SNYDERSVILLE -- Terror attacks such as the one Tuesday in Brussels are why regional counter-terrorism task forces formed throughout the state of Pennsylvania.
We talked to the program manager of the Northeast Pennsylvania Regional Counter-Terrorism Task Force in Snydersville. The task force that prepares to fight terror here says that attacks like the one in Brussels are why they must stay on top of their game.
"We kind of go on the premise, not if it's going to happen, but when it is going to happen," said program coordinator Robert Werts.
The task force formed in 1998.
On a monthly basis, bomb squads, SWAT teams, fire, EMS, police officers, and leaders throughout an eight-county region prepare for the worst with equipment and training.
"They work together. They've trained together, so it's just a matter of mobilizing them and getting them to the scene and doing whatever has to be done."
Nearly three dozen are dead in Belgium and nearly 200 are injured.
Terror task forces in the commonwealth speculate what emergency responders there must be dealing with.
"Controlled chaos, quite frankly," said Allentown Assistant Police Chief Glen Dorney. "No one can truly prepare for an incident like that. The best thing you can do is put things, measures, in place and have those pre-arranged relationships with other agencies."
Dorney said basic police training doesn't always focus on terrorism but task force training helps fill those gaps.
"Some of the improvised explosive devices, what to look for, how to mitigate, and some of the terrorism threat matrixes that are out there as to what to look for," Dorney explained.
The counter-terrorism group maintains expensive equipment that can be deployed quickly throughout the eight-county region or even to one of the other nine counter-terrorism agencies within the commonwealth.
And after several attacks close to home, these officials warn others at home to always be aware of your surroundings.
"The first bombing of the World Trade Center, they went right across Interstate 80," said Werts.
The regional counter-terrorism task force meets once a month. but many of the individual members work together on a daily basis, making them even more prepared for terror attacks here at home.