Even if employees don’t think about the threat of terrorism every day, they should still be prepared, Defense Logistics Agency officials said at a display in the McNamara Headquarters Complex cafeteria Sept. 5.
“It’s important to be prepared because it is absolutely a possibility,” James Johnston, antiterrorism officer for DLA Headquarters, said.
“Insider threats and threats against the complex are a possibility,” he said. “Now the [potential] target is not just the military, but also Defense Department civilians and contractors.”
Armed with handouts, videos and hands-on antiterrorism gear, such as remote-operated vehicles, Johnston talked with several employees in the cafeteria, spreading the word about DLA Installation Support’s antiterrorism office at Fort Belvoir.
“We want to make sure people know about the broad-spectrum threats that can potentially harm people,” Johnston said. “Most employees don’t even want to think about it happening. But we need to get the message out. Even though you may be scared of it, you need to know what happens and what you need to do.”
Johnston also noted that September is National Preparedness Month, during which federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlight information to help Americans be prepared to most effectively deal with any kind of emergency.
He said the observance “should be the spark in a person's mind of the ubiquitous threat of terrorism, almost on a seemingly daily basis, that should keep us ready and help us and our families to remain vigilant always.”
An awareness program, called “Ready Yourself,” provides DLA Headquarters employees training, hints and websites to ready themselves in the event of a terrorist attack or crisis such as an active-shooter event, a bomb threat or any other emergency threatening the safety of employees. Timed to coincide with Antiterrorism Awareness Day held Sept. 5, Johnston’s display emphasized the importance of preparedness year-round.
“You see this happen on the news almost weekly, if not daily. It’s simply a threat that’s not going to go away, and we need to make sure people are prepared for it,” he said.
Two of the Ready Yourself measures include countersurveillance and surveillance detection, such as taking mental snapshots of suspicious activity, and individual protection measures, such as tips for keeping safe while traveling. This can also apply to an employee’s home, family and community, as Johnston noted to passing employees.
“Applying this to your personal life is paramount,” he said. “You never know when you’ll be in a situation on post or off. Apply this to anywhere you go. We tell people, ‘Take a few handouts; educate your family; make sure you have alternate evacuation routes, because it can happen that your evacuation route is blocked.’”
Although most of Johnston’s focus was on the McNamara Headquarters Complex, he added that DLA employees in other locations also have resources available to them.
“There’s an antiterrorism program manager counterpart, like myself, at every DLA facility. Although some aspects of their individual awareness program may change due to what the garrisons look like, ultimately it’s the same guidelines across the boards,” he said.
Information on preparedness from federal agencies is available at: http://www.ready.gov/.