Humans as a critical infrastructure: public-private partnerships essential to resiliency and response

Abstract

Considerable expense and resources have been dedicated to the analysis, maintenance, and security of the critical infrastructures. However, additional effort should be expended in the consideration of humans as a critical infrastructure. Human interpersonal networks, intelligence, capacity for innovation, and characteristics as a resilient complex system are only a few examples of how humans are not only an integral component of the traditional infrastructures, but also are infrastructures in and of themselves. One of the implications of viewing humans as a critical infrastructure is a need to ensure their security. Public-private partnerships and community level efforts to foster individual and community resiliency offer tangible measures of ensuring the security of this overlooked critical infrastructure.