OSHA Center Sponsors New England Homeland Security Conference

KEENE, N.H. 2/21/03 - The New England Homeland Security Conference will provide private sector and government personnel with up-to-date guidance from experts in the field of emergency management, homeland security, and employee protection. This one-day conference will include 12 panel discussions on topics such as bioterrorism, surveillance, and monitoring; community emergency response teams; the role of businesses and employees in homeland security; and emergency planning considerations for school officials, public safety personnel, and health care facilities.

The Conference will take place Tuesday, April 29, at the Center of New Hampshire Holiday Inn in Manchester and is sponsored by the OSHA Training Institute Education Center for New England at Keene State College and the U.S. Department of Labor-Occupational Safety and Health Administration to help businesses, industries, and community stakeholders optimize their role in homeland security.

The conference will emphasize action steps that may be taken during the first minutes of an emergency, which often determine the ultimate impact the emergency has on those affected.

A session on counterterrorism and weapons of mass destruction will be led by members of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Squad and the Massachusetts National Guard Weapons for Mass Destruction Civil Support Team.

Ray Carolan, director of the Transportation Security Administration, will present an overview of initiatives to ensure air security and other critical transportation systems.

Two people involved in the aftermath of the attack on the World Trade Center (WTC) will be guest speakers at the conference. Jeff Meaney, head of global corporation security at Morgan Stanley, will relate how his company’s emergency action plan enabled all but 13 of 3,800 employees to escape the WTC on Sept. 11. David Ippolito, director of Science and Technology Assessment, played a key role in establishing worker safety and health protocols during recovery operations at the WTC. He will provide an overview of OSHA’s role in homeland security.

The conference cost of $55 per person includes all sessions, lunch, break refreshments, and continuing education units. Nursing continuing education units are in process of approval. The conference is a must for every citizen, employer, and public official interested in having up-to-date knowledge of homeland security initiatives, emergency management, and worker protection. People who should attend include:

Business and industry employer representatives

Small business owners

Hospital and health care administrators

School administrators and safety personnel

Volunteer agencies

Union health and safety representatives

Fire/EMS personnel and law enforcement personnel

Federal, state, city, and local officials

Health and safety organizations

Insurance hazard assessment experts

Experts in worker training in risk communication

Experts in threat assessment and risk assessment

For more information or to receive a conference brochure, call 1-800-449-6742 or visit www.keene.edu/conted/homeland to download conference information and registration form.