Washington D.C. expands emergency preparedness.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.
• Position: Security Beat

The Emergency Management Agency for the nation's capital has begun an aggressive program to conduct community-based emergency management planning and to provide emergency management training to all District of Columbia residents. This involves the creation of 39 neighborhood-based emergency plans that specifically target residents' needs before, during and after natural disasters, community-based emergencies, technological emergencies, as well as acts of terrorism.

"By giving emergency awareness and response training to all residents, we are making it the responsibility of all residents to help prevent and address emergency incidents in the district," said Peter G. LaPorte, director of the DCEMA.

The district will also be designing a comprehensive training curriculum for citizens...