Spotlight on Innovators

Citizen's Action Network (CAN)

Lieutenant Commander Andre Billeaudeaux is the Thirteenth District's PACAREA Innovation Council representative.

He founded the Citizen's Action Network, a waterfront citizen-to-Coast Guard collaboration and information sharing network. Citizens, tribal members, businesses and marina locations are plotted and interactively placed within a common operating picture inside CG command centers. These network members are accessible by watchstanders for "on demand" support in managing all number of hazards cases where immediate feedback or lengthy observations are needed. Further, the waterfront participants routinely receive automated alerts, e-notices and one-to-one phone calls from the Coast Guard and DHS sources.

The innovation was forwarded in the late 1990s and has proven to be a significant contributor in making the maritime domain safer and more secure. He credits his academic studies in mass communications (BA, Cal State U. Fullerton; MA, U. of Washington) and Homeland Security (M.A., Naval PG School) as cornerstones in the development and implementation of this innovation. However, he credits the Coast Guard's Innovation Council as equally pivotal. "Clearly the council's motivational leadership, networking resources and seed money has played a major role in the rapid growth and organizational maturity of the Citizen's Action Network." The unique collaborative network known as "CAN" has been recognized by the Secretary of Homeland Security (Excellence Award 2006), Harvard's Kennedy School of Government/ Noblis Innovation in Homeland Security Award finalist in 2007 and the Naval Postgraduate School's Zimbaro Award.

The Coast Guard's Domestic Ports Division (CG-5441) is currently studying CAN's "networked community" and all hazards mission approach for potential national-level implementation. LCDR Billeaudeaux is currently the Director of Auxiliary in the Thirteenth District and can be reached at Michael.A.Billeaudeaux@uscg.mil. The Citizen's Action Network website can be viewed at: http://www.uscg.mil/d13/can/default.htm while its resource "storehouse" can be viewed at: http://pacnwest.org/. A Center for Homeland Defense and Security interview about CAN may be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy4yjTZGDJc.