Los Alamos, Sandia National Laboratories to host Homeland Security workshop for state, local responders

Contact: Nancy Ambrosiano, nwa@lanl.gov, (505) 667-0471 (03-025)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Feb. 18, 2003 -- Los Alamos National Laboratory's Center for Homeland Security, in partnership with Sandia National Laboratories, is announcing a homeland security workshop for local, state and regional first responders.

The workshop is open to all first responders, state and local officials, and other interested stakeholders. The workshop is being held Feb. 25 and 26, 2003 at the Santa Fe El Dorado hotel. Additional information can be obtained at: http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/chs.

"We want to foster the development of a southwest regional community to effectively address terrorism concerns and to successfully participate in federal homeland security programs," said workshop organizer and center assistant director Ron Dolin. The goals of the workshop are to provide a forum for initial discussions of current homeland security concerns facing state and local entities, identify available resources for addressing those concerns, and lay the groundwork for effective support in the future.

"Planning, prevention, and response to terrorism will occur, to a great extent, at the local level. Responders need an integrated, multi-disciplinary community to ensure successful protection, mitigation, and consequence management," Dolin said.

Added T. J. Allard, Sandia's Director of Homeland Security, "The Department of Homeland Security understands that any actions they take will be implemented at the state and local level. They have asked the national labs to help them develop the state and local relationships that will be critical to the Department's success. This workshop is one step in developing those relationships."

Topics to be discussed include threats, awareness, preparedness, response, prioritization, identifying needs, coordinating with the media and available resources. In addition to discussions and talks, the event will feature displays and demonstrations of equipment and technology. Members of the media are welcome to attend the welcoming speech by Los Alamos National Laboratory interim director George P. Nanos and the demonstration and display session on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

A special panel session will be held Wednesday, "The Role of Media in Crisis Mitigation," featuring, among others, veteran newsmen Stuart Dyson, now communications director for the New Mexico State Senate, and Peter Olson, currently director of communications for the New Mexico Department of Public Safety.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and work in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.

Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin company, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies, and economic competitiveness.