Civic Leaders Set Direction For Hometown Security (NAPSA)—It’s been said thatall politics is local. The same is true whenit comes to matters of safety and security. Homelandsecurity is about hometown security. Twelve lessons were developed by the National League of Cities after a series of briefings with emergency experts who responded to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. These 12 points offer practical guidance to local officials in cities and towns of all sizes as they develop and refine local and regional homeland security plans. * Focus on effective communications. That means reliable equipment and personal communication with other levels of government and with the public Build strong working relationships before an emergency. * Define and communicate clearly who’s in charge in general and whois responsible for specific response components. Be prepared to operate alone in an emergency for 24 to 48 hours before other local, state or federal help arrives. Plan for continuity of government during and after an emergency. Practice. Regular drills, simulations, and table-top exercises will ensure that all personnel know the plan and know whatto do. Prepare boilerplate emergency proclamations, alerts and other messages which can be put into effect immediately, and have all mutual aid agreements signed and in place. Maximize the use of technology to support emergency pre- paredness, response, and recovery. Technology resources that were mentioned include GIS mapping and databases of resources (including private industry, businesses, and volunteers). | y ax Sta 7 : = =e es eS ane Many cities say they will cut programs or services because of shifting resources to homeland security. Emphasize training and cross training for all personnel to increase the likelihood that someone on site knows what to do even if the “right people” are not there. Respond only with the necessary people on site so that other operations can be sustained. Someone needs to stay behind— for both continuity of governance and continued operation of key services. Consider the human element of employee response. Emergency planning should look at the stress and emotional needs of employees after an emergency. Engagecitizens in new ways as part of the planning process so that residents are part of the solution during an emergency. Since September 11, 2001, America’s cities and towns have been working to ensure hometown security by reviewing andrevising their emergency preparedness plans, conducting training sessions and drills, participating in regional and statewide planning sessions, and restoring confidence in the American wayoflife. For more information, visit the National League of Cities at www.nlc.org.
