Updates

TISP Co-Founds the National Resilience Coalition

Initial risk assessment activities by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) need to be followed with fostering a risk culture that mobilizes proper resources using stakeholder partnerships for a “Whole Community” approach as the basis for building resilience and the National Preparedness System (NPS).  The Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP), Security Analysis and Risk Management Association (SARMA), and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) have co-found—along with 17 associations, professional societies, regional and state partnerships, and non-governmental organizations—the National Resilience Coalition (NRC) in order to establish a common risk-based regional resilience philosophy that will guide coalition partners in advancing emergency and security preparedness.

Establishing NRC comes at an urgent time for policy makers to recognize risk management as the means for doing more with less funding, and assuring a sound return on precious security dollars.  With the ongoing fiscal crisis, and an ever-changing threat and hazard landscape, there has never been greater need for a rigorous assessment of risk, associated planning and application of resources at all levels of the homeland security enterprise. 

Accomplishing the intent of the Presidential Policy Directive-8 National Preparedness (PPD-8), the National Preparedness Goal, and NPS will require that the system better define and enable the execution of a risk management cycle by states and urban regions, with the direct involvement of their federal and private sector partners. A sound risk management cycle entails (1) risk/resilience baseline assessment; (2) valuation and selection of options and capabilities for improvement; and (3) systematic appraisal of the outcomes of the implemented improvement programs and projects.

Three co-chairs who are top experts representing homeland security, homeland defense and emergency management industries will lead the coalition in building consensus among private sector organizations on risk-based regional resilience and full spectrum resilience principles and doctrine.  This will include supporting the private sector to develop comparable, compatible and comprehensive resilience, preparedness and recovery programs.  Additionally, it will develop guidance and recommendations for private sector organizations and state, regional and local agencies to develop disaster recovery plans and leadership organizations and programs that align with the National Disaster Recovery Plan and that augment NPS.

The first initiative for NRC will be to draft a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Security Staff, and congressional committees with oversight of DHS. The letter will focus on urgency of risk management as the basis for achieving national resilience and security as well as the vital importance of its application by states and urban regions in the implementation of PPD-8 and NPS.  The letter will offer recommendations based on the experience and expertise of our coalition partners that are achievable in both the near- and intermediate-term.  It will alsoentify the types of support the coalition is willing to offer in furtherance of this vital effort.

NRC will convene its first conference call in July with the intention of holding its first face-to-face meeting in August in Washington, D.C.  If your association, society, or not-for-profit partnership would like to learn more about NRC and how you can participate, contact Bill Anderson, TISP Director & COO, at 703-894-1911, or wanderson@tisp.org.

List of NRC Partners

  • Association of State Floodplain Managers
  • American Public Works Association
  • American Society of Civil Engineers
  • American Water Works Association
  • ASIS International
  • Colorado Emergency Preparedness Partnership
  • EMPact America
  • Great Lakes Hazards Coalition
  • National Association of Development Organizations
  • National Emergency Management Association
  • National Fire Protection Association
  • National Governors Association
  • National Hazards Mitigation Association
  • Pacific Northwest Economic Region
  • San Francisco Bay Area Center for Regional Disaster Resilience
  • Security Analysis and Risk Management Association
  • The Infrastructure Security Partnership

For more information, contact: Jacqueline Barrett Administrative Assistant, TISP Phone: 703-894-1910