will read the entire QHSR. After reading the QHSR, choose two of the five missions that are discussed within it to examine and apply to your community. Pay close attention to the goals that are subordinate to each mission as well. (You would normally apply all five missions, but in this case, time and space are limitations.)

After reading the QHSR, you will draft a policy statement for it. Note that a policy statement is intended to reflect the evaluation of a policy's relevance or applicability for specific usage. In this case, you will craft a policy statement revealing your evaluation of the QHSR and its value for guiding the county in preparing emergency response plans. Your policy statement will serve to educate members of your county's EM team and also provide a means for you to offer specific recommendations relating to those portions of the QHSR that you consider most meritorious for the county's consideration.

Question 1: Provide a brief review of the purpose of the QHSR and your assessment as to its potential value for the county as it rewrites old plans and develops new ones.