Local officials tell lawmakers of security concerns

Jace Radke

Friday, Aug. 22, 2003 | 9:45 a.m.

Nevada officials took advantage Thursday of their first opportunity to enter their homeland security concerns into the Congressional Record.

During a two-hour public hearing at the County Government Center, they told members of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on intelligence and counterterrorism about why it was critical to account for tourists in homeland security funding equations. They also explained concerns about safe transportation of nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain and protection of Hoover Dam.

The concerns are not new ones, but Jerry Bussell, Nevada's homeland security advisor, "jumped at the opportunity to testify" before the subcommittee at Thursday's public hearing.

"We've talked and talked about these things, and now we can say it's on the Congressional Record," Bussell said.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., is chairman of the subcommitee. Joining Gibbons for the hearing were Reps. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., Jon Porter, R-Nev., and Shelley Berkley, D-Nev.

Among those testifying were Metro Police Deputy Chief Bill Conger, Clark County Aviation Director Randy Walker, University Medical Center Emergency Room Director Dale Carrison and David Sheppard, head of security at The Venetian.

Walker testified that McCarran International Airport has undergone many changes since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and that a new conveyor belt bag-checking system is currently under construction for the airport.

"It's scheduled to be operating by Dec. 31, 2004," Walker said of the $125,000 system that will allow baggage to easily flow from ticketing counters through explosives detection machines.

Conger told Gibbons that Metro's top priority is preventing a terrorist attack that could potentially cripple the Las Vegas economy.

"The fact that the economic life of our community is dependent on discretionary dollars makes us vulnerable to those that would make our community unsafe for visitors," Conger said. "To put it bluntly, people won't vacation where they don't feel safe."

Bussell echoed Conger's comments to Gibbons.

"Eighteen of the 20 largest hotels in the world are on the 2.1 miles we call the Las Vegas Strip," Bussell said. "The Las Vegas Strip has more people on a given day than are in Fort Lauderdale or Salt Lake City.

"If that's not a vulnerability, I don't know what is."

Berkley said a provision to take tourist populations into account was passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee, but that there is still work to do.

"We need to do more to help these communities," Berkley said. "Factoring tourism into funding formulas is important, but we must ensure that actual funds get to the responders protecting these communities."

So far Nevada has received nearly $25 million in federal homeland security funds.

Another issue that was discussed was the need to have a communications system that will allow for all agencies to talk to each other during large-scale emergencies.

"We must have a system where first responder leadership can communicate with one another," Bussell said.

Also testifying Thursday was William Parrish, Department of Homeland Security acting assistant secretary for information analysis.

Parrish was questioned by Gibbons about the flow of information from local agencies up to the Department of Homeland Security, and the flow from the federal level down.

"The eyes and the ears of the first responders are critical to us," Parrish said.

A new system, known as "risk net," could help improve the flow of information further, Parrish said. The system is being tested with nuclear power plants in six states and gives the plants direct access to analysts with Homeland Security.