The State of Homeland Security in the Commonwealth -Mass.

The State of Homeland Security in the Commonwealth: Trends and Process
October 2008

Kevin M. Burke, Secretary of Public Safety and Security Juliette N. Kayyem, Undersecretary for Homeland Security

Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary II. Homeland Security Strategy, Mechanics, and Management A. Overview of an Evolving Process B. Overview of Homeland Security Management in the Commonwealth C. Changes to the Management Process D. Focus on Priorities E. Funding III. Homeland Security Grants Overview A. The Homeland Security Grant Program State Homeland Security Program Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program Urban Areas Security Initiative Citizen Corps Program Metropolitan Medical Response System B. Buffer Zone Protection Program C. Transit Security Grant Program D. Port Security Grant Program E. Emergency Management Performance Grant F. UASI non-profit grant G. Public Safety Interoperable Communications grant H. Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program I. Community Oriented Policing Services Technology grant IV. Resources at Work: Overview of Selected Grant Expenditures A. The Commonwealth’s Homeland Security Planning Regions B. Training and Exercises C. The National Incident Management System D. Joint State/Municipal Priorities Interoperable Communications Information Sharing Resource Management Database Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives Port Security V. Conclusion

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I. Executive Summary
This document, The State of Homeland Security in the Commonwealth: Trends and Process, is intended to provide a clear, detailed look at the Commonwealth’s evolving homeland security funding and management process. As the Commonwealth’s State Administrative Agency, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) is responsible for strategic planning and the management and administration of homeland security projects and funding. This document describes the management and mechanics for homeland security within the Commonwealth, provides an overview of homeland security funding that the Commonwealth has received since 2003 1, and offers a snapshot of progress and trends in these areas. An important underlying issue to note is that the homeland security atmosphere in the nation has evolved since the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was founded in 2003. Nationally, there have been changes in focus and priorities. Although ostensibly homeland security was always all hazards, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 made the all hazards approach a reality. In an all hazards environment, homeland security officials must prepare for man-made incidents, natural disasters, and terrorism simultaneously. Nationally, we have also seen changes in funding priorities in recent years. As this document demonstrates, funding amounts for many of the Commonwealth’s homeland security grants have decreased annually. For example, overall funding for the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) has decreased 45% since 2005. The Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) funding, which is disseminated in the Metro-Boston area, has decreased 51% since 2005. 2 While the HSGP has decreased, other grant award amounts have increased, some dramatically. For example, the Commonwealth’s Transit Security Grant Program award has increased 176% since it was initially awarded in 2005. The Commonwealth’s Port Security Grant Program award has also increased significantly, 2573% since 2005. Other homeland security grant programs that the Commonwealth has received, such as the Public Safety Interoperable Communications grant, the Community Oriented Policing Service Technology grant, and the Ferry Security grant, are one-time funding amounts. The Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program and the Task Force for Emergency Readiness are new funding streams, awarded to the Commonwealth in 2008. Given the changes in focus and priorities across the nation, as well as the changes in grant funding awards that the Commonwealth has experienced as a result, EOPSS has adapted by taking a closer look at our own priorities as a State. With limited money in some areas, we are reassessing our threats, gaps, and plans to most effectively utilize limited funds and ensure the sustainability of our initiatives. To that end, EOPSS has decreased the number of priority areas the State and locals will focus on in planning and

All funding years are based on the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) The Commonwealth has received HSGP and UASI funding since 2003, but it was not until 2005 that the State Homeland Security Program, UASI, the Metropolitan Medical Response System, the Citizen Corps Program, and Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program were all included in the HSGP funding. Therefore, for an accurate depiction of percent change, only funding awards from 2005 and forward are used for the percent change comparison.
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purchases, increased state oversight of planning and projects, and decreased the complexity in the management and administration of regional funding. Similarly, in areas where grant funding has dramatically increased, we are carefully evaluating and implementing plans and projects that address the increasing need for port and transit infrastructure security, as well as the increasing need to focus on catastrophic events. The latter are not new priorities in the Commonwealth, but have garnered a greater focus in federal funding, enabling us to increase our efforts and partnerships in these areas. Homeland security is multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional, as exemplified in the Commonwealth’s State Homeland Security Strategy (SHSS), updated in 2007 to reflect this Administrations goals and objectives. The SHSS provides an in-depth look at projects and plans across disciplines that are involved in homeland security related activities, from emergency management to public health and transportation. Homeland security funds, while important, do not define how we function as a State, but serve as a supplement to the extraordinary work done everyday in the Commonwealth as well as enhance our ability to respond to a catastrophic incident. EOPSS will continue to work with entities in these disciplines to sustain, advance, and evolve our homeland security efforts. This document, however, focuses on the trends and processes of public safety funding and priorities in homeland security. As has become evident in the past seven years, homeland security continues to evolve, with new threats, new technologies, and a fairly unpredictable natural environment. As is demonstrated in this document, EOPSS has and will continue to adapt to this changing environment and maintain a safe and secure state that is able to prevent, protect, respond to, and recover from all hazard threats.

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II. Homeland Security Strategy, Mechanics, and Management
A. Overview of an Evolving Process
In September 2007, Governor Deval Patrick and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) 3 released the Administration’s vision and plans for a State Homeland Security Strategy (SHSS). The SHSS provides a comprehensive and transparent all hazards strategy to address terrorism related, man-made, and natural risks that the Commonwealth faces. It provides a realistic and current picture of where the State is and outlines future plans for sustaining state and local capacity to prevent, protect, respond to, and recover from any and all critical incidents. This process is guided by three major goals in the SHSS: 1) to create a common operating picture among all homeland security and public safety stakeholders; 2) to strengthen and expand partnerships across assets and capabilities; and 3) to focus efforts on private sector and public participation in prevention and preparedness. These goals reflect the Administration’s approach to a more effective and practical management of the entire homeland security docket. This approach includes transparency regarding the state’s capabilities and transparency regarding the risks to the Commonwealth. In the context of dwindling federal grant (and other) funds, this Administration recognized and addressed the challenges of strategically allocating limited resources to homeland security objectives with the overarching goal of becoming more secure. EOPSS has made a realistic risk assessment and started to make the complex choices one ought to expect from responsible government. Massachusetts, for example, became the first state to transition the National Guard away from a nuclear facility mission that was unsustainable in the long-term and less efficient than other more practical options. As a sign that Massachusetts was not alone in this assessment, the state of New York quickly followed suit. The driving financial force behind many of the homeland security efforts in the Commonwealth are the federal homeland security grant programs that EOPSS administers. In the past, the primary state grant – the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) – was a significant investment in local planning and was administered by four homeland security advisory councils. This grant, along with others, has decreased sharply in the past few years. While the decrease in funds is not ideal, it is also not unexpected. In anticipation of these changes in the federal homeland security support, EOPSS has been working for 18 months with the expectation that homeland security is now as much about management as it is about security. We can be disappointed that the funds are going down, but we also have to adapt. In doing so, EOPSS has enforced organizational and strategic decisions to ensure that regional planning is prioritized, and that focused policies are enforced with state oversight of every single purchase either through a committee or a state agency. EOPSS has also significantly decreased the number of priority areas, or investments, with the intent of addressing a reasonable number of issues that can be sustained. Working with partners across the state, this fundamental transformation is beginning to take shape. The decrease in HSGP and other funds has been counterbalanced by more issue oriented grants, such as increased funding for port security, transportation, and interoperability. The Commonwealth’s commitment to ‘plans before purchases’ is part of
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EOPSS is the State Administrative Agency for the Commonwealth

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the reason it was awarded nearly $22 million in new U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA) 4 funding to promote interoperability and ensure State oversight of purchases. Simply put, this Administration wants all purchases to make sense and to provide legacy planning for years to come, regardless of the threat level.

B. Overview of Homeland Security Management in the Commonwealth
EOPSS, as the State Administrative Agency (SAA) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, has primary responsibility for the development and implementation of homeland security policies and for the management of homeland security grant funds. EOPSS collaborates with law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical, emergency management, corrections, public health, public works and transportation, as well as private sector entities, and regional and local officials across the state, in order to coordinate priorities, solicit input for homeland security strategies, and strengthen partnerships. EOPSS also serves as the link to the federal security apparatus, including DHS/FEMA, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Justice. While EOPSS sets priorities and strategic planning for homeland security in the State, implementation of those priorities and execution of those plans rests with the state agencies. For example, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency is responsible for the coordination of local, state, federal, and private resources throughout the Commonwealth during times of disasters and emergencies. The Department of Fire Services provides statewide leadership and coordination in relation to the fire response to homeland security incidents including taking the lead in the area of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive incidents. The Department of Public Health is the primary state agency responsible for developing and implementing the Commonwealth’s plans related to public health emergencies such as the potential for pandemic influenza. The Massachusetts State Police, the principal statewide law enforcement agency in the Commonwealth, manages the Commonwealth Fusion Center and plays a leading role in the Commonwealth’s information sharing and critical infrastructure initiatives. The Massachusetts National Guard, when requested by the Governor, provide military support to civil authorities during emergencies and disasters in order to save lives, prevent further injury, protect critical infrastructure, and facilitate economic recovery. Other critical partners include the Executive Office of Transportation, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, the U.S. Coast Guard, and many others with whom EOPSS works to coordinate efforts. Also at the state level are task forces/working groups, which have been enhanced or developed to address specific priority issues. Groups include: the Homeland Security Presidential Directive-8 (HSPD-8) Implementation Team, the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee, the Individuals Requiring Additional Assistance During Times of Emergency Task Force, the Catastrophic Planning Working Group, and the Transportation Emergency Management Response Working Group. In addition, the Commonwealth continues to work with federal partners on their efforts, such as the Joint Terrorist Task Force with the FBI, the Anti-Terrorism Task Force with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Regional Transit Security Working Group with Transportation Security

DHS and FEMA are currently going through a transition to become one agency. Both are referenced together throughout this document for consistency and accuracy.

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Administration (TSA) and the Massachusetts Regional Maritime Security Strategy Working Group with the U.S. Coast Guard. In addition to partnerships with state entities, five geographically designed homeland security planning regions - the Northeast, Southeast, Central, West, and Metro Boston (Urban Areas Security Initiative, or ‘UASI’) were developed in 2004 to support strategic planning and operational coordination at the local level and receive funding from the HSGP and other grant streams. Each homeland security planning region (except Metro Boston) has a 15-member, multi-discipline, multi-jurisdictional advisory council that is tasked with developing regional homeland security plans and implementing regional and state homeland security goals. Council members are recommended by their professional associations and appointed by the Secretary of Public Safety. They meet monthly to make plans and decisions about specific investments and initiatives. Much of the work that the councils do emanates from their subcommittees, which are defined by topic area such as Communications Interoperability or Training & Exercises. Funding for the regions primarily comes from the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP), and UASI streams of the HSGP. As the SAA, EOPSS administers the HSGP, passing 80% of the SHSP, LETPP, and UASI award to the regions and 20% to state agencies to plan, implement, and continue projects that satisfy national and state priorities. The SHSP/LETPP award is distributed between the Northeast, Southeast, Central, and West regions, and the UASI award is distributed to the Metro Boston region. Under federal guidelines, when applying for HSGP (SHSP/LETPP and UASI) funding, states must demonstrate that they have planned how to use the funds in a manner that is consistent with national goals and priorities. Therefore, proposed projects and other expenditures must be categorized under priority areas, or investments. In the Commonwealth, EOPSS and its state and local partners work together to determine which investments are a top priority for the State, and submit them for federal approval. Each of the regions (except Metro Boston) must then prepare detailed project plans following the federally approved investments to be approved by EOPSS. Since 2007, each investment has had a State agency ‘driver’ to provide guidance and oversight to the regions as well as review and make recommendations for the regions’ proposed projects. The Metro Boston Region (UASI) develops their own set of investments, closely aligned with the State’s investments.

C. Changes to the Management Process
EOPSS has made significant progress in homeland security in recent years – from successful initiatives in preparedness to a more effective funding process and management structure. This progress has come with changes in order to most effectively address the overall evolving homeland security environment. The following are highlights of the accomplishments and changes to the funding process and management structure at EOPSS that have and will continue to contribute to further success. ‘Plans before purchases’ mentality in homeland security – EOPSS recognizes that strategic planning is the foundation for sustaining a secure and prepared state and that plans should guide smart purchases. EOPSS provides the strategic

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planning and state guidance and oversight necessary to ensure this is a statewide practice in homeland security. Focused planning – EOPSS has responded to repeated decreases in HSGP funding by focusing priorities and spending. With Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2008 HSGP funding, which has suffered a decrease of 45% since FFY 2005, EOPSS will focus on five priority areas, or ‘investments’. This is a significant decrease in investments from previous years. Fewer and more focused investments will help the Commonwealth more effectively utilize limited funds. This is discussed further in the next section. New leadership in the regions - In the summer of 2008, the homeland security planning region councils elected new Chairs and Vice Chairs for the first time since being established four years ago. Move to one fiduciary - With respect to the ‘local share’ of SHSP/LETPP funding, EOPSS will be moving from one fiduciary agent for each region to one fiduciary agent responsible for the expenditures of the Northeast, Southeast, Central, and West regions combined (UASI will maintain their separate fiduciary agent to manage and administer the UASI funding stream) starting with FFY 2008 SHSP funding. By consolidating the management and procurement activities of the regional councils, EOPSS aims to establish closer collaboration among the regions and between EOPSS and the fiduciary.

D. Focus on Priorities
In response to a continuously decreasing HSGP funding stream, EOPSS has reevaluated the Commonwealth’s homeland security priorities and now has a more focused approach. In previous years the state and homeland security advisory councils have planned and purchased within 10+ investments, which spread resources too thin over many initiatives. In FFY 2008, EOPSS plans to accomplish fewer, more important objectives by focusing on five investments. The five investments are broadly defined and cover a wide range of projects. The following five investments have been approved by DHS/FEMA for FFY 2008. 1. Enhancement of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) devices and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) Preparedness - The goal of this investment is to build upon and unify efforts of the Commonwealth’s Department of Fire Services (DFS), the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, other bomb squads and local first responders, and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to enhance CBRNE/IED prevention and response capabilities. This investment will concentrate on building partnerships through joint training and exercises. Key activities of this investment include the development of MOUs, model policies, extensive training, and support to first responders through the acquisition of equipment. DFS has also taken the lead on drafting a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Strategy to advise the homeland security councils on appropriate and effective equipment purchases. 2. Evacuation, Sheltering and Mass Care - This investment will work towards coordinating efforts between regional and local public health and public safety

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emergency management. The activities that will be accomplished build upon ongoing efforts to enhance the Commonwealth’s capabilities to provide mass care, sheltering, and services to all individuals displaced in a public safety emergency/disaster, or affected by a public health emergency such as pandemic influenza. Specific activities include: identify and inventory local and regional shelters, identify and classify the level of services provided, assess gaps in sheltering and mass care at the local, regional, and state level, and develop plans to address those gaps. 3. Critical Infrastructure – EOPSS has formalized the Commonwealth’s Critical Infrastructure Program (CCIP) to provide the mechanism for the Commonwealth to achieve the goals set forth in the National Infrastructure Protection Program. The CCIP will enable local, regional, and state partners to undertake the multiple facets of identifying, understanding, assessing, and protecting critical assets in a consistent, coordinated, and collaborative manner. This investment will continue the progress of the CCIP by expanding the Automated Critical Asset Management System (ACAMS) and related infrastructure protection training to additional public safety entities; increasing the number of assets catalogued in ACAMS; enhancing Geographic Information System (GIS) resources and capacity; and establishing a multi-state collaborative of the New England states that will provide a specific forum for mutual critical infrastructure concerns. 4. Regional Information Sharing and Communications - This investment shall continue resource management and interoperable communication related activities undertaken via our FFY 2006 and FFY 2007 HSGP funding. It is anticipated that FFY 2008 HSGP funding will enable the Commonwealth to achieve a level whereby we can sustain resource management and interoperable communication efforts. A major project under this investment is the development and implementation of a single statewide resource database to manage multiple emergency response resources across the Commonwealth - such as communications equipment, vehicles, medical devices, and people. 5. Exercising and Evaluating Plans - This investment shall continue National Incident Management System (NIMS) implementation and enhance training and exercise activities in the Commonwealth. Initiatives are managed through EOPSS and developed with multi-disciplinary/jurisdictional working groups. Key activities of this investment over the FFY 2008 HSGP period include: continue NIMS training for first responders and other disciplines; evaluate the Incident Command Systems in functional and full-scale exercises; work towards municipalities certifying compliance with the NIMS training objective; utilize the NIMSCAST to assess NIMS compliance; further develop our Multi-Year Training and Exercise Plan; focus on the federally approved methodology for exercises; and focus on the development and review of exercise After Action Reports (AAR).

E. Funding
Since 2003, the Commonwealth has received homeland security funding from a variety of evolving grant streams including: • Homeland Security Grant Program, which includes the following funding streams: o State Homeland Security Program o Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program

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• • • • • • • •

Urban Areas Security Initiative Citizen Corps Program o Metropolitan Medical Response System Buffer Zone Protection Program Transit Security Grant Program Port Security Grant Program Emergency Management Performance Grant UASI non-profit grant Public Safety Interoperable Communications grant Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program Community Oriented Policing Services Technology grant o o

Each grant has its own specific federal guidelines detailing who is eligible to receive funding and how the grant can and cannot be used. General allowable costs for each of these grants include: planning, equipment, training and exercises, and fiduciary management and administration. Costs that are not typically allowed under grant guidelines include: supplanting 5, weapons/ammunition, hiring of ‘first responders’, and construction. Funding is allocated to state agencies, the homeland security planning regions, and other localities and entities involved in homeland security activities. The majority of the funds received through the HSGP funding streams are allocated 80% to the homeland security planning regions, 20% to state agencies.

Supplanting can be defined as using federal grant money to replace or take the place of existing local funding for equipment of programs. Federal Homeland Security grant funds cannot be used to replace aged, local equipment; instead intended to help increase capabilities. The funds are not to be used to replace items that are worn out/broken or for replacing routine local budgets.

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III. Homeland Security Grants Overview
As the SAA, EOPSS administers and manages multiple funding streams related to homeland security and allocates funds to State agencies and the homeland security planning regions. As indicated in the Executive Summary, funding trends have changed over the years. With the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) 6 and the Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP) decreasing each year, and other funding streams such as the Emergency Management Performance Grant Program (EMPG), the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) and the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) increasing, the Commonwealth has had to adapt and re-prioritize to most effectively manage homeland security funding and plan and prepare for an all hazards environment. Table 1 shows the percent changes in funds the Commonwealth has received from year to year since FFY 2005 for six of the homeland security grants. 7 The last column in Table 1 shows the cumulative percent change in funding amounts for each of the grants since FFY 2005 to FFY 2008.
Table 1. Funding Trends FFY05 - FFY08

Percent change FFY 05 – FFY 06 HSGP BZPP EMGP TSGP PSGP
-29.9% +103.2% +2.2% +3.8% -16.9%

Percent change FFY 06 – FFY 07
-13.9% -72.9% +37.3% +130.9% +729%

Percent change FFY 07 – FFY 08
-9.2% -31.1% +16.5% +15.2% +288%

Percent change since FFY 05 -45.2% -62.1% +63.6% +176.0% +2573.3%

The following sections further explain the purpose of each of these and additional grants, describe funding trends, and highlight projects and other efforts supported by the grant funding.

A. Homeland Security Grant Program
The Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) is the funding mechanism for building and sustaining national preparedness capabilities. It includes the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), the Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), the Citizen Corps Program (CCP), and prior to FFY 2008 it also included the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP).

Including SHSP,UASI, MMRS, CCP, and LETPP funding streams. The Commonwealth has received HSGP funding since 2003. For comparison purposes, only funding amounts from 2005 and forward were included in Table 1 for all grants.
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Each year, the federal government provides guidelines that describe national areas of focus and priority for that coming grant year. Based on these guidelines, the State details its anticipated priority areas, or ‘investments’ in its application for HSGP funds. Once approved by the federal government, and the award is granted, the homeland security planning regions and state agencies prepare project plans that fall under these priorities. HSGP funds are the primary source of funding for local and regional entities, as well as state agencies. Together, these grants fund a range of preparedness activities, including planning, organization, equipment purchase, training, exercises, and management and administration costs. The Commonwealth has received $256,226,384 in HSGP funding since FFY 2003, including the FFY 2008 award of $32,252,293. The Commonwealth, like other states in the nation, has seen decreases in the overall HSGP award amounts in recent years. Specifically, the Commonwealth received a 9% decrease in funding between FFY 2007 and FFY 2008; and an overall decrease of 45% since FFY 2005 8.

FFY 2005 is used a percent change comparison for consistency purposes – it is the first year that the HSGP was comprised of the SHSP/LETPP, UASI, CCP, and MMRS funding streams.

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Figure 1 shows HSGP funding amounts for each year since FFY 2003.
Figure 1

Homeland Security Grant Program Award Amounts for FFY03 - FFY08
$60,000,000 $58,849,028

$50,000,000 $42,731,000 $40,000,000

$45,638,500 $41,246,241 $35,509,322 $32,252,293

$30,000,000

$20,000,000

$10,000,000

$0 FFY 03 FFY 04 FFY 05 FFY 06 FFY 07 FFY 08

Note that each Federal Fiscal Year of funding was comprised of different grant programs as listed below. FFY03: SHSP; First Responder Preparedness and Security at Critical Infrastructures FFY04: SHSP; CCP; LETPP FFY05: SHSP; UASI; CCP; MMRS; LETPP FFY06: SHSP; UASI; CCP; MMRS; LETPP FFY07: SHSP; UASI; CCP; MMRS; LETPP FFY08: SHSP; UASI; CCP; MMRS

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Each grant stream under the HSGP – SHSP/LETPP, UASI, CCP, and MMRS - is further explained in the following sections, including the purpose of each grant, funding trends, and project highlights and other efforts supported by the grant funding. State Homeland Security Program/Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) is a core assistance program that provides funds to build capabilities at the state and local levels and to implement the goals of a statewide approach to homeland security. This is accomplished by identifying priority areas, or investments, for planning, purchasing, and projects. The Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP) grant has been one of the two (along with SHSP) primary grant funding streams that constitute the HSGP. LETPP provides law enforcement communities with enhanced capabilities for detecting, deterring, disrupting, and preventing acts of terrorism. In FFY 2008, the LETPP was combined with the SHSP award, with 25% earmarked for law enforcement related activities. Four of the State’s homeland security planning regions (not including the UASI, which receives the UASI funding stream of the HSGP) receive 80% of the SHSP and LETPP 9 grant award. These funds are distributed to each region according to a risk-based formula developed by the Massachusetts State Police, using a nationally recognized methodology. As mentioned in the previously, the regions must prepare detailed project plans following the federally approved investments to be approved by EOPSS. Since 2007, each investment has had a State agency ‘driver’ to provide guidance and oversight to the regions as well as review and make recommendations for the regions’ proposed projects. The remaining 20% of the SHSP/LETPP funding is distributed to the State agencies involved in homeland security related activities. This portion is allocated through a competitive application process with EOPSS. State agencies must also address national and state priorities in their project applications.

As stated above, LETPP funding was combined with the SHSP award in 2008 with 25% earmarked for law enforcement related activities.

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In FFY 2008, the Commonwealth received 15% less SHSP/LETPP funding than in 2007. 10 Figure 2 displays SHSP and LETPP funding amounts for each year.
Figure 2

State Homeland Security Program/Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program Award Amounts for FFY05 - FFY08

$30,000,000 $25,000,000

$29,813,696

$21,950,000 $20,230,000 $20,000,000 $15,000,000 $10,000,000 $5,000,000 $0 FFY 05 FFY 06 FFY 07 FFY 08 $17,210,000

Given the decrease in SHSP funding, EOPSS has decreased the number of investments for FFY 2008 in order to accomplish fewer, more important objectives rather than spread resources too thinly across too many initiatives.

10 The 15% decrease in funding in FYY 08 represents the SHSP award in FFY 08 compared to the SHSP and Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP) combined award in FFY 07.

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Urban Areas Security Initiative The Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) program focuses on enhancing regional preparedness in major metropolitan areas. The UASI program directly supports the national priority of expanding regional collaboration outlined in the National Preparedness Guidelines, and is intended to assist participating jurisdictions in developing integrated regional systems for emergency prevention, protection, response, and recovery. The UASI sites plan projects based on their own investments, which closely align with the State’s investments, to receive UASI funding from the federal government. The Boston Mayor's Office of Emergency Preparedness (MOEP) coordinates and administers Boston’s homeland security and emergency management programs. In FFY 2003 the City of Boston and eight surrounding municipalities - Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, Revere, Somerville, and Winthrop - were designated as an UASI site, or the Metro Boston Region. There are two tiers of UASI designation and Boston is in Tier II. Tier I UASI areas include New York City, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles. In FFY 2007, the UASI received $14,210,000 and $13,783,500 in FFY 2008; a 3% decrease. This represents an 18% decrease since the initial UASI award to the Commonwealth in 2003 11. Figure 3 shows UASI funding amounts for each year since FFY 2003.
Figure 3

Urban Area Security Initiative Award Amounts for FFY03 - FFY08
$30,000,000 $28,075,000

$25,000,000

$22,723,418 $18,210,000 $16,727,125 $14,210,000 $13,783,500

$20,000,000

$15,000,000

$10,000,000

$5,000,000

$0 FFY 03 FFY 04 FFY 05 FFY 06 FFY 07 FFY 08

UASI funding was initially awarded to the Commonwealth in FFY 2003, and became part of the HSGP award in FFY 2005. Since FFY 2005, UASI funding has decreased 51%.

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Citizen Corps Program The Citizen Corps Program (CCP) mission is to bring community and government leaders together to coordinate community involvement in emergency preparedness, planning, mitigation, response, and recovery. There are currently 95 local Citizen Corps programs in Massachusetts 12; this grant program provides funds to support local Citizen Corps activities. Since FFY 2005, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has received and handled these funds. MEMA uses CCP funds primarily to provide equipment to support planning activities at the local level. CCP funds provide resources for state and local communities to: 1) bring together the appropriate leadership to form and sustain a Citizen Corps Council; 2) develop and implement a plan or amend existing plans to achieve and expand citizen preparedness and participation; 3) conduct public education and outreach; 4) ensure clear alerts/warnings and emergency communications with the public; 5) develop training programs for the public, for all-hazards preparedness and volunteer responsibilities; 6) facilitate citizen participation in exercises; 7) implement volunteer programs and activities to support emergency responders; 8) involve citizens in surge capacity roles and responsibilities during an incident in alignment with the Emergency Support Functions and Annexes; and 9) conduct evaluations of programs and activities. There are several programs included within the Citizen Corps Councils including the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS), Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Neighborhood Watch/USAonWatch (NWP), and Fire Corps (FC). Local Citizen Corps members support local emergency management efforts during emergencies, such as fires and floods, and at planned events such as fireworks displays and marathons. Volunteer assignments include directing traffic, assisting in sheltering operations, flu shot dispensing site operations, volunteer police patrols, operating HAM radios, search and rescue operations, distributing educational materials, and conducting training sessions for local citizens In terms of funding, the Commonwealth has received a total of $1.9 million in CCP funds. When comparing the initial award amount in FFY 2004, with the award amount in FFY 2008, there has been a 58% decrease in the CCP funding awarded to the Commonwealth.

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This number varies slightly from year-to-year.

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Figure 4 shows CCP funding amounts for each year.

Figure 4

Citizen Corps Program Award Amounts for FFY04 - FFY08
$1,000,000

$800,000

$719,500

$600,000

$400,000 $277,556 $200,000

$389,251 $294,887 $295,130

$0 FFY 04 FFY 05 FFY 06 FFY 07 FFY 08

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Metropolitan Medical Response System The Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) grant program funds enable jurisdictions to further enhance and sustain a comprehensive regional mass casualty incident response capability during the first crucial hours of an incident. The program prepares jurisdictions for response to all-hazards mass casualty incidents, including terrorism, naturally occurring events, and large-scale hazardous materials incidents. It integrates mass casualty preparedness and response and provides a structure for medical incident management. It is intended to achieve better mutual aid and regional collaboration among public health entities including hospitals. MMRS provides a framework for funding from DHS/FEMA as well as Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Health Resource Service Administration (HRSA). The Commonwealth MMRS program is among 124 throughout the nation and dates back to the late 1990’s. Currently there are three MMRS regions in Massachusetts – Boston, Springfield, and Worcester. From FFY 2005 - FFY 2008 the Commonwealth has received $3.1 million in MMRS funding, with award amounts continuously increasing each year. The Commonwealth received 24% more MMRS funding in FFY 2008 than in FFY 2007. Figure 5 shows MMRS funding amounts for each year.
Figure 5

Metropolitan Medical Response System Award Amounts for FFY05 - FFY08
$1,000,000 $963,663

$800,000 $682,776 $600,000 $696,990

$774,435

$400,000

$200,000

$0 FFY 05 FFY 06 FFY 07 FFY 08

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B. Buffer Zone Protection Program
The Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP) provides grants to build security and riskmanagement capabilities at the state and local level in order to secure pre-designated Tier I and Tier II critical infrastructure sites, including chemical facilities, financial institutions, nuclear and electric power plants, dams, stadiums, and other high-risk/highconsequence facilities. The program has provided a total of $4.23 million for 31 sites in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since FFY 2005. However, funding has decreased by 45% since 2005. Figure 6 displays BZPP funding amounts for each year.
Figure 6

Buffer Zone Protection Program Award Amounts for FFY05 - FFY08
$2,500,000 $2,134,000 $2,000,000

$1,500,000 $1,050,000 $1,000,000 $577,500 $500,000 $398,000

$0 FFY 05 FFY 06 FFY 07 FFY 08

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C. Transit Security Grant Program
The Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) provides grants to the Nation’s key highthreat Urban Areas to enhance security measures for their critical transit infrastructure including bus, rail, and ferry systems. As the Governor’s designated SAA, EOPSS is responsible for the management of this award and also acts as co-chair of the Regional Transit Security Working Group along with DHS/FEMA and TSA. The purpose of this working group is to develop and maintain a comprehensive list of security-related investments in order to mitigate risk within the region. Funds in the Commonwealth are primarily awarded to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Police. The MBTA has received a total of $75.6 million in TSGP funding since FFY 2005 and will receive $29,259,896 in FFY 2008 TSGP funds. Utilizing TSGP funding, the MBTA currently has over twenty proposed and ongoing initiatives to further transit security. These awards have funded the creation of Visible Intermodal Protection and Response (VIPR) teams and a Mobile Explosive Screening team within the Transit Police Department. These teams conduct random high visibility patrols and explosive screening operations during peak transportation periods, Monday through Friday. Securing the tunnel infrastructure has also been a major priority for the MBTA under this grant program. In addition to enhancing access control and internal security systems of tunnels both underground and underwater, the MBTA has partnered with EOPSS and the Boston Mayor’s Office of Emergency Preparedness in a joint-funded project totaling $8 million to provide interoperable communications capabilities between the Transit Police in the tunnels and emergency first responders above ground throughout the Boston Metro region. Funding for the Commonwealth under this program has increased dramatically over the past few years, increasing 176% from FFY 2005 to FFY 2008. In FFY 2007, the TSGP also started to provide funding to Amtrak – that does not come through EOPSS - for continued security enhancements for its intercity rail operations between key, high-risk Urban Areas throughout the United States. FFY 2007 also saw the addition of a Ferry Security Supplemental award to benefit the MBTA’s ferry system, as well as that of the Steamship Authority, serving the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

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Figure 7 shows TSGP funding amounts for each year.
Figure 7

Transit Security Grant Program Award Amounts for FFY05 - FFY08
$30,000,000 $25,399,474 $25,000,000 $29,259,896

$20,000,000

$15,000,000 $10,600,000 $10,000,000 $11,000,000

$5,000,000

$0 FFY 05 FFY 06 FFY 07 FFY 08

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D. Port Security Grant Program
The Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) provides grant funding to port areas for the protection of critical port infrastructure from terrorism. PSGP funds help ports enhance their risk management capabilities, domain awareness, training and exercises, and capabilities to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from attacks involving improvised explosive devices and other non-conventional weapons. EOPSS was selected by the Massachusetts Regional Maritime Security Strategy Working Group and the Boston Area Maritime Security Committee (BAMSC) to be the Fiduciary Agent for the FFY 2006 and FFY 2007 PSGP funding. This is a shift from previous years, where PSGP funding was open to eligible entities who would apply on their own. This change shows a move toward a more streamlined and coordinated process. Working with our local, state, and federal partners, EOPSS, as the Fiduciary Agent, serves as the principal point of contact for DHS/FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard on management and administration issues related to the PSGP. As a requirement of this funding, EOPSS is working with its federal, state, local, and private sectors partners to develop a Massachusetts Port-Wide Risk Management/Mitigation and Trade Resumption/Resiliency Plan. This plan is intended to serve as a strategy and funding plan for the Port of Boston. It is anticipated this plan which will be reviewed and approved by the BAMSC, DHS/FEMA, and the United States Coast Guard - will be completed later this year. Once the Plan is completed and approved, FFY 2006/2007 PSGP funds may be expended. While this plan is still in draft form, some of the initiatives that have been discussed include: Development of a Port Unified Command Center to coordinate security, response, resilience, and recovery operations. Situational awareness analysis performed in the Port area to determine integration and coordination of camera coverage in the Port. Working with owners of petroleum terminals to encourage continuity of operation planning. The Commonwealth has received a total of $6.3 million in PSGP funding since FFY 2005. PSGP funding has increased 2573% from FFY 2005 to FFY 2008.

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Figure 8 shows PSGP funding award amounts for each year.

Figure 8

Port Security Grant Program Award Amounts for FFY05 - FFY08
$5,000,000 $4,755,371

$4,000,000

$3,000,000

$2,000,000 $1,224,848 $1,000,000 $177,885 $0 FFY 05 FFY 06 FFY 07 FFY 08 $147,750

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E. Emergency Management Performance Grant
The Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funds go directly to MEMA to sustain and enhance all-hazards emergency management capabilities of the Commonwealth. This includes enhancing catastrophic planning capabilities, addressing the findings of the DHS/FEMA gap analysis program and similar capability assessment efforts, and assisting state and local jurisdictions to address national and regional catastrophic planning needs. The EMPG supports approximately 50% of MEMA's operations, with a matching share. Consistent with State Homeland Security Strategy (SHSS), operational focus is on: Enhancing MEMA’s regional and local response functions by developing a highly mobile, rapid response emergency operations center (EOC) asset Building networks of sustainable communications by re-establishing a relatively dormant radio network among the state’s local emergency management agencies and MEMA’s headquarters and regional offices Providing regulatory oversight, including planning and training activities of the nuclear safety preparedness program and radiological emergency response capabilities The Commonwealth, through MEMA, has received $18.1 million in EMPG funds since FFY 2005. EMPG funding award amounts have increased 63.6% from FFY 2005 to FFY 2008. Figure 9 shows EMPG funding amounts for each year.
Figure 9

Emergency Management Performance Grant Award Amounts for FFY05 - FFY08
$6,000,000 $5,035,048 $5,000,000 $5,868,194

$4,000,000

$3,587,028

$3,666,000

$3,000,000

$2,000,000

$1,000,000

$0 FFY05 FFY 06 FFY 07 FFY 08

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F. Urban Areas Security Initiative Non-Profit Security Grant Program
The Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is an important component of the Administration’s larger, coordinated effort to strengthen the nation’s overall level of preparedness. NSGP provides funding to strengthen the security of nonprofit organizations that are deemed at high risk of a potential terrorist attack and are located within one of the specific UASI-eligible urban areas. In FFY 2007 the Commonwealth received $769,135 in UASI-NSGP funding. That amount was drastically reduced in FFY 2008 with only one applicant receiving a small amount of funding (Brigham & Women’s Hospital). Figure 10 compares the FFY 2007 and the FFY 2008 funding award amounts.
Figure 10

Uraban Area Security Initiative Non-Profit Award Amounts for FFY07 and FFY08
$1,000,000

$800,000

$769,135

$600,000

$400,000

$200,000 $50,566 $0 FFY 07 FFY 08

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G. Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program
The Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program (PSIC) is a one-time $21.2 million dollar communications interoperability grant received by EOPSS in April 2008, after federal approval of Massachusetts’ Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP). The PSIC grant, awarded by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and administered through DHS/FEMA, is intended to help states “Achieve meaningful and measurable improvements in the state of interoperability for public safety communications and fill interoperability gaps identified in statewide plans.” Along with a full time Communications Interoperability Coordinator position, the Commonwealth has also established a Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) to review expenditures under PSIC and other communications interoperability grants. The SIEC consists of representatives from the homeland security planning regions, state agencies and authorities, and other stakeholders. The SIEC is charged with ensuring that PSIC and other communications interoperability funds are used effectively in the furtherance of the goals and objectives outlined in the SCIP and that efforts at the local, regional, and state level are coordinated. Due to the fact that there is still a large amount of communications interoperability project funding available through the FFY 2006 and FFY 2007 state Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) and because the SIEC is still in its formative stages, very little PSIC funding has yet been expended. In July 2008, $477,500 was awarded to MEMA to support a fully functioning statewide 2-1-1 system. The PSIC grant funds are presently set to expire on September 30, 2010.

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H. Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program
The Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP) is a new funding stream that provides funding to advance catastrophic incident preparedness to designated Tier I and Tier II Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) sites. The goal of RCPGP is to support an integrated planning system that enables regional all-hazard planning for catastrophic events and the development of necessary plans, protocols, and procedures to manage a catastrophic event. Objectives include: Creating regional planning processes and planning communities through the establishment of a Regional Catastrophic Planning Team (RCPT) Identifying and assessing priority areas of concern using both capabilities-based and scenario-based planning models Developing enhanced regional plans and addressing shortcomings in jurisdiction plans to support both the management of a catastrophic event and to enable enduring government Linking planning efforts to resource allocations The Boston area was designated as a Tier II UASI site and awarded $3,104,931 in FYY 2008. In addition to the RCPGP, the Commonwealth received Task Force for Emergency Readiness (TFER) funding in FFY 2008 ($200,000) to aid in catastrophic planning. The TFER is a DHS/FEMA-led initiative that dedicates a team to assist State officials with catastrophic disaster planning, support assessment and cataloging of capabilities across and among all levels of government, and aid in identifying improvements to strengthen state planning resources. The Commonwealth’s TFER team will consist of three skilled planners with a background in the National Guard. An additional $100,000 in TFER funding is anticipated in FFY 2009.

I. Community Oriented Police Services Technology Grant
The Community Oriented Police Services Technology (COPS-TECH) grant program provides funding for the procurement of technology that focuses on the ability to share data information and enhance voice interoperability with regional, state, and federal partners with the ultimate objective of increasing public safety. The U.S. Department of Justice, Office Community Oriented Policing Services Office awards grants to tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to hire and train community policing professionals, acquire and deploy cutting-edge crime-fighting technologies, and develop and test innovative policing strategies. In FFY 2007, EOPSS received a COPS-TECH grant for $5,948,925. The funds were sub-granted to three recipients, the Massachusetts Department of State Police (MSP), Criminal History Systems Board (CHSB), and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), to support the following four projects: CHSB National Data Exchange (N-DEx) Readiness to enable the Statewide Information Sharing System (SWISS) to transmit data to N-DEx.

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MSP Telecommunications Link between the MSP and Boston Police Department to provide enhanced interoperable communications by enabling both departments to communicate with each other over their respective radio systems. MSP Enhancement of the Statewide Electronic Breath Testing Program to replace all current Breath Testing units in Massachusetts with a newer model unit. MEMA Development of a Statewide Resource Database for resources that will also link the E-Cemp system and the state’s Web-EOC system.

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IV. Resources at Work: Overview of Selected Grant Expenditures
A. The Commonwealth’s Homeland Security Planning Regions
The Commonwealth is divided into four homeland security planning regions – the Northeast, Southeast, Central, and West – that receive 80% of the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP) awards. The funds are distributed through their regional homeland security advisory councils, a 15-member, multi-discipline, multi-jurisdictional advisory council that is tasked with developing regional homeland security plans and implementing regional and state homeland security goals using designated homeland security funds. A fifth region, the Metro-Boston Region receives 80% of Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) funding each year but does not have an advisory council. 13 Since their establishment in 2004, the four councils have provided a forum for interdisciplinary and cross-jurisdictional collaboration that did not previously exist. The establishment of an ongoing dialogue and multi-dimensional joint problem solving around public safety issues, while less tangible, is nonetheless significant, especially toward establishing the degree of coordination necessary to create a common operating picture. Some of the tangible benefits of these regional forums are the projects that have stemmed directly from cross-disciplinary learning. For example, a statewide law enforcement mobilization planning effort is now underway as a result of law enforcement officials taking a closer look at statewide fire mobilization capabilities. Projects to extend interoperable communications systems to additional users by leveraging existing, robust infrastructure are the direct result of four years of developing close working relationships in the context of multi-discipline communications interoperability sub-committees. County Sheriff’s offices are being tapped for the institutional framework and support they can provide to regional homeland security initiatives such as supporting public notification and other information sharing systems. Without the regional council framework, it is unlikely that the County Sheriff’s offices would be collaborating with the local first responder community and municipal government officials to such a great extent. The homeland security planning regions have each accomplished important projects and are increasingly working across regions. The following is just a sample of some of the achievements of the regional homeland security councils. In Western Massachusetts, public safety communications infrastructure was severely lacking. Hampered in part by the region’s mountainous terrain, regional emergency communications infrastructure had not been upgraded since the 1950’s. Systemic improvements such as adding communications towers and microwave dishes required more funds than any one discipline or system user group had been able to obtain. However, the Western Region Homeland Security Advisory Council developed a plan for improving the region’s communications infrastructure and over the course of three years added 11 tower sites and microwave links for a system that provides two county-wide simulcast channels, 15 regional channels, and two simulcast channels to connect both
13

SHSP, LETPP, and UASI grants are funding streams in the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP).

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Franklin County and the Pioneer Valley. Several public safety disciplines utilize the system, including local ambulance services, which gained improved access to major area hospitals through the addition of three new Coordinated Medical Emergency Direction channels. In Central Massachusetts, a focus on resource management has evolved into a statewide initiative. The Central Region’s early focus on and success with inventorying emergency response resources provided a model that has been adopted by the state and is in the process of becoming an automated statewide resource management system. Representatives from each of the homeland security planning regions sit on a statewide Resource Management System Steering Committee (RMSSC) that is charged with making this regional project into a state-wide system available to local and state officials and first responders across the Commonwealth. The Southeast Region includes large coastal areas, which has resulted in a focus on coastal emergency response including providing water based resources such as marine patrol vessels, equipment and training for scuba rescue teams, and improvements to communications systems for remote areas, including a public warning system for Nantucket. The Southeast Region has also focused heavily on transportation. Its five regional transit agencies have received security, surveillance, and communications equipment for buses and operations centers. Emergency response plans, continuity of operations plans, and training have also been provided to the transit agencies. Additionally, the Steamship Authority has been provided with security cameras. The Northeast Region has endeavored to leverage its resources by focusing on regionwide resources including planning tools, information sharing resources such as a regional Web-Emergency Operations Center (EOC) system, and a multi-discipline, region-wide SharePoint™ site that serves as a virtual forum for enhancing the collaborative capabilities of the Northeast Regional Advisory Council (NERAC). NERAC has worked to build an identity and awareness among first responders, citizens, and local officials about the regionally-available resources. These resources also include three regional equipment cache sites from which municipalities can request emergency supplies including portable light towers, cots, blankets, generators, pumps, and other equipment. These regional equipment caches have proven their value on numerous occasions including the Mother’s Day floods of May 2006, the Danvers explosion in November, 2006, and large fires in Gloucester, Lawrence, and Peabody in early 2008. The Northeast Region has also focused attention on school safety by providing planning tools for a nationally-recognized school violence prevention and response program, STARS, for all of the municipalities in the region. As a part of the STARS project, more than 350 schools received free electronic school floor plans. The Northeast Region has also had an active Communications Interoperability Subcommittee that has been working toward establishing a multi-discipline communications interoperability platform using a regional law enforcement radio system, the Boston Area Police Emergency Radio Network (BAPERN). BAPERN has an extensive infrastructure across a large portion of Eastern Massachusetts (including Boston). Currently, the Northeast Region is working with law enforcement, fire services, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to leverage the BAPERN infrastructure across all of these disciplines. The four homeland security planning regions received a total of $70,506,095 in grant funding from FFY 2004 to FFY 2007 (FFY 2008 awards have not yet been allocated to

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the regions). Figure 11 shows the total funding amounts each region was awarded during that time period. 14
Figure 11

Homeland Security Planning Regions Award Amounts for FFY 2004 - FFY 2007
$25,000,000 $20,405,399 $20,000,000 $14,907,580 $15,000,000 $15,310,301 $19,882,815

$10,000,000

$5,000,000

$0 Northeast Region Southeast Region Central Region West Region

B. Training & Exercises
A substantial portion of the Commonwealth’s homeland security funds go toward supporting first responder training and conducting exercises that test plans and emergency response capabilities. Since 2004, the Commonwealth has reimbursed municipalities over $13 million to cover training expenses (mostly backfill and overtime) for first responders including police, fire, EMS, emergency management, public works, government officials, public health, and corrections. Examples of the type of training that is covered includes Incident Command System (ICS) training as part of the Commonwealth’s National Incident Management System (NIMS) requirements, as well as hazardous material awareness, bomb squad technician training, crime analysis, technical rescue, and others. DHS/FEMA provides a catalog of approved trainings for which homeland security funds may be used. Training not included in the catalog may be specially requested. Exercises enable personnel, from first responders to senior officials, to validate training and practice strategic and tactical prevention, protection, response, and recovery
In FFY 2004 the regions also received CCP funding, which is included in the FFY 2004 total. All other years the regions received only SHSP and LETTP funds. The total amount for all four regions reflects all SHSP, LETPP, and CCP funding awarded.
14

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capabilities in a risk-reduced environment. Since 2004, homeland security funds have supported 61 exercises, from large full scale exercises to small, tabletop exercises that occur on a regular basis. A state exercise calendar is maintained by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). All exercises that are supported with homeland security grant funds need to comply with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). HSEEP provides standardized policies, methodology, and terminology for the design, development, conduct, evaluation, and improvement planning related to exercises. EOPSS has produced a training and exercise guidance document to provide detailed explanation of the DHS/FEMA allowable training and exercise costs for State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP), Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), and Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant funding. Although there may be certain training and exercise costs that are allowable per DHS/FEMA, EOPSS as the SAA, does have final authority on training and exercise requests.

C. The National Incident Management System
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) was established in 2004 as a means to establish a standardized set of operating procedures, standards, and definitions for first responders nation-wide. While most emergency incidents are managed at the local level, in a major incident help may be needed from other jurisdictions, the state, and/or the federal government. The NIMS was developed to enable responders from different jurisdictions and disciplines to work together to respond to natural disasters and emergencies, including acts of terrorism. The NIMS contains standardized terminology, unified command structure, consolidated action plans, uniform personnel qualification standards, uniform standards for planning and training, and comprehensive resource management. The Incident Command System (ICS) is a key component of NIMS. ICS was developed in California by the fire services in response to wild fires that required the continual addition of new personnel and other resources. It is a system that enables every person to know his or her reporting structure and duties. ICS ensures that every subject matter expert – from the fire chief to the public information officer – has a defined set of objectives. It is a template for response, and it has proven effective again and again. Thousands of Massachusetts first responders have received ICS training at varying levels, thus enabling the Commonwealth to achieve NIMS compliance. Per DHS/FEMA, continued compliance with NIMS is a requirement to received federal homeland security funds. The State has played an integral role in this unifying effort, mostly through the establishment of a NIMS Advisory Group (NAG). The NAG has coordinated local and state efforts towards NIMS compliance by helping first responders throughout the Commonwealth incorporate NIMS into their disciplines. The NIMS is constantly evolving and to assess our compliance with the NIMS objectives, the Commonwealth utilizes the National Incident Management System Capability Assessment Support Tool (NIMSCAST) to better understand our strengths and weaknesses.

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D. Joint State/Municipal Priorities
In planning for and responding to large-scale emergency incidents, a multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional response is needed. The Commonwealth has adopted this unity of effort approach in a variety of initiatives including: interoperable communications; information sharing; resource management database; chemical, biological radiological, nuclear, and explosive preparedness; and port security. By having state and local stakeholders from various ‘first responder’ disciplines included in the initial planning stages, a more transparent and open process is established leading towards easier implementation of initiatives once planning is complete. Interoperable Communications Communications interoperability has been and continues to be an area of intense focus across the nation. The Commonwealth has prioritized improvements to communications interoperability as one of its top homeland security objectives. To that end, a Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan or (SCIP) has been completed, a Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) has been established, and EOPSS is in the process of hiring a Statewide Communications Interoperability Coordinator to oversee the effective implementation of the SCIP. The SCIP is the Commonwealth’s first comprehensive statewide strategy and enables state and local emergency response agencies and other key stakeholders to effectively exchange communications and data. The SCIP provides a detailed plan that will guide and structure the Commonwealth’s strategic goals for improving first responder communication during and incident, as well as communicate and share information in day-to-day operations. By designing an integrated statewide plan we ensure that future expenditures and emergency public safety efforts are coordinated across jurisdictional boundaries, address the Commonwealth’s priorities and needs, follow shared guidelines, and govern consistently. Prior to the development of the SCIP, the COmmonwealth’s five homeland security planning regions had been working on enhancing communications interoperability within their own regions by making improvements to existing radio networks, establishing communications links where they had been lacking, and working to improve disciplinespecific and cross-discipline communications capabilities. The Western Region conducted a study of infrastructure needs and built up communications infrastructure in Franklin County to serve fire services, EMS, and the police. The original infrastructure for this system had been only sporadically upgraded since the 1950’s. The project also extended the Western Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (WMLEC) UHF system from Hampshire and Hampden Counties into Franklin County. This project also tied into a State Police regional dispatch center at the Shelburne Falls Barracks to accommodate the enhanced UHF consoles. The Franklin County system moved from a 3-channel low band VHF-based system to a 14channel full duplex UHF based system, which also entailed the upgrading from four tower sites to 12 and the upgrading of sending and receiving equipment. Federal funds through the SCIP will both fund and leverage existing infrastructure such as the State Police Troop B build out in the West Region. In the Southeast Region, communications for regional transit, including the Steamship Authority and isolated and coastal areas has been a focus of upgrades. The Southeast also spent resources on radio reprogramming for law enforcement radios.

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In the Central Region, up-grades were made to fire communications for Fire Districts 7, 8, and 14. They also up-graded all Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) locations with new radios to provide interoperability among all PSAPs in the region. In addition, the Central Region provided antenna installation for all communities to activate radios that were provided by MEMA. In the Northeast Region, the enhancement of the Boston Area Police Emergency Radio Network, (BAPERN) has been a major focus of communications interoperability investment. BAPERN is the largest law enforcement radio network in Eastern Massachusetts and includes 120 subscriber agencies. In addition to enhancing BAPERN infrastructure and subscriber access, the Northeast Region has worked with the Greater Boston Police Council (GBPC) to enable non-law enforcement disciplines to use BAPERN as a regional interoperability platform. Simultaneously, the Northeast Region invested in providing basic system enhancements to the Emergency Medical Service radio system, the Emergency Management radio system, as well as establishing direct connections among fire control points in the region through a voice over IP system. After working closely together for four years, the Northeast Region’s Communications Interoperability Subcommittee has begun to develop plans for leveraging the BAPERN infrastructure for use by both fire and EMS. The Metro Boston region approached communications interoperability methodically, establishing a Subcommittee and utilizing a contractor to help them develop planning capabilities, a Tactical Interoperability Plan, and to enhance and establish identified communications system needs. In four years the Commonwealth has dedicated significant homeland security grant funds to communications interoperability. Vast improvements in system coverage, reliability, and in user accessibility have been achieved, but there is much more to do. Making these local and regional improvements as well as improvements to certain state owned systems has been critically important, however the next step is to rationalize the big picture and tie the pieces together to ensure that during a critical incident the flow of information enables our first responders and decision makers to be as effective as possible. In April 2008, the Commonwealth was awarded a $21.2 million grant to implement the SCIP. Through the hiring of a Statewide Communications Interoperability Coordinator and through the SIEC, the Commonwealth is at the beginning stages of implementing the six broad initiatives and attendant projects contained within the SCIP. Information Sharing Information sharing is a broad but important heading that covers a range of goals, objectives, and projects that are supported by homeland security as well as those that are important to the Commonwealth’s homeland security docket but may not be specifically supported with homeland security funds. At the state level, the Commonwealth Fusion Center (CFC), in concert with the Criminal History Systems Board (CHSB), has developed and implemented several major systems for sharing and more effectively managing information.

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Now, more than ever, the CHSB provides the information technology backbone that supports the Commonwealth’s public safety data and information management needs. CHSB recently unveiled the Statewide Information Sharing System (SWISS), a criminal incident data collection and warehousing system that for the first time enables law enforcement entities from across the state to seamlessly share criminal incident data. It is a system that allows multiple agencies to contribute police reports in real-time to the Public Safety Information Warehouse maintained at the CJIS Data Center. Law enforcement officials can then access and search these reports from across the Commonwealth. SWISS is available through desktop and mobile computer. The establishment of the CFC has been a major accomplishment. Established in 2004, the CFC is a collaborative multi-agency effort to provide resources, expertise, technology and information to the public safety and private sector with the goal of maximizing the ability to detect, prevent, apprehend and respond to criminal and terrorist activity. Using a variety of funding sources, including homeland security grant funds, the CFC is preparing to roll out several information sharing systems that will be available to law enforcement entities across the Commonwealth. They are as follows: SharePoint - The CFC is working toward implementation of a Wiki-style collaborative work space using SharePoint for collecting and maintaining information requests, intake, processing, and information dissemination activities. This application will also track administrative activities such as personnel and project management. The SharePoint project is just one of the information technology (IT) solutions for which the CFC is developing an architectural roadmap. This roadmap will serve the CFC’s entire IT environment including and support systems such as Geographic Information System (GIS), Case Management and Criminal Intelligence, Networking, backup disaster recovery, and data storage. COPLINK - Among Information sharing projects near completion is IMS-COPLINK, a powerful analytical tool that provides officers, investigators, analysts, and police executives with new methods to generate leads, perform crime analysis, map data and trends, and support decision-making. This is a joint CHSB and CFC project. CrimeNtel - The CFC has also recently rolled out this intelligence analysis solution to gather and analyze data on criminal offenders and organizations. The system collects, maintains, updates, and disseminates criminal intelligence that relates to the Commonwealth. CrimeNtel creates a repository then links individuals with associates, locations, and vehicles to assist officers and analysts in connecting the dots. Most of the State Police investigative units and District Attorney’s Offices are trained and have access to CrimeNtel for their investigative needs. Criminal intelligence units operate under guidelines and requirements that protect the rights of citizens, groups and businesses, as well as minimize agency liability. CRIME SOLV - The CFC is also working with CHSB and the State’s Information Technology Division (ITD), to roll out this crime analysis application, using the Crime Reporting Unit’s National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS). This web-based analysis application will enable submitting police departments to analyze their own crime data as well as conduct comparisons of neighboring communities. Related to this crime analysis activity, the CFC has developed and is currently implementing training and auditing programs for local police agencies in order to insure quality data submissions. High quality data becomes a critical precursor to effective analysis, therefore the CFC is

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investing time and staff resources in assisting local agencies in properly entering and quality controlling their crime incident data. Automated Critical Asset Management System (ACAMS) – In 2007, the CFC established the ACAMS database as the State’s designated tool for the collection, storage, and management of Critical Infrastructure / Key Resources information. Population of the database is being conducted by trained State and Boston Police personnel, with almost 250 facilities entered into ACAMS and geocoded in the past seven months. The CFC’s robust GIS program is built on ESRI’s ArcGIS Server enterprise technology. GIS capabilities are enhanced by plume modeling support provided by the 1st Civil Support Team (CST) of the Massachusetts National Guard. Resource Management Database Stemming from an initiative spear-headed by the Central Massachusetts Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council, subsequently adopted by all of the homeland security planning regions, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is in the process of developing a single statewide resource database to manage multiple emergency response resources across the Commonwealth - such as communications equipment, vehicles, medical devices, and people. Although MEMA has taken the lead in implementing and managing the system, the homeland security regions set up a Resource Management System Steering Committee (RMSSC), at which they are all represented and have an opportunity to collaborate with state partners in this initiative. Resource management is also an important component of the NIMS. The Commonwealth is meeting this particular requirement through the work of the RMSSC and the database that is being created. Data collection efforts are underway and MEMA has initiated the procurement process for creating the system itself. The resource management database will also link other statewide systems such as WebEOC and eCEMP (an electronic collection of comprehensive emergency management plans) – providing a comprehensive emergency management interface across the state. Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive Devices The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services (DFS) has worked to boost Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) devices preparedness and response capabilities through the acquisition and deployment of both detection equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Commonwealth’s 6 regional hazardous materials (Hazmat) teams, the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) Bomb Squad assigned to DFS, and the Massachusetts firefighting community. The Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) funding provided to DFS through both the state portion and through the homeland security regional councils has been used to increase the response, detection, and mitigation capabilities of the state hazardous materials response teams and bomb squad technicians. Since FFY 2003, DFS has dedicated $7.2 million towards planning, equipment, training, and exercises for CBRNE detection and preparedness. Highlights of CBRNE activities and purchases include: Planning activities including review and strategic study of the statewide fire mobilization plan in 2005 ($75,000) and work on an interstate hazardous materials (hazmat) mutual aid program ($50,000).

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Equipment for the MSP bomb squad ($1,481,957), including three (3) bomb robots, bomb suits and PPE, bomb squad X-ray system-related equipment, and communications equipment; and equipment for the MSP Hazardous Devices Unit including bomb suits, radiation detectors, thermal imager, and video capability. A variety of training initiatives for first responders ($1,336,060) including NIMS and ICS training; Improvised Explosive Device training; Hazmat training and exercising; Fire mobilization training; Hazmat/Bomb Squad Interface Training & Exercises; Fire Investigations Unit post-blast training; and a Bomb Dog Training Workshop Equipment for the Hazmat Response Program ($2,471,000), including four Hazmat Rapid Response Vehicles that upon delivery in fall of 2008 will be stationed to improve response times to high population areas that have been identified as gaps in targeted response times. Other Hazmat and CBRNE response vehicles have been upgraded, with computer equipment, software, and communications equipment improvements.

Port Security EOPSS receives Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) funding. Currently, EOPSS is working with its federal, state, local, and private sectors partners to develop a Massachusetts Port-Wide Risk Management/Mitigation and Trade Resumption/Resiliency Plan. This plan is intended to serve as a strategy and funding plan for the Port of Boston. It is anticipated this plan will be completed later this year. While this plan is still in draft form, some of the initiatives that have been discussed include: Development of a Port Unified Command Center to coordinate security, response, resilience, and recovery operations. Situational awareness analysis performed in the Port area to determine integration and coordination of camera coverage in the Port. Working with owners of petroleum terminals to encourage continuity of operation planning.

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V. Conclusion
This assessment reflects a moment in time when there are tremendous changes in homeland security funding and priorities. EOPSS will continue working with our partners across the Commonwealth to employ the best and most effective means to ensure the safety and security of our citizens.

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