| Legislators Must Remain Proactive in Ensuring Public Safety |
| Assemblyman David P. Rible |
As this past September 11th marked the 8th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, it is important to remember the past, and be aware of the potential for future attacks. While it has been eight years since the last incident on U.S. soil, the threat has not abated. Furthermore, any new attack or attempt will very likely take a different form from the last, while potentially being just as devastating, or even more so. While we hope for the best, we must try to plan for the worst. The next attack may attempt to utilize a chemical, biological or radiological weapon, capable of harming thousands and sowing panic.
This is why our first responders are performing drills to prepare for such attacks. Last month the NYPD and the U.S. Coast Guard, in conjunction with five other agencies, held a drill near the Verrazano Bridge to simulate our region’s reaction to a “dirty bomb” or radiological terror attack. This past May, drills were held to test our region’s emergency services response to a simulated “dirty bomb” detonation in the NYC subway system. These drills illustrate an understanding by response planners that the threat to our nation’s soil has not subsided, but rather will manifest itself in a new, unconventional attack that utilizes chemical, biological or radiological agents.
The New Jersey/New York area is on the front lines for such an attack. The threat of a “dirty bomb” attack combines conventional explosives with radiological material to enhance the damage it could cause. Beyond the immediate threat of an explosive blast, such a weapon, set off in a crowded area, would contaminate many with harmful radiation, requiring immediate decontamination and treatment for radiation poisoning. Are we prepared to treat thousands of contaminated people in our region in an emergency situation?
Consider some examples. Polonium-210 was the radioactive isotope, used -in minute amounts, to assassinate Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko in 2006. This material, all of it imported, is commonly used in anti-static devices. In the wrong hands, this highly destructive and commonly used isotope could be turned into a WMD. Another material used commonly in hospitals and manufacturers’ sterilization facilities, Cobalt-60, could claim the lives of thousands if dispersed in food supplies.
New Jersey needs to be proactive in securing funding and resources to protect our citizens. Our state has an excellent network of pharmaceutical and biotech companies who are manufacturing the drugs needed in the even of an attack. As a region which is constantly at an elevated threat level, it should be a priority to fund the necessary training and medicines required to shield New Jerseyans.
As a member of the Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee, I am acutely aware of this issue and will continue to work to address it. The threat is clear; legislators and decision-makers in our region must continue to ensure the preparedness of our first responders and hospitals. If we have learned anything from September 11th, it is clear that it is paramount to prepare and not wait for tragedy to strike again.
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