The Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC) conducts research and analysis for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in two program areas, the Acquisition and Development Program, and the Strategy, Policy, and Operations Program.
This study is the first to examine disaster risk creation from an organizational perspective, and the first to focus explicitly on how disaster management agencies can shape risk creation.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) Strategic Framework for Countering Terrorism and Targeted Violence calls for better data resources. Researchers reviewed DHS needs, existing resources, and alignment between those needs and resources. They document their findings and recommendations here: Available resources might meet current needs, but new resources will be required as needs evolve.
Oil spills threaten the Great Lakes — the largest body of surface fresh water on the planet. In 2016, Congress passed a bill that directed the U.S. Coast Guard to establish the Great Lakes National Center of Expertise for Oil Spill Preparedness and Response (GL NCOE). The authors of this report make recommendations for the near- and long-term trajectories of the GL NCOE, as well as its staffing needs, potential partnerships, and location.
Researchers sought to identify the root causes of underrepresentation for women and members of racial/ethnic minority groups in the U.S. Coast Guard; factors shaping representation at each phase of the career life cycle; and facilitators of and barriers to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Describes courses of action for rebuilding the telecommunications sector in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Significant progress has been made, but substantial investment is still required to achieve a resilient, robust telecommunications sector.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency have committed to reduce social inequities but lack frameworks, indicators, and metrics for tracking progress. In this report, researchers describe the results of a literature review, the key themes related to conceptual frameworks, and indicators and metrics. They also identify knowledge gaps and provide recommendations for assessing racial equity in these programs.
Researchers synthesized the literature on physical security planning from school-specific sources and related disciplines to discuss the policy and other challenges that local education agencies (LEAs) face in developing and implementing protection and mitigation measures for kindergarten-through–12th grade (K–12) school campuses. In this report, the authors conclude with implications for policymakers and LEAs.
School leaders across the United States face the challenge of creating safe and secure environments across their campuses in a way that helps promote the achievement of schools' educational objectives. In this report, Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center researchers define and present a systems approach to school physical security in which protection and mitigation elements work together to provide layered security benefits.
Researchers assessing the fifth-generation (5G) wireless ecosystem found that, although the United States dominates some portions of the 5G ecosystem, it has abandoned others. Furthermore, past technical or market leadership does not guarantee a lasting advantage. They also found important implications of 5G-era devices, networks, and algorithms for securing data and protecting individual privacy.
Because of the widespread use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), concerns have been expressed that a disruption of GPS might require a national investment in backup capabilities. The authors assess the costs associated with realistic threats to domestic, nonmilitary uses of GPS, and review possible additions to the PNT ecosystem in light of those costs.
This paper examines community engagement and data collection strategies conducted in post-Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico, to assess how outreach approaches elicit different perceptions about disaster recovery and to identify best practices.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency commissioned development of metrics that can inform decisionmaking for awarding predisaster mitigation grants. The authors established three lines of effort (LoEs) for analysis: indirect benefits, applicant institutional capability, and community resilience. Each LoE produced a metric or framework that could support grant decisionmaking and program performance evaluation.
To support the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) across its missions, the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC). This is the center's 2019–2020 annual report.
This article will explore the use of an innovative approach to a public-private partnership to spur the deployment of broadband and create more resilient telecommunications networks in Puerto Rico.
Bias in law enforcement systems that use machine learning can cause or exacerbate inequity. This Perspective describes ways the U.S. Department of Homeland Security can prevent or reduce, identify, and address such bias at various points in the process of acquiring these systems.
Icebreaking has long been an important capability gap in U.S. polar operations. The authors of this Perspective recommend that the U.S. Coast Guard (1) assess needs for additional icebreaking capacity; (2) ensure that new vessels are built for a changing, multimission operating environment; and (3) consider other, related capability investments when planning. The Perspective includes short scenarios to illustrate potential needs for icebreakers.
Researchers assessed the prevalence and characteristics of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, racial/ethnic harassment, and racial/ethnic discrimination at FEMA. They surveyed FEMA employees about these civil rights violations and about workplace climate. This report documents the survey results.
This brief summarizes findings and recommendations from a study of the prevalence and characteristics of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, racial/ethnic harassment, and racial/ethnic discrimination at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This report provides analysis to help the U.S. Virgin Islands accelerate its recovery from 2017's Hurricanes Irma and Maria by identifying recovery goals, recovery accomplishments, and challenges. The authors focused on crosscutting capacities needed for implementation, infrastructure, and the economy and public services and provide 76 recommendations to enhance recovery efforts, including steps to support implementation.
Researchers worked to improve the understanding of state and local financial risk management practices and the role that the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Public Assistance program plays in them. They also examined several approaches for state and local governments to increase insurance coverage and the trade-offs associated with those approaches. This report documents the authors' methods, findings, and recommendations.
Hurricanes Irma and Maria stressed and destroyed significant areas of Puerto Rico's natural resources, many of which were already strained by anthropogenic effects. This report presents information on the benefits of these resources, hurricane damage, and 25 recommended courses of action for restoring natural resources, managing solid waste, renewing parks, and improving economic opportunities.
This report summarizes the strategic planning process in support of the government of Puerto Rico in its development of a congressionally mandated recovery plan. Nearly 300 potential recovery actions were developed that Puerto Rico could take to repair damage from Hurricanes Irma and Maria and address longer-term economic recovery needs.
Puerto Rico's housing sector was hit hard by Hurricanes Irma and Maria and needs a big fix. In this detailed and comprehensive analysis of the housing damage caused by the 2017 hurricanes, the authors make informed recovery recommendations for policymakers so they can repair and rebuild safe and affordable housing in Puerto Rico and create a modernized housing infrastructure that is more resilient to future natural hazards and code-compliant.
To support development of Puerto Rico's short- and long-term recovery and resilience plan, experts conducted a comprehensive assessment of the commonwealth's challenges and the damage caused by the 2017 hurricanes. They identified short- and longer-term needs for Puerto Rico to recover and to build resilience to future storms; economic, social, and environmental trends; and ongoing governance challenges. This report summarizes their work.
The government of Puerto Rico submitted a recovery plan to Congress in 2018 describing a strategic approach to recover from the 2017 hurricane destruction. HSOAC input provides a summary of damage to public buildings and the basis for 12 courses of action to repair hurricane damage and modernize the public building infrastructure to increase resilience to natural hazards, improve energy efficiency, and improve functionality and user experience.
