Website Main Menu

Task Force Status Report - July 2004 

The State of Montana has been very proactive in preparing and training for terrorism. Disaster & Emergency Services, in conjunction with Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Justice, has sponsored terrorism conferences since 1998. These conferences have dealt with the subject matters of bio-terrorism, cyber-terrorism, federal and state agency response roles, consequences of terrorist acts, terrorism mindset, and critical stress management. Although the information was good, participation in this training had been voluntary and sporadic, based on the belief that a significant terrorist act could never happen here. The success of these activities has been that the coordination system is established and functional. The events of Sept 11 have provided us with a sobering reality and have greatly elevated the need and awareness to be comprehensively prepared.

The Governor of Montana has established a Montana Homeland Security Task Force through Executive Order 28-01. The mission of the task force is to coordinate efforts to detect, prepare for, prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks within Montana.

The completed objectives for the Task Force:

  --

Provide public information utilizing the state's  public information officer network and the Governor's office.

-- Develop clear lines of communications and protocol for working with the US Office of Homeland Security,    Montana's Anti-Terrorism Task Force, and all other relevant federal, state, local, tribal, and private agencies and organizations.

 -- Develop a comprehensive statewide strategy to strengthen Montana's capabilities to detect, prepare for, prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from any terrorist threats or attacks within the state.       

 -- Provide education and recommendations to local responders and citizens.

The current objectives for the Task Force:

 --Focus efforts to coordinate and collect ideas and issues relevant to Montana's homeland security.

 -- Enhance the state emergency coordination plan to bring in additional partners.

 --Coordinate with existing committees and task forces (ie Attorney Generals Anti-Terrorism Task Force, and State Emergency Response Commission).

 --Perform an analysis of Montana's capabilities.

 --Make recommendations to implement the strategy.

The issues and requirements that the Task Force has identified:

ISSUE 1. Emphasize Training, Equipment, and Preparedness of Local Responders.

Local and tribal jurisdictions are only as ready as they are on a day-to-day basis. Montana's Three-Year Statewide Domestic Preparedness Strategy has identified the current response and preparedness status and the recommended response and preparedness. Implementation tasks are identified to fill the "needs" gap. Existing grants are not enough to fill the "needs" gap.

Requirements:

ISSUE 2. Facilitate Communications, Coordination, and Planning in All Levels of Government.

The Task Force has identified that it is critical to coordinate between state agencies and with local, tribal, and federal agencies to eliminate duplicate efforts throughout the state and the nation.

Since September 11, state preparedness and responding to unknown hazardous materials has been deemed a high priority without being granted additional resources and lack of a clear priority over normal job duties and current allocated resources. State agencies' ability to respond to requests and needs has been stretched beyond their current personnel and financial resources. State agencies have a lack of personnel depth in preparing for and responding to the scope of a terrorism incident. Agencies are addressing their lack of personnel, funding, overall coordination, and prioritization of duties and responsibilities to maintain readiness and respond to one or more incidents.

Requirements:

ISSUE 3. Build Partnerships with Existing Commissions and Task Forces on Terrorism, Security, and Hazardous Materials.

The Task Force was organized with the concept of partnering with existing organizations. The organizations that we have already been coordinating with are the US Attorney Anti-Terrorism Task Force, State Emergency Response Commission, Homeland Security Advisory Group (formerly the Y2K Committee), MT Geographic Council, Security Task Force, and the State Emergency Coordination Plan Group.

The Task Force has also reached out to existing responder, special interest, state, and private industry organizations along with members of the public through a comprehensive mailing list. A discussion paper outlining the Task Force's mission and objectives and a survey and the survey responses has been sent through the mailing list.

Requirements:

ISSUE 4. Proactively Conduct Investigations and Intelligence Operations.

Montana is limited by its resources to collect, analyze, and disseminate criminal threat information to law enforcement agencies. Our limited capabilities force us to be reactive in our response efforts rather than proactive to the public's safety needs.

An assessment conducted for the Three-Year WMD Strategic Plan resulted in domestic terrorism being Montana's greatest threat. Montana's threat for international terrorism is difficult to evaluate.

Requirements:

ISSUE 5. Provide Effective Public Information on Homeland Security.

State government has an organized public information network between state agencies. This public information network is being used to relay information to the public concerning the Homeland Security Task Force. Utilizing the public information network to communicate the efforts of the task force is proving to be quite beneficial. All state agencies are aware of the task force's efforts, the public is aware of its efforts, and Montana's contributions are being shared throughout the nation.

Requirements:

ISSUE 6. Foster a strong, member-valued task force organization.

The Task Force is represented by the entities whose responsibilities include preparation and response to terrorism incidents. Participation in this task force is voluntary and affected by normal day-to-day activities. Consistency is very important for this task force in our efforts to coordinate the detection, preparation, prevention, protection, response, and recovery for homeland security.

Requirements:

The situation is constantly changing and has a significant impact on local, state, and tribal resources to fill preparedness needs. To heighten the level of preparedness, more resources and the shifting of priorities are needed.

Montana's Homeland Security Task Force has identified that there needs to be an organizational structure in place with the ability to gather, coordinate, and direct the overall terrorism planning for preparedness and response. This organizational structure needs the support from the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government. It also needs to be statutory and resource supplemented.

In the past three months, the State of Montana has completed the following terrorism related plans: Three-Year WMD Strategic Plan, Emergency Coordination Plan, Foreign Animal Disease Plan, and the Pharmaceutical Stockpile Plan. The following plans and activities still need to be completed: Pandemic Disease Plan, Terrorism and Hazardous Materials Annexes for the Emergency Coordination Plan, Resource Database, various standard operating procedures, implementation of the WMD Strategic Plan, and the integrated emergency management statewide exercise.

The level of preparedness in the State of Montana is a matter of public policy to prevent, prepare, and respond to terrorism and weapons of mass destruction acts. These incidents occur in and are the responsibility of the local jurisdiction but the effects are at a minimum statewide and interstate. Terrorism acts may also have potential international effects.