SOUTH BEND, Ind., Oct. 8 2004 LAWFUEL – Law news, legal, attorney, criminal, law firm news— Michigan Attorney General Mike
Cox and Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter today announced an interstate
preparedness exercise as part of a national effort on the part of Attorneys
General and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In the event of
terrorist acts or other man-made or natural disasters, neighboring states
could face considerable jurisdictional and other legal obstacles in providing
lifesaving, first-responder support.
The tabletop preparedness exercise will allow the two states to test their
abilities to respond in the event of any emergency that would require a cross-
border response.
“Being prepared is essential for any emergency situation,” Indiana
Attorney General Steve Carter stated. “I’m grateful for the offer from my
neighbor in Michigan and for his national leadership in this field. This
takes preparedness to the next level, ensuring legal clarity between states so
that life-saving efforts are handled quickly and without delay or conflict.
We must take every step to ensure that the most efficient and streamlined
processes are in place for our citizens.”
The exercises are sponsored in part by the National Association of
Attorneys General, of which Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox serves as the
Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.
“The first job in law enforcement is to protect the public. Beyond just
reacting to emergencies, we need to adapt and prepare for them. I am thankful
that Attorney General Carter has been so proactive in his leadership involving
homeland security issues,” Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox added.
“Together, Attorney General Carter and I can work with our States to ensure
that we will be prepared to quickly respond to any legal issue that may arise
during an emergency. Preparing for the most threatening scenarios is the only
way to ensure smooth, continuous leadership. Hopefully this will help us be
better prepared.”
The exercise is being adapted to reflect the two state’s statutory schemes
and is designed to increase awareness and improve state’s abilities to respond
to legal issues that may arise during an emergency. Attorney General Carter
is urging all government agencies to conduct the exercise by the end of the
year.
The exercise includes:
* Establish a scenario for public health and government officials to
react and respond.
* Identify strengths and weaknesses.
* Identify legal questions to be clarified.
* Establish chain of communication between judicial and executive
branches.
Cox expressed his thanks to the Centers for Disease Control and many
others that assisted in the production of the tabletop exercise. The Michigan
Attorney General’s Office is supplying the preparedness exercise to all state
Attorneys General offices.
SOURCE Michigan Attorney General
Web Site: http://www.michigan.gov/ag
