Kitsap County is a “shining star” where disaster preparedness and response in concerned. Those were the words of John Pennington, Region 10 director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) who was here on July 15 to address a group of local business leaders on the subject.

In fact, Pennington noted that Kitsap County’s disaster preparedness program is so good, it’s being modeled nationally.

Former Secretary of State Ralph Munro, Silverdale attorney and president of the Puget Sound Naval Bases Association, Ed Wolfe, and Poulsbo-based Paladin Data Systems Corporation, hosted the FEMA director. Paladin has been very active in developing software for disaster planning and continuation for both business and government.

Pennington is responsible for coordinating FEMA mitigation, preparedness and disaster response and recovery activities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. The former four-term Republican state House member and Speaker Pro Tern from Carrolls, in Cowlitz County, was appointed to the post by President Bush last December.

FEMA is charged with coordinating preparedness and response when such situations as natural disasters like fire, flooding, earthquakes, hurricanes and the like knock out transportation, power and communication links. However, acts of terrorism have also been added to his list of responsibilities, and with the anniversary of Sept. 11 coming up, he is mindful of the possibilities.

Pennington reminded the audience that many of our leaders believe it isn’t “if” terrorists will attack again inside the United States, but more a question of “when and where.” The Seattle area, which includes Kitsap, has been mentioned time and again as a potential target. With three major Navy installations here it’s easy to see why.

He said his agency is already at work on a preparedness plan for any potential disaster at the chemical stockpile in Umatilla, Ore., and will do the same at Hanford. He knows people are fearful of the threat of terrorism, which they have never had to deal with before. “For the first time, when you knock on doors to talk to people, they say their concerns are taxes and education, and being safe at night,” he stated. “They ask what can I do to protect my family?”

Pennington declined comment on the recent failure of Washington State Ferry employees to immediately report Middle Easterners taking photographs on board the boats, but noted the issue of racial profiling was still open to cautious debate.

Pennington also advised attendees to prepare to be on their own for a week or two in anticipation of not only natural disasters, but acts of terrorism that could knock out infrastructure as well. He said that families should have a disaster plan that includes an evacuation route for fires, and pointed out that having a supply of potable water as well as food as many people did in anticipation of Y2K isn’t a bad idea either.

FEMA could wind up as one of four separate divisions of the president’s proposed Office of Homeland Security, although a study done by the Brookings Institution recommends against it, saying FEMA should remain a stand-alone agency. The report noted that combining 22 agencies in the new department will simply be too large and unwieldy and such a large bureaucracy could seriously slow down disaster response. Some members of Congress agree.

Pennington oversees 90 full time employees headquartered regionally in Bothel and has another 385 on call. If FEMA is folded into the new Office of Homeland Security, along with the Office of Domestic Preparation and Justice, he’ll gain another 115 regional employees. He says the combined agency can do a better job with the same number of employees and budget than the two did previously, but has his doubts about the entire proposed 22 agency merger being able to. “I am a non-believer on that one. Just think of DSHS here,” he quipped.

Pennington said the question is, is the merger the right thing for America? “We’ll do whatever Congress tells us to do and it will work,” he said. His only fear is adding an additional bureaucratic hurdle to getting the president to declare an emergency in a disaster. “Now, I make the recommendation as an agency. We don’t want another middle man to go through,” he said.

Pennington, noted there is a huge battle on the horizon over the definition of what a “first responder” is, (the first people sent in after a disaster). The fight is looming because there is $3.5 billion on the table. The question is, will firefighters, police, hospitals or someone else get it?

He added that the greatest deterrent to terrorism is people in the neighborhood knowing what’s going on. “Americans should do what they do best. Watch what’s going on around you,” Pennington said. “We have a great sixth sense when something is not right, and when you see that, speak up. If you see something odd on a plane or anywhere else, don’t sit on it. Speak up.”

Business disaster seminar on tap
   Another measure of just how well Kitsap prepares for any kind of disaster is an upcoming seminar being put together by NW Commnet on August 16. The event will be held at the Washington Mutual Building in downtown Bremerton and cover a lot of material on keeping your business running after a disaster and what steps to take in advance to avoid destruction of critical materials such as financial records.

Judy Bell, president of the Disaster Survival Planning Network, an international consulting firm, and author of the book, Disaster Survival Planning: A Practical Guide for Businesses, will be the keynote speaker. FEMA Director John Pennington has also been invited to speak, but was unconfirmed at presstime.

For more information call (360) 373-2137 or write info@nw-commnet.com.