Word that the Department of Defense would appropriate $40 million to Calhoun County for emergency preparedness is just about the best news we could have hoped for.In a teleconference to Alabama’s two senators, Rep. Bob Riley and Gov. Don Siegelman, Undersecretary of Defense Edward Aldridge said he would come up with the money to enhance emergency preparedness in Calhoun County, including paying for gas masks for 35,000 people.
This is a major breakthrough in the effort to protect our community from a possible incident or accident at the Anniston Army Depot and should be a huge step toward getting rid of the stockpile once and for all.
Our county commissioners and local emergency management officials have long asked the Defense Department for this funding to pay for the masks, additional sirens, more staffing and a number of other items.
Until those wants were met, local officials said, they would not be willing to participate in a region-wide public education program about what to do in case of an accident.
We still need this promise in writing from Aldridge, and we understand the undersecretary will still have to include these funds in the defense appropriations bill before it becomes reality. But now is the time for the commission and local EMA officials to begin participating in the program with our neighboring counties and commissioners should now throw their support behind the incineration process.
The incinerator is scheduled to begin destroying the weapons next fall. It is clear that the most dangerous path to take at this point is continued delay. The longer the stockpile sits at the Depot, the longer the community is at risk. As soon as it is ready we should start getting rid of the 2,000 plus tons of deadly agent.
There should be a very good reason for any more delays from here on.
