Situational awareness typically refers to a person being aware of what is going on around him or her. As Toner notes, “Understanding is more than information gathering. It implies gathering the right information (all that is needed, but not too much), being able to analyze it, and making projections based on the analysis. In the best of all worlds, it also means being able to do something with the information (i.e., it is useful information).”

Unlike any other event in recent history, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, demonstrated the critical importance of information sharing, intelligence analysis, and situational awareness for justice, public safety, and homeland security. In the wake of these devastating attacks several assessments revealed the splintered nature of intelligence gathering and analysis and the barriers to information sharing among agencies at all levels of government.