Mini-Project #6: Biological Terrorism

This is what our local law enforcement is doing to prepare for biological terrorism.


Florida's Best Practices: City and Member County Responses

City of Hallandale Beach
Mayor Dorothy Ross
Hallandale Beach Emergency Management Response

Prior to September 11, 2001, the City of Hallandale Beach had a number of established programs including: Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Crime Watch, nationally recognized Youth Crime Watch Program, citizens’ volunteer programs, and an active Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) program.When the president called upon Americans to volunteer service through the Citizen Corps, Hallandale Beach’s Homeland Security Program was formalized through the creation of our Citizen Corps Council in July of 2002.The city, under the direction of the council’s chair, Mayor Dorothy Ross, consolidated the established programs listed above and recruited community-minded leaders from local businesses and faith-based organizations to form the Hallandale Beach Citizen Corps Council.A prominent local doctor volunteered to coordinate the Medical Reserve Corps working closely with the Fire Department and CERT teams. The city has been fortunate to recruit the services of another local doctor, who specializes in infectious disease and teaches bio-terrorism classes for federal, state and local agencies.The Fire Department has worked closely with the Police Department to develop a unified homeland security perspective, utilizing the many willing volunteers coming forward to respond to the president’s call to service. The citizen volunteers are provided cross-training in CERT, Citizens on Patrol (COP), and Crime Watch programs. The city intends to provide CERT training to non-essential city personnel thereby benefiting the City of Hallandale Beach and the communities in which employees live.Hallandale Beach also participates in the Broward County Crime Stoppers program that will be utilized to carry out Operation TIPS, providing an avenue to report suspected terrorists or acts of terrorism.An information brochure has been developed to send out to the community providing information about each of the president’s five programs, with information about who to contact to join.Hallandale Beach Citizen Corps Council is researching funding to provide equipment, additional training and possibly inoculating volunteers against the various hepatitis strains.

Contact Person:Daniel Sullivan, Chief
Hallandale Beach Fire Rescue
121 S.W. 3rd Street
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009-6433
Phone: (954) 457-1476
E-mail: dsullivan@hallandalebeach.org

Or

Thomas A. Magill, Assistant Police Chief
Hallandale Beach Police Department
400 S. Federal Highway
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009-6433
Phone: (954) 457-1411
E-mail: tmagill@hallandalebeach.org

City of Hollywood
Mayor Mara S. Giulianti
Hollywood Emergency Management Response

Prior to September 11, 2001, the city’s Police and Fire Rescue departments were already preparing for a terrorist event by giving personnel 16 hours of terrorist/ weapons of mass destruction (WMD) training through Department of Justice funding. Subsequently the Hollywood Police Department implemented several initiatives in an effort to prepare for, and respond to, future threats of domestic terrorism. Immediately following initial responses to 9/11, the Police and Fire departments coordinated their efforts to assess the community’s vulnerability to future acts of terrorism. The vulnerability identified 60 entities, both public and private, with a high probability to be targeted by acts of domestic terrorism. This vulnerability assessment included meeting with representatives of the respective entities and assessing the facility, utilizing the Federal Government Scoring System, to determine their level of vulnerability. The assessment included scoring their present vulnerability for biological, nuclear, incendiary, chemical and explosive threats. It identified existing security measures, specific site vulnerabilities and recommended security measures to mitigate the vulnerability of the facility.In conjunction with site assessments the Hollywood Police Department began implementing security measures in and around the police department facility to mitigate threats to the facility. Plans included adding perimeter fencing and gates to restrict access to the police compound and are currently in the final phase of completion. A key-card access system was instituted, along with continuous video surveillance of all access points. An off-site mailbox was strategically placed away from the police facility where mail is sorted and screened prior to distribution at the Police Department.The Police Department has created a Terrorism Response Team, which acts as a central depository for all intelligence information, as well as lead investigative component for any threats received. The response team acts in conjunction with the FBI and other federal, state and local law enforcement. A comprehensive guide outlining the Homeland Security Advisory System and the Hollywood Police Department’s response to specific threat levels has been developed.Police Department members are participants in the Region Seven Domestic Terrorism Task Force, monthly Broward County Emergency Operations meetings, and the FBI-sponsored Joint Terrorism Task Force. The department also provides continual training to its members concerning WMD and bio-terrorism, as well as other relative training, and has been able to obtain a variety of protective equipment such as biohazard suits, gas masks and respirators.

Contact Person:
Donald P. Perdue, Division Chief/Fire Marshal
Hollywood Fire Rescue
2741 Stirling Road
Hollywood, FL 33312-6505
Phone: (954) 967-4404
E-mail: dperdue@hollywoodfl.org

Or

Chadwick Wagner, Assistant Chief
Hollywood Police Department
3520 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, FL 33021
Phone: (954) 967-4303
E-mail: cwagner@hollywoodfl.org