LIFT hosts Long Island Hurricane Symposium in Bethpage

The recently held Long Island Hurricane Symposium sponsored by the Applied Science Foundation for Homeland Security (The Foundation), part of the Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT) family of companies, at its 343 Lecture Hall, drew a large crowd of Long Island residents, businesses and representatives of local municipalities and first responders. The free symposium, which followed Hurricane Irene, provided the attendees with an overview of Long Island's hurricane history, projections for the rest of this year's hurricane season and most importantly, information on the best ways to prepare for a major hurricane or tropical storm and limit the associated risks. This community education program included a welcome address by Edward Mangano, Nassau County executive, followed by a panel of experts, including: Ross Dickman, program manager, Eastern Region Headquarters, National Weather Service; News 12 Long Island weatherman Bill Korbel; James Sherry, executive deputy commissioner & director, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES); a representative of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); Luis Avilal, emergency services officer, American Red Cross of Greater New York; and Nancy Lynch, president, Pet Safe Coalition, Inc. Sponsors included State Farm, Panera, Sprint, DRI International, Strategic Planning Partners, Cyalume Light Technology, Sea Tow, WALK 97.5, Long Island Business News and News 12.Shown are: Applied Science Foundation for Homeland Security's executive director Richard Rotanz presenting a certification of appreciation to Nassau County executive Edward Mangano.