Case Study: #109

Collaborating to Establish a
Better U.S. Emergency Public Messaging Capability

Industry:	U.S. Federal Government
Client:	A Federally Funded Research and Development Center
Service:	National Emergency Prepardness

Client’s Challenge: As the tragic events of September 11, 2001 unfolded –
in New York City, Washington D.C. and other places – the emergency broadcasting systems never got activated. Interested in examining advanced public messaging methodologies, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) handed the job of doing so to the Homeland Security Institute (HSI),
a federally-funded research and development center (FFRDC) dedicated
to assisting DHS in addressing national policy and security issues where scientific, technical and analytical expertise is required. HSI didn’t hesitate. Almost immediately, it turned its attention to the Israelis, who have an exceptionally effective means of broadcasting emergency information to
the general public, perhaps one of the best in the world.

The Hillard Heintze Solution: Undertaking this research in an expedited manner, however, required conducting in-depth interviews with a very small but critical group of experts working both here in the United States and abroad. To identify these individuals and facilitate this aspect of the project, HSI turned to Hillard Heintze. Tapping its global network of contacts, Hillard Heintze secured and conducted high-level interviews with specific individuals working in the Israeli Embassy as well as in the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) division. Hillard Heintze also arranged for an Israeli-based company to conduct and facilitate interviews with high-ranking policy-shaping officials in the Israeli government.

Impact on the Client’s Business: These interviews proved highly successful and – along with other research – supported the Homeland Security Institute’s findings, which were published in April, 2009 in a DHS/HSI report entitled “Public Role and Engagement in Counterterrorism Efforts: Implications of Israeli Practices for the U.S.”.