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Heather Worthington Thefts Stir New Fears Potential For Use By Terrorists,Seen ~ ~~~ • From: To: Date: Subject: "Hughes, William" <William.Hughes@CO.RAMSEY.MN.US> "Aiken, Michael" <Michael.Aiken@CO.RAMSEY.MN.US>, ... Tue, May 13, 2003 10:11 AM Thefts Stir New Fears Potential For Use By Terrorists Seen Thefts Stir New Fears Potential For Use By Terrorists Seen By TRACY GORDON FOX Courant Staff Writer May 9 2003 Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, firefighters and emergency workers have been trained to scan fire or accident scenes to look for suspicious people or packages, fearing that terrorists might try to make firefighters secondary targets after an attack. But what if the terrorists were dressed like firefighters, in flame-retardant coats with flashlights and two-way radios, their faces concealed by masks connected to air packs? How would the firefighters distinguish them? That scenario has taken tangible new meaning for Connecticut firefighters since air packs, oxygen tanks, fire coats and flashlights were stolen from • several eastern Connecticut fire departments in the past two months, most recently from a fire station in Coventry. The concern was heightened late Wednesday when the FBI issued a new alert saying that intelligence overseas has indicated that firefighters and EMS workers could become targets after an initial attack. "After the state police gave us their update last night, that was definitely the consensus of the people here, said Floyd Chaney, chief of the Mohegan Tribal Fire Department and president of the New London County Fire Chiefs' Association. "That is definitely a concern we are looking at, but right now our hands are tied. What are we looking for? We're looking for someone dressed as one of our own." Sgt. Sidney Luther of the Colchester state police barracks met with chiefs from the 59 departments in the New London association Wednesday night in North Stonington to discuss the firehouse burglaries, which occurred in Marlborough, Hebron, Old Lyme, Haddam and Salem. "The fear is somebody might be trying to blend in by obtaining equipment," Luther said. The thefts were brought up again at another safety meeting firefighters attended Thursday with state Office of Emergency Management officials, Chaney said. -~~ -- Pale 1 /"~~ C'-~' /~ i~~~ • Between last night and this morning, it was brought up again - to be careful and be aware," Chaney said.