Homeland security chemical threats

The Department of Homeland Security has funded preliminary studies to elaborate specific chemical/biological threat vectors and to increase understanding of airflows in several terminals and boarding areas of San Francisco International Airport and Albuquerque Airport. It has also conducted an exercise in which the many airport decision makers (e.g., in areas of operations, security, fire control and prevention, public health and safety, and environmental is-... 

Threats of Concern Terrorist acts can be the most problematic to defend against since they may be more extreme or malevolent than other crimes focused on monetary gains or outcomes with less malicious intent. Plus terrorists may use military tactics not often provided for in base chemical facility design. Chemical facility security must be considered in context with local and national homeland security and law enforcement activities, as well as with emergency response capabilities. There is a practical limit to the ability of a chemical site to prevent or mitigate a terrorist act. Above a certain level of threat, the facility needs to rely on law enforcement and military services to provide physical security against extreme acts of intentional harm. The security posture must be risk-based, and so extremely robust security measures are not always applicable or necessary. 

Heavily referenced, this science-based work is an excellent tool to assist military and homeland security personnel and first responders to improve their ability to develop and implement countermeasures to the potential biological and chemical threat agents that continue to emerge. 

In April 2007, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard (CFATS). The DHS is to identify, assess, and ensnre effective security at high-risk chemical facilities. Included in this standard is the requirement for facilities handling chemicals above a threshold amount, to submit an SVA for DHS review and approval along with a Site Security Plan (SSP). An SVA evaluates risk from deliberate acts that could result in major incidents. It is performed in a systematic and methodical manner to analyze potential threats and evaluates these threats against plant vulnerabilities. From this analysis, it determines possible consequences and whether safeguards to prevent or mitigate their occurrence are recommended. See also Terrorism. 

A subtle but important consideration in the development of technology to meet chemical and biological threats is the different requirements for homeland versus military security. The tools and methods are similar, but the deployment strategies might be very different. Research in the chemical sciences must address these differences. 

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