Steering committee organized to support anti-terrorist effort

Emily M. Smith
ASME NEWS

Teams of experts that could be mobilized quickly to assist the federal government and states in responding to terrorist attacks are being developed by ASME's recently formed Homeland Security Steering Committee.

The committee was formed by the Council on Public Affairs and the Industry Advisory Board at the Summer Annual Meeting in June.

The committee chair is Bernie Meyers, an ASME member who, as a senior vice president at Bechtel, assisted in the recovery efforts at Ground Zero in the days immediately following the World Trade Center attack. He is also a member of the IAB.

Three ASME members who are serving as fellows in the administration's Office of Science and Technology will be advisors to the Homeland Security Steering Committee.

Objectives of the committee include: the identification of threat areas where ASME has expertise; establishment of relationships with key federal agencies to facilitate the use of the expert teams; support of efforts by the Council on Codes and Standards to work with federal agencies to identify design and code challenges; and support of efforts by the IAB and Council on Engineering to identify and inform policy makers about emerging technologies and research needs.

The mission of the steering committee will be part of the focus of the next IAB meeting in October. The theme of that meeting will be "Examining the Engineer's Response to Homeland Security."

Development of the expert teams will begin as soon as the members of the Homeland Security Steering Committee are fully identified.

Examples of threat areas in which expertise will be needed include mechanical building systems, petrochemical facilities, pipelines, power generation and distribution systems, nuclear facilities and transportation systems.

Members with resumes indicating a solid expertise in any of those areas who are interested in participating should contact Phil Hamilton, managing director of public affairs, at (202) 785-3756 or by e-mail at hamiltonp@asme.org.

 

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