ANNISTON, Ala.—Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) Aug. 22 where she delivered remarks to CDP staff and students about the value of preparedness training.

“DHS and its partners across the federal, state and local government have worked since 9/11 to build a new homeland security enterprise to better mitigate and defend against dynamic threats, minimize risks, and maximize our ability to respond to and recover from attacks and disasters of all kinds,” said Secretary Napolitano.  “Our challenge, looking forward, is to continue to engage the public in our shared security and build strong and resilient communities throughout our country.”

During her remarks, Secretary Napolitano highlighted the importance of improving our nation’s preparedness, and encouraged the more than 130 students in attendance who were enrolled in CDP courses to take their training home and help their own communities improve their preparedness.

“Homeland security starts in our hometowns and communities, with first responders, health professionals, and law enforcement working on the frontlines to protect our country—and the CDP has played a critical role in helping us achieve this goal—making our nation more prepared, and resilient at the federal, state, tribal and local levels,” she said.

Secretary Napolitano also received a tour of the CDP’s unique training facilities that provide advanced training for emergency responders and other state, local and tribal government officials. The CDP Chemical, Ordnance, Biological, and Radiological (COBRA) Training Facility is the only facility where civilian responders can train using actual nerve agents, and the Noble Training Facility is the nation’s only hospital training facility dedicated solely to preparing the healthcare, public health, and environmental health communities for mass casualty events related to terrorism or natural disasters.

For more information, contact: Shannon Arledge Public Affairs Specialist Center for Domestic Preparedness Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office: 256-847-2212 Website: http://cdp.dhs.gov/