October 23, 2002—A new issue of The Wirthlin Report, conducted by Wirthlin Worldwide and sponsored by The National Crime Prevention Council, focuses on key issues surrounding the current threat of terrorism in America and readiness levels of federal, state and local agencies.
In February 2002, Wirthlin Worldwide conducted an Advanced Strategy Lab (ASL, a four-hour in-depth strategic planning discussion) with 18 federal, state, and local officials to better understand the issues.
In March 2002, a telephone survey followed of 700 federal, state, and local officials concerned with emergency prevention, preparedness, and response. Respondents included persons from all 50 states and from a wide variety of disciplines.
Although there has been a great deal of action to improve national readiness, there is still work to be done, suggests the report. Fewer than half of officials surveyed think their agencies are adequately prepared to react to future large-scale emergencies and terrorist threatsa view that is consistent across all regions of the country and all levels of government.
Throughout the nation, most agencies do not have the technologies they need to be prepared for the threats they now face. Only one in five (22%) report that they currently have and use adequate technology. Another 21 percent of respondents, especially local ones, know that they need improved technology, but cannot identify or afford it.
For about 6 in 10 respondents, their agencies know what they need and know it is being developed (though the agency does not yet have it) or know the technology exists but know their agencies are not yet procuring it.
Identifying currently available technologies that can be adapted to agency needs, sorting out new technologies and their application to existing agencies, and helping agencies identify ways to assess needs and relate them to available and emerging technologies are among the challenges that will face the homeland security community for some time to come.
Respondents rated 10 proposed technology tools as highly useful, with all receiving ratings above the median (3.0) on a 1 to 5 scale. At the top of nearly everyones list are three primary toolsconsistent communications protocols among agencies, interoperable systems, and emergency alert and warning notificationsall of which average a 4.3 rating.
Wireless communication (4.1), ability to consolidate data sources (4.1), and contact management tools (4.0) score just below the 4.3-rated group.
Americans are beginning to worry more about threats of terrorism in public places. Though “traveling out of town” is still the greatest concern (rated 5.2 on a 1 to 10 scale), concerns about terrorism in the workplace and while out shopping or at leisure all jumped up at least half of a point, on average, between November 2001 and May 2002.
For more information, contact Wirthlin Worldwide.
