If a terrorist attack were to strike somewhere in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region again, would local officials be better prepared than they were on Sept. 11, 2001?
That was the question driving a panel discussion Tuesday at George Mason University that brought together Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and local officials from around the region. The discussion was taped and aired Tuesday evening on WETA TV.
"Remember 9-11, we did not have evacuation. What we had was early release by the federal government," said Fairfax County Board Chairman Gerry Connolly (D). Downtown workers flooded the roads and packed trains and busses in an attempt to get home to their families.
"The human reaction was, ‘I want to get home to my loved one,’" said Connolly.
THE SAME scenario could occur again despite the best efforts of the Homeland Security Department and local agencies.
"Nine times out of ten, the best thing for people to do is remain in place," said Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams.
Richard White, Metro CEO, said another mass exodus would swamp the transit system. "We can't handle the huge surge," he said. "The first thing that people have to think about is get information. Don't overreact."
But getting people to stay put may be harder than it sounds. When George Mason University professor Frank Sesno — the panel's moderator — asked for a show of hands from the audience, most indicated their first reaction would be to try to get home as quickly as possible.
That's why officials need to provide citizens with better information, said former Falls Church Mayor David Snyder. "We've got reams of information but it really needs to be information that fits on an index card," he said.
In the event of an attack, Ridge said, federal officials will be working with their local counterparts to make sure the public is kept aware of what's going on.
"There will be a public face, a federal face as soon as we possible can," he said. "It's not a federal city they're worried about, it's a federal region they're worried about."
Williams said it was impossible to control the dissemination of information, which would lead many to take action based on rumors. "Everything in government leaks like a colander."
THE PANEL ALSO talked about the improved cooperation among jurisdictions after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Working among themselves or through regional bodies like the Council of Governments, local leaders have written regional plans to react to crises that affect the area. That cooperation was put to the test during the sniper shootings of 2002.
"We've proven that we can do it and do it well," said Montgomery County, Md. Executive Doug Duncan.
If disaster strikes, officials from around the region get together on conference calls or through paging systems, a method some thought outdated.
"We are so far behind if we're still relying on pagers and conference calls to get information," said James Schwartz, Arlington County's assistant fire chief.
More federal funding is needed if first responders are going to be able to react adequately, he added.
Ridge said the federal government has already committed about $8 billion to states and local governments with more money on the way.
But that money comes with strings attached, countered Schwartz. It can only be used for equipment, not personnel. At some point, he said, fire departments are going to have enough "toys" but not enough people.
"We cannot get more people," he said. "That is on the backs of the locals."