A great deal of attention recently has been paid to how the newly formed Department of Homeland Security is attempting to secure necessary funding and incorporate over 170,000 employees from 22 federal agencies and departments into a single organization that will facilitate the Department’s efforts to achieve its stated mission, which is to “prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage from potential attacks and natural disasters.”  (See http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/faq.jsp.)  These funding and organizational issues have not prevented the Department from taking important steps toward fulfilling its mission.  The development and recent implementation of the “Ready Campaign,” a communication campaign designed to inform the public of steps that individuals can take to prepare for and mitigate the damage caused by terrorist attacks and other disasters, is the Department’s first major public information campaign.  

A brief review of the Ready Campaign, however, reveals that its major emphasis is primarily one of preparedness for terrorist attacks as opposed to mitigation based on the “all-hazard” approach.  The focus on preparedness instead of mitigation is based on the fact that during the development of the Campaign, focus groups conducted studies that demonstrated that people responded best to simple, fact-based messages that instruct them on easy and practical steps individuals can take to protect themselves specifically from terrorist events.  In response to this finding, the Department, in conjunction with the Ad Council and The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, created a series of advertisements and public service announcements that provide such information through a variety of media, including television, radio, the internet and print sources.  These advertisements also provide the public with a list of additional sources that can be accessed for more detailed preparation information.

The Department’s efforts to respond to the public’s desire for information on preparing for terrorist attacks are commendable and timely.  Nevertheless, while information and access to resources related to mitigation are available on the Department’s website, the Campaign’s strict focus on preparation makes the Department seem reluctant to focus the public’s attention on the steps that can be taken to mitigate against damage from a variety of hazards (only one of which is terrorism).  

It is not that the Department does not value mitigation.  Indeed, it refers to mitigation efforts in its mission statement and broadly defines mitigation as those ongoing actions that “. . alleviate or eliminate risks to life and property from natural or man-made hazard events . . .(in order to) . . . decrease the need for a response as opposed to increasing the response capability.”  In addition, the Department’s website also provides the public with numerous links to information on mitigation measures in such areas as federal insurance programs, building performance and construction codes, sustainable development, and other areas that are being planned or are currently in force.  The overwhelming focus of the Department’s communication’s campaign, however, is on terrorism preparedness.  Although the Department has not publicized its future public communication plans, it is hopeful that upcoming campaigns will focus the public’s attention on steps that can be taken to achieve a more comprehensive approach to emergencies and disasters.  


More information is available at:
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/
http://www.ready.gov/

Department of Homeland Security’s definition of mitigation is available at:  http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=60&content=306