For Immediate Release
December 12, 2001
Contact:  Rusty Cheuvront (502) 564-2611 

Governor Patton, NGA Hear From Director Ridge on Homeland Security

Washington, D.C. -- Governor Paul Patton and fellow governors in the National Governors Association today met with Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge in Washington, D.C. to offer their resources as a group and to receive an update on overall federal plans to respond and prevent terrorism.

Ridge told the body of governors that is it important that each state's plan include local governments and agencies -- a mechanism Kentucky began a few months ago with the establishment of its own homeland security team. 

"It is important that states have a plan that reflects the needs of the local communities while fitting into the overall national plan," Patton said. "Kentucky's team is meeting weekly to achieve this goal and I’m pleased with the direction we are heading.” 

Patton said he agrees with Ridge's call for the nation's plan to be a "seamless one" that allows overlap on all levels so that the proper training, funding and security requirements can be met in order to pull together a national strategy.

Kentucky Adjutant General D. Allen Youngman, who is overseeing Kentucky’s homeland security team, joined Patton at the meeting.

During the meeting, the governors heard from other members of the federal homeland security team including Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman and Deputy Director of FEMA Michael Brown. 

Governor Patton, currently Vice Chairman of the National Governors Association, is spending two days in Washington to meet with other governors on similar programs and concerns. He will also be attending a meeting of the Council of State Governments and will join in the National Clusters of Innovation Conference tomorrow to discuss how higher education and workforce development can help grow state's economic development forecast in the coming years. 

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