Homeland Security & Public Safety

Homeland Security

Metropolitan Washington faces unique homeland security challenges as the center of the federal government, an international tourist destination, and a major metropolitan area home to more than five million residents. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, governments, nonprofits, and private partners have worked together to significantly increase the region’s ability to detect, prepare, train for, and respond to terrorist and natural threats.

COG has played a key role in this effort, building on its extensive relationships throughout the region. A wide range of officials support regional homeland security activities at COG, from police, fire, and emergency management to information technology, public information, health, and environmental leaders. COG helps strengthen regional homeland security and emergency preparedness through:

  • Directly administering about 40 grants to strengthen the region’s emergency preparedness; 
  • Facilitating regional mutual aid and other public safety agreements;
  • Supporting emergency communication and coordination; and
  • Helping coordinate emergency exercises and after-action reporting.

In addition, COG engages groups of regional leaders, emergency planners, first responders, and other subject matter experts in the identification of regional goals and objectives and the capabilities and the projects necessary to achieve them. These groups include the:

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