write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.
Note: There are 2 parts to this assignment.
Part 1
Research the lower Colorado River Watch Network. This network is the basis for the discussion this week. Discuss the following:
- Identify and fully describe at least 1 threat to the network or assets in the illustration.
- Clearly explain how the threat might impact the node or asset, network, and sector.
- Offer possible mitigation measures to prevent the threat from reducing or eliminating the capability of the node, asset, network, or sector.
- You should also identify and discuss at least 1 other sector that impacts, or is impacted by the sectors involved in the illustration.
Before providing your answer, you must check the answers provided by your fellow students. Do not provide the same elements that another student has already selected. This should compel you to offer your input early in the week and to check back often to comment on the contributions of others. There is more than 1 primary sector involved here. If other students select the sector you would have chosen, and all other relevant sectors seem to have been taken, then you may choose the same sector as another student, but you must discuss different, unique ways in which the sector in the illustration impacts, or is impacted by that sector.
Part 2
Your instructor will assign you a role as a member of a community’s public or private sector entity. Use real-world, or realistic hypothetical actors and actions to draw upon in answering this week’s discussion questions.
Scenario
You are a member of a western community of about 400,000 citizens, called Westland. Though your city is midsized, it is surrounded by rural, lightly populated towns, making the city the dominant voice in county emergency management planning and operations. The city is also the largest one in the entire southern part of your state.
Westland is dominated by a few major industries to include several military bases and a nuclear power plant located 10 miles outside of city limits in Tiny Town. You have been asked to participate in planning and exercise development for the county’s emergency operations plan (EOP) for responding to an incident involving the nuclear reactor. There are a number of communities across the country who have published an EOP for nuclear plant incidents, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides guidance as well. However, Westland’s leaders want to solicit input from as many local and relevant stakeholders and prospective partners as possible. They realize that buy-in during the preparatory stages is key to an effective and integrated response involving all vital partners when and if a crisis occurs. Your organization is invited to play a role in establishing this EOP, and you are an enthused participant in the process. In at least 1 crisis scenario associated with nuclear plant incidents, a severe reactor accident results in significant radiation leakage. This is the worst-case scenario that emergency planners wish to plan for, believing other, lesser incidents will still benefit from such a plan.
To answer the questions that follow, do whatever research is appropriate to understand the entity you represent and to best estimate the realistic needs and preferences you will advocate.
The following assets are being considered as potential critical infrastructure (CI), with each eligible for some application of resources to be used for hardening of physical structures, reinforcement of expertise and capabilities, increased manpower and training, or other forms of fortification. Westland has $3.5 million dollars to direct toward CI protection and resiliency.
The following are assets to be prioritized:
- The primary interstate through Westland
- The primary railway through Westland
- The area’s largest hospital and attendant capabilities
- Area schools
- Area nursing homes
- Fire Department hazmat capabilities
- Emergency warning system
- U.S. Army Combat Readiness Training Area
- Westland’s primary broadcasting resource
Answer the following questions in the Discussion Board area:
- Fully describe the role you are playing this week. Discuss what you believe your overarching agenda will be, and how it will influence your prioritization of assets for community resource allocation. Remember that resources may include funds, manpower, recognition, time, and other intangible applications.
- What contributions can you provide to the pool of resources in your assigned role?
- Rank all 10 assets in order of priority. Allocate portions of the $3.5 million dollars to assets as you see fit. Explain why you selected these amounts and how the money might support critical infrastructure protection (CIP) and resiliency measures.
- Make a strong and clear argument on why you chose the top 3 assets you selected. Be willing to revisit your choices and negotiate your priorities to help the group come to consensus, but be true to your perceived values as well.
