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Course
320
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Information Systems
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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Pages
7
Uploaded by GeneralMooseMaster948
Dillen Render
JUS-320
Topic 8
Vulnerability Threat Assessment - Critical Infrastructure Checklist and Analysis
Professor B. Lafond
Part 1: There is a wide variety of helpful materials and instruments that are considered public assets since
they are located in the public sphere. People typically employ these items in order to provide for their
families' nutritional needs. Parks, airports, water, schools, and communications are all examples of such
infrastructure. Communities and individuals alike gain from having access to assets in public spaces.
Assets also provide governance, national security, economic stability, and public health and safety. They
are crucial because they are used frequently in people's daily lives. The DHS defines threat assessment as
an analysis of threats in terms of their capabilities, intent, and the probable impact of an assault, among
other variables (J. Decker, n.d). The assessment takes into account every potential danger, including
weather-related disasters, criminal acts, significant accidents, and terrorist attacks. The definitions and
explanations of the assets that are considered most crucial to the safety and health of the public are
provided. The nuclear power plants, dams, and government buildings are also included in this category,
along with agriculture, banking, finance, chemicals and dangerous substances, the (IDB) defense
industrial base, energy, emergency services, and so many more.
Part 2: There is no guarantee that all of your most vital possessions will be safe from harm. Every vital
resource has its own unique set of obstacles and dangers that must be taken into account. The formation of
such dangers is enabled by acts of nature, accidents, or human malice. Owners of vital assets are
accountable for protecting their property from any and all potential dangers. Several of Santa Clara
County's public facilities are extremely susceptible to destruction in the event of a terrorist attack or
natural disaster. The failure of the dams may be the consequence of human error, technological failure, or
deliberate destruction. The Santa Clara District Communications complex is another county asset that is at
risk of being destroyed. This building is the county's primary hub of activity. If the facility is damaged, all
emergency communications will be cut off. This makes it a vulnerable part of one of the country's most
important infrastructures. The facility would be easy to destroy for a terrorist group looking to disable
communications. The building can be destroyed by earthquakes and other natural disasters. Having 10
dams within its borders, the county is extremely vulnerable to flooding should any of them fail. Dams
give numerous benefits to society and are therefore a very important part of the country's infrastructure.
Part 3: Rank your assets
Schools
Hospitals
Dams
Energy/Communications Centers
Airport/Transportation
Part 4: Bomb threats, mass killings, surveillance of property, and cyber attacks are all possible at each of
the five assets. An F.B.I. agent fatally shot a man in 1996 after he demanded $15,000 and threatened to
blow up the Bonneville Dam if he didn't get it (The Seattle Times, n.d). The adolescent initially claimed
to have a detonator, but it was later shown to be a cell phone. Threats of bombings and actual campus
shootings are also a reality in public institutions. Six elementary school pupils were killed and seven more
were injured in a shooting at The Covenant School (Mattise. J, 2023). On November 8th, the Providence
Sherwood MedicalPlaza evacuated ambulatory patients and personnel due to bomb threats (Newsource.
C, 2021) Terrorists opened fire at the airport's main entrance in June 2016 before triggering their own
suicide bombs. A lone gunman opened fire on the Metcalf Energy Center in San Jose in 2013, causing
several million dollars' worth of damage (Memmott. M, 2014).
Part 5: Multiple safeguards are in place in dams to ensure the safety of this vital resource. Having a crisis
management plan in place is a crucial safety precaution to take. This plan is a framework for managing
crises and ensuring speedy recovery and ongoing operations in the event of an emergency. Dam owners
that invest in a crisis management plan can improve the safety of their dam in the long run. When it
comes to the safety of students and faculty, public schools rely on education resource officers and other
forms of campus security. Key cards and security staff allow patients and visitors to freely move about a
hospital. To prevent future attacks on vital infrastructure, the Metcalf EnergyCenter has beefed up security
at the site by installing additional surveillance cameras, improved lighting, and concrete fences.
Part 2:
The important water retention and hydroelectricity provided by dams are two of the many ways in
which they contribute to the economic and social well-being of the country. Water retention and
hydroelectricity generation are just two of the many social benefits provided by dams (CDE, n.d). Dam
incidents are extremely dangerous and should be treated as emergencies because of the potential for
massive property damage and human casualties. Dam incidents have a similar effect on public confidence
in the government. Dam construction began in earnest in California about the year 1850. Most dams built
at that period were constructed to meet the demands of a rapidly expanding population. Over the course of
the twentieth century, hydroelectric plants have grown in size.
Communities have benefited economically and from a higher level of living as a result. There are more
than 2,100 hydroelectric dams in the United States, however they only generate 6.4% of the country's
electricity (CDE, n.d).The significance of hydroelectric dams in flood management, irrigation, and
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navigation is crucial. Hydroelectric dams provide sustainable resources to accommodate a growing
population for decades into the future.
Economically and from the standpoint of a higher quality of life, communities have benefited
greatly. There are more than 2,000 hydroelectric dams in the United States, however they only generate
6.4% of the country's electricity. Flood control, irrigation, and navigation are just a few of the many
important uses for hydroelectric dams. Hydroelectric dams provide long-term, sustainable resources to
support a growing population.There are a number of factors that make dam maintenance the highest
priority. Hydroelectricity generated by dams is believed to be clean and pollution-free. Dams use the
natural power of water to provide a variety of capacities to satisfy peak-load electricity demands and to
diversify the portfolio of energy sources. Dams are useful because they collect and store water, which
farmers may then use for watering their crops. The use of water in irrigation is crucial. Canals for
irrigation from dams and rivers are used to transport water in places with scarce precipitation. Dams are
also useful for preventing flooding, which can save many different towns from being wiped out. Dams not
only collect and hold fresh water, but also distribute it to towns in need. For the reasons stated above,
dams are an extremely important community asset that need regular upkeep and improvement.
Consequently, dams feature both useful safeguards and flaws that should be fixed.
Dams are categorized by regulatory authorities according to the level of risk they pose or the
likelihood of a failure occurring. High-risk dams are given first priority because of the lives they threaten.
It is predicted that 15,600 dams in the United States pose a significant risk of failure in the near future.
This is because there is not enough money to address all of the issues that need fixing. The high price of
repairs and upkeep is one of their drawbacks. Repairing and modernizing the United States' over 15,600
dams would likely cost billions. Every year, this figure rises by more and more.The number of dams with
a high risk for disaster has skyrocketed in the last 20 years. The average age of dams is the last flaw I
shall discuss. With a median age of 50 years, most dams were not constructed to meet modern
requirements. Dams' benefits include retaining fresh water and providing a source of clean electricity. In
times of drought, cities in the vicinity can draw water from dams. Dams also help those in the area by
preventing flooding. Because of this, homes and businesses are better protected from flooding.
Navigational systems for water transfer are another benefit of dams. One effective strategy to increase
dam safety is to fully support the country's dam restoration and repair program. The price tag for high-risk
dams owned by the public is estimated to be $40,000,000. Creating a crisis action plan for each
high-hazard dam is another strategy to fortify their safety. More money means more security measures
like cameras and guards can be put in place at dams.
(Division of safety of dams, n.d)
References
Author(s)
Raymond J. Decker, & Corporate Author
US
Government Accountability Office
Address
441 G Street. (n.d.).
Homeland security:
Key elements of a risk management approach
. Homeland Security: Key Elements of a Risk
https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/homeland-security-key-elements-risk-management-app
roach#:~:text=A%20threat%20assessment%20identifies%20and,potential%20lethality%20of%20an%20a
ttack.
The Seattle Times Company. (n.d.). The Seattle Times.
https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19961021&slug=2355438
Mattise, J., Loller, T., & Meyer, H. (2023, April 30).
Nashville shooter who killed 6 drew maps, surveilled
school
. AP News.
https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bf
e16
Newsource, C. (2021, December 3).
Man facing charges for fake bomb threats directed at schools and
Hospital in Oregon
. KTVZ.
https://ktvz.com/cnn-regional/2021/12/03/man-facing-charges-for-fake-bomb-threats-directed-at-schools-
and-hospital-in-oregon/
Memmott, M. (2014, February 5).
Sniper attack on Calif.. power station raises terrorism fears
. NPR.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/02/05/272015606/sniper-attack-on-calif-power-station-rais
es-terrorism-fears
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Colorado Academic Standards
. CDE. (n.d.).
https://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction/standards
California, S. of. (n.d.).
Division of safety of dams
. Department of Water Resources.
https://water.ca.gov/programs/all-programs/division-of-safety-of-dams