Governor Jeanne Shaheen has named a new commission to evaluate New Hampshire's readiness to deal with a terrorist attack. NHPR's Doug MacPherson reports.
GOVERNOR SHAHEEN SET UP AN ANTI-TERRORISM TASK FORCE MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO. NOW, HOWEVER, SHE SAYS A NEW EFFORT IS NEEDED.
TAPE SHAHEEN 020 it's clear from the terrorist attacks of September 11th that we now face new kinds of threats - threats for which nh must be prepared, and from which the people of this state must be protected. :13
SHAHEEN SAYS NEW SECURITY MEASURES ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. THE STATE'S MARINE PATROL, IN COOPERATION WITH THE U-S COAST GUARD, HAS INITIATED RANDOM PATROLS OF PORTSMOUTH HARBOR AND THE PISCATAQUA RIVER. THE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY HAS INCREASED PATROLS OF OIL AND PROPANE TERMINALS. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HAS INSTITUTED AN ENHANCED DISEASE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM IN ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS. STATE POLICE HAVE STEPPED UP COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR LOCAL AND FEDERAL COUNTERPARTS.
SHAHEEN EMPHASIZED THAT THE STATE HAS RECEIVED NO INFORMATION TO INDICATE THAT NEW HAMPSHIRE IS A TARGET OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES. STILL, SHE SAID, IT'S TIME TO RE-EVALUATE THE STATE'S EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
TAPE SHAHEEN 034 the world has changed, and we must confront those changes effectively to keep our families safe, and to make sure our state is secure. That's why today I'm appointing the nh commission on preparedness and security. :15
SHAHEEN SAID THE COMMISSION WOULD ASSESS THE STATE'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO A TERRORIST ATTACK WITH MASS CASUALTIES, INCLUDING A CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL ATTACK. IT WILL ALSO EVALUATE THE SECURITY OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, PUBLIC UTILITIES, FUEL STORAGE, AND WATER SUPPLIES.
THE COMMISSION INCLUDES THE STATE'S ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HEAD OF THE STATE'S NATIONAL GUARD, AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF SAFETY, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND TRANSPORTATION. IT WILL BE HEADED BY STATE FIRE MARSHAL DON BLISS. BLISS SAYS THE COMMISSION'S CHALLENGE WILL BE TO PLAN HOW TO USE THE STATE'S LIMITED EMERGENCY RESPONSE RESOURCES IN THE MOST EFFICIENT MANNER.
TAPE DON BLISS 256 one of the biggest struggles that we have is trying to balance the tendency to think up all kinds of bizarre scenarios, and that can go on infinitely. Trying to identify what's a reasonable --- what are the reasonable expectations, what's the level of threat, what are the potential risks. That is really one of the hardest tasks we have before us. :20
BLISS SAYS "REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS" HAVE OBVIOUSLY CHANGED.
TAPE DON BLISS 272 Sept 11th changed a lot of things. The loss of the two towers of the world trade center was truly unthinkable. And we do have to go back and rethink some of the earlier assumptions, the earlier risks that we thought we might experience. :16
AS ANOTHER COMMISSION MEMBER PUT IT, "YOU DON'T GO TO GRAD SCHOOL TO STUDY TERRORISM IN A PUBLIC POLICY ENVIRONMENT."
THE COMMISSION IS SCHEDULED TO MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME ON MONDAY, AND IS DUE TO REPORT BACK TO THE GOVERNOR IN TWO MONTHS. FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I'M DOUG MACPHERSON.
