With the new year approaching, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Ready Campaign is reminding Americans to Resolve to be Ready in 2009. Resolve to be Ready is a nationwide effort designed to encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies in the new year.

Secretary Chertoff spoke on the need to secure cyberspace, and to protect our nation's cyber-systems and infrastructure, whether it be government, military, or civilian government on December 10, 2008 at the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association meeting at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C.

General Douglas O’Dell, President George W. Bush’s federal coordinator for Gulf Coast rebuilding, strongly emphasized the importance of businesses developing continuity of operations plans, or COOP plans, now before a disaster. In keynote remarks at the Louisiana Technology Council “Business Continuity: Planning Your Survival Kit” event, O’Dell noted the importance of technology specialists in developing and carrying out such plans.

Secretary Michael Chertoff participated in blogger roundtable dicussing the State and Future of DHS on Tuesday, December 9, 2008.

General Douglas O'Dell, Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, helped U.S. Secretary Housing and Urban Development, Steve Preston, and other local officials and stakeholders break ground for the new Columbia Citi Residences at Bayou District in New Orleans, calling it a sign of good rebuilding progress.

General Douglas O'Dell, Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, said President Bush and his Administration have laid a solid foundation for rebuilding New Orleans and the greater Gulf Coast with aid that totals more than $126 billion. Local leaders are at the helm of the rebuilding, leading the effort in addressing affordable housing needs.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate released the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) today, recommending Manhattan, Kan., as the preferred site for the state-of the-art, high-security laboratory facility to study foreign animal and zoonotic (transferable from animal to human) diseases that can impact livestock.

Secretary Chertoff spoke on the state of homeland security at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, on December 4, 2008.

General Douglas O'Dell, Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, commended the local private sector and nonprofit leaders for their work to address the local need for affordable housing. He then urged them to redouble their efforts and continue working to increase affordable housing to meet the need in the Calcasieu area.

Remarks by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on incident management at Johns Hopkins University on Wednesday, December 3, 2008.