The Corps is proud to play a important role in the nation's Homeland Security efforts. To coordinate and faciliate these efforts, the Corps established a Homeland Security Office in December 2002. This office oversees the Corps Civil Emergency Management program and efforts to improve protection of critical infrastructure faciities.

In 2002, the Corps Office of Homeland Security assessed 306 critical infrastructure facilities and certified 250 Force Protection engineers. The Corps is currently designing or constructing 84 infrastructure protection projects.

Through the Office of Homeland Security, the Corps also serves as the Department of Defense's (DoD) Infrastructure Assurance Office for Public Works. In this capacity Corps personnel are responsible for ensuring that all DoD installations have Infrastructure Assurance Plans in place. In addition, the Homeland Security Office provides leadership, guidance, and expertise related to border and transportation security, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear countermeasures.

Other Corps Homeland Security efforts include:

• The Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP). The Corps was instrumental in founding this collaborative effort in early 2002 to bring together design and construction trade groups and federal agencies on a regular basis to address issues related to the security of the nation's infrastructure.
• Risk Assessment Methodology for Dams (RAM-D). The Corps has been integrally involved in the creation and implementation of this unique assessment tool designed to help operators of dams, hydroelectric facilities, and power plants make their sites less attractive targets to terrorists. RAM-D helps operators identify who might attack a facility, what resources they might have available, and what steps might be taken to prevent an attack. Operators can use RAM-D to determine where to place sensors, cameras, or lights, or whether to invest in walls, barriers, higher fences, better doors, extra training, or improved policies. The Corps is working to improve the use of RAM-D, while also evaluating other tools and concepts to improve risk assessment efforts and reduce vulnerabilities.
• Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). At ERDC some of the Corps top researchers are working to develop methods for reducing the effects of air and water contamination from terrorist attacks and to create new and better systems for protecting the nation's security.

reviewed 10/31/05

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