Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Interview With Jim Solomons

Aired May 20, 2002 - 14:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In Orlando, Florida, another uncorroborated and vague threat prompting tighter security around water purification and distribution sites. The FBI would not release details of that threat in Florida.

However, joining us now from Orlando to talk about the alert there, Jim Solomons, the Orange County, Florida Sheriff's Office, is with us to shakedown the information as best we know it. Good afternoon, Jim. How are you?

JIM SOLOMONS, ORANGE CO., FLORIDA SHERIFF'S DEPT.: Good afternoon, sir.

HEMMER: When did this come down and how did it come down?

SOLOMONS: The Central Florida Regional Homeland Security Task Force received some information from the FBI. And we stress the information was vague and unsubstantiated, but it specifically mentioned the city of Orlando and it specifically mentioned water supplies. So that got our attention.

HEMMER: And what did it say about the water supply?

SOLOMONS: Well, again, it was very vague. It didn't say anything specific, but there was enough information relayed to us from the FBI that suggested that the water supply could be a target of a terrorist attack.

HEMMER: So, you go out and you alert the public, and their reaction is what?

SOLOMONS: Well, actually, we alerted the public because Sheriff Barry (ph) is basically really, really pro-homeland security. And the way he sees it is good homeland security starts at the grassroots level. So by notifying the public, they can quite frankly serve as the eyes and ears of law enforcement agency.

HEMMER: What have you heard back from them, though, folks living in your county?

SOLOMONS: Well, actually, the public response has been very good. You always worry about the chicken little syndrome when you release this type of information. But there hasn't been any hysteria, you know, no one has been overly panicked or anything of that nature. The public has been very supportive of the information we've passed on, and we run an open shop and that's why we relay this information to the public.

HEMMER: You know, I think, Jim, when people think of Central Florida and think of Orlando, they think of the Disney parks down there, the amusement parks. I don't want to get into the area of speculation, but has that been spoken at all about why Orlando could be a potential target in this?

SOLOMONS: Well, sure, Barry recognized right up front, because of the notoriety of Central Florida. We've got a lot of obviously tourist trade, we've got a lot of plums (ph) here from the Kennedy Space Center all the way over to the other coast. So because of that, we're taking the homeland security issues very seriously and we take any threat, whether it's vague, veiled or specific, quite seriously.

HEMMER: Is this the first one or have you had more?

SOLOMONS: Well, I would say this is first one that specifically mentioned Orlando and specifically mentioned a target, which was the reason that we responded in the fashion we did.

HEMMER: You have mentioned a couple of times now, and I've read about it myself, about the homeland security measures you're taking at the local level. What are you doing exactly?

SOLOMONS: Well, Sheriff Barry established a homeland security office. In a nutshell, what he did was he took folks that were already involved in the crime prevention arena, brought them in to work on a bigger problem. We had folks who were already involved with emergency preparedness, things like natural disasters, hurricanes and what not. We've combined those functions. We didn't have any additional manpower, but we've just increased the scope of the responsibilities where they are getting very well-schooled in terrorist issues, things that we need to look at, things that we need addressed to make the public aware of what we're dealing with so that we can quickly and adequately respond to any threat as we did on Sunday.

HEMMER: You know, I think the approach you are taking is gaining respect in a lot of different corners of the country. If I'm living in a community somewhere else other than Orlando, Florida, what do I need to know that about the things that you, so far, think you're doing pretty well?

SOLOMONS: Well, again, I think it all boils down to the head of the law enforcement agency. And Sheriff Barry is always thinking outside the box, looking for new ways to improve the service we deliver to the community.

HEMMER: Jim, how often does that group get together then?

SOLOMONS: Well, they get together all the time. They are essentially a unit now. They operate as a bonified unit within the sheriff's office. Again, no additional manpower just increased responsibilities among the members. HEMMER: That's so true. How do you get your water there? I understand it's not typical of the normal way. It doesn't come from a reservoir, does it?

SOLOMONS: Well, I'm not totally well-schooled in that arena. But the primary source of our water is an aquafier. It's 600-plus feet below the service, so in that respect, it would be a very, very hard target to do any real damage. But again, anytime you get a threat, vague or whatever, you have to take seriously and take the appropriate measures.

HEMMER: Jim, quickly, on the current threat right now, how long will you stay in some sort of proactive mode, or at some point, do you release the threat and say, OK, I think we've passed this period this time? Is that something you're looking at right now?

SOLOMONS: Well, at this end -- I'm sorry, in this deal in respect to the threat on the water or the water treatment facilities, it's an open-ended deal. We're going to stay on guard in that particular -- on those facilities as long as it takes. As far as the homeland security issues, we're in it for the long haul.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jim. Jim Solomons down there working with the police and the sheriff's department there in Central Florida. Thank you, sir.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com