Members of the Pennyrile Regional Citizens Corps Council sat down with the director of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security Monday to discuss safety initiatives and neighborhood watches.
Executive Officer Dan Nicholson says the office reached out to the council and asked them to create an outline on how to operate successful neighborhood safety programs.
A steering committee was developed at the meeting to form the Kentucky Hometown Safety Initiative, which could go on to shape security and disaster response training across the state. KOHS Director John Holiday says those programs are proven to be effective and are often the first line of support in the event of a disaster, including tornadoes or earthquakes.
He says the office is constantly tracking information in the state and surrounding ones, monitoring for threats to citizens and bringing experts together to develop strategies to oppose those threats.
Deputy Director Mike Sunseri complimented the Citizen Corps Council, saying it’s one of the best local security organizations in the state.
Holiday says he wants to see citizens become involved in their own safety, which they can do by getting involved in local neighborhood watch or CERT teams or contacting the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. The Citizen Corps Council often hosts training events across the region to those interested in starting or joining a group.