Hill Briefing

CAPITOL HILL GETS READINESS UPDATE
February 21, 2002

The Partnership for Community Safety: Strengthening America's Readiness hosted an educational forum on Capitol Hill on America's state of disaster readiness. The panel was moderated by AHA President Dick Davidson and provided the first responders' perspective of the September 11 tragedy and subsequent anthrax attacks. Included were Mohammad Akhter, MD, of the American Public Health Association; Grace Shum, RN, representing the American Organization of Nurse Executives; Jim O'Connor, representing the American Ambulance Association; and Thom Mayer, MD, representing the American College of Emergency Physicians. This is the first in a series of congressional briefings aimed at enhancing the group's advocacy efforts for a sustained federal commitment to strengthening community readiness for biological, chemical, and nuclear terrorism and other disasters.