U.S. national security 14 years later

Many people can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001.

Doris Overton, who has lived in Columbia for the past 55 years, said she was doing people’s hair at what used to be the Boone Retirement Center when she learned what happened in New York City.

“We just couldn’t believe it,” she said. “We just wanted to watch the TV and see everything, but we were so busy doing hair you couldn’t just stop.”

Overton said she never thought something like the 9/11 terrorist attacks would happen.

Paul Fennewald, the former Missouri Homeland Security Coordinator, said prior to 9/11, the United States was oblivious to the threat of terrorism.

“If you would have asked people in New York City or in the U.S. government ‘Are we safe as a country?’ Everybody would have said ‘Relatively speaking, yes. We’re pretty safe and we’re doing all the necessary things,'” Fennewald said. “But it was obvious after September 11th that we weren’t doing all those necessary things.”

Fennewald said the country as a whole is more alert. He said law enforcement has been more aggressive with investigating terrorist threats and the public is more willing to report suspicious activity.

“There’s been a lot of training going on for not just law enforcement, but other first responders about suspicious activity and how to report it and what to look for.,” he said. “We’ve put a lot of resources in this country into training and preparedness. “

14 years after the 9/11 attacks, he believes the majority of the country feels safe living in the United States today.

“I think we have some threats out there we’re keeping track of, but I’m so proud of America and how resilient it is,” said Ann Thomas, from Denver, Colorado. “I would never live anywhere else.”

Fennewald thinks the next to increase national security even further is to encourage people to be prepared for disaster and other emergency situations.

“We’re still not where we need to be as far as families being individually prepared.”

He said people should have safety kits in their cars and homes, as well as having a three-day water and food supply.