Disasters Require Well-Prepared Responders, Area Group... -
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Published on: 7/13/2005
Last Visited: 7/13/2005
During a seafood and chicken luncheon catered by Sweet Madeleine's of Hayes, Peter Sommer, chairman of the Hampton Roads Emergency Management Committee, told reporters that the committee was formed about 20 years ago-long before the terrorist attacks in this country took place."There's a lot of cooperation," said Sommer, who is also emergency management coordinator for the City of Hampton.
A lot of steps have been taken to improve emergency response in the region, Sommer said.In addition, he noted many zoning and planning changes in the post-Isabel era here, with a move to require higher elevation of homes to protect them from future storms.
Also, Sommer said there is a need for more special needs coordination, such as helping individuals on oxygen and with severe medical conditions arrange for transportation in an emergency situation such as a hurricane threatening the area.
MILITARY CUTBACKS
On a separate matter, Davis said during an interview before the committee meeting that she is confident that the overall effect of the Base Realignment and Closure plan might not be as bad as first thought.
Fort Monroe might be closed and some other significant cuts could be made in this region, Davis said, but there will be gains in some other parts of the district.A major concern is to keep TRADOC in this region, if not at Fort Monroe, than pushing for its relocation to Fort Eustis, she said.
The overall BRAC situation is still "very fluid," Davis said, and many changes can occur before the actual cuts and other steps take effect in perhaps six years.She said that projected cuts at the Naval Weapons Station at Yorktown are fortunately less than originally announced.
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