Homeland Security encouraged business to work together

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - The Homeland Security department in Allen County hosted a conference on Wednesday to provide government and business leaders the tools they can use to maintain operations during a disaster.

“The bottom line for today is bringing business and government together to address the same common challenges that we might have in a disaster,” said Bernie Beier, Director of Homeland Security for Fort Wayne and Allen County.

“Government doesn't provide all the solutions, no matter how much we might want it to. Small business make up 85% of our economy, so they've got to be part of the solution. Part of the solution starts in the planning process on days like today where we bring business leaders, government leaders, and concerned citizens together in one venue where we can talk about leadership, about resiliency of the community, and about planning.”

Attendees had the opportunity to share best practices and learn from experts about innovative strategies.

Beier said that people need to learn how to work together now before a disaster strikes.

“Everybody's got something at stake,” said Beier. “When a disaster happens it doesn't just happen to one street, one family, one business, it happens to a whole community and that's the absolutely wrong time to meet the business down the street.”