Terrorism is something people in the North Bay area shouldn't be concerned with, but these days you never know.
That's why terrorism awareness was the focus of a talk to first responders at a conference in North Bay Wednesday at the Best Western.
OPP Detective Sergeant Andrew Kraemer told CKAT News that, like the public, they need to be aware of current trends.
“If they see something, say something and let the authorities know. First responders are attending a variety of scenes and it’s better they have the awareness of things that are going on internationally and domestically,” he says.
Kraemer points specifically to organizations linked to terrorism and cases of extremism in Canada and around the world.
"So often first responders find themselves in harrowing situations and they should be aware of certain trends that are happening.
In the audience was Jean Guy Belzile, the Emergency Medical Chief in the Nipissing District.
"We go into different homes, so we are trained to look for environmental hazards and with the terrorism of today it's good to have that knowledge to look at different things we should recognize and help in the response of other agencies.
He told CKAT that they deal with a lot of privacy issues but their overall concern is keeping people safe.
“You’re now able to communicate with people that you’ve seen and say 'I think there’s something there.' You don’t have to give a name or location. It’s a way to ensure they have another tool to make a safer environment”
