Photo: Inside a mobile emergency operations center

The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) today released the results of its fifth annual survey of governor's homeland security advisors.

The 2008 survey provides an overview of the homeland security landscape at the state level, both in terms of how states have structured themselves for their homeland security missions and in the issues and challenges that dominate their agendas, and offers a clear assessment of the DHS-state relationship. Among the key findings from the survey:

• More than 75 percent of respondents expressed satisfaction with their communication with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a significant increase compared to the 42 percent satisfaction rate reported in 2007
• According to survey respondents, developing interoperable communications is the issue for which states most need federal assistance -- in the form of funding and guidance
• Survey respondents use their fusion centers as the primary method for sharing information with DHS
• All respondents either have or are in the process of coordinating their homeland security plans with owners of privately-held critical infrastructure
• More than 80 percent of respondents have determined the homeland security roles and responsibilities for their National Guard personnel.

"During the past five years, states have adjusted their governance structures and priorities to meet changing threats and better align federal grant program requirements," said John Thomasian, director of the NGA Center.

The survey targeted members of the Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council (GHSAC), which is comprised of the top homeland security directors as designated by each governor in all states, territories and the District of Columbia. The survey included questions related to organizational structures, state priorities, interstate relations, federal grant programs and other salient issues. Forty-three homeland security directors, or approximately 80 percent of the GHSAC, responded to the survey in whole or in part.

According to the homeland security directors, five priorities emerged as key to sustaining an enhanced level of security, including coordinating the efforts of state and local agencies; developing interoperable communications for emergency responders; identifying and protecting critical infrastructure; developing a state intelligence fusion center; and strengthening citizen preparedness.