OFFICE OF NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION COORDINATION

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OFFICE OF NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION COORDINATION

THE FULL-S PECTRUM RISK KNOWLEDGEBASE

The Office of National Capital Region Coordination (NCRC) was established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296, Sec. 882) to coordinate homeland security activities relating to the National Capital Region (NCR). Originally an office within U.S. Department of Homeland Security headquarters and now a part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, NCRC aims to enhance coordination and communication among stakeholders and contribute to the better security of the NCR.

Among its many activities, NCRC is working to enhance risk-informed decision making with respect to homeland security and emergency management. In 2009, NCRC began building on past regional risk analysis efforts to facilitate enriched risk knowledge and provide guidance on the conduct of risk analyses through the development of a secure web-based resource for government officials—The Full-Spectrum Risk Knowledgebase. The Full-Spectrum Risk Knowledgebase features Baseline Risk Information, including that relevant to both risk assessment and risk management; a Methodology Playbook, consisting of information and guidance on using a variety of methodologies and structured analytic techniques in support of risk analysis efforts; a Library of reference material, including a “Risk 101” overview; a Glossary of useful terms when considering all-hazards risk; and user guidelines detailing The Knowledgebase functionality, among other elements.

The Baseline Risk Information section of The Full-Spectrum Risk Knowledgebase provides immediate value to stakeholders by visually depicting hazard networks that link cause and effect among numerous hazards, and offering a general threat network that illustrates key activities performed in advance of a terrorist or criminal act. Supporting the hazard networks is information on the causal relationships between hazards that lists influencing factors and other considerations to develop tailored perspectives on risks, as well as identifies examples of various mitigation actions and countermeasures that may be applied to lessen the impact of the consequence in a given relationship. The Baseline Risk Information section also offers a wealth of information on a range of threats and hazards—terrorist and criminal acts, natural hazards, and accidents—and potential investments to mitigate or reduce risk. In addition to being cross-referenced with appropriate hazards, mitigation action and countermeasure entries include information such as type of investment, collateral benefits, required resources or capabilities (supporting architecture), and general strengths and limitations, as appropriate. Complementing the Baseline Risk Information is the Methodology Playbook, which describes numerous methodologies and analytic techniques used in conducting risk analyses. It includes examples of specific analytical methods, tools, and techniques that may be employed to develop a more refined and detailed risk profile of a given jurisdiction or system. The information provided in the Methodology Playbook aids in the analytical process of identifying, assessing, and ranking and ordering threats, hazards, vulnerabilities, and mitigation actions and countermeasures, as well as defending prioritizations related to all-hazard risks and resource allocation.

Overall, The Full-Spectrum Risk Knowledgebase is a reference site that can be used to build risk knowledge and provide decision support. Not only does it offer meaningful risk information, but it presents analytical frameworks that can be applied to risk-informed decision making on the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. In helping users to explore information required for defendable investments, The Full-Spectrum Risk Knowledgebase provides a foundation for decision making and investment justification. Moreover, it offers information on documented techniques to help users articulate how they came to certain conclusions on what their risks are and how to contend with them. Importantly, The Knowledgebase allows for continuous access to this information utilized in risk analyses while empowering stakeholders and subject-matter experts to contribute to the dynamic and continually expanding subject areas at will, thus also serving as a collaborative environment. The content of The Full-Spectrum Risk Knowledgebase represents a growing body of knowledge, refined with stakeholder and subject-matter expert input, that enables risk analysis and supports wide-ranging stakeholders in considering their risks and enhancing confidence in their decision making.

Point of Contact: Liz Jackson, Team Lead (Regional Risk), NCRC

(202) 510-1856 / Liz.Jackson@dhs.gov