Presently there is an organization in the tri state area, the Ark-La-Tex Emergency Management Alliance, preparing for direct support to whatever areas may need assistance in a major emergency incident. The Caddo-Bossier Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is providing excellent support and leadership in getting this organization in place. They are providing initial funding through a grant provided for this purpose. This organization will cover the Arkansas counties of Columbia, Lafayette and Miller. In Louisiana the following parishes are participating, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, DeSoto, Red River and Webster also Barksdale Air Force Base. The state of Texas counties and cities are as follows, Bowie, Cass, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Panola and Red River counties. The cities of Henderson, Longview, Marshall, New Boston, Texarkana and Waskom are participants as well as the East Texas Council of Governments and the Texas Department of Health. Direct support of Harrison County is being handled through the office of Harrison County Fire Marshal. The Mayor and City Council of Waskom has provided support for participation in this important organization by sending a representative and is a full voting member of the organization which means they are part of developing and guiding the organization. Some may ask what is this all for but only one has to evaluate how quickly local and county capabilities can be overwhelmed in a major emergency to understand that there is always opportunity to provide assistance or in the event the incident hits our town there will be a tremendous amount of support available. This organization provides the process to develop the needed mutual aid agreements and other information to make this happen.