Front & Center with John Callaway: Homeland Security: Is Chicago Prepared?

What state and city agencies have developed strategies for dealing with the post 9/11 reality? How is our metropolitan area coordinating with the federal Department of Homeland Security and how are we dealing with the additional cost of such preparations. John Callaway and his panel explore these issues on this edition of Front & Center.

Edward G. Buikema is Regional Director of Region V of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Appointed to this position in November, 2001, he coordinates FEMA activities in Illinois , Indiana , Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Mr. Buikema has overseen the delivery of disaster relief and assistance in fourteen Presidential declared disasters and recently coordinated FEMA's regional activities in the TOP Off 2 exercise in Chicago. Previously, he was director of the Emergency Management Division of the Michigan State Police, with whom he was an officer for more than 26 years. A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mr. Buikema holds a BA degree in political science from Calvin College in Grand Rapids and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Thomas Kneir is Special Agent in charge of the Chicago Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was Special Agent in charge of the Jacksonville , Florida Division when he received a call ironically on September 10, 2001, naming him to the Chicago post. Previous positions include Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque Division and service in FBI offices in Dallas, Atlanta, and Louisville. A native of Battle Creek, Michigan and a 1972 graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago with a B.S. degree in accounting, Kneir has also held positions in FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in the Office of the Independent Counsel Iran/Contra, the FBI inspection staff and the Public Corruption Unit. Prior to his Jacksonville appointment, he was Deputy Assistant Director, Organized Crime/Drug/Intelligence Branch, of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division.

Cortez Trotter is Executive Director, Office of Emergency Management and Communications for the city of Chicago. Trotter has headed Chicago 's Homeland Security initiatives since April of 2002, following a 25 year career with the Chicago Fire Department. Formerly head of the city's Emergency Communications Center, the Chicago native joined the Chicago Fire Department as a paramedic in 1976 after three years as a firefighter/paramedic with the Markham Fire Department and two years as an emergency medical technician at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey . He was promoted to a series of positions leading up to Chief Paramedic in 1989, Deputy Fire Commissioner in 1994 and First Deputy Fire Commissioner in 2000. He received the Paramedic of the Year award in 1980 and the Department Achiever award in 1987.