After the initial horror and shock passed from the World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks, I began pondering on a thought I've had repeatedly since my husband and I became community activists. That recurring theme being: Take good care of and maintain what you currently have before taking on any additional burdens. If you're wondering what that thought has to do with September 11^th's catastrophe, it's simply this: We need to secure and protect what we presently have. It must now jump to the very top of our agenda. (Sultan's earthquake/flood preparedness plan, and the concomitant evacuation trail up the Basin hill, is a good start.)

The world-shaking events of September 11, 2001 will repaint the landscape of how we view our "security." Just as anyone experiencing an earthquake of 6.0 or greater who will never view the solid earth in quite the same way again, so, too, will Americans who used to scoff at security check-points in airports, will now view our national security in a different light.

Many will say it's impossible to protect against the sort of attack that happened at the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, in Oklahoma City in 1995 and this most recent calamity. And for the most part, that is true. But let's assume that this is a declaration of war -- which is what it amounts to -- can we assume that the next attack will result in cataclysmic and lethal pyrotechnics? Suppose this is simply the first act of a well-planned and long-term parade of horrors that will be trotted out from the terrorists' bag of goodies? Suppose the next attack will come as a quiet but deadly attack on our infrastructure? Destruction of all the major power grids, for instance. Or a nice little bug in our water supply?

I am not saying these things to scare people. Indeed, these thoughts need to be stated out loud in the clear light of day in order that we can take the proper steps in the proper order to protect our populace as best we can. If we do not do so, the result will be constant doubt and fear. If we foresee potentialities, and plan for them accordingly, we will reduce any potential damage in the event any future such infrastructural attack may come to pass.

This thought occurred to me repeatedly following the scare Sultan experienced during this year's announcement that someone may have tampered with our water system. I was quite frankly appalled that this system was so open and accessible to virtually anyone. Steps are now properly being taking to correct this situation. But one might ask with legitimacy: Why did it take such an event for the city to address the possible danger that existed?

It is clear that we need to become more proactive about these issues, not only related to our protection and security of certain city functions and facilities, but in order that we may try to prevent something from happening. Solid plans and contingencies need to be devised by which we can safely handle any ill effects of such an event if, God forbid, one were to occur.

To put it into perspective, I do not understand how we can justify spending substantial funds on future developments in our community that will stress and damage our infrastructure, yet we cannot seem to locate funding to protect and maintain what we currently have. Put simply: Let's take care of what we have FIRST, then build and enlarge upon it LATER.