Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Not for gathering dust

Thursday, Oct. 31, 2002 | 1:27 a.m.

FORMER SENS. GARY HART and Warren Rudman co-chaired a study and the commission report "Road Map For National Security: Imperative For Change." It was published March 15, 2001 but few people in government gave it much serious attention. Then along came the disastrous events of Sept. 11, 2001 and the people in Congress and the White House rushed to pull copies off of dusty shelves.

The report gave three essential instruments that must be improved and used to protect our homeland:

Last week another independent task force, co-chaired by Hart and Rudman, released a new report. This most recent report, "America Still Unprepared -- America Still in Danger," had better be read and understood by the people running all levels of government in our nation.

The report identifies six critical mandates that deserve our country's immediate attention. The first mandate caught my attention and is important to all of us in Clark County:

"Empower front-line agents to prevent terrorist attacks and make first responders ready to respond; 650,000 local and state law enforcement officers are operating in a counter terrorism information vacuum, and first responders are not nearly ready enough to respond to catastrophic events."

Deeper in the report the problem is stressed as follows: "And if a catastrophic terrorist attack occurred today, emergency first responders -- police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel -- in most of the nation's cities and counties are no better prepared to react now than they were prior to September 11. The tools of emergency preparedness are in very short supply."

A survey done by the U.S. Conference of Mayors earlier this year reveals:

This latest report by Hart and Rudman covers a broad spectrum of possible problems and challenges we must meet. These problems demand proactive responses that take us to our border crossings and seaports. Special attention must be given to preparing all people first responding to an emergency. This list of first responders also includes greater use of our National Guard.

The new report also cautions against the misuse of controls that can harm the very freedoms and values we are protecting. In addition it tells us that "Bolstering the tools to detect and intercept terrorists will enhance the means authorities have to combat criminal acts like cargo theft, violations of export controls, and narcotics -- and migrant -- smuggling. The tools used to save lives and property in the wake of a catastrophic terrorist act are largely the same as those that would be used in the event of a tragic industrial or transportation accident or natural disaster. As a result, some of the costs may be offset by reduced losses and lower insurance rates. Public health investments will inevitably provide the United States with more effective tools to manage the rising incidence of global diseases and pandemics."

Let's make sure that our elected officials don't put "America Still Unprepared -- America Still in Danger" on a shelf to gather dust like they did "Road Map For National Security: Imperative For Change." We don't need another 9/11 to wake us up. Do we?