IL EMA to host summit to develop new Homeland Security measures | Events

SPRINGFIELD, IL (KFVS) - After hosting meetings across the state, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency plans to host a two day summit to put that input into the state’s new homeland security strategy.  

IEMA met with emergency responders, business leaders, government representatives and others from across the state over a two year period. The Illinois Homeland Security Vision 2020 initiative summit takes place September 6-7 in Springfield.

Officials say more than 400 people participated in a series of eight town hall meetings that focused on gathering input and ideas on homeland security and disaster response issues. 

Participants in the grass roots study included law enforcement, fire services, public and private health organizations, emergency management, school officials, private sector, elected officials, non-governmental organizations and private citizens.  The meetings were held in Belleville, Urbana, Effingham, Springfield, Carterville, Dixon, Sugar Grove and Wheaton.

“Traveling around the state, meeting with people from throughout the community, gave us a clearer picture of their concerns and challenges for homeland security and emergency preparedness,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken.  “While some issues were unique to certain regions, several common themes emerged.  These will be core components of the new state strategy that will lead us into the next decade.”

Monken said the five key topics from the town hall meetings will be discussed by participants in the summit.  Those topics include:

• Intelligence and information sharing
• Community resilience
• Interoperable communications
• Training
• Sustaining capabilities of established assets and partnerships.                                                                                                                 

Officials say after the summit,  the membership of the Illinois Terrorism Task Force (ITTF) will take the input from the participants into a final homeland security strategy that will guide homeland security preparedness for the next decade.

Vision 2020 is similar to the process the state of Illinois undertook in 2001. Officials claim it is recognized as one of the best in the nation.

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