Governor Bob Holden, State Homeland Security Director Tim Daniel, and State Health Department Director Maureen Dempsey visited Washington, D.C., this week to talk to national Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge about how the state can be more deeply involved in efforts to respond to bioterrorism attacks. The Missouri delegation met with Ridge at the White House. They say they were told by Ridge that Missouri could play a significant role in developing a national security strategy. A spokesman for Ridge says that’s the case because Missouri’s homeland security efforts – the state was the first to create such a role – could serve as a model for other states.
