COMMUNITY ACTION SECURES HOMELAND

A HOMELAND SECURITY PILOT PROGRAM FOR YOUR REVIEW Created by David J. Campbell BU2 (DV) USNR by direction July 2005

The C.A.S.H. Initiative facilitates a common platform for civic leaders, responders and the general public to accelerate cooperative efforts in meeting homeland security objectives in the community.

The C.A.S.H. Initiative is a homeland security initiative that brings the entire community together one weekend per quarter to inform, to train, and to recruit citizens to prepare for a terror related or natural disaster.

The C.A.S.H. Initiative is a strategy for human resources staff and recruiters from Colleges, Military Reserves, Police, Hospitals, Red Cross, Salvation Army etc… to fill voluntary, part time or full time homeland security related positions in the community.

HOW THE C.A.S.H. INITIATIVE WORKS

1. DISTRIBUTE C.A.S.H. DOCUMENT, GET CONSENSUS, AND PASS THE WORD. Contact key community leaders, fax or email CASH Document, get a consensus and determine an event coordinator. C.A.S.H. is a long-term program, so plan for rotation of speakers and workshop events throughout the year. Begin public service announcements.
2. PLAN AND EXECUTE THE EVENT. Determine dates and location; coordinate speakers, workshops, and facilitate recruiters & human resource personnel.

RESPONSES TO C.A.S.H. INITIATIVE TO DATE

The interest level is high. Comments ranging from civic leaders, police and 9-11 response directors and many others indicate a great need for this type of program.

PART ONE: WHAT DOES THE C.A.S.H. INITIATIVE DO?

1. C.A.S.H. Initiative sparks community wide interest in homeland security and provides a common framework for civic leaders, responders and general public to work together: leaders gain a forum for accelerating cooperative efforts and the general public gains the ability to get involved in homeland security.
2. C.A.S.H. Initiative gathers civic leaders and responders together with the general public at a quarterly event to inform, to train, and to recruit.

PART TWO: WHY IS THE C.A.S.H. INITIATIVE NEEDED?

How do you develop a community wide interest in homeland security? All indications point to a high degree of community interest. People today are continually advised by the national media, which provides two lenses for which to view the “war on terror”.

The first lens communities view the “war on terror” is the through the lens of Iraq. An observation through this lens reveals that most people view the war in Iraq, as beyond their control, they cannot do anything about it.

The second lens communities view the “war on terror” is through the lens ofhomeland security. An observation through this lens reveals that most people feel as though they should have an element of control in securing their community. People are aware that money has been appropriated and passed into their communities to facilitate cooperation between responders. But there is a general unrest for many who would like to know how to get general information, need basic preparedness training, or just need to know where to go to volunteer or find a job to get directly involved with the homeland security effort.

C.A.S.H. Initiative provides a dynamic currently lacking in the homeland security effort. That is, it gives the general public and the community leaders and the response teams (police, fire, EMS, etc) a common platform. CASH also provides the impetus to get the word out and spark the interest needed to draw the community into a common focus.

PART THREE: HOW DOES THE C.A.S.H. INITIATIVE WORK?

DISTRIBUTE – CONSENSUS – BROADCAST – PLAN – EXECUTE

C.A.S.H. begins first by distributing this document via email or fax to key community leaders who are most interested and directly involved with the homeland security initiatives in their community. Next get a consensus, keep it simple: obtain endorsements from key responders in the community, and then pass the word via radio, television news, newspaper, business newsletters etc. For example a general announcement would be something like this:

“A Homeland Security Awareness Seminar sponsored by (Business Name Here) will be held on Saturday and Sunday, 2-8 pm on August 20 & 21. Event will include .25-cent hot dogs, and .25-cent fountain drinks and door prizes. Special guest speakers will include John Smith, Executive Director the Federal Homeland Security Department. Training workshops will be offered on topics ranging from how to prepare your home, to fire safety, CPR etc… Representatives from your community colleges, civic organizations, hospital, religious groups and military reserves will be available to answer questions on how you can become a nurse, a fireman, a policeman a military reservist or a volunteer. Come and learn, come and train, come and volunteer, or come to get hired. This is a community event, all are welcome to attend”.

2. PLAN AND EXECUTE THE EVENT.

Appoint a key community leader to coordinate and direct the event. Work with local businesses to co-sponsor the event. Plan to accommodate speakers to lecture or facilitate open forum, plan enough space for multiple workshops and recruitment. Keep a strong focus on getting the word out to the public and inviting the public to participate. Advertise as the CASH Initiative, emphasizing the name: Community Action Secures Homeland. Coordinate and schedule speakers, training workshops and recruiters to participate. Plan for refreshments, door prizes, etc. Set a tone for success and make it enjoyable. Plan for entertainment; celebrate community identity at the close of the event with a potluck dinner. In other words, celebrate the American Spirit as a focus of the event. Draw the crowds.

PART FOUR: C.A.S.H. EVENT (TWO DAYS, THREE VENUES)

INFORM / TRAIN / RECRUIT

1. INFORM Public speakers at the event will be representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, police, fire, medical, emergency responders, disaster canteens, Red Cross, etc. The purpose for the speakers is to inform the public and the responders on matters directly relating to community response in the event of a disaster. Demonstrations by any of the above would also provide interest and public information.
2. TRAIN Workshops conducted by various organizations, such as CPR training, search and rescue, food and water storage, open water diving certification. Basic electrical, construction, etc; training workshops on any aspect of response to and rebuilding of and caring for the community can be featured at the event.
3. RECRUIT Representatives from community colleges, health care, civic organizations, police, fire, military, trade unions, construction, etc. will be available to interview applicants for volunteer and paying positions.

PART FIVE: A LOOK AT FEATURES AND BENEFITS

CIVIC LEADERSHIP

By engaging the CASH Initiative, Civic leaders demonstrate an understanding of the urgency to promote and facilitate cooperation between disaster response units, civic & business leaders and the general public. Civic leaders recognize the need to quench the public thirst to gain a sense of security and get involved in the homeland security effort. Civic leaders realize that CASH is a means of providing the public forum needed to accelerate cooperation, inform the public, train the responders and the public, and facilitate recruitment of applicants for paid and volunteer positions.

HEALTH CARE FACILITIES: Hospitals, Emergency, Assisted Living etc.

By engaging the CASH Initiative, Health Care Facilities demonstrate an understanding of the urgency to promote and facilitate cooperation between disaster response units, medical responders and the overall need for training more people in the community to assist with first aid, execute CPR and prep burn victims. Medical Human resources personnel can increase their efficiency in training and recruiting staff by working with community college recruiters and military reserve recruiters at the event to offer an avenue for those interested in pursuing medical training. The CASH event provides a forum where applicants can preview job openings, assess college programs, and get money for school via military reserve education and training benefits.

VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS: Red Cross, Salvation Army, Churches, etc.

Participation in the event provides volunteer organizations a powerful grass roots opportunity for recruiting volunteers.

BUSINESSES

Business leaders and small business can participate by co-sponsoring the event. Owners can utilize the forum to make determinations regarding insurance, assess replacement costs, outfitting, logistics, etc. Owners can also use the forum to train workers in the event of a disaster: What to do, who to call, how to report, securing power, securing the facility etc. Working with other business owners in a team to commit to certain responsibilities in the event of a disaster: i.e., provide shelter, food, transportation, supplies, etc…

MILITARY RESERVES

Military Reserves provide education and training opportunities in fields that directly relate to homeland security. Reservists are often proactive in their communities, exemplify leadership, take initiative and make valuable employees and volunteers. The presence of more military reserves in the community boosts the stature and preparedness of the community to deal with a terrorist related disaster. An aspect of military reserves often overlooked is the desire for education. CASH event facilitates cooperation between recruiters and human resource personnel working in health care, community college and university, police, fire, and other disciplines. The common focus becomes homeland security and the usual competitive nature of the recruiting business can be changed to one of cooperation: Strengthening people, businesses, response teams, and overall community.

RESPONDERS

Response teams will have on ongoing event that maintains a critical focus on informing, training and recruiting, resulting in a community that knows what to do and is working as one highly orchestrated team with the appropriate level of manning to reduce casualties, control damage and rebuild.

COMMUNITY

Community benefits include a strong sense of identity forged from working together, greater levels of cooperation between leaders and residents, greater awareness of community structure and function and personal responsibility to community. Ultimately in the occurrence of a natural or terrorist induced disaster, the community would be better positioned to respond.

NATIONAL DEFENSE

As the CASH Initiative spreads from the local to the national community, the threat of terrorist activity will ultimately decline. By definition, terrorist organizations seek to disrupt or damage communities as a means of promoting fear for the purpose of manipulating or disabling the nation to some degree, either economically, politically or otherwise. The CASH Initiative provides a proactive measure of self-defense against terrorism and an aggressive measure of offensive strategy to defeat terrorists. The more communities are able to proactively respond, the more confidence WE THE PEOPLE will have as a nation, and the more stature we will have in united identity. The CASH Initiative is a proactive measure that will serve to lessen the likelihood of attacks, and strengthen the local and national community’s ability to reduce the impact and likelihood of attacks.

LOCAL, STATE & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The CASH Initiative is a grassroots effort that accelerates cooperation, action and liaison from all levels of government from the local communities to the federal government.

About the Author

Born in Genesee County, Flint, Michigan in 1964.
Resident of Grand Traverse County since 1992.
Dave Campbell is an honorably discharged First-Class Petty Officer and former
US Navy Diver. He earned his BA in Business Management and Organizational Development from Spring Arbor University in Traverse City, MI in 2007 and went on to earn a dual
Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Global Operations and Project Management from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI in 2013.