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DHS -- What Are Your Priorities?

Does the "threat" warrant the emphasis?

This announcement by the Department of Homeland Security: DHS Announces New Task Force to Protect American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues is of interest on a number of fronts.

It would seem to be more "political in nature" to make this a news release.

I am thinking about other task forces that are needed to be functioning to protect the United States from myriad risks.

We could use task forces for:

  • Securing the 2020 elections
  • Cybersecurity TF to counter espionage against our critical infrastructures
  • A TF to begin looking at the impacts of climate change to our nation
    • Wildfires
    • Flooding
    • Extreme weather
    • Coastal flooding
    • Heat emergencies
  • Counterfeit prescription drugs flooding our markets
I've told many a small emergency management agency director that, "Your program will be what you choose to focus on, since you can't do it all. Choose wisely when you set your priorities and how you spend your time and what few resources you do have." 

I'd suggest the same to DHS, which has many more resources, focused on what?

Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.