After the devastating events of Sept. 11, 2001, some residents feel the country is safer now than it was five years ago.
"I think the United States is safe for right now, but we are still vulnerable to a possible terrorist threat," said Tom Earp, a citizen of Greenwood for 39 years.
Earp said he doesn't see a possible terrorist attack happening in the Delta. "I think the larger cities are more prone to the type of attack that occurred in New York," he said.
Jamie Russell of Greenwood said he tries to "stay fearless and spiritual."
"Even though I feel the Delta is safe, I don't worry about what will happen today or tomorrow," Russell said.
Four moments of silence were held this morning at the World Trade Center in New York - twice each to mark the jetliner crashes and the collapse of the towers.
Family members of the 2,749 people lost in the trade center attacks held photos of their loved ones, crossed themselves and sobbed quietly at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m., the moments American Airlines Flight 11 and United Flight 175 hit, and again at 9:59 a.m. and 10:29 a.m., when the south and north towers fell.
Greenwood native Missy Hodges, who was in the south tower of the World Trade Center at the time of the attacks, was planning to stand at Ground Zero this morning for the first time since then.
Fire departments across the country have been working with homeland security for necessary training in responding to a potential terrorist threat, natural disaster, or man-made disaster, said Chief Larry Griggs of the Greenwood Fire Department.
The government has made it mandatory that every fire department across the U.S. be trained under the National Incident Management System, said Griggs.
"Prior to 9/11 the NIMS was not in place," he said.
First responders are now getting mandatory training in logistics, planning and operations.
If there were a possible disaster, personnel would be assigned to handle each of these areas.
"If a person were to go anywhere in the country, they would see first responders operating under the same system," he said.
By Sept. 30, all first responders must be trained under NIMS, said Griggs.
T.W. Cooper, Leflore County civil defense and emergency management director and homeland security coordinator, said that his office is using homeland security funds to upgrade equipment for law enforcement.
"We have sent officers to specialized training and heightened awareness of the possibility of terrorism occurring in the Delta. We want to be prepared for any hazard they may occur," said Cooper.
The more people know about how to help themselves, the better the circumstances will be for them and their families, he said.
"We want to be prepared just as larger cities such as New York are preparing," said Griggs.
Griggs said there is also a Northwest II Regional Response team for first responders in the area.
Personnel are trained in responding to terrorist threats, natural disasters, hazardous materials and search and rescue, said Griggs.
There are nine of these response teams in Mississippi, he said.
