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Pocono News Section
Are We Safer 6 Years Later?
Are We Safer 6 Years Later? - Tuesday, September 11, 2007 at 5:44PM EST
?
Tuesday, Sep 11, 2007 @05:44pm EST
6 years after the 9/11
attacks much has been done to bolster homeland security.
But does that make you
feel safer in northeastern Pennsylvania?
We asked people if they
feel safer since 9/11, and experts if we’re
better equipped to handle such a catastrophe here locally, since the
attacks.
At a Wilkes University 9/11 remembrance
ceremony, students talk about how safe they feel 6 years after the attacks.
One student says, "i
don't know if we'll ever feel safe as we did before september 11th because it
rocked, and shook everything down to the core so i think there's still a lot of
work to do,"
Here in Lurzerne County, public safety chief Alan
Pugh agrees, there's still a lot of work to do.
But he says our area is
better equipped to handle a catastrophe since that tragic day.
"absolutely. We've
seen a lot of increase of equipment that's available in various hand devices
that are needed for fire departments. Ems crews are much more involved
in the training aspect," says Pugh.
Pugh also says state and
federal funding since 9/11 has increased considerably.
He points to last years
flood response as proof that crews can handle a large scale emergency quickly.
WBRE terrorism analyst Joe
Peters says handling terrorism locally is a different story.
"the problem is
with every day that goes by, with every mile that we're away from 9/11, and we
live in a beautiful bucolic area, we let our guard down. And that's the worst
thing we can do when it comes to al queda," says Peters.
Peters says a foiled
terror plot against Fort Dix in may is a perfect
example.
The terrorists allegedly
trained at a home and firing range in Gouldsboro, in the Poconos.
The plot failed.
Peters says breaking up
terrorist cells like this is easier since 9/11, thanks to legistlation like the
patriot act
And that makes some we
talked with feel safer.
"it's definitely
not fullproof, and it never will be, i feel. But i definitely think that we
live in a safer environment now that the government is aware," says Wilkes
student Blaine Madara.
And Medera and others at
this ceremony hope a tragedy like 9/11 will never happen again.
Pugh says some of that
state homeland security money has helped Luzene County fund "cert"
teams.
That stands for
community emergency response teams, volunteers that are trained in cpr and
emergency drills.
In a catastrophe like
9/11, Pugh says that could be a big help in being better prepared. | | |
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