Congressmen briefed on fallout-shelter plan

Congressmen briefed on fallout-shelter plan
Alabama city informing lawmakers of efforts to revive Cold War system

An Alabama city is briefing members of Congress and Capitol Hill staffers today on its plan to prepare citizens to survive a nuclear attack, including revitalization of fallout shelters.

Two Huntsville emergency management officials will meet with Rep. Charles Dent, R-Pa, the Huntsville Times reported.

WND also has learned the briefing will include Sen. Arlen Specter R-Pa., and Homeland Security staffers for Rep. Dave Reichert R-Wash., Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and possibly others.

Dent, a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, requested the meeting with John Russell, director of Huntsville/Madison County Emergency Management Agency, and Kirk Paradise, the agency's emergency plans coordinator.

The Huntsville paper said the briefing will highlight the city's revitalization of its fallout shelter system, the training of responders on radiological safety and its use of radiological monitoring and detection equipment, including government vehicles equipped with detection devices.

Paradise recently presented Huntsville's community shelter plans at a national symposium. He also published articles on the subject in several trade journals.

The Wall Street Journal republished an article Friday from the Washington Monthly titled "U.S. Unprepared for an Urban Nuclear Attack."

The article cited former Clinton administration officials who advised that "the federal government should revive the Cold War fallout shelter program, identifying places where people could safely wait."