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Core Goal #6 Vulnerability Assessment

Every region in Maryland should have a comprehensive all-hazards threat and vulnerability assessment in place and fully updated every three years, including an assessment and inventory of critical infrastructure in the region. Maryland should have a complete inventory of critical infrastructure; including assets controlled by the private sector, and other potential targets, such as communities and populations of interest. This inventory should include a regularly updated assessment of specific vulnerabilities that identifies any major gaps where funds should be invested to harden the most vulnerable and at-risk targets.

Why is Vulnerability Assessment important?
Vulnerability assessments identify, quantify, and prioritize weaknesses in the security of critical infrastructure and key resources (CI/KR) due to threats resulting from natural or man-made hazards. These assessments provide security personnel with the necessary information to direct investments toward and implement new protective measures to harden key facilities and critical systems. Vulnerability assessment data must be secured but readily available to law enforcement, emergency management and other stakeholders during periods of heightened threat and during emergency response.  

Governor O'Malley's Strategic Plan for Vulnerability Assessment:

6A - Maryland should have a complete inventory of critical infrastructure, including assets controlled by the private sector, and other potential targets, such as communities and populations of interest.

• Develop and implement a single format/tool for site visits and use a unified statewide database for storing critical infrastructure information and regularly update data within this tool.
• Sites should be ranked and prioritized based on threat, and major gaps should be identified so that funding can be directed toward hardening at risk targets.
• Encourage cooperation and coordination with the private sector in collecting and analyzing information on privately held critical infrastructure.

6B - Every region in Maryland should have a comprehensive all-hazards threat and vulnerability assessment in place and fully updated every three years, including an assessment and inventory of critical infrastructure in the region.

• Update the all-hazards vulnerability assessment every three years.