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Homeland Security Award Columbus Scholar 2003

Field of Information Sharing
Sponsored by Automated Dispatch Systems

William Berger, J.D.William Berger, J.D.

Team Leader, Be 'S.A.F.E.R.' Program
National Self-Defense Institute
Chief of Police, North Miami Beach , Florida

Chief William Berger is the Team Leader of the Be 'S.A.F.E.R.' program (acronym for Strategic Actions For Emergency Response), a unique, proven, community-based training tool that humanizes clinical Disaster/Emergency preparedness information. The packaged one-hour program encourages citizens to focus on terrorism awareness, and gives answers to the question, "What can I do?"

Be 'S.A.F.E.R.' works primarily with local law enforcement agencies to promote community policies for disaster prevention through being vigilant, informed, and communicating with law enforcement; training officers to facilitate classes for citizens based on the needs of the community. Empowering individuals through education and training, the program heightens perceptions with the realization that Past is Prologue, invites family participation and intergenerational dialogue, deals with lessening fear, provides tools to form a Neighborhood Disaster/Emergency Action Group, stimulates volunteerism for various agencies at local levels, and engenders patriotism.

 

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation is honored to have had the assistance of the following distinguished individuals serving on the Homeland Security Awards Evaluation Committee:

  • Lieutenant Colonel Patricia K. Coomber, USAF, Ph.D. � Senior Research Fellow and Faculty at the Center for Technology and National Security Policy, National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.
  • Richard A. Craig, Ph.D. � Former Staff Scientist at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Richland, Washington.  Dr. Craig was the recipient of the 2001 Christopher Columbus Foundation Award .
  • Honorable John T. Odermatt � Commissioner, New York City Office of Emergency Management, New York, New York .
  • Adam Short, Senior Editor and Publisher, Tech Watch News, Pawtucket, Rhode Island .