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March 14, 2003
Terror attack would find local responders hurting
By THAD RUETER | News-Journal Staff Writer
DAYTONA BEACH — As war looms, many of the agencies and people likely to respond to a terrorist attack in the Daytona Beach area lack vital equipment.
Emergency officials said training about biological, chemical and other threats has continued at a steady pace in the 18 months since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists attacks.
Government officials have established tighter security procedures for critical facilities such as airports and water plants. Plus, federal and state governments are giving out money and security tips, with more certain to come.
But local agencies, while expressing confidence they could properly respond to a terrorist attack, say they are still without gear and machinery that could help with that response.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office, for instance, expects to get 100 biohazard suits under a U.S. Department of Justice grant, said spokesman Gary Davidson. That covers about a quarter of the county's deputies, he said.
Ormond Beach's Fire Department, like many departments throughout the nation, needs protective suits, respirators and monitors to measure toxins in the air, said Chief Barry Baker.
Though Halifax Medical Center has much of what it needs to deal with a terrorist attack, the hospital – one of the region's largest – will have to wait until late summer to get decontamination equipment, said Kathy Blennett, the medical center's manager of disaster planning and safety.
The hospital already has received an almost $19,000 federal grant to train health workers to respond to biological, chemical and other attacks. The decontamination equipment will come from another $70,000 federal grant.
"We're not 100 percent there," said Blennett, whose job was an outgrowth of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "But we're going in the right direction."
The story is the same throughout the country.
"Cities have made tremendous progress" in the past 18 months, said Michael Reinemer, a spokesman for the National League of Cities. He said cities have spent about $3 billion on extra security costs since Sept. 11, 2001. The money has paid for police and firefighter overtime and gear.
Still, many cities don't consider themselves prepared for a terrorist attack, he said. And it's uncertain how much more cities can do on their own as local budgets are squeezed not only by the cost of homeland security but by declining tax revenues, less state and federal aid and higher costs.
"Some cities are facing some tough and unpleasant choices" between municipal services and local security needs, Reinemer said.
The federal government recently offered some help, freeing up $1.35 billion for so-called "first responders" who would provide immediate responses to terrorist attacks. Local governments have been complaining for more than a year about the lack of federal money for first responders.
About $750 million of grants will go to fire departments. About $600 million is earmarked for local law enforcement and public safety workers. Grant distribution is scheduled to begin by July.
Ormond Beach plans to apply for a grant by mid-April, Baker said, that would help pay for equipment. The department also hopes to get money for a computer program that would simulate a terrorist attack, offering local workers the chance to practice their response, he said.
Money isn't the only factor in preparing for attacks. Specialized emergency response equipment, including protective suits, remains in relatively limited supply.
"This isn't something you run down to Wal-Mart to pick up," said Mike Stone, a spokesman with the Florida Division of Emergency Management. He said "you get a minimal layer of (equipment) out, and then you come back and build upon that."
Stone added that "you don't have to have a suit for every person" because everyone won't respond to a terrorist attack at the same time.
Agencies also are working to strengthen communication and cooperation among themselves, but problems exist. Davidson, for instance, said radio systems need to be more compatible. That issue, he said, "should get some additional attention on the state or federal level."
If we go red
Though the national terror alert level remains at yellow – two levels below red – that could change should the United States invade Iraq or learn of an imminent terrorist attack.
Local governments throughout the nation have at least hazy plans about what to do should the alert level reach red. They range from increased patrols at water plants to canceling all time off for emergency workers to activating joint command centers.
Here's a general idea of what a red terror level would mean for the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, according to spokesman Gary Davidson. The department would:
– Move toward 100 percent staffing, which means that all patrol zones would be covered by deputies at all times. The county is divided into five districts, each with five or more patrol zones.
– Provide additional security at the Daytona Beach International Airport. During the orange terror level, short-term parking was closed and vehicle inspections stepped up.
– Step up security and mandatory security checks of the county's government buildings and "critical infrastructure sites," such as water and utility plants.