“The Department of Defense has a robust capability for space-based and airborne Incident Awareness Assessment in order to perform our many and varied missions. Some platforms are capable of transmitting full-motion video anywhere in the world, in real-time, using existing DoD communication networks. These assets can also be used to help support US Northern Command’s (USNORTHCOM) defense support of civil authorities during times of national crisis. Specific intelligence oversight rules strictly govern these assets when they are gathering visual information of U.S. territory…. Incident Awareness Assessment is the process of gathering information on a geographic area, often as full-motion video in realtime, or infrared imagery in a timely manner, to provide appropriate local, state and federal authorities situational awareness of what is in a given area. In this instance, IAA is being conducted at the request of FEMA to provide state and other firefighters the ability to determine where fires are, so they can direct their efforts where needed”. (DoD, Public Affairs Strategic Planning Document-- For media access to Full Motion Video (FMV) and Incident Awareness Assessment (IAA), June 27, 2008, pp. 1 & 4)