Leaders from across the region came together to discuss a unified approach to national security at yesterday's HomeFront Greater Philadelphia Conference.
Although plans for the conference began last June, participants found the discussion especially relevant in light of the Senate's vote Tuesday in favor of the creation of a Homeland Security Cabinet Department.
The conference included thoughts from Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, Philadelphia Mayor John Street, officials from the White House Office of Homeland Security and even a surprise appearance by Pennsylvania Attorney General and former gubernatorial candidate Mike Fisher.
Leaders from local businesses, the non-profit and public sectors and the academic world joined together to recognize local and national security threats and discuss effective methods for securing Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
"The key to homeland security is what you're doing today," Fisher said. "No matter what it is government can do, we can't do enough of it without the support of the private sector.
"All of us realize we're living in a changed world," he added. "We can never be too well-prepared."
Only by assuring that "more people are alert, more people are trained [and] more people are prepared," can the city be confident the region is fully prepared for any threat, Fisher said.
Specter assured conference attendees that White House Office of Homeland Security Adviser and former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge "is poised to do a very good job" at the head of the cabinet department, the bill for which is expected to be signed into law next week by President Bush.
The "Greater Delaware Valley will claim a very, very important role" in the new country-wide security measures, Specter said.
Specter also noted that the state will get "more than our fair share" of money to ensure the funding of research institutes working against terrorism.
As far as having bills in front of the Senate for next session, Specter declared, "We're going back to work early -- expect to have them done."
The conference was sponsored by Greater Philadelphia First, an organization of business and non-profit chief executive officers working to "build a knowledge-based economy," according to CEO and former Philadelphia mayoral candidate Sam Katz.
The main goals of the conference, Katz said, were to revive public awareness and focus on the issue of homeland security, as well as waving "the flag for the intellectual resources of this community," in asking for the aid of educational institutions such as Penn, and creating "a sense of opportunity" for the business world.
Conference attendance "represented a very good section of this region," Katz said, but "only time will tell to what extent we accomplished" the goals set forth by GPF.
Conference panelists repeatedly emphasized the role of every business, non-profit and institution in preparing for strategic threat.
Weston Solutions, Inc., Homeland Security Director Greg Janiec warned, "It's not over in any way, shape or form. I don't think we should kid ourselves."
"I think we're up to the challenge as long as we're committed to it," he added.
Harvey Rubin, the director of Penn's newly created Institute for Strategic Threat Analysis and Response, spoke on the University's response to security concerns in Philadelphia.
Rubin noted that Penn's own response to the issue "is the academic one," citing new courses being offered on terrorism, the work of ISTAR in researching the effects of terrorism and the "collaborations that have been formed" between the 12 schools which he said are "coming together to solve some of these very important problems."
The "non-technical side of strategic threat must be kept in the forefront of our mind," he said. "If we do this correctly, everyone will benefit."
Other Penn faculty on panels included Real Estate and Finance Professor Susan Wachter, Computer Sciences Professor Michael Kearns and School of Veterinary Medicine Dean Alan Kelly.
University President Judith Rodin was also a co-chairwoman of the conference, although she did not speak yesterday.
Panel topics varied from the assessment of regional preparedness to public health threats, the role of small businesses in the war on terrorism and the media's role in homeland security.
GFP officials and other organizers of the conference have yet to determine if the conference will take place again next year.
