The war in Iraq may be winding down, but the specter of terrorism is still on the minds of most New Yorkers. Last Wednesday night, the Roslyn Heights Civic Association held a special presentation, "How to Prepare for a Natural Disaster or Terrorist Attack."

The event took place at the East Hills Elementary School. Featured speakers were Det. Lt. Robert V. Lucas of Nassau County Police Department, Mike Conklin, assistant chief of Roslyn Rescue, and Matt Crimmins of the American Red Cross.

Detective Lucas' talk was about regular crime, but also about terrorist activities. He related that he was at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, calling it "the most frightening experience I ever had in my life. I was one of those people running down the road [from the collapsing towers]. I am very lucky to be alive."

Detective Lucas said that there are no terrorist cells operating in Nassau County. He added that there have been some very small incidents in which the department had to watch certain people, but in all, incidents related to terrorism have been minimal.

Still, as is the case with most law enforcement officers, Detective Lucas called on homeowners to be their own eyes and ears concerning any suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. That would include sightings of any strangers in residential areas and the appearance of "suspicious packages" wherever they may turn up.

Anyone who calls the crime stoppers number can count on complete anonymity, he said. The department, he added, won't trace numbers on account of "constitutional protection" for those who do call.

The struggle against terrorism, Detective Lucas admitted, is something new for everybody, even for police departments. The Nassau County Police Department, he said, is constantly drawing up plans, including evacuation sites and a variety of drills.

During his talk, Detective Lucas also defended the public services Nassau County residents receive. Taxes in the county may be quite high, but at least people "get what they pay for." That is, they are beneficiaries of, among other things, expert police work and top-notch medical care.

Mike Conklin, assistant chief at Roslyn Rescue also admitted that the terrorism issue is something relatively new to his department. Roslyn Rescue, Conklin said, takes its cues from federal agencies. That is, families should have their own emergency kits, including ample supplies of duct tape.

The fire department is engaged in what Conklin called terrorist preparedness, which mostly concerns a response to chemical or biological weapons. The department, he added, has no gas masks available to the public.

Conklin, too, urged residents to be on the lookout for any suspicious packages. He specifically named schools, churches, and synagogues as possible destinations for such packages. "Let's say a neighbor is having propane gasoline delivered to their house," he said. "Something as unusual as that should be reported."

As with Detective Lucas, Conklin asserted that local police are constantly engaging in covert activities. Plus, he reiterated that local residents should feel relatively safe concerning the whole alarming issue. In the meantime, a radio should always be on in the house, in case a warning about a chemical or biological attack is sounded. Residents should keep in mind the most basic precautions: Not just duct tape, but shutting all windows, plus all heating and air conditioning that might be operating.

Red Cross representatives had several pamphlets for those in attendance. The brochure on terrorism advised families to make several preparations. They included creating an emergency communications plan with out-of-town contacts, establishing a family meeting place away from home, assembling a disaster supplies kit, and making sure that the schools one's children attend have their own emergency plan.

A family disaster supplies kit would include storing water in plastic containers, storing a three-day supply of food, and having a first aid kit that contains the basic amenities needed to attend to physical wounds. Either way, after September 11, it's impossible for anyone to be paranoid about such matters.