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"As we approach the five-year anniversary of 9/11, the victims and
their families are still in our thoughts and prayers," Gov.
Blagojevich said. "The anniversary also serves as a reminder that we
must remain vigilant and continue to build our arsenal to prevent
and fight terrorism. This week in Springfield we are putting our
strong commitment to homeland security on display. Our special teams
and equipment demonstrate that Illinois is ready to respond to a
terrorist attack and protect our communities. And, we continue to
improve upon these assets as we seek new ways to provide the best
possible protection for the people of our state." Illinois'
response capabilities are highlighted in 24 exhibits, including
several of the state's special response teams, such as the State
Weapons of Mass Destruction Team, the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm
System's regional special response team, the Illinois Medical
Emergency Response Team, the Urban Search and Rescue Team, a Level-A
Hazmat Team, a Technical Rescue Team, and the Illinois National
Guard's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-Yield
Explosives Response Force Package.
Response vehicles in the display include Illinois Emergency
Management Agency's Unified Area Command trailer, a mobile command
post, an Illinois Department of Transportation Bell helicopter, and
IEMA's satellite truck and communications van.
Equipment on display at the conference includes the state's
Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System, personal protective equipment,
a mass decontamination trailer, an Illinois Transportable Emergency
Communications Systems suite, a Community Emergency Response Team
trailer, interoperable communications equipment, mobile data
computers, the Emergency Response Team Credentialing Project, the
Illinois Citizen and Law Enforcement Analysis and Report System and
the Illinois Livestock Emergency Response Tool. In addition, the
Illinois Terrorism Task Force's training and education for
responders, as well as public information items, will be on display.
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"I commend the Illinois Terrorism Task Force and the Illinois
Emergency Management Agency for their dedication to building these
response capabilities and providing local emergency management
professionals with the training and tools they need for effective
preparedness and response," said Col. Jill Morgenthaler, the
governor's deputy chief of staff for public safety. "While much of
this response capability was developed for homeland security
purposes, it has also greatly enhanced both state and local response
to other emergencies, such as tornadoes, flooding and hazardous
materials events." This year's IEMA conference offers emergency
management professionals a variety of educational options, including
classes in first-aid and CPR, communications skills, radiological
response, and geographic information system training for emergency
management coordinators,. The conference's general session topics
include sheltering for special needs populations, compliance with
the National Incident Management System, an overview of state and
federal preparations for avian flu, an update from the Illinois
Terrorism Task Force, and a presentation by Police Commander Chris
Allison, who was the incident commander following the 2005 London
bombings.
In addition, breakout sessions provide several other educational
opportunities on such topics as mortuary response following
Hurricane Katrina, mental health considerations during emergencies,
transportation of radioactive materials in Illinois, labor-related
issues during an emergency, enactment of the Illinois Safety Drill
Act and a discussion with local elected officials who have been
faced with major emergencies.
The IEMA conference concludes Thursday at noon.
[News release from the governor's
office] |
