Homeland Security

This website provides a wide range of information and points of contact concerning Homeland Security as it relates to the overall security of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its citizens.

Our Goal for this website is clarification.  We urge every Commonwealth citizen to become involved at the local municipality level and become familiar with the foundational tenets of Homeland Security, what it means at the strategic/federal level, the operational/state level, and how the Governor organizes the Commonwealth departments/agencies in order to comply with federal and Commonwealth statutory requirements. More importantly, our Commonwealth Homeland Security Strategy must consider prioritized threats, vulnerabilities and consequences while balancing economic well-being amidst potential terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. All of these statutes, directives, plans and strategies are focused on the tactical/local unit of government level – for this is the engine upon which our economy runs.

Most importantly, however, is what it means and how it relates to you, the Commonwealth citizen.

PENNSYLVANIA HOMELAND SECURITY DIRECTORATE 
Pennsylvania's Homeland Security Directorate is a separate functioning entity from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Although the U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides funding and guidelines to the state agencies that are responsible for both anti-terrorism and counter-terrorism measures, Pennsylvania Homeland Security resides within the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). The Deputy Director for the Homeland Security Directorate reports directly to the PEMA Director/PA Homeland Security Advisor in support of Emergency Preparedness activities, programs, and initiatives across the Commonwealth.

To accommodate a better understanding of Commonwealth Strategy for Homeland Security, this website is organized to facilitate self-study; each topic can be reviewed independent of the others. Since we’re not sure of your overall knowledge or interest of each topic, simply browse through the outline to choose your particular topic of interest. Should you wish to begin your review at the federal level and then proceed to the state level, simply continue through this Introduction.