Hearing coincides with homeland security exercise

Suzanne Struglinski

Monday, Aug. 18, 2003 | 9:07 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The focus in Las Vegas this week is homeland security.

The Determined Promise 2003 disaster training exercise was to begin today and continue through Friday. Part of a national exercise, it involves Clark County emergency and health personnel from Las Vegas reacting in Logandale to a simulated bioterrorism attack.

Then on Thursday Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., will conduct a congressional hearing in Las Vegas focusing on unique security needs of the Western states.

Gibbons spokeswoman Amy Spanbauer said the hearing will cover topics such as how to protect the millions of tourists that visit Las Vegas and other parts of the state each year, as well as Hoover Dam and the area's water supply.

Spanbauer added that protection of the electricity grid may also come up. Even though last week's massive blackout in the northeastern United States and part of Canada was not caused by an act of terrorism, how to handle such a situation could be discussed at the hearing, she said.

Jerry Bussell, homeland security adviser to Gov. Kenny Guinn, is one of the people scheduled to testify at the hearing. Bussell said Friday that he will focus on changing the federal Homeland Security funding formula to consider tourist populations. Right now a state's population determines how many federal dollars it will receive.

At peak times, there could be 300,000 tourists in Las Vegas on a single day, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

"It's not where you live, it's where you're at," Bussell said.

Las Vegas has 18 of the nation's 20 largest hotels, Bussell said, and McCarran International Airport is the nation's eighth busiest airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Changing the funding formula to account for tourism would be beneficial, he said.

Gibbons serves as chairman of the House Intelligence and Counterterrorism subcommittee. Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., chairman of the House Emergency Preparedness and Response subcommittee, will attend the hearing as well.

Sheriff Bill Young, David Sheppard, head of security at The Venetian and other state, federal and local experts also have been invited to testify.

The public hearing is set for 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Clark County Commission Chambers, 500 South Grand Central Parkway in Las Vegas.