Homeland Security

Homeland security [PDF] involves a variety of activities including intelligence gathering and analysis; planning preparedness and emergency response; guarding against natural or man-made threats; securing the nation’s borders; and protecting life, property, and critical infrastructure.

GIS provides the capability for timely, accurate information that is easily accessible and shared. It provides an integration platform for improved decision making and response capability for the homeland security mission [PDF]. Today, GIS is used throughout federal, state, and local governments for a number of homeland security requirements including

• Intelligence gathering and analysis
• Strategic planning
• Data fusion
• Situational awareness
• Training exercises
• Common operating picture
• Critical infrastructure identification, analysis, and protection
• Response, mitigation, and recovery

The emphasis for homeland security, emergency management, and law enforcement is the prevention of incidents and reduction of the impacts and consequences of incidents when they occur. This requires multidisciplinary planning, information sharing, and training.

GIS is a fundamental technology for homeland security [PDF], capable of fusing disparate data, analyzing trends and patterns, and providing actionable information that is easily shared and understood.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

• Homeland Security Advisory System

Case Studies on Community Safety.