Jack is asking: Are we fully prepared? Can we do more?

Jack Smith is asking the town to review its current level of preparedness and to consider what more can or should be done to ensure the highest level of readiness to respond in the event of an active shooter or other domestic terror situation.

He has asked that the town council have on its next agenda directing the town’s manager to initiate a review of the town’s preparedness for an active shooter or other domestic terrorist event occurring in Cary and report to the council what it would require and cost for Cary to have a specially trained and specially equipped rapid response unit “on stand-by; ready, willing, and able to respond within minutes to an active shooter situation anywhere in Cary, but especially in a school or preschool – public or private.”

According to council member Smith, “the risk from being unprepared is simply too great” to not anticipate that an active shooter or other domestic terrorist event occurring in Cary – like everywhere else – is a real possibility, “because, whether we’re willing to say it out loud or not, our schools and our businesses are potential targets.”

Smith also says about his request, “being proactive rather than reactive is simply the right thing to so.  The dangers are just too great, even for a safe community like Cary, to be complacent.”  He points out that while Cary is consistently ranked one of the safest communities of its size in the country, the town’s high profile means that its retail, cultural, sports and entertainment venues also need to be both vigilant and prepared for the worst.

“As great as Cary is and as high as our quality of life is today, we will not have a brighter future unless public safety and preparedness continue to come first,” says Smith.  “No one wants to live, work, learn, operate a business, play, or retire where public safety isn’t their government’s highest priority.”