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Combating Terrorism: Opportunities to Improve Domestic Preparedness Program Focus and Efficiency

NSIAD-99-3 Published: Nov 12, 1998. Publicly Released: Nov 17, 1998.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the status and other aspects of the Domestic Preparedness Program, focusing on: (1) the training and other benefits offered to cities under the program; and (2) the methodology for designing and implementing the program, including the way in which cities were selected to participate, how cities' capabilities and needs were assessed, and the effectiveness of interagency coordination on this and other similar consequence management training and equipment programs.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter Status Comments
Congress may wish to amend the Nunn-Lugar-Domenici legislation to provide DOD or any subsequent lead agency greater flexibility in the conditions under which it provides the $300,000 worth of equipment to local jurisdictions. That is, the legislation could be amended to allow DOD or any subsequent lead agency to provide equipment to local jurisdictions on such terms and under conditions that it deems appropriate.
Closed – Not Implemented
No action has been taken.

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense--or the head of any subsequent lead agency--in consultation with the other five cooperating agencies in the Domestic Preparedness Program, should refocus the program to more efficiently and economically deliver training to local communities.
Closed – Not Implemented
DOD stated that it planned to transfer program responsibilities to the Department of Justice on or before 1 October 2000. In the interim, DOD did not agree to refocus the program as discussed in the report.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense, or the head of any subsequent lead agency, should use existing state and local emergency management response systems or arrangements to select locations and training structures to deliver courses and consider the geographical proximity of program cities.
Closed – Not Implemented
DOD stated that it planned to transfer program responsibilities to the Department of Justice on or before 1 October 2000. In the interim, DOD did not agree to leverage existing emergency management structures or training venues.
Department of Defense The National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Counter-Terrorism should actively review and guide the growing number of WMD consequence management training and equipment programs and response elements to ensure that agencies' separate efforts leverage existing state and local emergency management systems and are coordinated, unduplicated, and focused toward achieving a clearly defined end state.
Closed – Not Implemented
NSC declined to discuss the issue with GAO.

Full Report

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Topics

Biological weaponsCombating terrorismCounterterrorismEmergency managementEmergency preparednessEmergency responseGovernment owned equipmentHomeland securityInteragency relationsMobilizationNational defense operationsNuclear weaponsTechnical assistanceTerrorismTraining utilizationWeapons of mass destruction