Government and Community Relations
Speeches and Presentations
MCC is reinforcing both local, national barricades R. Thomas Flynn President 09/10/2004 Three years ago terrorists forever changed the American way of life. We weren’t prepared for attacks on our own soil by “invisible” aggressors and we aren’t prepared now. I don’t say that with any intention of placing blame or from a sideline perspective. Over the last three years, my efforts to direct the expertise, experience and resources of Monroe Community College (MCC) to this important fight have given me the opportunity to work with local, state and national leaders in the homeland security arena. Thousands of talented and dedicated people are working to prepare America to prevent and respond to future terrorist attacks, but the task is monumental. We won’t be ready overnight. We have made progress, but there is more to be done. Americans will not be safe until every one of us understands, accepts and is prepared to act on his responsibility for homeland security. Citizens must be aware of their surroundings, of what is going on in their neighborhoods and report unusual happenings to authorities. Some citizens have the desire and ability to do more. Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, offered through MCC’s Homeland Security Management Institute (HSMI) under contract with Monroe County, is preparing such citizens to be leaders in emergency situations. To date, 50 Monroe County residents have been trained in disaster preparedness, fire safety, medical operations, search and rescue, team psychology, disaster psychology, and terrorism. Two more cohorts are scheduled for this fall. Americans will not be safe until all public safety professionals are trained in post-9/11 realities. MCC’s Public Safety Training Center moved quickly after Sept. 11, 2001 to align its training programs with the new threats. We added courses in International and Domestic Terrorism, Acute Stress Management, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), and Counterterrorism Awareness, among others. We incorporated new content into our paramedic program, including chemical and bio- terrorism, and WMD. We provided incident command training to upper management at a major local corporation and to department heads in town government. We produced training videos on handling anthrax and accessing the national pharmaceutical stockpile. It is worth noting that Greater Rochester has a distinct advantage over other communities when it comes to public safety. For over three decades, police, firefighting and emergency medical professionals have been trained together, by MCC. This collaborative approach ensures a coordinated response in emergencies; unfortunately, such collaboration is rare in this country. Americans will not be safe until our private infrastructures are secure. MCC’s HSMI is addressing the needs of the private sector, hospitals and health care organizations, colleges and universities, schools, non-profit organizations and others. In July, we trained over 30 professionals in how to assess their risk potential for WMD and terrorism. Many private organizations took advantage of this training (as did police and fire departments and municipal services). Those professionals will receive more advanced training later this year and a second basic training class will be offered later in the year. On the national front, MCC is co-leading a consortium of community colleges from across the country in an effort to have community colleges manage this country’s homeland security training. It only makes sense. Community colleges already train 85 percent of first responders. We are located in communities across the country, within reach of nearly every American. The federal government is challenged to meet its WMD awareness training goals and community colleges are prepared and organized to do it. We continue to work with our federal legislators in hopes of making this a reality. No, America is not completely safe nor are we fully ready to respond to a future attack. We are safer and more ready than we were on Sept. 11, 2001, but there is work to be done. And some of that work is being done right here in Monroe County at Monroe Community College. |
