KISS = Keep it Simple and Straightforward.

I'm sure it doesn't require repeating to the professionals in the education and security businesses represented by the first round and many commenters here, but if the goal of government is to serve the public then this effort has to consider how to get the important message out as simply as possible, over and over, in the most basic form, in the most extreme circumstances.

As a thought experiment, imagine "worst case scenario" and what capabilities are there NOW to get out the word.  Exercise those capabilities NOW to advertise this project to engage John Q Public, at each step of this national dialogue.

Wash, Rinse, and Repeat.   By doing so you will demonstrate commitment to a grass-roots, bottom-up approach, which is what works anyway, particularly in America. You will condition the public to look for information in future from these resources, and you will build in a back-up capability for information dissemination that will work, when TSHTF.

We dont need to reinvent the wheel, or look far for answers. Look at Katrina, earthquakes, wildfires, and future EMP scenarios and ask yourself - "what worked and what can we expect will work in worst case, to get out the word?"

Proof: So far, I have seen little or no exposure to this great idea for dialogue with DHS in the newspapers, on TV, on radio, etc.  It would be a good exercise to hear of it in a flyer distributed door-todoor by Boy Scouts, church groups, CERT volunteers, firemen and cops going down the street.

Those are the sources the average Joe turns to in their community when the radio and TV goes out.  Exercise the system at least once, to get the word out on this dialogue, and be surprised (or not) at what you get.

That will inform your ideas about what to do about things, in the planning stage for each of the various flavors of disasters, which all share the same common initial goal - information in/out in the simplest most reliable way.

Here is why - if we dont take a collective step back and bullet proof the process, we take a very real risk of collectively navel gazing and set up for a giant goat-rope that relies too much on this fancy internet-thang, which will be one of the first things to go...

Kevin Skjei
Carlsbad, CA

Daniel Advisory Services

because it works