NEWS RELEASE

Mayor: Jennifer P. Dougherty

CONTACT: Jeanette Eleff, Public Information Officer, 301-360-3842

Dan Patton, Health and Safety Coordinator, 301-600-2546

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, April 26, 2002

HOMELAND DEFENSE PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP TRAINING COURSE TO BEGIN, MONDAY, APRIL 29

A Homeland Defense Preparedness workshop will be offered starting April 29.

The workshop was developed by the Training Preparedness and Public Relations committee of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). The LEPC was formed after September 11, and consists of City and Frederick County departments and agencies that routinely meet to share information and discuss resource allocation to insure community preparedness for a terrorism attack.

“The City of Frederick along with various municipal and private agencies have worked on this initiative to provide our citizenry with the necessary information that will prepare them to recognize, observe and respond appropriately to an act of domestic terrorism,” stated Dan Patton, Health and Safety Coordinator for The City of Frederick.

The Red Cross will train 15 volunteers as facilitators for the Homeland Defense Preparedness workshop Monday, April 29. Once the facilitators are trained, the 1½ hour course will be offered to any group including PTA’s, churches and neighborhoods. Weekly presentations will also be offered at the Red Cross office in Walkersville or as requested. The workshop is free of charge.

The goal of the workshop is to prepare individuals to understand and identify a terrorist attack. Attendees will develop a plan to prepare themselves and their families in the event of an attack.

Red Cross Director of Emergency Services Leah Crace declared, “Our role as citizens is to be the link between the first awareness of an attack and contacting the professional responders. It is our responsibility to make ourselves aware of the potential for a terrorism attack and to always be alert.”

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The first workshop will be held for City of Frederick employees on Wednesday, May 15.

“I applaud the work of the LEPC in developing this educational program for our citizens,” stated Mayor Jennifer Dougherty. “Insuring the health and safety of the public is one of our highest priorities. I encourage all citizens to take this valuable workshop. One can never have too much education in how to be prepared for any type of emergency.”

To register for a free workshop contact the Frederick County Red Cross office at 301-662-5131.

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