Conference Draws Momentum for National Warning Organization

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

McLean, Virginia, November 30, 2001 — More than 120 leaders from the emergency warning community met yesterday and unanimously called for the creation of a public-private partnership aimed at improving the delivery of timely and accurate emergency information to people at risk.

The group came together at a special conference arranged by the National Warning Organizing Committee, a group of emergency warning advocates representing the public and private sectors. Conferees included federal, state and local government officials, not-for-profit organizations, and representatives from the private sector.

The mission of the new organization is to improve the delivery of warnings and emergency information to the public through better education, research, standards creation and policy recommendations.

Committee Chair David Liebersbach, Director of the Alaska Division of Emergency Services, appointed Peter Ward, formerly of the U.S. Geological Survey and chair of a White House-appointed working group on natural disaster information systems, to head up a committee to determine the new organization's structure and governance.

Ward, who also serves as the new organization's spokesman, stressed that "The need for a partnership of this kind has been underscored in numerous studies and by many national committees over the past few years."

Liebersbach added: "It is gratifying to sense the momentum for a partnership of this kind. We're moving ahead on a national initiative which will enhance ongoing efforts to save lives by providing integrated solutions for rapid, reliable and precise emergency warning and notification to the public."

The conference was hosted by The MITRE Corporation in McLean, Va. MITRE (www.mitre.org) is a not-for-profit national technology resource that provides systems engineering, research and development, and information technology support to the government.

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