UNITED STATES AND 

ISRAELI HOMELAND SECURITY: 

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF 

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS 

by 

Consuella B. Pockett 

The Counterproliferation Papers 

Future Warfare Series No. 33 

USAF Counterproliferation Center

Air University 

Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama 

United States and Israeli Homeland Security: 

A Comparative Analysis of Emergency 

Preparedness Efforts 

Consuella B. Pockett 

August 2005 

The Counterproliferation Papers Series was established by the USAF 

Counterproliferation Center to provide information and analysis to assist 

the understanding of the U.S. national security policy-makers and USAF 

officers to help them better prepare to counter the threat from weapons of 

mass destruction. Copies of No. 33 and previous papers in this series are 

available from the USAF Counterproliferation Center, 325 Chennault 

Circle, Maxwell AFB AL 36112-6427. The fax number is (334) 953-

7530; phone (334) 953-7538. 

Counterproliferation Paper No. 33 

USAF Counterproliferation Center

Air University 

Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama 36112-6427

The Internet address for the USAF Counterproliferation Center is: 

http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/awc-cps.htm

Contents 

Page 

Disclaimer................................................................................................... ii

The Author................................................................................................. iii

I. Introduction.........................................................................................1 

II. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security......................................3 

III. Recent Developments in the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security ...........................................................................17 

IV. The Home Front Command..............................................................23 

V. Israeli Homeland Security Initiatives ...............................................29 

VI. United States and Israeli Collaborative Efforts ................................33 

VII. Conclusion ........................................................................................37 

Notes..........................................................................................................41 
ii 

Disclaimer 

The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do 

not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Government, 

Department of Defense, or the USAF Counterproliferation Center. 
iii 

The Author 

Lt Col Consuella B. Pockett is currently the Chief Nurse, David Grant 

Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, California. She began her military 

career in 1986, as a Clinical Nurse, Obstetrical Unit, at USAF Hospital 

Tinker. In May 1991, she moved to Hansom Air Force Base, 

Massachusetts, as Charge Nurse, Primary Care Clinic. In May 1993, she 

moved to Yokota Air Base, Japan, and ultimately became the Chief, 

Aeromedical Evacuation Aircrew Member, Operations Group 

Standardization and Evaluation, 374 Operations Group. In February 1998, 

she moved to Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, to work for the Director of 

Operations on the Air Mobility Command Staff as the Command Flight 

Nurse Examiner and Deputy Chief, Standardization/Evaluation Branch. In 

April 2001, she moved to Cannon Air Force Base as the Chief Nurse and 

ultimately became the Commander, 27 Medical Operations Squadron and 

Deputy Commander, 27 Medical Group. Lt Col Pockett received her 

Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Fairleigh Dickinson 

University, Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1978, and is a registered nurse in 

the state of Florida. She received her Master of Arts Degree in 

Management from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri, in 1999. She 

graduated from the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 

in May, 2005 with a Masters of Strategic Studies. 

United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 1

United States and Israeli Homeland Security: 

A Comparative Analysis of Emergency 

Preparedness Efforts 

Consuella B. Pockett 

I. Introduction 

This paper will provide a comparative analysis of the United States 

(U.S.) Department of Homeland Security’s Emergency Preparedness and 

Response directorate and the Israel Defense Forces’ Home Front 

Command. It will focus on the preparedness aspect of homeland security 

and will address similarities and differences of both organizations, recent 

initiatives within each organization, and collaborative efforts between the 

United States and Israel in support of homeland security. It will illustrate 

that both organizations have made great strides in their homeland security 

efforts but there is still much that needs to be done. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was established on 

January 23, 2003, in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks 

against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The Emergency 

Preparedness and Response Directorate of the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security is built upon the long and solid track record of the 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It oversees the federal 

government’s national response and recovery strategy and ensures our 

nation is prepared for natural disasters and terrorist attacks.1

 Israel does 

not have a Department of Homeland Security. Israel established its Home 

Front Command, an entity of the Israel Defense Force (IDF), in February 

1992, largely as a result of events of the 1991 Gulf War.2 The Home 

Front Command falls under the minister of defense within the IDF. 

The main difference between our U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security and the Israeli Home Front Command is in the matter of 

responsibility.3 In the United States, peacetime events are controlled by 

the governor of each state. The governor may ask for federal assistance 
2 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

and the president may authorize the deployment of military forces but the 

governor will never give up control of the situation. In Israel, peacetime 

events are handled by the first responders, the police, fire department, and 

medics. During times of war, events are always handled by the Home 

Front Command. In the event of an unconventional attack, the Home 

Front Command will immediately take control of the situation and will 

initiate the build-up and training of forces and the “common language” of 

the first responders.4

There are certainly lessons the United States can learn from Israel’s 

35-year battle against terrorism. We must not forget, however, that Israel 

is a small country approximately the size of our state of New Jersey. 

Therefore, many of Israel’s security initiatives are simply not practical or 

feasible for implementation within the United States of America. 

Furthermore, the Home Front Command is a well-established organization 

that has been in existence for nearly 12 years while the U.S. Department 

of Homeland Security is a relatively new organization that was formally 

established less than one year ago. The fact that the Home Front 

Command is a much more established organization than the U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security explains the vast progress it has made 

in its emergency response and preparedness efforts. 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 3

II. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

Every day Homeland Security works to deliver on our 

mission to better prevent, prepare and respond to a 

terrorist attack. We pursued that mission not merely by 

setting up one authority for 22 different agencies, but by 

setting goals and meeting them, and we are, and we will. 

–Secretary Tom Ridge 

Remarks to the American Enterprise Institute 

September 2, 2003 

President Bush established the Office of Homeland Security within 

the Executive Office of the President by executive order on October 8, 

2001. The Office of Homeland Security, headed by former Pennsylvania 

Governor Tom Ridge, published the National Strategy for Homeland 

Security in July 2002 to mobilize and organize our nation to secure the 

United States homeland from terrorist attacks.5

 The three objectives 

outlined in the National Strategy for Homeland Security are: 1) prevent 

terrorist attacks within the United States, 2) reduce America’s 

vulnerability to terrorism, and 3) minimize the damage and recover from 

attacks that do occur.6 President Bush proposed establishment of the 

Department of Homeland Security on June 6, 2002. The Senate confirmed 

Tom Ridge as the secretary of the new Department of Homeland Security 

on January 8, 2003. The executive order establishing the Department of 

Homeland Security was signed on January 23, 2003. 

The Department of Homeland Security was established primarily to 

unify the huge national network of organizations and institutions involved 

in efforts to secure our nation. The Department developed its own 

strategic plan, Securing Our Homeland – U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security Strategic Plan 2004, to provide guidance to its 180,000 assigned 

personnel. The vision for the Department reads: “Preserving our freedoms, 

protecting America . . . we secure our homeland.”7

 The Department’s 

mission states: “We will lead the unified national effort to secure America. 

We will prevent and deter terrorist attacks and protect against and respond 

to threats and hazards to the nation. We will ensure safe and secure 
4 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

borders, welcome lawful immigrants and visitors, and promote the freeflow of commerce.”8

 The Department’s strategic goals are: awareness, 

prevention, protection, response, recovery, service, and organizational 

excellence.9 Strategic Goal 4, Response, best addresses the preparedness 

aspect of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This goal is to 

“Lead, manage and coordinate the national response to acts of terrorism, 

natural disasters, or other emergencies.”10 There are three objectives 

under the strategic response goal (1) “Reduce the loss of life and property 

by strengthening nationwide response readiness,” (2) “Provide scalable 

and robust all-hazard response capability,” and (3) “Provide search and 

rescue services to people and property in distress.”11

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security consists of five major 

directorates: Border and Transportation Security, Emergency Preparedness 

and Response, Science and Technology, Information Analysis and 

Infrastructure Protection, and Management. The Border and 

Transportation Security directorate consolidates major security and 

transportation operations, the Emergency Preparedness and Response 

directorate oversees domestic disaster preparedness training and 

coordinates government disaster response, the Science and Technology 

directorate utilizes science and technology advantages to secure the 

homeland, the Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection 

directorate analyzes intelligence involving threats to homeland security 

and evaluates vulnerabilities in the nation’s infrastructure, and the 

Management directorate is responsible for budget, management, and 

personnel issues within the Department.12

Secretary Ridge spoke at the Miami-Dade Office of Emergency 

Management on July 30, 2004, after several days of training exercises. In 

his speech, he explained that the National Response Plan was developed 

by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to integrate all federal 

response capabilities under “a single ‘all hazards’ system for prevention, 

preparedness, response and recovery.”13 Secretary Ridge said: 

Before September 11th, every state, every city, and even 

individual response teams had their own procedures for 

emergency incidents...For the first time, the National 

Response plan provides a comprehensive roadmap for 

everyone to follow...As part of this plan we also introduced 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 5

the National Incident Management System so that those 

individuals involved in emergency response understand 

what their role is – and has the tools they need to be 

effective...It’s the Nation’s first-ever standardized 

approach to incident management and response and it 

unifies federal, state, and local lines of government into 

one coordinated effort. This integrated system makes 

America safer – across our entire nation and throughout 

every neighborhood – by establishing a uniform set of 

processes, protocols, and procedures that all emergency 

responders – at every level of government - will use to 

conduct response actions...Now everyone shows up on 

game day with the same playbook. They will have the same 

preparation, the same goals and expectations, and – most 

importantly – they will be speaking the same language.14,15

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Public Website

The public website for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

identifies three key steps individuals and families should take in 

preparation for unexpected emergencies. These key steps are (1) 

Assemble an Emergency Kit, (2) Make a Family Communication Plan, 

and (3) Learn More About Readiness.16 The website advises that we 

should be able to survive comfortably on our own for at least three days 

because we may need to stay in our homes for that long in the event of a 

chemical, biological, or radiological attack. The emergency kit should 

include a change of clothes, sleeping bag, and food and water. The site 

states that each person should have three gallons of water per day and 

recommends canned and dried foods. Additional instructions under the 

Assemble an Emergency Kit section state: “Our advice is to start now by 

gathering basic emergency supplies – a flashlight, a battery powered radio, 

extra batteries, a first-aid kit, prescription medicines, and toilet articles. 

Duct tape and heavy–duty plastic garbage bags can be used to seal 

windows and doors. Make sure all household members know where the 

kit is kept. You should also consider bringing a disaster supply kit to 

work or leaving one in your car.”17
6 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

Instructions provided under the Family Communication Plan section 

include making sure everyone knows contact numbers and recommends 

calling an out-of-state friend or relative, keeping a list of emergency 

numbers near the phone, and selecting a “safe room,” preferably an 

interior room above ground with few windows and doors, where everyone 

can gather.18

Instructions given under the Learning More About Readiness section 

address the fact that people will be calmer in the aftermath of a terrorist 

attack if they know what to expect. It advises that local authorities will 

broadcast information as quickly as possible. Finally, it suggests taking 

classes in first aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), reviewing 

insurance policies, making accommodations for elderly and special needs 

family members and neighbors, and arrangements for pets not allowed in 

public shelters. “All Americans should begin a process of learning about 

potential threats so they are better prepared to react during an attack.”19

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security public website also 

contains a link to “Frequently Asked Questions About Citizen 

Preparedness.”20 This site recommends against purchasing gas masks for 

family members citing legitimate safety concerns due to improper use of 

masks and hoods as well as a false sense of security as to their 

effectiveness. It also answers questions related to “safe rooms” and 

addresses the rationale behind using duct tape and plastic sheeting to 

create an airlock to reduce the infiltration of chemical agents.21

U.S. Northern Command 

U.S. Northern Command, a joint command, was established on 

October 1, 2002, to ensure the military defense of the United States and to 

coordinate Total Force efforts. U.S. Northern Command announced full 

operational capability on September 11, 2003, less than one year after 

being established. U.S. Northern Command is the focal point for 

coordinating and providing military assistance to civilian first responders. 

It ensures our national security against domestic threats and helps respond 

to natural and man-made disasters. U.S. Northern Command is 

responsible for the defense of the continental United States, Alaska, Puerto 

Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific and 

Atlantic Oceans within 500 miles of the United States. Canada and 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 7

Mexico are also included in U.S. Northern Command’s area of 

responsibility because their close cooperation and coordination is critical 

to the defense of North America.22 “The establishment of the United 

States Northern Command (NORTHCOM) strengthened the capabilities 

of the nation to respond to terrorism. The command solidifies the 

Department of Defense (DoD) role in homeland defense and provides 

information to federal, state, and local authorities.”23

Homeland defense is defined as protection of U.S. territory, 

sovereignty, the domestic population and our critical infrastructure. U.S. 

Northern Command provides homeland defense and is only one piece of 

the national homeland security effort. Homeland security is defined as a 

national effort that includes individuals and organizations working 

together to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce our 

vulnerability to terrorism, and, if terrorist attacks should occur again, to 

minimize the damage and recover from them. U.S. Northern Command’s 

job is to safeguard and defend America and American interests within its 

area of responsibility.24

When a disaster occurs, the first responders are normally the local 

agencies: the police, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS). Local 

agencies will request state-level assistance if the disaster exceeds their 

ability to contain or manage it. The state may seek federal assistance if 

the crisis is large enough. The lead federal agency may request assistance 

from the president or secretary of defense if the emergency exceeds the 

lead agent’s capability to manage it. DoD will evaluate the request and 

may task U.S. Northern Command with providing support to the lead 

federal agency, usually FEMA or the Federal Bureau of Investigation 

(FBI).25

The responsibility for protecting citizens from disasters and for 

helping them to recover when a disaster strikes is shared by local and state 

governments. “The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

Assistance Act, Public Law 93-288, as amended (the Stafford Act) was 

enacted to support state and local governments and their citizens when 

disasters overwhelm them. This law establishes a process for requesting 

and obtaining a Presidential disaster declaration, defines the type and 

scope of the assistance available under the Stafford Act, and sets the 

conditions for obtaining that assistance.”26 A preliminary damage 

assessment (PDA) is conducted by local, state, and federal officials when 
8 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

the governor of the affected state, through the regional FEMA office, 

requests a presidential declaration that a disaster or emergency exists. The 

PDA provides an estimate of the extent of the disaster and the impact on 

individuals and public facilities. The information gathered during the 

PDA is included in the governor’s request. The governor must annotate, 

in his request, that the state’s emergency plan has been executed, the 

response is beyond local and state capabilities, and that Stafford Act 

assistance is required. Federal assistance will be activated if the president 

declares the existence of a disaster or emergency.27 There are three 

categories of federal assistance available under a disaster declaration: 

individual assistance, public assistance, and hazard mitigation assistance. 

One of U.S. Northern Command’s primary missions is to provide 

military assistance to civil authorities involved in disaster response and 

recovery operations, control of civil disturbances, and law enforcement 

activities. The provision of military forces is subject to the controls of the 

Posse Comitatus Act.28 Normally, military forces must be requested by 

local, state, or federal agencies and approved by the president or secretary 

of defense. U.S. Northern Command only provides assistance after it is 

tasked by DoD. Normally, military support to civil authorities is provided 

only after the resources available to local, state, and federal agencies have 

been exhausted or are inadequate or unavailable.29 Once activated by the 

president or the secretary of defense, U.S. Northern Command will most 

likely be in a supporting role to the U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security which is the lead federal agency. 

General Blum’s Concept of Operations 

The current “draft” U.S. Northern Command 2002 provides for state 

to regional response capability by the National Guard and specifically 

identifies the National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and 

Nuclear (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package (NG CERFP) 

concept of operations. The NG CERFP concept was created by Lt Gen H. 

Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau and former chief of 

staff, U.S. Northern Command. His plan is to put one NG CERFP in each 

state. The first 12 teams have been in place since August 1, 2004, and 

have supported the G8 Annual Summit, the Democratic National 

Convention and the Republican National Convention. Ten of the first 12 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 9

teams are staffed by Air National Guard medics. It is anticipated that all 

state teams will be staffed by Air National Guard medics with shortfalls 

coming from Army National Guard medics. This will present a significant 

challenge since Army forward operations leave very little Army National 

Guard medics to support the Homeland. Traditionally, the Air National 

Guard medics are the first of the Air Force Medical Service medics to be 

tasked by DoD when required to support federal, state, or local agencies 

during Homeland Security events.30 

General Blum selected the Air Force’s Expeditionary Medical 

Support (EMEDS) concept of operations as the foundation for the medical 

element of the NG CERFP. The “full-spectrum” capability of EMEDS 

meets the disaster response, weapons of mass destruction (WMD) event, 

and consequence management aspect of the NG CERFP and U.S. 

Northern Command “draft” Annex Q. The National Guard Bureau 

purchased 12 Small Portable Expeditionary Aeromedical Rapid Response 

equipment sets and placed them in each of the first 12 states. In addition, 

the National Guard Bureau purchased an EMEDS + 25 package, 

scheduled for delivery in December 2004, to be placed in Kansas as a 

“reach-back” for all states. A “Letter of Intent” is being prepared by the 

U.S. Northern Command Surgeon General requesting resourcing of Air 

National Guard medical assets as part of the NG CERFP.31

The Strategic National Stockpile Program 

Congress charged the Department of Health and Human Services 

(HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the 

establishment of the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile (NPS) in 1999.32 

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 tasked the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security with establishing the goals and performance 

requirements of the NPS program. The U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security was also tasked with managing the actual deployment of NPS 

assets. The NPS became the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) on March 

1, 2003, and is now managed jointly by the U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security and the HHS. 

“The SNS is a national repository of antibiotics, chemical antidotes, 

IV administration, airway maintenance supplies, and medical/surgical 

items.”33 The SNS has 12-hour Push Packages positioned in strategically 
10 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

located warehouses ready for deployment to designated sites within 12 

hours of the federal decision to deploy SNS assets. These 12-hour Push 

Packages are configured for immediate loading onto trucks or aircraft for 

the most rapid transport. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will 

transfer authority for the SNS supplies to the state or local authorities once 

they arrive at the designated receiving and storage sites. State and local 

authorities are then responsible for the breakdown and distribution of the 

12-hour Push Packages. 

The affected state’s governor’s office must directly request the 

deployment of SNS assets from the CDC or the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security who will evaluate the request and determine the course 

of action. The SNS program is included in a nationwide preparedness 

training and education program for state and local health care providers, 

first responders, and governments. Training alerts state and local response 

officials to the issues they must plan for in order to receive, secure and 

distribute SNS assets.34 The NPS program was activated in response to 

the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks when New York City officials 

requested large amounts of medical material and logistic support.35

President Bush signed the Project BioShield legislation on July 21, 

2004. This legislation authorizes $5.6 billion over 10 years to stockpile 

vaccines and drugs to counter anthrax, smallpox, and other biological 

terror agents.36 Bush said, “The Department of Health and Human 

Services has already taken steps to purchase 75 million doses of an 

improved anthrax vaccine for the Strategic National Stockpile. Under 

Project BioShield, HHS is moving forward with plans to require a safer 

second-generation smallpox vaccine, an antidote to botulism toxin, and 

better treatments for exposure to chemical and biological weapons.”37 The 

president said that funding for the SNS has increased by a factor of five 

since 2001 and that funding for biodefense research has increased by a 

factor of 30. The U.S. Government has also procured enough smallpox 

vaccine to vaccinate every American if necessary.38

The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) 

The NDMS is a section within the U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security, FEMA, Response Division, Operations Branch. It manages and 

coordinates the federal medical response to major emergencies and 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 11

federally declared disasters including: natural disasters, technological 

disasters, major transportation accidents, and acts of terrorism including 

WMD events. NDMS is the lead federal agency for medical response 

under the National Response Plan and works closely with the HHS, DoD, 

and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).39

There are three distinct but very inter-related components of the 

NDMS. The first component is medical response to a disaster area and 

includes medical teams, medical supplies, and equipment. The second 

component is patient movement from the disaster site to unaffected areas 

of the nation. The final component is definitive medical care at 

participating hospitals in unaffected areas of the nation.40

The NDMS, a federally coordinated system, augments the nation’s 

medical response capability. It was established as a single integrated 

national medical response capability to assist state and local authorities 

when dealing with the medical effects of major peacetime disasters. It 

also supports the military and VA medical systems in caring for casualties 

evacuated back to the United States from overseas armed conventional 

conflicts.41

Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATS) 

Disaster Medical Assistance Teams have been established within the 

NDMS under Emergency Support Function #8.42 Disaster Medical 

Assistance Teams are further divided into four specialty teams: the 

National Nurse Response Team (NNRT), the National Pharmacy 

Response Team (NPRT), the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response 

Team (DMORT), and the Veterinary Medical Assistance Team (VMAT). 

The Federal Coordinating Centers (FCCs) are also a vital component of 

the NDMS. 

The FCCs have three main functions. First, they recruit hospitals and 

maintain local non-federal hospital participation in the NDMS. Next, they 

organize exercise development and emergency plans with participating 

hospitals and other local authorities. The purpose of this function is to 

develop patient reception, transportation, and communication plans. 

Finally, they coordinate the reception and distribution of patients 

evacuated to the area during actual system activation.43
12 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

Accredited hospitals, typically with over 100 beds and located in 

large metropolitan areas across the United States, are encouraged to 

participate in a voluntary agreement with the NDMS. These hospitals 

agree to commit a percentage of their acute care beds, when available, to 

NDMS patients. Hospitals may provide more or less beds than the 

number in the agreement once system activation occurs. Hospitals who 

admit NDMS patients are guaranteed federal reimbursement.44

NDMS patients will be stabilized for transport at the disaster site. 

Normally, these patients will be evacuated by the DoD’s Aeromedical 

Evacuation System, coordinated by the Global Patient Movement 

Requirements Center (GPMRC) at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, and 

regulated to one of the FCC areas. In the event of a federally declared 

natural or technological disaster, the GPMRC will be tasked to deploy the 

Immediate Response Assessment Team (IRAT) as well as other portions 

of the federal response system to determine the need for patient 

evacuation. If it is determined there is a need for patient evacuation, 

mission tasking orders will be issued to DoD. 

Activation of FCCs will begin with instructions, issued by the 

GPMRC, for the reporting of available beds. At the same time, patient 

information will be gathered at the disaster site and forwarded to the 

GPMRC. The GPMRC will determine which FCCs receive patients based 

on patient needs, bed availability, and transportation availability. The 

GPMRC coordinates with the IRAT at the disaster site to guarantee 

smooth patient evacuation procedures. Patients will be met by local 

medical teams at the airport of the NDMS reception area, triaged, and 

transported by participating hospitals using locally available air or ground 

transport.45

Disaster Medical Assistance Teams are volunteer teams designed to 

provide emergency medical care during a disaster or other event. The 

Disaster Medical Assistance Team is composed of professional and 

paraprofessional medical personnel who are supported by a cadre of 

logistical and administrative staff. Each Disaster Medical Assistance 

Team has a sponsor which can be any organization that is willing and able 

to support the development of the DMAT. The sponsoring organization 

manages the team, arranges training, and coordinates team dispatch. The 

Disaster Medical Assistance Team may have more than one sponsor. 

Each sponsor signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the United 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 13

States Public Health Service.46 If deployed, individuals on the Disaster 

Medical Assistance Teams will be “federalized.” Federalized team 

members will be paid as federal employees on a civil service scale, 

reimbursed for travel and per diem expenses, have recognition of 

professional licensure outside the state where they are licensed, and 

protected under the Federal Tort Claims Act for liability under their 

normal scope of practice.47

NNRTs may be used in any scenario requiring hundreds of nurses to 

assist in WMD events, chemoprophylaxis, or mass vaccination programs. 

NNRTs are directed by the NDMS system in conjunction with a Regional 

Team Leader in each of the 10 standard Federal Regions. Each NNRT is 

composed of approximately 200 civilian nurses. NNRT members are 

required to: maintain appropriate certifications and licensure within their 

discipline, stay current in treatment recommendations for diseases 

compatible with WMD, complete web-based training courses in disaster 

response, humanitarian relief, bioterrorism, and other relevant training, 

participate in regular training exercises, and be available to deploy when 

needed.48

NPRTs, located in each of the 10 U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security regions, will be used to assist in chemoprophylaxis or vaccination 

programs requiring hundreds of thousands of pharmacists, pharmacy 

technicians, and students of pharmacy. NPRTs are sponsored by the 

“Working Group” of the Joint Commission of Pharmacist Practitioners in 

an undertaking with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.49

DMORTs provide victim identification and mortuary services. 

DMORT members, all private citizens with a particular field of expertise, 

are activated in the event of a disaster. DMORT members include funeral 

directors, medical examiners, coroners, pathologists, forensic 

anthropologists, medical records technicians, transcribers, finger print 

specialists, forensic odontologists, dental assistants, x-ray technicians, 

mental health specialists, computer professionals, administrative support 

staff, and security and investigative personnel. DMORTs are responsible 

for establishing temporary morgue facilities, victim identification, forensic 

dental pathology, forensic anthropology methods, and processing, 

preparation and disposition of remains. Once activated, DMORT 

members work under the direction of local authorities, providing technical 

assistance and personnel to help recover, identify and process deceased 
14 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

victims. The FEMA Response Division of the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security maintains two Disaster Portable Morgue Units 

(DPMUs) in support of the DMORT program. The DPMUs are 

maintained at FEMA Logistics Centers in Rockville, Maryland, and San 

Jose, California. Each DPMU includes a self-contained morgue with 

designated workstations and prepackaged equipment and supplies.50

VMATs provide assistance in assessing the extent of disruption and 

need for veterinary services following major disasters or emergencies. All 

VMAT members are private citizens with one of the following specialties: 

clinical veterinarians, veterinary pathologists, veterinary technicians, 

microbiologists, virologists, epidemiologists, toxicologists, and various 

support personnel. The VMATS are responsible for assessing the medical 

needs of animals, medical treatment and stabilization of animals, animal 

disease surveillance, zoonotic disease surveillance and public health 

assessments, technical assistance to verify food and water quality, hazard 

mitigation, animal decontamination, and biological and chemical terrorism 

surveillance.51

The NDMS has established a self-paced Response Team Training 

Program designed to standardize the training received by all members. 

The goals of this training program are to: 1) provide all team members 

with the appropriate orientation and training for optimal in-field 

performance, 2) allow team members the opportunity to receive training as 

their schedule allows from any computer with Internet access, 3) provide 

training in a standardized learning environment, and 4) present NDMS 

response team members with the most current and accurate information 

available.52 Each session of the training program has established 

requirements and performance measurements. Members who complete 

the end of session examination with a passing score will receive 

certification in that particular training session. The Office of Emergency 

Response awards Continuing Education Units, in a wide range of medical 

specialties, to NDMS members who successfully complete the training 

program.53

The Citizen Corps Program 

The Citizen Corps was established by the White House in 2002 as 

part of the USA Freedom Corps. On October 1, 2003, the Citizen Corps 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 15

Program was transferred to the Office of Domestic Preparedness as part of 

the Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 Homeland Security Appropriations Act.54 The 

Citizen Corps home page on the Web reads: “Citizen Corps asks you to 

embrace the personal responsibility to be prepared; to get training in first 

aid and emergency skills; and to volunteer to support local emergency 

responders, disaster relief, and community safety.”55 The home page 

provides links to local Citizen Corps Councils, the USA Freedom Corps, 

the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Office for Domestic 

Preparedness, FEMA, and other resources. The Citizen Corps “was 

created to help coordinate volunteer activities that will make our 

communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to any 

emergency situation. It provides opportunities for people to participate in 

a range of measures to make their families, their homes, and their 

communities safer from the threats of crime, terrorism, and disasters of all 

kinds.”56 There are currently more than 1,200 Citizen Corps Councils 

nationwide which serve approximately fifty percent of the population of 

the United States.57

The Citizen Corps Program offers numerous publications with 

information on how citizens can be better prepared for potential threats. 

These publications can either be downloaded from the Citizen Corps 

website or ordered by calling the toll-free number to the FEMA 

Distribution Center. Are You Ready? A Guide to Citizen Preparedness, a 

Citizen Corps publication, “is a 100-page publication that provides a stepby-step outline on how to prepare a disaster supply kit, emergency 

planning for people with disabilities, how to locate and evacuate to a 

shelter, and even contingency planning for family pets. Natural hazards 

and man-made threats from hazardous materials and terrorism are also 

treated in detail with specific preparedness and response information for 

each hazard.”58

FEMA’s Community and Family Preparedness Program and the 

American Red Cross Community Disaster Education Program are 

nationwide efforts to help people prepare for all types of disasters. FEMA 

and The American Red Cross have co-produced two pamphlets; Your 

Family Disaster Supplies Kit and the Emergency Preparedness Checklist. 

Both pamphlets offer information to help prepare for hurricanes, 

earthquakes, tornadoes, winter storms, flash floods, fires, and hazardous 

materials spills. These pamphlets can be obtained by calling the toll-free 
16 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

number to the FEMA Distribution Center, the local chapter of the 

American Red Cross, or from the FEMA or American Red Cross websites. 

The Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) 

The Metropolitan Medical Response System program began in 1996 

and officially became a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

on March 1, 2003. The program was established to develop or enhance 

existing emergency preparedness systems and effectively respond to a 

public health crisis. The primary focus of the program is on WMD events. 

It allows local law enforcement, HAZMAT, fire, EMS, hospital, public 

health, and other first responders to respond more effectively within the 

first 48 hours of an event.59
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 17

III. Recent Developments in the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security 

Homeland security must be a priority in every city, every 

neighborhood, and every house across America. 

–Mr. Tom Ridge 

Secretary, U.S. Department 

of Homeland Security 

RapidCom 9/30 

RapidCom 9/30, a program that will allow first responders in 10 highthreat urban areas to communicate with each other in the event of a large 

emergency, is a recent example of how the U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security works with state and local governments and public safety 

officials to make America safer. President Bush formally announced the 

program on July 22, 2004. This program guaranteed incident-level, 

interoperable emergency communications capability in New York, 

Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, 

Houston, Jersey City, Miami, and Boston by September 30, 2004. First 

responders from various disciplines and regional jurisdictions are able to 

communicate using existing equipment that is rendered interoperable by a 

patch-driven device that connects different models of equipment that 

would otherwise be incompatible. 

The RapidCom 9/30 program specifies equipment needs and 

integrates each community’s key factors of frequency of use, standard 

operating procedures, regional governance, training, and exercise into a 

solution for interoperability. RapidCom 9/30 supplies the 10 high-threat 

urban areas with the help they need to make the equipment work. This 

includes technical assistance, development of standard operating 

procedures, equipment training, help with test and exercise planning, and 

instituting a regional governance structure. The RapidCom 9/30 program 

is a model for incident-level interoperability in other urban areas and for 

the long-term goal of full interoperability.60
18 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

National Incident Management System (NIMS) 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge 

announced approval of the NIMS on March 1, 2004. NIMS, the nation’s 

first standardized management plan, created a unified structure for federal, 

state, and local governments to use when responding to incidents.61 

Secretary Ridge said, “NIMS gives all of our Nation’s responders the 

same framework for incident management and fully puts into practice the 

concept of, ‘One mission, one team, one fight’...This unique system 

provides all of our nation’s first responders and authorities with the same 

foundation for incident management, in terrorist attacks, natural disasters, 

and other emergencies.”62 By identifying and integrating core elements 

and best practices, NIMS bolsters America’s response capabilities. NIMS 

employs common doctrine, terminology, concepts, principles, and 

processes ensuring consistent and seamless response execution during 

incidents. It improves teamwork and assignments, allowing all responders 

to focus on the actual response rather than on organizing the response. 

There are five key elements of NIMS: Incident Command System 

(ICS), Preparedness, Communications and Information Management, Joint 

Information System (JIS), and NIMS Integration Center (NIC). ICS is a 

standardized incident management organization with five functional areas: 

command, operations, planning, logistics, and finance administration. 

Universally incorporated into NIMS is the concept of unified command 

which provides for and assures joint decisions on objectives, strategies, 

plans, priorities, and public communications. The preparedness function 

of NIMS recognizes that responder readiness to manage and conduct 

incident actions is enhanced considerably when professionals have worked 

together before an incident occurs. The NIMS defines advance 

preparedness measures such as planning, training, exercises, qualification 

and certification, equipment acquisition and certification, and publication 

management. It also incorporates public education, enforcement of 

building standards and codes, and preventive measures to minimize the 

loss of life or property. Because standardized communications are critical 

in the event of an incident, NIMS stipulates interoperable communications 

systems for incident and information management. 

JIS gives the public timely and accurate information and unified 

public messages. By utilizing Joint Information Centers, JIS ensures that 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 19

federal, state, tribal, and local levels of government are releasing the same 

information in the event of an incident. 

The NIC provides strategic direction and oversight to the NIMS. It 

assesses proposals for changes to the NIMS, captures and evaluates 

lessons learned, and employs best practices. NIC also creates and 

oversees the implementation of national standards for NIMS education 

and training, first responder communications and equipment, and 

qualification and credentialing of incident management and responder 

personnel. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security trained more than 

200,000 emergency responders in classes from awareness and prevention 

to chemical HAZMAT techniques training in an 18-month period from 

late 2003 to early 2005 alone. NIMS will continue to supply the nation’s 

doctrinal guidance for incident management for acts of terrorism, natural 

disasters, and other emergencies.63

The National Response Plan 

The Initial National Response Plan (INRP) was deployed nationwide 

in October 2003 as the first step in aligning incident management response 

and actions among all federal, state, tribal, local, and private communities. 

A final National Response Plan is currently under development and will 

eventually replace the INRP. The Catastrophic Incident Response 

Strategy will become a component of the National Response Plan. This 

strategy will create a coordinated design to hasten the delivery of the 

resources and capabilities state and local authorities need in the event of a 

catastrophic incident with large numbers of casualties.64

The Ready Campaign 

The Ready Campaign, a national public service advertising campaign 

geared to educating and empowering American citizens to prepare for and 

respond to potential terrorist threats and other emergencies, was 

introduced by the Department of Homeland Security in February 2003. 

The Listo Campaign, the Spanish-language version of the Ready 

Campaign, was launched in December 2003.65
20 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

NDMS Section Updates

The Department of Homeland Security’s NDMS Section now 

manages an Operations Support Center. The center can be accessed by 

emergency managers and team leaders around the clock. Standardized 

Patient Treatment Forms have been developed for use by NDMS Section 

teams. These forms have been printed and will soon be distributed. The 

NDMS Section is in the process of updating its training policy to identify 

levels of courses and procedures necessary for compliance with new 

regulatory guidance.66

Homeland Security Programs 

In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security instituted courses at 

the Noble Training Center in Alabama, a former Army hospital converted 

to a training center. Training at the Noble Center focuses on mass 

casualty preparedness.67

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently adopted its first 

standards regarding personal protective equipment to protect emergency 

personnel against the harmful effects of chemical, biological, radiological, 

and nuclear events. These standards are intended to provide first 

responders with the best protective gear available today and will assist 

state and local officials in the procurement process. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has streamlined its grant 

process by eliminating multiple applications and consolidating 

administrative procedures. The amount of time required to obtain 

necessary funding is significantly reduced by this new process. Five 

separate programs were incorporated into two consolidated grant programs 

in FY 2004. The department distributed $180 million in Emergency 

Management Performance Grants in FY 2004 allowing state and local 

governments to hire personnel and focus on an all-hazards approach to 

emergency management. These grants represent a 9 percent increase over 

2003 and a 54 percent increase over FY 2002 and earlier.68 Two billion 

dollars will be distributed to over 20,000 local fire departments through 

the Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant Program by the end of FY 2004 and 

another $750 million will be awarded to fire departments across the 

United States to help meet their preparedness needs.69
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 21

The National Exercise Program has been identified as a primary 

initiative under Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8 and initiated 

by the department. It establishes the framework for exercise scheduling, 

design and evaluation. Exercises are intended to test the response 

capabilities of federal, state, local, and tribal agencies. Efforts are also 

made to include private sector and international participation. The Top 

Officials (TOPOFF) National Exercise Series is the cornerstone of the 

National Exercise Program. TOPOFF is a biennial program that consists 

of a functional exercise the first year and a full-scale exercise the 

following year with a series of seminars to provide continuity.70

United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 23

IV. The Home Front Command 

There was a serious lack of systematic preparation of the Israeli 

citizenry when 39 Iraqi El-Hussein SCUD missiles were launched against 

Israeli cities. Seventy-four Israelis died and an additional 228 individuals 

were wounded during the SCUD attacks during the 1991 Gulf War.71 In 

addition, structural damages included destruction of 28 buildings and 

damage to 4,100 buildings. The Home Front Command, an entity of the 

IDF, was established in February 1992 in response to problems that 

emerged during the 1991 Gulf War and the constant terrorist attacks 

within Israel. It replaced the Civil Guard, formed after the 1973 war, 

which was incapable of coping with the 1991 attacks on the Israeli 

Homefront.72 The Home Front Command was created to (1) free the 

regional commands to deal with the front line, (2) improve cooperation 

with emergency services (police, EMS, and fire), government ministries 

and local authorities, and (3) to unite responsibility with the authorities.73 

Threats to the Israeli home front include ballistic missile attacks, mass 

disasters (Israel is in a major earthquake region), air attacks, and terrorist 

actions. 

The responsibility for security, border patrol and overall defense falls 

under the IDF. The Home Front Command, headquartered in the Ramla 

area, is responsible for protecting the civilian population. 74 It has 

authority over the majority of Israel’s rear area civil, police, and medical 

services during national emergencies.75 The Home Front Command is in 

charge of preparing for chemical attacks and will respond to such attacks 

during times of emergency when the responsibility for national security 

has been transferred from the local police to the IDF. The Home Front 

Command always stands ready to take over responsibility in the event of 

an attack.76 The commander of the Home Front Command is notified of 

and coordinates the response to all incidents within the country. 

The vision of the Home Front Command is to be the “National leader 

of civil protection for lives saving, worthy of population trust and a 

knowledge center in different subjects in Israel and abroad.”77 The three 

tasks of the Home Front Command are (1) the responsibility for civil 

defense, (2) Chief Home Front Officer and (3) territorial command.78 The 

Home Front Command doctrines developed to date include bioterrorism, 
24 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

chemical terrorism, earthquakes, conventional events, and unconventional 

events.79 The goals of the Home Front Command are to (1) define the 

civilian defense concept, (2) steer, direct and prepare the civilian 

population for a state of emergency, (3) direct and guide all civilian 

systems, auxiliary organizations, the Israeli police and the military 

systems, (4) prepare the home front for a state of emergency, according to 

the Civil Defense Law, (5) serve as the primary professional authority in 

the IDF for civil defense, and (6) serve as a territorial command in its 

area.80 The responsibilities of the Home Front Command are to (1) 

command and coordinate all forces involved in the incident, in order to 

optimize the national response, (2) develop a combined doctrine for all the 

forces involved in the incident, (3) carry out combined training at all 

levels of command, (4) inform and instruct the civilian population in 

personal and collective protection issues, (5) plan and deploy warning 

systems, and (6) to be in continuous readiness to help police forces during 

terrorist incidents.81

The Home Front Command is divided into six national districts: 

North, South, Central, Dan, Haifa, and Jerusalem.82 Each district has an 

active duty staff commanded by an officer with the rank of colonel.83 

These six districts are further divided into 27 sub-districts and then into 

battalions. There are six types of battalions within the Home Front 

Command: Rescue, National Rescue, Salvage, Nuclear/Biological/ 

Chemical, Light Infantry, and Military Police battalions.84 All battalions 

are composed of reserve forces.85 In addition, there are five other types of 

units available to help protect the Israeli home front: observation 

companies, medical units, fire brigade units (these are combined military 

and civilian units), warning and alarm systems, and information, 

instruction and civilian care departments.86

The Home Front Command is a very complicated organization which 

encompasses nine government ministries and seven civil organizations. 

“There is tight and continuous cooperation between the Home Front 

Command and emergency organizations (police, fire department, EMS, 

Emergency Economy Organization, and the authorities), both on 

theoretical matters (doctrine) and on practical matters (exercises).”87 The 

police are responsible for the initial management of an event until the 

Home Front Command takes on further command.88 The key elements of 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 25

success of the Home Front Command revolve around simplicity, drilling, 

and lessons learned.89

Israel uses active and passive forms of response to protect itself. 

Active response is provided by the Air Force, the Arrow system and the 

Patriot, and the IDF. Passive response, provided by the Home Front 

Command, includes the siren system, search and rescue forces, protective 

kits, medical response teams, and protected spaces.90 The Home Front 

Command is responsible for the overall readiness of Israel’s home front 

during a state of emergency and is prepared to deal with threats. The 

Home Front Command engages in the following activities on a routine 

basis: 

• Promoting an operational doctrine for dealing with conventional 

and non-conventional threats (chemical or biological); 

• Preparing and drilling search and rescue forces, the fire brigade, 

medical teams, security forces, and units specializing in defense 

against non-conventional warfare; 

• Setting up and maintaining a network of sirens throughout the 

country; 

• Deciding on instructions for protection; 

• Distributing protective kits to the civilian population and updating 

them when required; 

• Joint exercises with emergency organizations and local authorities; 

and 

• Training the civilian population and publishing instructions on 

behavior during an emergency.91

The Home Front Command published a very comprehensive 52-page 

brochure titled, In the event of a genuine alert, Information on Civil 

Defense for the Family, in January 2003. The foreword, signed by MajorGeneral Yosef Mishlev, commanding general of the Home Front 

Command, states, “This brochure is intended to help you and your family 

prepare for a state of emergency and make it easier to deal with possible 

events.”92 The brochure, distributed to every home in Israel, describes 

both conventional and non-conventional threats.93 The brochure outlines 
26 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

precise “instructions for action during an attack on the home front”94

including procedures to be taken during an attack, how to cope with a state 

of emergency, a review of the civilian protection package, installation of 

ventilation and filter systems, preparation of the standard protected space, 

use of the protective kit, procedures for accessing the health system, and 

general first aid instructions. 

The Protected Space 

“The Doctrine for the Protection of the Civilian Population in Israel, 

as formulated by the Ministry of Defense, is based on the concept of the 

Protected Space.”95 The protected space is designed to provide protection 

to its occupants against conventional and non-conventional attacks for 

several hours. By law, every new building or addition to an existing 

building, since 1992 has been constructed with an Apartment Protected 

Space (APS) or a Floor Protected Space (FPS).96 There has been a 2 

percent increase per year in the number of safe rooms since 1992. Shelters 

can be found in private joined buildings, private houses, and dual-purpose 

public buildings. 

“Protected spaces must be built according to engineering 

specifications given in the Regulations.”97 The ventilation and filtering 

system, known as collective protection, allows people to remain in the 

protected spaces for an unlimited period of time without needing to wear 

gas masks.98 Examples of protective space characteristics include 

concrete envelopes, stable concrete towers, blast doors and windows, 

sealed envelopes, air filtering systems, internal finishing layers, and 

communication means.99 On March 17, 2003, the Home Front Command 

announced that the public must obtain the necessary materials and 

complete preparations for their sealed rooms. The required materials are 

identified, in various languages, in the booklet distributed by the Home 

Front Command as well as on their website.100

Protective Kits 

The Home Front Command has 42 protective kit distribution centers 

throughout the country.101 These centers are capable of handling 3,000 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 27

people each day. The protective kits contain an appropriately sized and 

age-specific gas mask with filter, one atropine injector, and an instruction 

manual.102 The Home Front Command advises that the protective kits 

should not be opened until they have issued a specific broadcast telling the 

Israeli public to do so.103 “The Home Front Command periodically invites 

the public to refresh and replenish the kits, and adapts them to the specific 

needs of each individual.”104 Professor Efraim Inbar, head of the BESA 

Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, says, “Having a 

protection kit has come to be regarded here as an ‘inalienable right.’ It 

ranks alongside the right to vote as a mark of Israeli citizenship.”105

Major General Gabi Ophir, former head of the Home Front 

Command, was quoted as saying that roughly 60 percent of the Israeli 

population had up-to-date protective equipment in 2001.106 He went on to 

say that the Home Front Command “has a huge reserve force that can be 

mobilized to close any gap very quickly, if the situation requires it.”107 

Israel has a population of 6.2 million.108 If 60 percent is still a good figure 

for the percentage of the Israeli population with up-to-date protective 

equipment, then 3.72 million Israeli citizens are protected. In 2001, it cost 

the Israeli government $8.50 per person to distribute and maintain gas 

masks.109 David Klein, an expert on strategic planning who conducted a 

study on civil defense for the Jaffee Institute of Strategic Studies at Tel 

Aviv University, claims, “Israel is, in effect, spending $50 million for each 

casualty prevented in a nonconventional weapons attack.”110

The Home Front Command provides life support services and 

population defense systems. In the event of an attack, the Home Front 

Command is responsible for the evacuation of injured and deceased 

persons. They also coordinate evacuation of the population as needed. If 

chemical or biological agents are involved in an attack, the Home Front 

Command will handle the decontamination procedures. 

The Emergency Economic System was established to balance the 

needs of governmental agencies and the local authorities against the needs 

of the Israeli army which is supplied by the local economy during war. It 

supports the Prime Minister’s office during emergencies and sets priorities 

during war or natural disasters. In times of war, it provides essential 

public services to the population of Israel and is responsible for providing 

the three strategic reserves of the country: food, fuel, and medicine. 

Because Israel is a small country with limited manpower and resources, 
28 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

IDF reserves and transportation vehicles are taken from the civilian sector. 

The Emergency Economic System supports the Home Front Command by 

supplying information about the area where the attack occurred, the 

population of the area, and the existing infrastructure of the area.111

The IDF Medical Corps 

The mission of the IDF Medical Corps is (1) “To provide the best 

medical care in times of war, security operations and in routine, day-today life,” (2) “To maintain responsibility for military infirmaries 

throughout Israel, and in times of war, for Homefront Command hospitals 

and field hospitals,” and (3) “To maintain, improve and promote all health 

services in the IDF.”112 The Home Front Command’s Medical 

Department is “Responsible for conducting drills for preparing hospitals 

for dealing with mass casualty events: conventional and non-conventional; 

writing the doctrine for the HFC medical units, train and activate them in 

case of need.”113 The Medical Department also operates a “command and 

control room 24 hours a day in order to direct evacuation of injured to 

hospitals during mass disasters and terror attacks.”114 The Medical Corps 

is intimately involved in all response stages in the event of an attack on the 

home front. The Medical Company consists of six medical platoons with 

one medical platoon assigned to each rescue company and the remainder 

of the medical platoons at the medical unit stations.115

According to the Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center 

(AFMIC), the Home Front Command has, in addition to the atropine autoinjectors included in the protective kits, pyridostigmine bromide tablets 

available for the civilian population.116 AFMIC also asserts that the Home 

Front Command stockpiles and can readily distribute broad-spectrum 

antibiotics.117 In times of emergency, high school students will be 

recruited to assist the IDF Home Front Command and rescue forces. The 

role of the students will be to assist in the distribution of medications, 

render assistance to the population in shelters and assist in the hospitals.118
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 29

V. Israeli Homeland Security Initiatives 

Our ability to protect the Israeli public via air defense and 

Home Front readiness is exceptional. The Home Front 

Command and the IDF have set up an information center 

for queries. The fear of the unknown is what frightens the 

public. I recommend that people contact their local 

authorities, who are well prepared and organized, with all 

their relevant questions. 

–Brigadier General Ruth Yaron, IDF Spokesperson 

Voice of Israel Radio Interview, December 2, 2003 

The Israeli government has developed a highly-trained and multilayered response infrastructure to protect its citizens from the daily 

terrorist threat. The military, security, and intelligence forces provide the 

outer layer of protection through offensive operations against terrorist 

activities. Defensive measures are deployed at the inner layer of response 

in an effort to disrupt and thwart attempts by terrorist groups to carry out 

operations against Israeli targets.119 Disaster rescue teams, including 

special security elements, police crowd control and forensic units, bomb 

dispersal experts, “body handlers” and paramedics, who usually arrive 

only minutes after an attack, are responsible for responding to terrorist 

attacks. Israel’s civil defense doctrine is “based on a series of concentric 

circles of increasing protection, with the individual citizen at the 

center.”120 Security is created by a series of early warning systems that 

alerts the public, provides information, protective kits, procedures for 

establishing protected spaces, deploying search and rescue teams, and 

medical response teams to safeguard the population under attack. 

The Home Front Command has trained IDF soldiers who can teach 

the Israeli public how to prepare for possible threats. These IDF soldiers 

visit schools throughout the country, explaining threats and putting things 

into perspective for the school children. The Home Front Command also 

holds seminars for the teachers to better prepare them to answer the 

children’s questions. Similarly, the Israeli media is responsible for 

explaining situations to the general public.121
30 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

International Disaster Site Management Course 

Israel’s International Disaster Site Management Course identifies five 

stages of response to attacks upon the home front. These stages are (1) 

Stage A – Preparations, (2) Stage B – Preliminary Response, (3) Stage C – 

Initial Response, (4) Stage D – Completing Response and (5) Stage E – 

Restoration.122

The tasks of the Preparation stage are: preparing shelters and civilian 

protective measures for possible attack, recruiting forces, refreshing 

equipment, training operating forces, updating doctrine, and deployment 

as planned. This stage ends upon the declaration of “Chemical Terror 

Attack.”123 

The Preliminary Response stage covers the first hour after an attack 

occurs. During this stage, all tasks are performed simultaneously. Tasks 

include: activation of the siren and population self defense, departure of 

preliminary forces to the attack site, police control of the attack site, 

provision of first aid and medical treatment to the injured, evacuation of 

the injured, identification of chemical agents, and site evaluation status.124

The Initial Response stage encompasses the first few hours after an 

attack. Critical activities during this stage include: provision of guidance 

to the population, arrival of rescue forces, continuation of medical 

treatment and evacuation of injured, deployment of medical treatment 

stations in the “cold area,” scanning the “inner range” and rescuing 

trapped persons, reception and direction of additional rescue forces, and 

organizing the site for rescue tasks.125

The Completing Response stage continues until the site is considered 

“clean.” Critical tasks for this stage include: completion of rescue tasks, 

expanding medical treatments, opening blocked routes, clearing the “inner 

range” of debris and building waste, civil guidance to the population, area 

security, site decontamination, and identification of the deceased.126

Restoration, the final stage, continues until the area is returned to 

“routine” operations. During this stage, the area is secured, assets are 

stored, dangerous buildings are demolished, wreckage is cleared, damaged 

buildings are repaired, identification and burial of the deceased is 

completed, and accommodations and public services are arranged for the 

population. Finally, responsibility is returned to the local authorities 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 31

before declaring the event “Endex.” The event is then analyzed for 

“lessons learned.”127

Israeli Security Advances 

Israel released a new and advanced security system in January 2004, 

jointly developed by the Transportation Ministry and the Israel Military 

Industries, aimed at stopping suicide bombers boarding public buses. The 

new system gives the bus driver control over the front door barrier which 

contains electronic explosive detectors, and allows him to prevent anyone 

suspicious from boarding the bus by hitting a red button that will 

automatically close the turnstile. A device on the bus will sound an 

immediate warning if explosives are detected on a suicide bomber. To 

prevent bombers from sneaking on board, electronic gates are installed at 

the rear door of buses. In addition, the front of buses will be armor-plated 

below the windshield to lessen the impact of shrapnel from a bomb that is 

detonated outside the bus. Five buses were outfitted with the new 

technology in the pilot study. Israel plans to eventually market the 

technology worldwide.128

John R. Lott, Jr., in his article Israeli Homeland Security Tips, writes, 

“We could learn something about responding to terrorism from Israel, and 

encourage more ordinary, responsible citizens to carry guns.”129 Israel has 

found that allowing law-abiding, trained citizens to carry concealed 

handguns has helped prevent terrorist attacks. Israelis recognize that due 

to the large volume of vulnerable targets, the police just cannot be there 

every time terrorists attack. The Israeli national police chief will urge all 

citizens with concealed-handgun permits to ensure they carry their 

firearms at all times during waves of terror attacks. Israel has 21 million 

permits for concealed handguns while the United States only has 3.5 

million like permits. In the U.S., law-abiding citizens above a certain age 

are allowed to obtain permits for a fee in 33 states with “right to carry” 

laws. Roughly half of these states also require training in gun use as a 

prerequisite to obtaining a gun permit. Mr. Lott’s study of attacks within 

the U.S. from 1977 to 1999 identified an 80 percent decrease in injuries 

and death from multiple victim shootings after states passed “right to 

carry” laws.130
32 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

RAFAEL, the Israeli Armament Development Authority, until 

recently, was primarily known for the military systems it developed, 

mainly missiles.131 In the past two years, however, it has begun to direct 

its focus towards Homeland Security.132 RAFAEL has concentrated its 

efforts on several of the topics President Bush listed as focus areas for the 

U.S. war on terrorism following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the 

World Trade Center and the Pentagon. RAFAEL, as a leading research 

and development authority in the Israeli Ministry of Defense, is engaged 

in the fields of border defense, defense of public transport on land, sea and 

air, combating domestic crime and terrorism, protection of sensitive 

facilities such as energy installations and military bases, and preparedness 

for a state of emergency and national disasters.133 A growing interest in 

Homeland Security has resulted in minor restructuring at RAFAEL where 

the Systems Division has begun to promote Homeland Security. 

An example of RAFAEL’s efforts in the area of Homeland Security is 

Gamma 2000, a project designed to protect the northern border of Israel 

against intruders.134 This project is a system of sensors capable of 

identifying an intruder and providing an automatic warning. According to 

Colonel Mena, coordinator for all Homeland Security issues at RAFAEL, 

“These systems can actually create a virtual fence.”135
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 33

VI. United States and Israeli Collaborative Efforts 

We will speak up for our principles and we will stand up 

for our friends in the world. And one of our most important 

friends is the State of Israel. 

–President George W. Bush 

May 3, 2001 

Major General Yair Naveh’s Visit 

The Commander of the Israeli Home Front Command, Major General 

Yair Naveh, and his wife visited the North American Aerospace Defense 

Command (NORAD)/U.S. Northern Command Headquarters at Peterson 

AFB, Colorado, on August 10 – 12, 2004. This was a reciprocal visit 

associated with the visit General Eberhart, former commander, NORAD 

and U.S. Northern Command, made to Israel in January 2004. Major 

General Naveh offered insight into operational issues regarding homeland 

security during his visit. He visited the Domestic Warning Center and the 

Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, received briefings on the Standing 

Joint Forces Headquarters-North and NORAD/U.S. Northern Command 

Bi-Command, attended the DP 04 Exercise Formal After Action Review, 

and had office calls with General Eberhart and Canadian Forces Liaison 

Officer to U.S. Northern Command, Rear Admiral Fraser. 

During the NORAD/U.S. Northern Command briefing, examples of 

United States support of Israel were cited as; “Support and cooperation 

during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, continued partnership in the war on 

terrorism, and exercise opportunities with our Services.”136 At the 

conclusion of his visit, Major General Naveh invited U.S. Northern 

Command to send students to a one-week International Disaster Site 

Management Course in Israel the week of November 6 – 12, 2004. The 

course goals were: 

1. providing knowledge in handling and managing both conventional 

and non-conventional events, 

2. exchange of knowledge between rescue forces around the world, and 
34 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

3. promoting the cooperation between Home Front Command and 

foreign organizations dealing with mass disasters.137

He also invited U.S. Northern Command to send observers to future 

Home Front Command exercises. Since Major General Naveh’s visit, two 

U.S. Northern Command members have traveled to Israel to attend 

courses offered by the Home Front Command. Major Bruce Stillman 

attended the Home Front Command Company Commander’s Course and 

Major Jeff Riddleburger attended the Home Front Command Battalion 

Commander’s Course. 

Corporate Collaborations 

There are numerous examples of Israeli companies uniting with their 

counterparts in the United States. Immediately following the September 11, 

2001, terrorist attacks, Boston’s Logan Airport hired Israeli aviation expert 

Rafi Ron as a consultant to adapt the Israeli airport security model to the 

airport environment of the United States. In another example, Rontal, an 

Israeli company with leading edge technologies in homeland security, has 

joined with Ozonelink, a British and American company that specializes in 

marketing homeland security products and technology. Rontal, with the 

support of the Transportation Security Administration, is marketing its 

SimGuard simulation platform in the Norfolk seaport. SimGuard provides 

“real-time, real-world 3-D integrated pictures of any site’s infrastructure, 

threats and events.”138 Additionally, Northrop Grumman Corporation has 

been working with Israeli counterparts on efforts to better coordinate 

emergency response efforts within the United States.139

Raytheon Company, in collaboration with Israel Aircraft Industries’ 

Elta Systems, is pursuing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s 

program to outfit commercial aircraft with missile protection systems.140 

The project, named “SafeFlight,” is a low cost remedy that combines 

Raytheon’s countermeasure dispensing system with Elta’s missile 

approach warning system. SafeFlight is designed to detect incoming 

missiles and quickly divert them from the targeted aircraft. Pat Hurley, 

vice president and general manager of Raytheon’s Electronic Warfare 

Systems, says, “We look forward to playing a key role in the defense of 

our homeland, and we’re especially proud to do it with a world-renowned 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 35

and respected company such as Elta.”141 SafeFlight will allow Raytheon 

to apply its proven military technology to the commercial airline industry. 

Anti-Terrorism Security Training 

An eight-member delegation from the State of Maryland’s Homeland 

Security Department, funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security, visited Israel in July 2004 to study Israel’s anti-terrorism 

strategies. The visit followed a November 2003 meeting where Israeli 

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich 

vowed to trade “best practices” in homeland security and to develop 

economic ties.142 The delegation toured the Ben Gurion Airport, the port 

of Ashod, a commuter rail line and rail station, and a hospital for mass 

casualties. Delegation members were most impressed with the “circles of 

security,” a series of checkpoints both inside and outside facilities, where 

personnel screen entrants with increasing levels of security, and by the 

Israeli citizens’ acceptance of the strict security conditions.143

The Washington Post reported that the Washington, D.C., police 

department has engaged in extensive training with Israeli counterterrorism 

experts and bomb technicians. U.S. Capitol Police Chief, Terrence W. 

Gainer, traveled to Israel in December 2002 along with D.C. Police Chief, 

Charles H. Ramsey, fellow police chiefs and FBI officials, for training in 

the prevention of and response to suicide bombings. Gainer has begun 

training his police force in Israeli counterterrorism techniques and the 

head of the Israeli bomb squad has traveled to Washington twice to meet 

with Gainer and other police officers.144

Thirty-three North American law enforcement officials participated in 

a four-day trip to Israel in January 2003 to attend a seminar on “Law 

Enforcement in the Era of Global Terror.” Workshops included 

identifying terrorist cells, enlisting police support for the fight against 

terrorism, and coping with the aftermath of a terrorist attack. Boston 

Police Commissioner Paul E. Evans, who attended the workshops, said, 

“We went to the country that’s been dealing with the issue for the past 30 

years. The police are the front line in the battle against terrorism. We 

were there to learn from them – their response, their efforts to deter it. 

They touched all the bases.”145
36 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

Security Solutions International (SSI) of Miami takes homeland 

security seriously. Using the expertise of one of Israel’s leading training 

institutes, the Israel College of Security, SSI aspires to add to the U.S. 

Homeland Security effort. An Israeli counterterrorism expert is scheduled 

to speak at a one-day Homeland Security Seminar hosted by SSI and 

sponsored by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. SSI is 

also involved in maritime security, corporate fixed wing security, and is 

the only company in the country to offer a course on the role of helicopter 

pilots in Homeland Security. SSI President, Henry Morgenstern, who 

lived in Israel for 20 years and developed top-level defense connections, 

says, “We are focusing at first on making South Florida as safe as possible 

through increased preparedness for this threat but eventually we will be 

training throughout the entire country.”146

H.R. 3871, the United States-Israel Homeland Security 

Foundation Act 

H.R. 3871 was introduced on March 2, 2004, by Representatives Jim 

Turner (D–Tex.) and Curt Weldon (R-Pa.). The bill “would set aside $25 

million for research and development of new homeland security 

technologies conducted jointly by American and Israeli companies.”147

Weldon said, “If we expect to win the war on terrorism, we have to 

cooperate with our friends and allies, and I can think of no better partner 

than Israel. The Israelis are experts in preventing and responding to 

terrorism, and I am confident that by working together, this proactive 

legislation will foster the kind of research and development that will 

propel private industries to develop the technology that will help protect 

us from terrorism.”148

The bill recommends that the grants be managed by officials from the 

Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARP). It 

further proposes that the grants be matched by Israel and suggests an 

advisory board consisting of public and private sector representatives. 

Board members would include HSARP’s director, the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security’s director on international affairs, and applicable 

officials from the Israeli government.149 H.R. 3871 has been referred to 

the House Select Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on 

Cybersecurity, Science, and Research and Development.150
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 37

VII. Conclusion 

The United Sates, as well as the entire international community, can 

learn much from Israel’s efforts in the homeland security arena. 

Coordinated teamwork between government agencies, the military, and 

emergency responders is imperative. Peacetime training with all 

emergency response entities will go a long way towards smoother 

operations during actual incidents. To date, despite the best of intentions, 

the United States has not been very successful in conducting coordinated 

peacetime training efforts. It seems there is always some “real world” 

event that prevents the emergency responders from following through with 

plans to conduct mass casualty training scenarios. We must make training 

a top priority. Hopefully, the preparedness function of the NIMS will help 

in this endeavor. 

Israel does an excellent job of teaching its civilian population how to 

be self sufficient in the event of an incident. Again, there is much we can 

learn in this arena. The 52-page brochure distributed by the Home Front 

Command is very explicit in its content, providing a step-by-step format to 

follow in the event of an incident. The U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security’s public website contains good information. This, however, begs 

the questions: “Who knows the public website exists?” and “How do we 

reach those Americans without access to the Internet?” A recent survey 

by Mediamark Research Inc. found that 63 percent of the American adult 

population are regular Internet users.151 Prior to the deployment of the 

NIMS on March 1, 2004, the United States had no provision for a unified 

program, comparable to that of Israel, for training our civilian population 

And, I speculate that it will still be years before education for the general 

public will be widely available. We are, however, beginning to make 

progress. 

Although I agree with the majority of Israeli initiatives in the arena of 

homeland security, it simply is not realistic for the U.S. to adopt all of the 

measures Israel has already put into place. We must remember that there 

is a huge difference between Israel and the U.S. in terms of the sizes of 

our two countries and their corresponding populations. In addition, there 

is a cultural difference between our two countries in terms of our 

sentiments regarding the terrorist threat. In comparison to Israel, we have 
38 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

far less of a threat in the U.S. on a day-to-day basis. Unlike Israel, we do 

not have to contend with the fear of frequent car and truck bombings. 

Yes, the events of September 11, 2001, certainly got the attention of every 

U.S. citizen but we must not forget that we have been very fortunate that 

we have not had another event on U.S. soil since then. 

Arguably, it is not realistic, due to logistics, population size, cost 

constraints, and threat level, to equip our 293 million plus Americans with 

personal gas masks and atropine injectors. Using the 2001 Israeli rate of 

$8.50 per person for a personal kit, it would cost the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security $2.5 billion to initially provide each member of our 

population with a personal gas mask and atropine injector. Not to mention 

the required exchanges due to mask degradation and changes in mask size 

related to age. In addition to the cost factor, we have already established 

that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommends against 

purchasing gas masks for the American public because of legitimate safety 

concerns as well as a false sense of security as to their effectiveness. 

Neither is it realistic, due to most of the same reasons cited above 

against purchasing gas masks and atropine injectors: the size of our county 

and population, the logistics of such an undertaking, cost constraints and 

threat level, to build protected spaces in each of our private and public 

buildings. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s public website 

offers sufficient guidance regarding selection of “safe rooms” within our 

homes and public buildings and shelters. 

Similarly, although Mr. Lott makes some interesting points about the 

success Israel has experienced by allowing law-abiding and trained 

citizens to carry concealed handguns, I do not believe this is a viable 

option for the U.S. which has a poor track record with gun control laws. 

Perhaps an option could be to restrict this initiative to the urban highthreat areas but those are already the areas with the biggest problems 

related to gun control. 

We can, and must, however, train our population in basic self-aid 

procedures. I firmly believe that every U.S. citizen should be required to 

take classes in first aid and CPR. We can also provide classes on 

procedures to be followed in the event of an incident. But, in my opinion, 

we will have a tough time getting people to attend these classes 

voluntarily. Hopefully, the preparedness function of the NIMS will 

continue to make progress in this arena and will be influential in ensuring 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 39

a means for educating the general public regarding self-sufficiency and 

preparedness. 

I am a keen proponent of General Blum’s NG CERFP concept of 

operations. If adopted, the “draft” U.S. Northern Command 2002 would 

bring the U.S. more in line with the command and control exercised by the 

Israeli Home Front Command in the event of catastrophic incidents. This 

would significantly decrease the amount of “red tape” involved in 

obtaining presidential approval for tasking DoD in support of civil 

authorities during disasters. I recognize that the NG CERFP concept of 

operations would put a further strain on our Army National Guard medics 

but believe this concept is worth pursuing. The United States Air Force 

has very competent and well-trained medics who could be tasked to 

augment the Army and Air National Guard medics. 

Finally, I feel very strongly that the U.S. must continue to pursue 

collaborative efforts with Israel. We have learned much from Israel’s long 

battle against terrorism and have benefited greatly from the training 

opportunities extended to us by Israel. I agree with Representative Curt 

Warden’s sentiments regarding U.S. cooperation with Israel and believe 

H.R. 3871, if passed, would go a long way towards better protecting both 

the U.S. and Israel against terrorism. The U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security has made great strides in improving our emergency preparedness 

and response efforts over the past three years. But, there is still much to 

be done and we can not do it alone. 

Americans, in general, are very complacent. We have not been 

subjected to terrorist acts to the same extent as have the Israelis. 

September 11, 2001, was a wake-up call for America but it is already 

beginning to fade from our consciousness. We simply cannot afford to 

forget. 

The battle is now joined on many fronts. We will not waiver; 

we will not tire; we will not falter; and we will not fail. 

President George W. Bush 

Presidential Address to the Nation 

October 7, 2001 

United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 41

Notes 

1. “DHS Organization,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security, On-line, Internet, 

29 October 2004, available from http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/dispaly?theme=13. 

2. Dr. Joshua Sinai, “How Israel Approaches Homeland Security,” The Journal of 

Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International, 10, no. 1 (Summer 2004), On-line, 

Internet, 26 September 2004, available from http://www.iacsp.com/latest_article.html. 

3. Avi Berman, Major, Head of External Relations Desk, Israeli Home Front 

Command, interviewed by author during phone conversation 15 November 2004. 

4. Ibid. 

5. National Strategy for Homeland Security, Office of Homeland Security, July 

2002, vii. 

6. Ibid., 3. 

7. “The DHS Strategic Plan – Securing our Homeland,” U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security, On-line, Internet, 29 October 2004, available from 

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme.

8. Ibid. 

9. Ibid. 

10. “Securing our Homeland, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan 

2004,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security, On-line, Internet, 14 December 2004, 

available from http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/DHS_StratPlan_FINAL_spread.pdf. 

11. Ibid., 16-17. 

12. “Who Will Be Part of the New Department?,” U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security, On-line, Internet, 3 October 2004, available from http://www.dhs.gov/ 

dhspublic/dispaly?theme=13&content=3345&print=true. 

13. Tom Ridge, “Remarks by Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge at the 

Miami-Dade Office of Emergency Management,” U.S Department of Homeland Security, 

30 July 2004, On-line, Internet, 6 October 2004, available from 

http://www.dhs.gove/dhspublic/dispaly?theme=63&content=3868&print=true. 

14. Ibid. 

15. Secretary Ridge resigned his position effective February 1, 2005. To date, no 

replacement has been named. 
42 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

16. “Three Key Steps that Individuals and Families Should Take to be Properly 

Prepared for Unexpected Emergencies,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security, On-line, 

Internet, 6 October 2004, available from http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display? 

theme=14&content=462&print=true. 

17. Ibid. 

18. Ibid. 

19. Ibid. 

20. “Frequently Asked Questions about Citizen Preparedness,” U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security, On-line, Internet, 5 October 2004, available from 

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/dispaly?theme=47&content=473. 

21. Ibid.

22. U.S. Northern Command’s Strategic Vision, 11 September 2003, 2. 

23. Lt Colonel Adrian A. Erckenbrack and Aaron Scholer, “The DoD Role in 

Homeland Security,” Joint Force Quarterly, Issue Thirty-Five, 34. 

24. Major Don Gillich, “USNORTHCOM 101,” 19 November 2004, Power Point 

Presentation obtained by author. 

25. Ibid. 

26. “Emergencies and Disasters, Declared Disasters and Assistance, A Guide to the 

Disaster Declaration Process and Federal Disaster Assistance,” U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security, On-line, Internet, 27 November 2004, available from 

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=16. 

27. Ibid. 

28. U.S. Northern Command’s Strategic Vision, 11 September 2003, 15. 

29. Ibid, 16. 

30. Lt Colonel Ken Franklin, Chief, Medical Readiness Plans and Programs 

Division, Office of the Air Surgeon, “National Medical Response,” Power Point 

Presentation obtained by author, 30 November 2004. 

31. Ibid. 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 43

32. “Strategic National Stockpile,” CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response. 

11 August 2003, On-line, Internet, 10 December 2004, available from 

file://C:\DOCUME~1\Owner\LOCALS~Temp\MBQJNAJ9.htm. 

33. Ibid. 

34. Ibid. 

35. Lt Colonel Adrian A. Erckenbrack and Aaron Scholer, “The DoD Role in 

Homeland Security,” Joint Force Quarterly, Issue Thirty-Five, 41. 

36. Jim Garamone, “Bush Signs $5.6 Billion BioShield Legislation,” United States 

Department of Defense, 21 July 2004, On-line, Internet, 14 December 2004, available 

from http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2004/n07212004_2004072103.html. 

37. Ibid. 

38. Ibid. 

39. “Welcome to NDMS,” National Disaster Medical System, 2004, On-line, 

Internet, 9 November 2004, available from http://www.ndms.dhhs.gov/index.html. 

40. Ibid. 

41. Ibid. 

42. “NNRT, National Nurse Response Team (NNRT),” National Disaster Medical 

System, 2004, On-line, Internet, 9 November 2004, available from 

http://www.ndms.dhhs.gov/nnrt.html. 

43. “FCC, What are Federal Coordinating Centers?,” National Disaster Medical 

System, 2004, On-line, Internet, 9 November 2004, available from 

http://www.ndms.dhhs.gov/fcc.html. 

44. Ibid. 

45. Ibid. 

46. “DMAT, All About Sponsoring a Disaster Medical Assistance Team,” National 

Disaster Medical System, 2004, On-line, Internet, 9 November 2004, available from 

http://www.ndms.dhhs.gov/sponsordmat.html. 

47. “NNRT, National Nurse Response Team (NNRT),” National Disaster Medical 

System, 2004, On-line, Internet, 9 November 2004, available from 

http://www.ndms.dhhs.gov/nnrt.html. 
44 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

48. Ibid. 

49. “NPRT, National Pharmacy Response Team (NRPT),” National Disaster 

Medical System, 2004, On-line, Internet, 9 November 2004, available from 

http://www.ndms.dhhs.gov/nrpt.html. 

50. “DMORT, What is A Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team 

(DMORT)?”, National Disaster Medical System, 2004, On-line, Internet, 9 November 

2004, available from http://www.ndms.dhhs.gov/ dmort.html. 

51. “VMAT, What is a Veterinary Medical Assistance Team (VMAT)?,” National 

Disaster Medical System, 2004, On-line, Internet, 9 November 2004, available from 

http://www.ndms.dhhs.gov/vmat.html. 

52. NDMS Response Team Training Program, On-line, Internet, 9 November 2004, 

available from http://ndms.umbc.edu/information.asp. 

53. Ibid. 

54. “Citizen Corps Program,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of 

Domestic Preparedness, last updated 25 October 2004, On-line, Internet, 9 November 

2004, available from http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/odp_citizencorps.htm. 

55. Citizen Corps, Uniting Communities ~ Preparing the Nation, On-line, Internet, 

12 December 2004, available from http://www.citizencorps.gov. 

56. Ibid. 

57. “Emergencies and Disasters, First Responders, Fact Sheet: RapidCom 9/30 and 

Interoperability Progress,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security, On-line, Internet, 9 

November 2004, available from http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/dispaly?theme=63& 

content=4092. 

58. “Citizen Preparedness Publications,” Citizen Corps, Uniting Communities ~ 

Preparing the Nation, On-line, Internet, 12 December 2004, available from 

http://www.citizencorps.gov/ready/cc_pubs.shtm. 

59. “About MMRS,” Metropolitan Medical Response System, On-line, Internet, 14 

December 2004, available from http://mmrs.fema.gov/Main/About.aspx. 

60. “Emergencies and Disasters, Planning and Prevention, Fact Sheet: A Better 

Prepared America: A Year in Review,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 1 March 

2004, On-line, Internet, 6 October 2004, available from http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/ 

dispaly?theme=14&content=3855. 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 45

61. “Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge Approves National 

Incident Management Systems (NIMS),” U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 1 

March 2004, On-line, Internet, 6 October 2004, available from http://www.dhs.gov/ 

dhspublic/dispaly?theme=15&content=3255&print=true. 

62. Ibid. 

63. Ibid. 

64. Ibid. 

65. Ibid. 

66. “Welcome to NDMS,” National Disaster Medical System, 2004, On-line, 

Internet, 9 November 2004, available from http://www.ndms.dhhs.gov/index.html. 

67. Ibid. 

68. Ibid. 

69. Ibid. 

70. Ibid. 

71. Ina Friedman, “No Panic, Yet, on the Home Front,” The Jerusalem Report.com, 

22 October 2001, On-line, Internet, 5 October 2004, available from http://www.jrep.com/ 

Israel/Article-58.html. 

72. “Home Front Command,” GlobalSecurity.org, last modified 15 July 2002, Online, Internet, 9 November 2004, available from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ 

world/israel/homefront.htm. 

73. Nitzan Nuriel, Colonel, Home Front Command Doctrine and Development 

Department, “IDF Home Front Command, Structure and Aim of the H.F.C.”, Power 

Point Presentation, obtained by author from Riki Herzberg, Assistant Military Attaché, 

Embassy of Israel. 

74. Leonard J. Marcus, Ph.D., “Israel’s Preparedness for Responding to the Health 

Requirements of Its Civilian Population In the Event of Deployment of a Nuclear, 

Biological or Chemical Weapon of Mass Destruction,” 17, 27 October 2002. 

75. Friedman, “No Panic, Yet, on the Home Front.” 

76. “Responding Principles to a Chemical Terror Attack,” Israeli Power Point 

Presentation, obtained by author from Major Bruce Stillman, U.S. Northern Command. 
46 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

77. Nitzan Nuriel, PowerPoint Presentation. 

78. Ibid. 

79. Ibid. 

80. Ibid. 

81. Ibid. 

82. Ibid. 

83. Ibid. 

84. Ibid. 

85. Jay Fawcett, SAIC Contractor, NORTHCOM J-5, Doctrine and Legislative 

Liaison, interviewed by author during phone conversation 10 November 2004. 

86. Nitzan Nuriel, PowerPoint Presentation. 

87. Ibid. 

88. Ibid. 

89. Ibid. 

90. Revital Dazildov, editor, In the event of a genuine alert, Information on Civil 

Defense for the Family, Home Front Command, January 2003, 4. 

91. Ibid. 

92. Ibid. 

93. “Home Front Command Commences National Distribution of Educational 

Pamphlets,” Israel Defense Forces, the Official Website, 29 January 2003, On-line, 

Internet, 27 November 2004, available from http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/ 

mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=EN&id=7&docid=16606. 

94. Ibid. 

95. “Home Front Command,” GlobalSecurity.org. 

96. Ibid. 

97. Ibid. 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 47

98. Ibid. 

99. Nitzan Nuriel, PowerPoint Presentation. 

100. “The Home Front Command Calls Public to Complete Purchases of Necessary 

Materials,” Israel Defense Forces, the Official Website, 17 March 2003, On-line, 

Internet, 27 November 2004, available from http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/ 

mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=EN&id=7&docid=21256. 

101. “Home Front Command Commences National Distribution of Educational 

Pamphlets,” Israel Defense Forces, the Official Website.

102. Revital Dazildov, editor, “In the event of a genuine alert, Information on Civil 

Defense for the Family,” Home Front Command, January 2003, 36. 

103. “Home Front Command Commences National Distribution of Educational 

Pamphlets,” Israel Defense Forces, the Official Website.

104. “Home Front Command,” GlobalSecurity.org. 

105. Friedman, “No Panic, Yet, on the Home Front.” 

106. Ibid. 

107. Ibid. 

108. “The World Factbook – Israel,” CIA – The World Factbook – Israel, updated 

21 September 2004, On-line, Internet, 5 October 2004, available from 

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/print/is.html. 

109. Friedman, “No Panic, Yet, on the Home Front.” 

110. Ibid. 

111. “Coordination between the government offices, local authorities, 

municipalities and the military in times of war,” Israel Defense Forces, the Official 

Website, 29 January 2003, On-line, Internet, 27 November 2004, available from 

http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=EN&id=7&docid=15819. 

112. Israel Defense Forces, The Official Website, IDF Units, Medical Corps, Online, Internet, 29 October 2004, available from http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/ 

mainpage.asp?sl=EN&id=4&unit=13479&srch=&bScop. 

113. “The Response”, PowerPoint Presentation, obtained by author from Riki 

Herzberg, Assistant Military Attaché, Embassy of Israel. 
48 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

114. Ibid. 

115. Conventional Event Doctrine (Israeli), “International Disaster Site 

Management Course,” Power Point Presentation obtained by author from Major Bruce 

Stillman, U.S. Northern Command. 

116. Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center (AFMIC), On-line, Internet, 24 

November 2004, available from http://www.admic.dia.smil.mil/intel/afmic/is/isa042304/ 

isa042304.html. 

117. Ibid. 

118. “Home Front Command,” GlobalSecurity.org. 

119. Dr. Joshua Sinai, “How Israel Approaches Homeland Security,” The Journal 

of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International, 10, no. 1 (Summer 2004), Online, Internet, 26 September 2004, available from http://www.iacsp.com/latest_ 

article.html. 

120. Ibid. 

121. Brigadier General Ruth Yaron, “The Israeli Public – The Best Protected in the 

World,” Israel Defense Forces, The Official Website, 2 December 2004, On-line, 

Internet, 27 November 2004, available from http://www1.idf.Il/DOVER/site/ 

mainpage.asp?clr=1&sl=EN&id=7&docid=17271. 

122. Conventional Event Doctrine (Israeli), “International Disaster Site 

Management Course,” PowerPoint Presentation obtained by author from Major Bruce 

Stillman, U.S. Northern Command. 

123. Ibid. 

124. Ibid. 

125. Ibid. 

126. Ibid. 

127. Ibid. 

128. Dr. Joshua Sinai, “How Israel Approaches Homeland Security,” The Journal 

of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security International, 10, no. 1 (Summer 2004), Online, Internet, 26 September 2004, available from http://www.iacsp.com/latest_ 

article.html. 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 49

129. John R. Lott, Jr., “Israeli Homeland Security Tips,” 12 November 2001, Online, Internet, 26 September 2004, available from http://www.tsra.com/Lott46.htm. 

130. Ibid. 

131. Zvika Rubins, “Experience Tells,” Homeland Security, May 2004, On-line, 

Internet, available from http://www.rafael.co.il/web/rafnew/products/brochures/HLS% 

20%20Globes%200504.pdf. 

132. Ibid. 

133. Ibid. 

134. Ibid. 

135. Ibid. 

136. PowerPoint Presentation to Major General Yair Naveh, Commander, Israeli 

Home Front Command, 11 August 2004, obtained by author from Major Jon Brickey, 

Commander’s Action Group, NORAD/ U.S. Northern Command. 

137. International Disaster Site Management Course, Power Point Presentation, 

obtained by author from Jay Fawcett, SAIC Contractor, NORTHCOM J-5, Doctrine and 

Legislative Liaison. 

138. Joshua Sinai, Dr., “How Israel Approaches Homeland Security,” The Journal 

of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International, volume 10, no. 1 (Summer 

2004), On-line, Internet, 26 September 2004, available from http://www.iacsp.com/ 

latest_article.html. 

139. Ibid. 

140. “Raytheon Working with Israel Aircraft Industries’ Elta Systems for 

Homeland Security Competition to Equip Commercial Aircraft Against Missile Threat,” 

Raytheon News Releases, 15 October 2003, On-line, Internet, 26 September 2004, 

available from http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=910470& 

TICK=TTNB9&S. 

141. Ibid. 

142. David Brinn, “Maryland and Washington DC rely on Israel’s homeland 

security expertise,” ISRAEL21c, 8 August 2004, On-line, Internet, 26 September 2004, 

available from http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enZone=Democracy&enDisplay= 

view&enPage=Blan. 
50 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security

143. Ibid. 

144. Ibid. 

145. “Enhancing Homeland Security,” Jewish Virtual Library, 3 March 2003 Online, Internet, 26 September 2004, available from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/ 

jsource/US-Israel/homeland.html. 

146. “First Homeland Security Seminar to be Held in Dade and Broward,” PRWeb, 

26 August 2004, On-line, Internet, 29 March 2004, available from 

http://www.prweb.com/realeases/2004/3/prweb114755.htm. 

147. Dibya Sarkar, “Bill would fund U.S.-Israel R&D,” Federal Computer Week, 4 

March 2004, On-line, Internet, 15 December 2004, available from 

http://www.fcw.com.bid. 

148. Ibid. 

149. Ibid. 

150. “H.R. 3871, the United States-Israel Homeland Security Foundation Act,” 

Congressman Bill Turner – Representing the 2nd District of Texas, last updated 24 

March 2004, On-line, Internet, 15 December 2004, available from http://www.house.gov/ 

turner/legintroduced.shtml. 

151. “US Internet growth flattens with 63% online,” inq7.net, 26 June 2004, Online, Internet, 6 October 2004, available from http://www.inq7.net/2004/jun/27/inf-3-

1.htm. 
United States and Israeli Homeland Security . . . 51

USAF Counterproliferation Center 

 The USAF Counterproliferation Center was established in 1999 to provide 

education and research to the present and future leaders of the USAF, to assist them in 

their activities to counter the threats posed by adversaries equipped with weapons of mass 

destruction 

Barry R. Schneider, Director 

USAF Counterproliferation Center 

325 Chennault Circle 

Maxwell AFB AL 36112-6427 

Email: Barry.Schneider@maxwell.af.mil 

Jo Ann Eddy, Associate Editor 

The Counterproliferation Papers 

Email: JoAnn.Eddy@maxwell.af.mil 

(334) 953-7538 (DSN 493-7538) 
52 . . . United States and Israeli Homeland Security