Collin County Department of Homeland Security Think Globally, Act Locally

On September 11, 2001, the question, “What if?” was replaced by the question, “What’s next?” We no longer wondered what would happen if terrorists launched a large-scale strike on American soil. We witnessed the horror firsthand when 19 Islamic extremists affiliated with al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airliners in a series of coordinated suicide attacks that killed some 3,000 Americans, predominately civilians.
The dye was cast, and a sense of urgency took over as security departments were reorganized, new protocols were developed, and contingency plans were set in motion. National leaders reassured a nervous nation that homeland security would now be our No. 1 priority. Governors and state officials followed suit with promises of due diligence, and tabletop, functional and full-scale exercises took on new depth, focusing more on bioterrorism and mass casualties.
As the nation rallied, local officials were faced with their own set of questions. Touted as the leaders of grassroots government and those connected most closely with the constituents, local elected officials began to examine their role in keeping their county