MEDIA ADVISORY

Mayor: Jennifer P. Dougherty

CONTACT: Nancy Gregg Poss, Public Information Officer, 301-360-3842

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, November 26, 2003

CITY OF FREDERICK BENEFITS FROM TRAINING THROUGH U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Frederick, Md. --- Terrorist attacks have been a part of society that until September 11, 2001 only top ranking government officials and law enforcement agencies dealt with. Everything changed after September 11th, 2001.

The City of Frederick is continuing to take advantage of training opportunities provided at no cost to the City through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office for Domestic Preparedness, Department for Domestic Preparedness at Ft. McClellan in Anniston, Alabama. The Center for Domestic Preparedness training programs are nationally recognized for providing challenging, effective and progressive education and training that enhance the capacity of the emergency response community to respond to an act of terrorism including a weapon of mass destruction.

As of November 2003, the City of Frederick’s Police Department has sent most command staff, supervisory staff and special response team members to participate in some form of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Training. “All supervisors and commanders went initially to the Incident Command (IC) Training. All sworn personnel, regardless of rank, will go through the Hands on Training (HOT). All Sergeants and Corporals have been through both IC and HOT. And most of the Commanders are now going back through HOT,” stated Lieutenant Richard L. Hetherington, Training, Planning and Research Division Commander.

With exception of the new recruits who were officially sworn in this past Monday, all but 23 officers have been sent for training. It is anticipated that the remaining will attend the first half of 2004.

In an effort to capitalize on this exemplary training programs, City of Frederick Police Chief Kim Dine encouraged Mayor Jennifer Dougherty to expand the participation base to other departments that include first responders within the City’s emergency operations plan.

Most recently the City of Frederick sent two administrators, Eva Rosvold, Director of Administration and Nancy Gregg Poss, Public Information Officer, to participate in WMD Incident Command Training. The target audience for this training includes command level responders in the fire service, law enforcement, emergency medical service, emergency management and emergency communications, or other emergency response profession.

Rosvold and Poss participated in three days of intensive, in-depth training focusing on weapons of mass destruction and a terrorist event. The course provided instruction on WMD, the incident command system coupled with the Federal response, and addressed the complexities of operational considerations and actions of command at a WMD event.

Throughout the week, participants were taken through pre- and post- considerations by incorporating a segment on planning for the response using techniques that allow the commander to determine the correct composition of the planning team, evaluating the threat to the jurisdiction, identifying and prioritizing probable targets, measuring required capabilities, and developing a local incident response plan to a WMD terrorist incident.

The course culminates with the attendee participating in an eight-hour real time tabletop exercise using the materials developed in the previous sessions to plan for and command the emergency response resources at the incident site. Poss stated, “For over a year the City of Frederick has placed a high priority on emergency preparedness. This course required us to apply our previous knowledge and training, while challenging us to ‘think like a terrorist’ in a real-time drill.”

Poss added, “On day one we were essentially strangers from different cities and states with the goal of learning more about WMD and the incident command model. At the culmination of the week, we had formed partnerships, created working plans and learned from other groups. I am grateful that Mayor Dougherty and Chief Dine saw the benefit in this training and I look forward to other agencies within our community participating as well.”

The target audience for this training includes those command level responders in the fire service, law enforcement, emergency medical service, emergency management and emergency communications, or other emergency response profession.

“The class at the Center for Domestic Preparedness was a great opportunity to learn more about the Incident Command System and how it can be used to respond to a Weapons of Mass Destruction incident, “ stated Rosvold. “ I learned from instructors who are leaders in their field and from other students. The collective experience and knowledge passed on from people who were from all parts of the country and served their communities in all different ways was invaluable.”

Rosvold added, “The most important thing I took away from the class was the need for different levels of government agencies and communities working together now to plan for the future. We are fortunate our entire police department has received training at CDP and look forward to others going as well.”

Other administrative level staffers are scheduled to participate after the New Year including staff from the Department of Public Works, Office of Occupational Safety and Health, Citizen Services, as well as Frederick Police dispatchers and civilian staff.

Other courses offered include; WMD Technical Emergency Response Training Course (TERT), WMD Hazardous Material Technician Training Course (HT), WMD Hands-On Training Course (HOT), WMD Advanced Hazardous Materials Technician Training (AHT), WMD Law Enforcement Protective Measures (LEPM TtT), and Center for Domestic Preparedness Instructor Training Certification Course (ITC).

To date the City of Frederick has sent 36 individuals to IC; 73 to HOT; and 13 to TERT. City of Frederick Police Chief Kim Dine added “As a result of these trainings the City of Frederick’s participants are now a resource for not only for our city, but also the county and the rest of Maryland.”