Iowa is hosting representatives from several Midwestern states in a regional conference on terrorism policy. Governor Tom Vilsack told the participants most of us turn a blind eye to the threat of terrorism.Vilsack says it’s up to the planners to ask the right questions to be prepared for a terrorist attack.Vilsack lived through a terrorist attack first hand when the mayor of Mt. Pleasant was shot and killed by a disgruntled resident. Vilsack became mayor and says it took several months to recover because they weren’t prepared for what happened.The Director of Iowa Emergency Management Services, Ellen Gordon, says the state is definitely more prepared for some disasters than others — such as storms and floods.Gordon says the federal government has provided the state with $700,000 to train and prepare for large-scale emergencies.The terrorism conference is one of four being held around the country to allow neighboring states to work together on disaster planning. The conference runs today and tomorrow.
