Homeland security measures in Burlington, Vermont are overseen by the Homeland Security Unit (HSU) within the Vermont Department of Public Safety. Established in 2002, HSU has spearheaded a number of important initiatives including Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES), which helps train and license amateur radio operators for emergency operations, and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), an organization that prepares community volunteers for independent operations following a major terrorist incident.
Since 2001, Vermont has received almost $115 million in federal grant money to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks. In 2013, the state received $6.3 million, up from $5.7 million in 2012. These funds have helped Vermont upgrade equipment used by first responders, install new communications equipment and provide new training to homeland security personnel.
The head of the Vermont State Police recently cited some reasons for public awareness. These include the relative proximity of major metropolitan areas like New York City, which is only five hours drive away, and Montreal, which is less than three hours. There have been numerous reports that Montreal is a center for terrorist cells which may attempt to cross into the United States through Vermont borders.
Training and Qualifications for Homeland Security Professionals in Burlington, Vermont
Homeland security jobs in Burlington may be available to professionals with backgrounds in transportation management, information technology, business administration, public health and criminal justice. Many of these homeland security jobs should be available to professionals with qualifications similar to these:
- U.S. citizenship
- Possession of a bachelor’s degree with significant course work in:
- Emergency management
- Homeland security
- Terrorism studies
- International relations
- Public policy
- Information security
- Public health
- Ability to obtain a security clearance and pass a background investigation
- Two or more years of experience in homeland security or emergency management fields
- Experience designing, implementing and evaluating training programs or exercises for homeland security personnel
- Familiarity with National Incident Management System, National Response Framework or Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program
- Ability to work effectively with government officials and private sector homeland security specialists
There are a number of universities in the Burlington area that offer homeland security degree or certification programs. Many of these programs may be accessed online or completed on campus. The majority of these academic certificate programs utilize modules similar to those found in graduate degree curricula like:
- Individual Rights and Liberties
- Intelligence and Security
- Statistics for Homeland Security
The Vermont Homeland Security Unit also offers training and certification related to the following areas:
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives Detection
- WMD/Hazardous Materials Response and Decontamination
- Responder Safety and health
- Explosive Device Response Operations
- On-Site Incident Management
- Terrorism Awareness
- Fire Incident Response Support