Dear Friends and Fellow Emergency Responders,
Thank you for coming to the TAK-Response Web site. I would like to explain briefly why I have decided to postpone the upcoming TAK-Response Conference and Exhibition. Those of us who are experienced in the emergency response profession understand the dynamics of making decisions in today's complex social and economic environment.
As the individual responsible for the command and control of the TAK-Response conference, I have used my emergency response training in making the decision to postpone the California-based event until a more favorable environment is restored to the state of California.Providing a top-tier educational conference like TAK-Response requires tremendous commitment not only from those of us at PennWell Corporation but from our many supporters and associates. We rely heavily on the local law enforcement community, fire service agencies, emergency medical responders, educators, and a host of other agencies to bring you the world-class education provided by TAK-Response. In order to produce TAK-Response, these fine agencies--along with an incredible network of manufacturers and vendors--provide significant services and time in the support of the event. Those services and time are now increasingly in scarce supply as a result of the economic crisis and tremendous uncertainty facing our nation and the state of California.
These are difficult times, and in these difficult times we must remember that making decisions should be done with the utmost care and respect for those they will directly impact. Going forward with TAK-Response in these uncertain times would place an unfair burden on our supporters and our friends. Seasoned emergency responders know that in dynamic emergency situations, when one has discretionary time one should use it to one's best advantage; that is what I have chosen to do. We have done extensive research, introspection, and surveys about this decision, and all of our research and discussion lead us to the same conclusion: that a hiatus while we await the resurgence of the California and American economies is the best course of action.
Make no mistake about it: We are unfaltering in our confidence that the American economy and the economy of California are already headed in the right direction. We know that cuts will be made and that service delivery models may be altered to the new social realities. But we are also well aware of the fact that training and education--and the ability to network and interface with our counterparts responsible for the safety and welfare of the community--will continue to exist in good times and bad.
The combination of all of these factors--decreased availability of our friends and supporters for activities outside of their critical responsibilities, decreased funding for education and training statewide, and the lack of opportunity to perform due diligence in providing the world-class level of training TAK-Response is known for--confirm my decision to place the TAK-Response event on hiatus. We will monitor the situation and will return to California when the time is right, when the opportunity is there for our attendees to attend unencumbered, and when our friends and supporters can once again feel comfortable in allowing us to impose on their generous and supportive natures.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding my decision to postpone the upcoming TAK-Response 2011 conference.
Respectfully yours,
Bobby Halton
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