Military and civilian leaders study disaster preparedness

Emergency responders, military leaders and academics are gathered in Norfolk this morning to talk about whether Hampton Roads is prepared to handle a natural disaster the size of Hurricane Katrina.

The two-day symposium is hosted by NATO Allied Command Transformation and Old Dominion University. Representatives from the Netherlands, which was hit by a large flood in 1953, are participating in the symposium at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.

“Preparedness for disasters has never been more paramount than it is today, both for the Netherlands and for the United States,” said Bob Harper, the executive director of the Emergency Management Training, Analysis & Simulation Center in Suffolk.

The symposium will examine water management, infrastructure and emergency response.

A report will be sent to the U.S. government and to NATO.

“I’d prefer we not come out of here with just some vague ideas of what we’re going to do, but have some practical things of what we’re going to do,” said Marine Gen. James N. Mattis, who as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation in Norfolk.

Speakers include Jay M. Cohen, the undersecretary for science and technology in the Homeland Security Department, and Robert P. Crouch, assistant to the governor for commonwealth preparedness.