BEING PREPARED, SUPPLIED SEMINAR TEACHES CITIZENS TO BE ALERT AGAINST TERRORISM.Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer WEST HOLLYWOOD West Hollywood A community of southern California northeast of Beverly Hills. It is mainly residential. Population: 36,600. - Ordinary citizens received tips on identifying suicide bombers and preventing terrorism during a disaster preparedness seminar Saturday. About 200 people participated in the daylong session in West Hollywood, many of them already Sheriff's Department volunteers and Neighborhood Watch officials, along with others in the public sector. ``You are our first line of defense,'' Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Sheriff's Sgt. Heidi Clark told them. ``You, the citizen, are the first one to spot suspicious behavior, are more likely to spot odd things.'' ``We believe homeland preparedness is the first step toward homeland security Noun 1. Homeland Security - the federal department that administers all matters relating to homeland security Department of Homeland Security executive department - a federal department in the executive branch of the government of the United States ,'' said Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca. ``We believe the training you'll receive will help you help us.'' Raul Cobian, 40, West Hollywood, who is with U.S. Customs at Los Angeles International Airport “LAX” redirects here. For other uses, see LAX (disambiguation). “KLAX” redirects here. For other uses, see KLAX (disambiguation). Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX, FAA LID: LAX , attended the seminar with partner Rob Bergstein, 45, who is block captain of their local neighborhood watch and also on the board of trustees board of trustees Politics The posse of thugs who oversee an institution's administration. See Board of directors. at Kol Ami, a reform synagogue in West Hollywood. Both said they hoped to learn information they could share with their work colleagues and neighbors, as well as ideas to help them prepare as individuals. ``We just learned we need to rotate the water every three months,'' Cobian said. ``We didn't know that.'' Clark told the audience that terrorists would do their best to blend in with their surroundings, and because America is made up of people from many different cultures, a suicide bomber won't always be easy to spot. ``Play 'What's wrong with this picture?''' Clark said. ``Be alert, but not alarmed. Al-Qaida can't hit every city simultaneously in the U.S. We have done a lot to prepare across our nation.'' The seminar was sponsored by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department This article is about the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department, not to be confused with the smaller Los Angeles County Police The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is a local law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. , with the help of the American Red Cross American Red Cross: see Red Cross. , the Los Angeles County Fire Department Not to be confused with Los Angeles Fire Department. The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD), serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including the City of La and the Regional Community Policing Institute. The presentation, ``Facing the Threat'' is expected to be the first of many, and individuals and groups can contact their local sheriff's station to request similar presentations in their area. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Art Rutherford, left, a Red Cross volunteer, talks to Roger Hernandez about emergency supplies during the ``Facing the Threat'' seminar at the West Hollywood Park Auditorium Saturday. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer |
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