Phoenix hosting upcoming Homeland Security Conference
Jun 17, 2019, 4:14 AM | Updated: Jun 18, 2019, 8:43 am
(Twitter Photo)
(Twitter Photo)
PHOENIX – Government public safety professionals from across the country will meet in Phoenix to share ideas this week at the 13th National Homeland Security Conference.
The conference at the downtown convention center will open Monday and end Thursday. In between, Phoenix first responders and the local Homeland Security office will take over part of the area for a public safety training exercise.
Speakers were to include Mayor Kate Gallego; Gil Orrantia, director of the Arizona Department of Homeland Security; Phoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner and Robert Rowley of the Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management.
“We want to be able to learn from the best,” Gallego told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Friday.
“There are constantly new threats and new solutions and we want to know the best solutions that are out there.”
Emergency staff has gotten in some practice for the preparedness event. Police, fire and other county public safety departments made their first dry run of the exercises almost two weeks ago.
Residents in and around downtown probably saw a lot of emergency vehicles the morning of June 2.
The demonstration was scheduled for around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Traffic restrictions will be in place around the convention center, including a closure of Third Street between Washington and Monroe streets.
(City of Phoenix Image)
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Ali Vetnar contributed to this report.
