This document provides guidance for an assignment on homeland security threats, risks, and vulnerabilities. It defines key concepts like threat, risk, vulnerability, and consequence. Students are asked to reflect on threats to their local area, the risks and vulnerabilities posed by each threat, and specific prevention and protection measures they would fund to address the threats based on this analysis. The document lists required readings on homeland security topics and risk assessment to help students complete the assignment.

1. The list of references to the required reading are list below
Without comprehensive, up-to-date, and validated risk
assessments, there would be no basis or focus for planning and
preparedness measures designed to prevent, protect against,
respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks or other hazards.
It is, therefore, important to understand how these concepts are
defined, measured, and addressed before conducting risk
assessments. There are important distinctions among the
concepts of threat, risk, and vulnerability in the context of
homeland security. Risk refers to the probability or general
likelihood that an attack or disaster will occur in a given area,
and it is a function of three variables: threat, vulnerability, and
consequence. Threat refers to the presence of a specific hazard
or the likelihood that a certain type of attack or disaster will
occur in the area being assessed. Vulnerability highlights the
weaknesses or gaps in preparedness or the likelihood that an
attack would succeed. Consequence refers to the impact of an
attack or disaster, both immediately after the event and long-
term. Obtaining accurate and comprehensive information about
these areas allows for better homeland security response.
To prepare for this assignment:
Review the assigned pages of the article, "The Department of
Homeland Security's Risk Assessment Methodology: Evolution,
Issues and Options for Congress
.
" Focus on the definitions and relationships among the concepts
of threat, risk, vulnerability, and consequence.
Review Chapter 3 of your course text,
Introduction to Homeland Security.

2. Reflect on various homeland security threats.
Review the article, "The 9/11 Commission Report: Executive
Summary." Focus on the description of how the threat of both
domestic and transnational terrorism has evolved and affected
the United States.
Reflect on the state or region in which you currently reside.
Identify three major homeland security threats that affect this
locale.
Think about the degree to which the selected locale is at risk for
and vulnerable to the threats you identified.
Consider the prevention and protection measures for which you
would allocate resources and why.
The assignment: (1 page)
Briefly describe your locale and three threats that might affect
it.
Explain the degree to which your locale is at risk for, and
vulnerable to, the threats you described. Be specific.
Based on the threats, risks, and vulnerabilities of your locale,
describe specific prevention and protection measures for which
you would allocate resources. Explain why you chose these
measures. Be specific.
Support your

3. Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its
preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for
those resources
not
included in the Learning Resources for this course.
Required Readings
Bullock, J. A. , Haddow, G. D. & Coppola, D. P. (2013).
Introduction to homeland security
(5th ed.). Waltham, MA: Elsevier Inc.
Chapter 3, "Hazards"
Reese, S. (2009).
Department of Homeland Security assistance to states and
localities: A summary and issues for the 111th Congress
. Retrieved from
http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40246_20090608.pdf
Note
: You are only required to read pages 1–3 of this article.
Masse, T., O'Neil, S., & Rollins, J. (2007).
The Department of Homeland Security's risk assessment
methodology: Evolution, issues and options for Congress
. Retrieved from
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/RL33858.pdf

4. Note: You are only required to read pages 6–7 of this article.
United States Government Accountability Office. (2008).
Homeland security grant program risk-based distribution
methods: Presentation to congressional committees - November
14, 2008 and December 15, 2008
. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09168r.pdf
Note
: You are only required to read pages 1–24 of this article.
Reese, S. (2005).
Risk-based funding in homeland security grant legislation:
Analysis of issues for the 109th Congress
. Retrieved from http://fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/RL33050.pdf
Note
: You are only required to read pages 1–3 of this article.
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United
States. (n.d.).
The 9/11 Commission report: Executive summary
. Retrieved June 11, 2009, from the University of North Texas
Libraries Web site:
http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/report/911Report_Exec.pdf