Homeland Security Branch
Lt. Colonel Christopher DeMaise - Branch Commander
Mission Statement
The mission of this Branch is to provide a continuing preventive level of homeland security and public safety through the coordination of statewide resources. The goal is to provide for an increased capacity in responding to an elevation of the National Alert System and/or an event that necessitates additional mobilization of resources in concert with our law enforcement, intelligence, corporate, and emergency response partners.
The following Office & Sections make up the Homeland Security Branch Section:
Systems Support Unit
The Unit's main function is to oversee
the design, implementation and use of automation in the Emergency
Management Section in addition to providing technical assistance
to Emergency Management Agencies statewide.
The Unit administers Local Area Networks (LAN) for the Emergency
Management Section at Division Headquarters, Federal Surplus
Property Warehouse - Bridgewater, Aviation Unit - Mercer Field
and Radiological Monitoring Unit - Princeton. The Systems
Support Unit also provides direct management support for LANs
in Cape May and Warren Counties under the Survivable Crisis
Management Project in which the State EOC would be relocated
in time of crisis. The System Support Unit also provides management
support for LAN's in the Nuclear Power Plant Counties - Ocean,
Cumberland and Salem Counties. The Unit purchases computer
hardware, software and equipment for use in Section programs.
It sets standards and specifications for outside Local Area
Networks for which the Unit is responsible. This includes
research and specification of product, contacting vendors
for price quotes, initiating purchase in the State System,
following up on purchases, receipt of product and update of
inventory database.
The Unit develops new software to handle specific functions when commercial off-the-shelf software is either unavailable, unsuitable or prohibitively expensive. The Unit developed the EMergency Information Tracking System (EMITS) that is used to manage information in EOC's statewide. The Unit oversees the automated transmission of severe weather watches and warnings over the New Jersey Law Enforcement Teletype System.
Personnel serve as Information Specialists or Operations Officers in activations of the State Emergency Operations Center. Unit Personnel are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to computer problems during emergencies. Personnel serve as members of the State Rapid Response team. They provides software and hardware support to all EMS personnel which includes installation, maintenance and upgrade. Personnel train end-users and support personnel in the use and maintenance of software and hardware. They coordinate the purchase, installation and maintenance of telecommunications systems within the Section and provide training to users as required. They also develop, maintain and implement the statewide Emergency Alerting System Plan
