Viewpoint

The safety of the people
shall be the highest law.
- Cicero

Aliceann Wolhbruck, Executive Director, NADO Research Foundation

The safety of U.S. citizens is now a top priority at the federal, state and local level because of the events of September 11. Public safety was once viewed as involving police, fire, emergency technicians and other “first responders.” Today public officials and their regional development organizations are taking a careful look at their capacity to avoid and respond to a broad array of public safety and terrorist activities, including bioterrorism.

Most emergency personnel are employed by a single jurisdiction, and emergency response is handled by local governments, but the September attacks show that close collaboration is now required among a broad array of individuals and agencies. Health officers, hospital administrators, emergency medical technicians, police, fire, transportation and emergency management officials must all be part of a regional strategy to respond to attacks or disasters. In many small metropolitan and rural areas where resources and expertise are limited, regional development organizations such as the South Carolina Appalachian COG are providing training and information to cities, counties and towns.

The threat of biological warfare has made it clear that health officials and law enforcement must work together. Such collaboration is new in most communities and requires careful planning and coordination on a regional basis. In cooperation with the national associations of counties, cities, city and county managers, health officials and emergency managers, NADO will sponsor a satellite broadcast to showcase and promote a regional approach to bioterrorism on March 21. The details of the training are being developed, but the aim is to help America’s safety net function as a continuous, cooperative web of county, city, state and federal activity. Additional information on the training broadcast will be avail- able on www.nado.org in the near future.

The articles in this Digest focus on the various tools necessary for a successful development organization including communication and marketing, creating a procurement and purchasing system that saves money and helps rural businesses attract buyers. Also included is a snapshot of the effects of the economic downturn on regions in Tennessee and New York. The “Sampson Seven” criteria for EDA investments are highlighted along with new performance measures for economic development districts.

Homeland defense and bioterrorism are still on the front page of newspapers and the focus of television reports, and regional development organizations are playing an important role in these efforts as they continue to provide services and assistance to localities, businesses and individuals.

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