What is Homeland Security? Homeland Security is a combined effort of State and National government to prevent terrorist attacks within the State and nation. This is accomplished by four overarching goals: prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

Connecticut has always had a multi-hazard approach to emergency planning, including natural disasters and terrorism. This means that the state has plans in place to cover all types of disasters. In fact, the State developed a Consequence Management Guide addressing terrorism preparedness and response in 1999. Since September 11, 2001, the focus has been updating this guide into a consequence plan. This work has been completed and is in its final stages of review.

Legislative act 04-219 created a new state agency: the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Governor Rell named James Thomas Commissioner to the new agency. Commissioner Thomas has served in the Glastonbury Police Department where he served as Chief for 15 years. The new department combined the Office of Emergency Management within the Military Department and the Homeland Security Division of the Department of Public Safety.

Connecticut’s Emergency Response Planning

The Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) is leading a number of multi-agency task forces charged by Governor Rell with preparing state government to deal with terrorism. These include revising the Natural Disaster Plan and the Consequence Management Plan. DEMHS and the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Transportation are working together to develop a Mass Evacuation and Mass Care Plan. DEMHS and the Department of Agriculture have developed the states Pandemic Aviaic Response Plan. DEMHS and the Department of Public Health are working on the states Pandemic Flu Plan. DEMHS has divided the state into five (5) emergency planning regions and is organizing planning teams in each of the five regions to develop Regional Emergency Response Plans. This effort is being spearheaded by the DEMHS regional offices and the Regional Planning Organizations. Many local agencies are assisting in the process as well. Additionally, DEMHS is working with local agencies to establish, equip, and train five Regional Response Teams capable of responding to any type of Terrorist incident. All of these plans are designed to be compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and supportive of both the State's and National strategies. Executive Order #10 issued by Governor Rell mandates NIMS compliance for all state's agencies.

Office of Counter Terrorism (OCT)

This multi-agency center is located at the FBI’s Connecticut office. The center includes Federal, State and Local law enforcement personnel working side by side to develop leads and solve cases. The center is connected to every local law enforcement agency by specially trained Intelligence Liaison Officers who report to Regional Intelligence officers to report to and work at the Connecticut Intelligence Center (CTIC). The CTIC produces weekly Intelligence bulletins which are distributed electronically to law enforcement and others (like Fire Chiefs, Fire Marshals, Emergency Managers and Health Directors) who work in the field and may come upon important information.