Making New York Safer Symposium

On July 5, the White House released an updated National Strategy for Combating Terrorism. "America is safer but we are not yet safe," it states. The same could be said about New York, or at least that was the view expressed by many of the participants in a recent symposium hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, entitled "Making New York Safer." In his opening remarks, Council President Richard N. Haass suggested New York could never be truly "safe," but "one can take steps to make New York and other places 'safer,' and that is what we are trying to advance." The symposium explored threats from and potential responses to both man-made and natural disasters.

Summary Report of Sessions 1-3: Downloadable PDF

Further Readings

  1. "Are We Safe Yet?" A Foreign Affairs Roundtable. foreignaffairs.org, 9/7/06-9/11/06.
  2. Ferguson, Charles D. Preventing Catastrophic Nuclear Terrorism. Council on Foreign Relations Press, 3/06.
  3. Flynn, Stephen E. and Prieto, Daniel B. Neglected Defense: Mobilizing the Private Sector to Support Homeland Security. Council on Foreign Relations Press, 5/06.
  4. Hamilton, Lee H. interviewed by Gwertzman, Bernard. "In Five Years Since 9/11, United States Is 'Safer But Not Safe'." CFR.org, 9/7/06.
  5. Kaplan, Eben. 9/11 Anniversary Issue Guide. CFR.org, 9/7/06.
  6. Mueller, John. Is There Still a Terrorist Threat? Foreign Affairs. September/October 2006; Volume. 85, Number 5; pp 2-8.
  7. Simon, Steven. "Priorities for Homeland Security." Statement before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs , 9/12/06.

Meetings

General Meeting

Making New York Safer Symposium - Session 1: The Terrorist Threat in New York

Speakers: Steven Simon, Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
R.P. Eddy, Managing Director, Gerson Lehrman Group; and Senior Fellow for Counterterrorism, Executive Director, Center for Policing Terrorism, The Manhattan Institute
Richard K. Betts, Adjunct Senior Fellow for National Security Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Presider: Brian Ross, Chief Investigative Correspondent, ABC News
September 8, 2006

7:30 to 8:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:00 to 9:00 a.m. Meeting

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General Meeting

Making New York Safer Symposium - Session 2: Assessing New York's Emergency Preparedness

Speakers: Kelly McKinney, Deputy Commissioner for Planning and Preparedness, New York City Office of Emergency Management
Joseph W. Pfeifer, Chief, Counterterrorism and Emergency Preparedness, New York City Fire Department
Isaac B. Weisfuse, Deputy Commissioner, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Presider: Linda J. Vester, Anchor, Fox News Channel; and Independent Filmmaker
September 8, 2006

9:15 to 10:30 a.m. Meeting

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General Meeting

Making New York Safer Symposium - Session 3: What Individuals and Organizations Can Do

Speakers: Stephen E. Flynn, Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Senior Fellow for National Security Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
William G. Raisch, Executive Director, International Center for Enterprise Preparedness, New York University
Jeffrey W. Runge, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Homeland Security
Presider: Paula A. Zahn, Anchor, CNN
September 8, 2006

10:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Meeting

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