BALTIMORE, MD (January 9, 2020) – L2 Defense, Inc., a leading provider of training, engineering, and integrated logistics support (ILS) services for the military and first responder communities, was recently awarded two Prime contracts from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC).  In these contracts, L2 Defense (L2) was selected as ARC’s exclusive Training & Exercise provider for the Atlanta Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), tasking L2 with providing instructional training courses and conducting scenario-based training exercises for the development of first responder and public service agencies in their fight against terrorism.  The contracts will serve the entire Atlanta region which includes the City of Atlanta and the surrounding Counties of Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett.

ARC administers the Atlanta UASI, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant program created in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  DHS designed the UASI Program to address the unique multi-discipline planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density Urban Areas; and to assist these areas in building and sustaining capabilities to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from threats or acts of terrorism.  The Atlanta UASI was established in 2004 and has been a key contributor to the safety and security of the Georgia region and the Nation.

Although this is L2’s first prime contract funded with DHS UASI grants, the company has provided training and exercise services in response to the threat and acts of terrorism against the U.S. Homeland for nearly a decade.  L2 currently provides extensive training and exercise services for U.S. Army North’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Response Enterprise (CRE).  The CRE is comprised of both a State/National Guard contingent and a federal military contingent that provide life-saving capabilities in support of State emergencies involving CBRN events. Through a number of Department of Defense (DoD) contracts, L2 supports the CRE mission with more than two hundred training events across the country each year.  In the past year, L2 has also conducted multiple large scale, multi-discipline anti-terrorism training exercises in New York City, Miami Dade County, and the State of Indiana.  L2 entered the anti-terrorism training industry immediately upon its founding in 2012, and has been growing its training capabilities and customer base ever since. 

“We are very excited to be entering into this long-term relationship with ARC and their constituent communities,” said Sam Lennon, L2’s CEO and Founder. “We have been working hard for years to translate our extensive Military training expertise and capabilities into significant roles in direct support of State and Local First Responders.  This contract is an outstanding result of these efforts, and only the beginning of our mission to assist First Responders in every State across the Country.”

ARC has a number of high priority initiatives underway and L2 will start work quickly to support. In reference to the forthcoming contract assignments, Russ Accardi, L2’s Director of Emergency Management stated, “L2 Defense has a great team of exceptional subject matter experts and teaming partners who specialize in homeland security, emergency management, and emergency services training in real environments.  We are poised to immediately jump in to support the ARC’s requirements”.  Accardi is a retired Fire Chief, former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search & Rescue Search Team Manager, and an active Master Trainer for the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Haz Mat/WMD Training Department.