Second All Hazards Forum Advances Emergency Preparedness for the Mid-Atlantic Region; Governor Ehrlich Endorses Forum As A Groundbreaking Endeavor.

BALTIMORE -- The Mid-Atlantic All Hazards Forum, a conference and exhibition for state and local leaders in homeland security, emergency management and disaster response, drew over 1,000 people to the Baltimore Convention Center October 25-27, 2005. States represented at the conference were Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., closed the meeting with remarks on Wednesday, October 27. "Public safety is priority one in the event of a natural disaster or terror incident," Governor Ehrlich said. "We'll need across the board cooperation from Maryland's health professionals to our law enforcement officers to ensure that every man, woman and child is out of harm's way. Forums of this nature are essential to ensure that Maryland remains on the front lines to of constant vigilance and continued cooperation."

"We welcomed over a thousand state and local emergency preparedness officials, policymakers, homeland security experts and communications, technology and state-of-the-art equipment manufacturers," said Dennis R. Schrader, Director of the Maryland Governor's Office of Homeland Security and a member of the AHF Advisory Committee. "We reviewed how to make the Mid-Atlantic region safer for everyone by forging regional cooperation - it is groundbreaking work."

In only its second year of existence, the Mid-Atlantic All Hazards Forum is already established as the leading regional meeting for emergency management personnel, state and county homeland security officials, and public sector practitioners from across the region to make contacts with peers across jurisdictional lines, share best practices, discuss tactics and strategies for dealing with major incidents, discover new technologies available to them, and address new undertakings imposed by increased homeland-security concerns.

Just prior to the October 25 conference, Governor Ehrlich announced the formation of the All Hazards Consortium (AHC), a not-for-profit organization that brings together private companies, public sector agencies, academic institutions, volunteer and faith-based organizations to plan and prepare for natural disasters, terrorist attacks and all manner of hazards, man-made or natural. AHC is the first organization of its kind in the United States, and will serve as an advisory board for future All Hazard Forums.

Other highlights of the AHF included:

--An in-depth discussion of emergency preparedness and response by world renown expert Israeli Brigadier General Simon Perry, Attache and Liaison Officer to the US and Canada.

--A meeting of state homeland security directors and administrative agents from the Mid-Atlantic region.

--A discussion of lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina.

--A training session by the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council of Maryland.

--A symposium on implementing citizen corps.

--A 13,500 square foot exhibit hall with multi-media presentations from leading technology and emergency equipment companies.

Planning for next year's conference, Tom Moran, AHF Industry Liaison, indicated that he sees growth and continued success for AHF. "We are gaining traction. I look forward to continued success and seeing even more state and local officials, private sector, and academic experts joining us."

About the All Hazards Forum (AHF):

The AHF is the only homeland security and emergency management conference and exhibition dedicated to ensuring the continued safety, readiness and growth of the Mid-Atlantic region. The AHF fills a regional void by providing valuable insights on available technologies and solutions and by helping homeland security and emergency management planners and practitioners outline procurement steps that lead to new or accelerated project funding. The Forum also connects public and private sector stakeholders and enables coordinated planning and response among agencies and states within the region.

About E.J. Krause & Associates, Inc:

Founded in 1984, E.J. Krause (EJK) is one of the largest privately held exhibition management companies in the world. With 16 offices on four continents, EJK produces over 80 events in 16 different industries. EJK's reputation is based on its resolute commitment to excellence in service to its clients. Refer to www.ejkrause.com.