Gov. Martin O?Malley talked about homeland security goals for state and local governments before a national audience in Nashville Monday, and at the same time issued what aides said was the first set of specific goals for local first responders in Maryland.
“Maryland can be ? and should be ? nothing less than the best prepared state in America,” O?Malley said in a message to local officials. “A critical first step towards achieving this goal is to identify the basic core capacities which every region in our state should have, and to assess our current level of preparedness in these critical areas so that we are investing our resources first and foremost to meet any capability gaps in these areas.”
O?Malley delivered a similar message to the Democratic Leadership Council holding its annual National Conversation in Nashville. The DLC is a centrist leaning group that then Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton helped found. The former president spoke to the group Sunday.
The governor?s list of 12 detailed goals is designed to set the stage for a meeting of the leaders of homeland security and emergency management from the counties in “coming weeks,” O?Malley said.
It is not clear how close Maryland is to meeting these goals, said Andrew Lauland, the governor?s homeland security advisor.
“We do have some information,” Lauland said, and more will be collected before the meeting with the local agencies.
O?Malley?s homeland security office has just two people, compared with the seven who staffed the office for former Gov. Robert Ehrlich. The day-to-day front-line responsibility for homeland security sits with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, under the National Guard, and with the state police, Lauland said.
O?Malley?s dozen goals
1. Interoperable communications ? “a fully digital, trunked radio system which all response partners can access”
2. Intelligence and information sharing among all jurisdictions
3. Hazardous material and bomb response teams for every region
4. Personal protective gear for all police, firefighters and emergency medical providers
5. Statewide bio-surveillance monitoring system to catch disease outbreaks
6. Vulnerability assessment covering all hazard threats
7. Annual training and preparedness exercises, including drills with neighboring jurisdictions
8. Closed circuit television monitoring critical facilities such as power, water and highways
9. Equipment, supplies and training to handle mass casualties in every region.
10. Detailed evacuation plans
11. Backup power and communications, including generators
12. Fully harden ports, airports, train stations, subways and rail lines against attack
