Assignment

This assignment is intended to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of how a hypothetical natural disaster might impact homeland security. We shall make use of a fictional event in order to examine this issue, specifically with regard to an often overlooked but potentially catastrophic natural disaster impacting a critical component of homeland security: the national electrical power grid. By examining this system and its interrelation to the myriad systems that rely on this grid (even on a regional level), we have an opportunity to provide a creative but informed disaster response plan for a realistic potential homeland security issue created by a natural disaster.

The scenario is as follows:

A major, ongoing winter storm system occurring along the Eastern Seaboard (specifically, from Maine to Virginia) has, as of yesterday, knocked out the electrical grids supplying power to large sections of the region, with no current estimates as to when the electrical grids will be repaired and functional. This has caused the shutdown of the majority of national and international airports, halted traffic in major seaports, and hindered the flow of much needed supplies and rescue personnel via snow-covered roadways. Communications, too, have been impacted with widespread outages of cellular phone service and internet accessibility. As this disaster occurred approximately 24 hours ago, some repairs are underway; however, reports indicate the damage to the electric power grid is extensive and not yet fully assessed.

Prepare and submit a comprehensive response plan for the loss of the electrical power grid along the Eastern Seaboard. This plan should include only the resources available to DHS and its resident agencies. You are not required to examine other response capabilities, such as the U.S. military or state and local resources.