Homeland Security Conference in West Tenn. trains officers on terrorism

HENRY COUNTY, Tenn. — Emergency leaders from across the state are working together with the Tennessee Department of Homeland Security this week to stay up to date on security threats against the Volunteer State.

Officials said there is no imminent threat right now, but first responders are training to be prepared for the unexpected.

Around 150 men and women made their way to Paris Landing State Park for a week of training.

“The idea is to share the best practices, share lessons learned, meet each other, find out what East Tennessee is doing and West Tennessee is doing so we all get better,” said Rick Shipkowski, assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

This year, first responders from more than 50 counties are studying incidents such as the Dallas police shooting that happened last year and the Colorado movie theater shooting that happened in 2012.

“We always start this off with a threat briefing, because the threat is real,” Shipkowski said. “While there is no credible threat of terrorism operation in Tennessee right now, there are active terrorism investigations.”

Emergency leaders from across the state made their way to Henry County to train together, which is an opportunity they don’t often have.

“When a major disaster does happen, whether it is man made or natural, we all have to be on the same team,” Weakley County EMA Director Jamison Peevyhouse said. “We have to all be playing from the same sheet of music, and conferences like this really do help us build those relationships now.”

Local first responders said they are training this week to educate others in our district about the different kinds of threats West Tennessee could face.

“With the fusion center, the TBI and the FBI giving us briefings and all letting us know what kind of threats are around here, so we are able to go back, give that to a broader spectrum of people,” Jackson-Madison County EMA Director Marty Clements said.

Friday marks the last day for the conference.

Representatives from sheriff’s and police departments, emergency management, EMS, fire departments and other first responders are attending.