According to Dan County officials, Madison and surrounding areas are thoroughly prepared for the possibility of terrorism, and have been for some time.
“Right now, I think you could [say] that Dane County is in a state of calm preparedness,” said Kathy Krusiec, Emergency Operations Manager for Dane County.
After the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the national government designated the Federal Bureau of Investigation as the lead agency for terrorism crisis management.
Dane County followed suit in 1997 by assembling an integrated terrorism taskforce, comprised of federal, state and local representatives, that was meant to prepare Dane County for the possibility of a terrorist attack.
By 1998, Dane County had a terrorism plan in place and has since undergone a number of “table-top” exercises. In an April 2000 training exercise, approximately 500 responders versed in terrorist awareness, operations and management tested the system against the possibility of chemical warfare. The most recent test was run Oct. 11 against the possibility of an outbreak of anthrax.
Dane County purchased specialized units designed for the detection of cyanide and other chemicals two years ago; the units are under the possession of the Madison Fire Department.
A full-scale exercise for Dane County, set to take place May 16, 2002, will utilize actual response teams responding to mock emergency situations.
The comprehensive preparation in Madison is not typical of Wisconsin, however. Congress last year offered approximately $1 million to Wisconsin’s 73 counties in the interest of preventing terrorism. Among these counties, only 53 took the necessary steps to receive funding.
State Emergency Management Administrator Ed Gleason said this fact is misleading when analyzing Wisconsin’s overall state of terrorism preparedness.
“It’s a misnomer to say that 25 percent of the counties don’t have plans,” Gleason said.
He said the process of applying for federal aid is quite complex, and in many situations a particular county’s own emergency programs suffice when considering its low population and level of economic development.
“I don’t want to give the impression that a quarter of the counties are asleep at the switch,” Gleason said. “A lot of counties have really worked to raise their overall preparedness.”
In counties with smaller populations, much can be done to prepare for the possibility of terrorist attacks without developing a federally approved plan.
Madison and Milwaukee are the only two cities in the state designated as Nonlugar Domenici Cities in 2000 — communities cited by the federal government as the most likely targets for terrorists.
Earlier this year, Milwaukee County received $298,000 to go toward preventative measures. Madison has yet to receive its federal funding.
