Privately-owned Critical Infrastructure
Privately Owned Critical Infrastructures
SEC/470
Privately Owned Critical Infrastructure One privately owned infrastructure critical to the United States are chemical facilities. “The majority of Chemical Sector facilities are privately-owned: requiring DHS to work closely with the private sector and its industry associations to identify and prioritize assets, assess risk, develop and implement protective programs, and measure program effectiveness” (Department of Homeland Security, n/d, pg. ). Any attack or natural disaster at or around a chemical facility, such as a nuclear plant could be one of the most severe incidents ever. An incident at a chemical facility would affect more than just the destruction to the compound and employees, but it could also affect a community, an entire city, and other sectors that depend on a chemical facility. This is why a mitigation and prevention plan is very important for this type of infrastructure. The facilities need to take into account the other businesses, sectors, and communities that depend on them and depend on them to be safe. Management of these facilities would need to work with federal agencies and support homeland security initiatives to create an action plan in case of a terrorist attack or natural disaster. The federal government already has chemical facility standards or CFATS that can help with security at high risk facilities (Department of Homeland Security, n/d, pg.2).
A natural-disaster and terrorism-threat risk assessment for the selected critical infrastructure
A natural disaster at a chemical facility has a higher probability than a terrorist threat, but a terrorist attack would cause more destruction. Any disaster whether natural or man-made can affect an entire community and the health of everyone around a chemical facility. “A disaster is the result produced from the combination of a hazard, vulnerability, and
SEC/470
Privately Owned Critical Infrastructure One privately owned infrastructure critical to the United States are chemical facilities. “The majority of Chemical Sector facilities are privately-owned: requiring DHS to work closely with the private sector and its industry associations to identify and prioritize assets, assess risk, develop and implement protective programs, and measure program effectiveness” (Department of Homeland Security, n/d, pg. ). Any attack or natural disaster at or around a chemical facility, such as a nuclear plant could be one of the most severe incidents ever. An incident at a chemical facility would affect more than just the destruction to the compound and employees, but it could also affect a community, an entire city, and other sectors that depend on a chemical facility. This is why a mitigation and prevention plan is very important for this type of infrastructure. The facilities need to take into account the other businesses, sectors, and communities that depend on them and depend on them to be safe. Management of these facilities would need to work with federal agencies and support homeland security initiatives to create an action plan in case of a terrorist attack or natural disaster. The federal government already has chemical facility standards or CFATS that can help with security at high risk facilities (Department of Homeland Security, n/d, pg.2).
A natural-disaster and terrorism-threat risk assessment for the selected critical infrastructure
A natural disaster at a chemical facility has a higher probability than a terrorist threat, but a terrorist attack would cause more destruction. Any disaster whether natural or man-made can affect an entire community and the health of everyone around a chemical facility. “A disaster is the result produced from the combination of a hazard, vulnerability, and
References: Department of Homeland Security. (2013). Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards. Retrieved from http://www.dhs.gov/chemical-facility-anti-terrorism-standards Department of Homeland Security. (n/d). National Infrastructure Protection Plan: Chemical Sector. Retrieved from http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/nipp_snapshot_chemical.pdf Collins, K., Markowski, T., & White, R. (2010). The United States Department of Homeland Security: An Overview (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions. Houston Chronicle. (2009). Toxins and Terrorist. Retrieved from http://www.chron.com/opinion/editorials/article/Toxins-and-terrorists-If-our-chemical-plants-1723147.php Kosal, E. M. (n/d). Terrorism Targeting Industrial Chemical Facilities: Strategic Motivations and the Implications for U.S. Security. Retrieved from http://www.aaas.org/cstsp/files/kosal_terrorist%20attacks%20on%20chemical%20infrastructure_sct.pdf Kulkarini, H. K., R. Bhattacharya. (2011). A look at disaster management strategies for chemical industries. Retrieved from http://www.process-worldwide.com/explosion_protection_safety_security/plant_protection/safety_engineering/articles/316211/index3.html U.S House of Representatives. (2013). Chemical facility security. Retrieved from http://homeland.house.gov/issue/chemical-facility-security