Thursday, August 24, 2000
Terrorist readiness assessed
N.Ky. officials outline need to plan emergency response
By Terry Flynn
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FORT MITCHELL — Northern Kentucky government officials, police, fire and emergency personnel got a peek Wednesday at what a terrorist attack could mean to this area and the level of preparedness necessary to meet such a challenge.
FBI Special Agent K.D. Lane and other members of a Louisville/Jefferson County emergency response team known as “The Group” conducted a one-day seminar at the Drawbridge Inn to explain what steps have been taken in that Ohio River community that could be a guide to a similar effort locally.
“What we did in Louisville is put together a coordinated response plan,” Mr. Lane said. “The emphasis is on teamwork. We all respect each other's area of expertise, and we work together as a single unit.”
Mr. Lane, the Louisville FBI's weapons of mass destruction coordinator, said The Group includes representatives of Louisville area police, fire, and EMS, as well as hospital personnel, doctors, health department officials and others.
They had first-hand experience in how to deal with a weapons of mass destruction biological event two years ago, when an envelope containing a letter that claimed to be carrying anthrax virus was sent to an abortion clinic in Louisville.
“When we met in the parking lot of the clinic, we knew each other and already had mutual respect and knowledge of what we needed to do immediately,” said Louisville emergency services director Bud Feteke. “We were able to start working on a plan right away.”
Mr. Lane discussed recent terrorist attacks, including the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building, the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York, and the gas attack in a Japanese subway.
“Don't think it can't happen here — because as soon as you believe that, something will happen,” he said. “You have to be ready, and you have to think big.”
He pointed out, for example, that while 12 people were killed in the attack in Japan, some 4,000 who were not injured but were in the subway rushed to local hospitals, basically shutting them down.
“Hospitals must be alerted in advance, and in some cases they may have to be locked down,” Mr. Lane said. “If not, they'll be out of business because they won't be able to handle the load. In some cases, it may be necessary to treat people initially in tents outside the hospital buildings.”
Crescent Springs Police Chief Mike Ward said he was impressed with the presentation and anticipated a move in Northern Kentucky to form some sort of cooperative emergency effort.
“We have all the resources in Northern Kentucky to do this,” he said. “I'm just a little disappointed that there wasn't a larger representation of elected officials at the seminar. Most of the people here are from police and fire agencies, and we need everyone's help.”
Fort Thomas Police Chief Steve Schmidt said the disaster/terrorism seminar was a good idea. “We need to be jolted a little bit with this kind of information every so often,” he said.
He said that while the Greater Cincinnati area hadn't experienced a terrorist attack, the 1977 Beverly Hills nightclub fire that killed 165 people produced a similar effort from emergency personnel.
“It was isolated to the (Southgate) hilltop, but the fire brought police, fire and emergency people from all over Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati,” he said. “That's what we're talking about in this meeting, the same type of effort. We need to be prepared.”
Boone County disaster and emergency services director Dan Maher, who hosted the seminar, said he hopes to start contacting city and county officials and agencies in the coming months in an effort to begin formation of a disaster response team along the lines of the Louisville group.
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