The NYT has an article describing NYC's impressive preparations for an unconventional weapons attack. I was struck by the quote below.

"They are trying to do what Washington is supposed to be doing, but isn't," said a former national security official in the Clinton and the second Bush administrations, Richard A. Clarke.

I don't know enough to say whether Clarke is being fair to the feds, but NYC's independent initiative is certainly not a bad thing. Chalk up another point for federalism. While I'm at it, I'll note the obvious point that in an massive emergency the deciding factor will be the conduct of civilians (panic or not, help neighbors or not, etc.). Decentralized security is the best. Search Instapundit for "A pack, not a heard," for a whole lot more on this topic.