[Senate Hearing 107-915]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 107-915
NEEDS OF AMERICA'S FIREFIGHTERS
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HEARING
before a
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
SPECIAL HEARING
FEBRUARY 5, 2002--WASHINGTON, DC
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Appropriations
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/
senate
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COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
ROBERT C. BYRD, West Virginia, Chairman
DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii TED STEVENS, Alaska
ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, South Carolina THAD COCHRAN, Mississippi
PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont ARLEN SPECTER, Pennsylvania
TOM HARKIN, Iowa PETE V. DOMENICI, New Mexico
BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland CHRISTOPHER S. BOND, Missouri
HARRY REID, Nevada MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky
HERB KOHL, Wisconsin CONRAD BURNS, Montana
PATTY MURRAY, Washington RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama
BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota JUDD GREGG, New Hampshire
DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California ROBERT F. BENNETT, Utah
RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL, Colorado
TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota LARRY CRAIG, Idaho
MARY L. LANDRIEU, Louisiana KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas
JACK REED, Rhode Island MIKE DeWINE, Ohio
Terrence E. Sauvain, Staff Director
Charles Kieffer, Deputy Staff Director
Steven J. Cortese, Minority Staff Director
Lisa Sutherland, Minority Deputy Staff Director
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Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies
BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland, Chairman
PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont CHRISTOPHER S. BOND, Missouri
TOM HARKIN, Iowa CONRAD BURNS, Montana
ROBERT C. BYRD, West Virginia RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama
HERB KOHL, Wisconsin LARRY CRAIG, Idaho
TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota PETE V. DOMENICI, New Mexico
ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, South Carolina MIKE DeWINE, Ohio
TED STEVENS, Alaska (ex officio)
Professional Staff
Paul Carliner
Gabriel A. Batkin
Alexa Sewell
Jon Kamarck (Minority)
Cheh Kim (Minority)
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Opening statement of Senator Barbara A. Mikulski................. 1
Statement of Senator Christopher S. Bond......................... 3
Prepared statement of Senator Christopher S. Bond................ 4
Statement of Peter Morris, Assistant Chief, Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Rescue Squad................................................... 7
Prepared statement........................................... 9
Statement of Stephen D. Paulsell, Chief, Boone County Fire
Protection District and Sponsoring Agency Chief, Missouri Task
Force 1........................................................ 11
Prepared statement........................................... 15
Task force equipment caches...................................... 17
Weapons of mass destruction protection for task forces........... 17
Properly fund annual grant program for task forces............... 17
Task force transportation........................................ 18
Task force system expansion...................................... 18
International response of additional task forces................. 18
Task force system enhancements................................... 19
Program administration and support............................... 19
Supporting documentation......................................... 20
National Urban Search and Rescue Response System................. 20
About US&R....................................................... 20
Incident Support Team............................................ 20
FEMA task force tools and equipment.............................. 20
Urban search and rescue: Commonly asked questions................ 22
Statement of Carlos Olaguer, Firefighter, Baltimore City Fire
Department..................................................... 24
Prepared statement........................................... 28
Urban search and rescue.......................................... 31
Task forces...................................................... 34
Urban search and rescue.......................................... 35
Utilization of assets............................................ 36
Prepared statement of Senator Larry Craig........................ 37
National Interagency Fire Center................................. 37
Statement of Harold Schaitberger, General President,
International Association of Fire Fighters..................... 40
Prepared statement........................................... 43
Existing programs................................................ 44
The needs........................................................ 44
Statement of John M. Buckman, III, Chief, International
Association of Fire Chiefs..................................... 48
Prepared statement........................................... 51
Assistance to firefighters grant program......................... 52
Additional firefighter staffing.................................. 52
Office of National Preparedness.................................. 53
USAR expansion................................................... 53
Federal leadership............................................... 54
Statement of Philip C. Stittleburg, Chairman, National Volunteer
Fire Council................................................... 54
Prepared statement........................................... 57
Support of basic firefighting equipment.......................... 60
Response to terrorist attacks.................................... 61
Liability of donated fire equipment.............................. 61
Fire grant program............................................... 62
Fund raising efforts of local fire departments................... 63
NEEDS OF AMERICA'S FIREFIGHTERS
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2002
U.S. Senate,
Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and
Independent Agencies,
Committee on Appropriations,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met at 10:50 a.m., in room SD-124, Dirksen
Senate Office Building, Hon. Barbara A. Mikulski (chairman)
presiding.
Present: Senators Mikulski, Bond, and Craig.
NONDEPARTMENTAL WITNESSES
opening statement of senator barbara a. mikulski
Senator Mikulski. The Subcommittee on VA-HUD will now come
to order.
Today is a very special hearing because it will focus on
the need of America's fire departments and firefighters. What
we want to be able to do today is to find out how we can
protect our communities and how we can protect our first
responders.
Since September 11, all eyes have focused on the heroic
efforts of America's firefighters, whether it was in New York
or at the Pentagon. I know, though, that every day there are
firefighters out there putting themselves truly, literally in
the line of fire. We want to be able to thank you not with
words but with deeds, to really hear from those who are the
leadership of America's firefighters, as well as the
firefighters themselves, about how we can meet the compelling
needs of homeland security.
We are now asking America's fire departments, whose primary
focus has been the protection of local communities, the
prevention of fires, rescue, search and rescue, to be part of
America's significant effort on homeland security, to be able
to be all-hazards agencies to really protect us against fires,
against chemical attacks, to be ready for biological attacks,
and to be prepared to deal with weapons of mass destruction.
We know that you cannot do this on either a local property
tax or, for our volunteer firefighters, you cannot do this on
fish fries, bingo, and tip jars. We are already asking you to
put yourself in the line of fire. You do it often on your own
time, and on your own dime. For the big urban communities, we
know that their firefighters are often the last in municipal
budget efforts. We hope to be able to support firefighters the
way we, over a decade ago, supported our police departments.
You are our public safety officers, and we are going to make
sure we help you out.
I think America does not realize that there are over 1
million firefighters in the United States of America. Seven
hundred fifty thousand are volunteers. There are already
155,000 nationally registered emergency medical technicians.
Actually firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded
to over 16 million emergency calls last year. And every year,
more than 100 firefighters lose their lives in the line of
duty.
That is, up until September 11, when a grim and ghoulish
thing happened where there was an aerial attack on the United
States of America. And we saw it at the World Trade Center and
we saw it at the Pentagon. That day in New York City at Ground
Zero, where both my colleague and I have been, 343 New York
City firefighters lost their lives in the World Trade Center
trying to save others.
Why were they there? Because of the first World Trade
Center bombing, they were ready to be there first, as quickly
as they could, should there be anything happening to the trade
center. Well, you and I know that no one expected the collapse
of two buildings.
As I said, this Nation cannot merely express its gratitude
with words alone. We want to express our gratitude to those who
risk their lives every day.
We have been thinking about this for some time, our
colleagues in the House, our colleagues in the Senate. We know
that there is a firefighter caucus, of which I have been a
member. We created a Fire Grant program through FEMA. It was
authorized at $300 million, which we saw as essentially a down
payment to meet local needs, not to substitute for
volunteerism, not to be a substitute for property taxes, but to
be value added for meeting national needs.
The first year we provided $100 million. That was for the
fiscal year 2001 appropriations. Last year we were able to come
up with an additional $290 million in an emergency
supplemental.
But the needs are so tremendous, and I will tell you our
President, President Bush, and Governor Tom Ridge, our Homeland
Security Director, have taken note of this. Therefore, the
President is proposing a significant increase of a $3.5 billion
grant program for America's first responders. And, do we need
it.
Even before September 11, in evaluating the Fire Grant
program, we saw that FEMA had gotten over 30,000 requests for
assistance under the Fire Grant program. Remember, this is by
September 8. That totals $3 billion. In my own State of
Maryland, 200 separate fire companies sent in requests
totalling $40 million. These requests were for firefighting
vehicles, firefighting equipment, and that very crucial
personal protective gear.
You all are going to tell me about the cost of a fire
truck. I think it is $300,000. New rescue vehicles, $500,000.
Protective gear, well over $1,000. And now, hopefully, we will
now even have unmanned robots that will go in as preliminaries
to you. Communication equipment. All of this shows the need,
and we want to hear what you think.
I want to pay attention to what President George Bush wants
in homeland security and how we can support you, but I want to
pay attention to those of you who respond when either a citizen
or a President calls up 9-1-1. And 9/11 will be forever in our
hearts.
So, today we are turning to our firefighters. We are going
to listen to them.
Now I would like to turn to my colleague, Senator Bond, for
his comments, and then we are going to hear from our first
panel.
statement of senator christopher s. bond
Senator Bond. Thank you very much, Madam Chair, for calling
this important and timely hearing. I think we could spend all
day talking about the heroism, the needs, and what we have
learned. I am going to summarize my formal statement and then
give you a little insight I gathered yesterday.
But I think it is clear, as the chair has recognized, that
the President's budget recognizes and responds to the harsh
realities of September 11 and what we need to do particularly
in this area.
Out of the rubble of this tragedy, Americans who stood tall
with our firefighters, our police, military, and first
responders of all kinds, under these horrific circumstances, we
came together as Americans to respond to the cowardly terrorist
attacks. And the budget that the President submitted and we are
supporting is proof to the world that we are not going to bow
down to the threats of terrorists.
This hearing should allow us to understand better the
overall funding needs of fire departments to meet the
traditional firefighting activities. These needs are very
different, depending on whether the department is volunteer or
a paid career department. Many of them are still severely
lacking in funds, equipment, and training to meet traditional
local firefighting emergencies. And as the chair has indicated,
the need was already there before September 11.
But we will also hear testimony on how the mission and
needs of firefighters have changed since September 11 and the
expanded role as first responders to threats and acts of
terrorism. And they can be not only a horrifying attack on a
world trade center with an airplane, but they can be
biological, chemical, or even radioactive. The new
understanding of these threats has made this significant
increase in resources necessary.
It is going to be a real source of pride and pleasure to
introduce my good friend, Steve Paulsell, Chief of the Boone
County Fire Protection District, and Sponsoring Agency Chief
for Missouri Task Force 1. He does a remarkable job in my
neighboring Boone County, Missouri, administering the fire
protection district, and as head of Task Force 1, his personnel
made a tremendous difference in helping victims, as well as
assisting to minimize the aftermath of this tragedy. I have to
say that the people of Missouri felt a very real connection
with the horror of New York because we had dedicated volunteers
who were willing to go to help. And Steve can give us a
perspective on both the funding needs of volunteer
firefighters, as well as the expectations on first responders,
to acts of terrorism.
This issue is extremely important to me. There are 865
rural fire departments in Missouri, meeting the needs of their
communities on shoestring budgets, guts, and personal
commitment.
Steve, I say also, has a special understanding as the
Sponsoring Agency Chief of 1 of only 28 urban search and rescue
task forces. They are underfunded, underequipped, but they are
dedicated and committed first-line soldiers responding to the
worst acts of terrorism.
The current capacity of first responders varies widely
across the United States. Even the best prepared States are
lacking crucial resources and expertise. And many areas have
little or no ability to cope or respond to a terrorist attack,
especially with the new weapons of mass destruction. We need a
comprehensive approach and we need to back it up with
resources. Recent revelations that show Osama bin Laden and Al
Qaeda were looking for vulnerabilities in our dams, water
systems, and nuclear plants provide a new level of concern and
responsibility. In these circumstances, we have to identify and
support these needs.
But yesterday, as I indicated to my good friend, Senator
Mikulski, I visited Ground Zero just to see the progress. It is
unbelievable. You are looking at it from 30 floors up, and you
see that they have moved 14 to 15 stories of rubble out of the
way. There are still some areas where we may find remains of
the victims, but the place is beginning to look like a normal
construction site. You say, oh, well, that is very nice.
But then you go down to the ground and you see the family
platforms, the places where people have posted a message. I
thought I was tough. I was wrong. I could not handle it. But
also you see so many good messages. The people who have
responded from around the country, the volunteers who are still
working there helping the people engaged in the work and the
cleanup, to know that the Salvation Army and the Red Cross were
there, churches were there, school children from all over the
Nation have sent letters, have sent messages, have sent gifts.
prepared statement
I talked to Reverend Harris at St. Paul's Church, and he
told me so many stories of people volunteering and the
volunteers were still working there. And he told me of the
elderly, very poor lady who lived in the upper Bronx who had
heard that people had hurt their legs. She took the subway all
the way down, got through the police lines by dint of sheer
effort, hobbled up to St. Paul's Church, and handed Reverend
Harris her cane and said that she wanted to make a
contribution. That is the spirit in which Americans have
responded.
So, with that, thank you very much, Madam Chair. We are
looking forward to hearing our witnesses.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Senator Christopher S. Bond
Thank you, Madam Chair, for calling this important and timely
hearing. The President submitted his Budget for fiscal year 2003
yesterday and one of its cornerstones acknowledges the important role
and funding needs of firefighters in our communities by recommending an
unprecedented increase of some $3.5 billion in FEMA's budget for the
homeland security response capabilities of America's First Responders,
which includes firefighters, police and emergency medical technicians.
This Budget request recognizes the harsh realities of September 11 and
the need to be ever vigilant to protect the freedom and moral
principles that have guided this Nation for over 200 years and which
have been a beacon of hope for the oppressed peoples of totalitarian
regimes throughout the world.
Out of the rubble of this tragedy, Americans have stood tall with
our firefighters, police and military leading the way. Under these
horrific circumstances, we banded together as Americans to assist the
victims of these cowardly, terrorist attacks and this Budget request is
further proof to the world that we will not bow down to the oppression
and hate that is the ideology of terrorism.
So while this hearing is largely designed to review the FIRE Act
grant program which was initially funded by this subcommittee in fiscal
year 2001, it also provides an important opportunity to hear first hand
from the firefighting community about the funding needs and issues that
face firefighters in their enhanced role as First Responders to acts of
terrorism.
This hearing also allows us better to understand the overall
funding needs of fire departments to meet the traditional firefighting
activities of their communities. These needs are very different,
depending on whether the department is a volunteer department or a
paid, career department. In particular, many or most volunteer fire
departments are severely lacking in funds, equipment and training to
meet traditional local firefighting emergencies. We need to understand
better these needs and how the FIRE Act grant program can be improved
to ensure these fire departments have the necessary equipment and
training.
The need clearly is there. In fiscal year 2001, FEMA received over
19,000 applications for available grant funds of $100 million. These
applications constituted some 31,000 requests for assistance for a
total of $2.9 billion. For fiscal year 2002, we appropriated some $360
million for the FIRE Act grant program while the act expanded the
eligible uses of these funds to include training and equipment to
respond to terrorism or the use of a weapon of mass destruction.
In addition, we will hear testimony on how the mission and needs of
firefighters have changed since September 11 with the recognition that
firefighters, police and emergency medical technicians will have an
expanded role as First Responders to threats and acts of terrorism, be
they biological, chemical or the result of the use of a weapon of mass
destruction. The huge increase in funding for the FIRE Act grant
program is largely the result of a new understanding and recognition of
the important role that we expect firefighters to play in response to
acts of terrorism.
In particular, I am proud to introduce a witness from Missouri, a
good personal friend, Steve Paulsell, who is the Chief of the Boone
County Fire Protection District and Sponsoring Agency Chief for
Missouri Task Force 1. Steve does a remarkable job in administering the
Boone County Fire Protection District, which is a volunteer fire
department and one of the largest in the Nation. In addition, as head
of the Missouri Task Force 1, his personnel made a tremendous
difference in helping the victims of the horrific tragedy at the World
Trade Center as well as assisting to minimize the aftermath of this
tragedy. With these dual responsibilities, Steve has a unique
perspective on both the funding needs of volunteer firefighters in
meeting the traditional responsibilities of local fire departments as
well as the new expectations for First Responders to acts of terrorism.
This is an extremely important issue to me since there are 865 rural
fire departments in Missouri which are volunteer departments meeting
the needs of their communities on shoestring budgets, guts and personal
commitment.
In addition, as the Sponsoring Agency Chief of one of only 28 urban
search and rescue task forces in the United States, Steve has a special
understanding of what will be needed to establish a comprehensive,
national First Responder program. These task forces are currently
underfunded and underequipped, but, nonetheless, are committed to be
the front-line solders of our local governments to respond to the worst
aspects of terrorism at the community level. I believe our first
obligation is to realize fully the capacity of these 28 search and
rescue task forces to meet First Responder events.
As noted, the President has requested an increase of some $3.5
billion in the fiscal year 2003 budget for FEMA in order to provide
police, firefighters and emergency medical technical teams with the
needed training, staffing and equipment to work effectively and quickly
to meet the threat and consequences of a terrorist attack. Despite the
response to September 11, the current capacity of communities and First
Responders vary widely across the United States, with even the best
prepared States lacking crucial resources and expertise. Many areas
have little or no ability to cope or respond to a terrorist attack,
especially ones that use weapons of mass destruction, including
biological or chemical toxins.
The recommended commitment of funding in the President's Budget is
only the first step. There needs to be a comprehensive approach that
identifies and meets State and local First Responder needs, both rural
and urban, pursuant to Federal leadership, benchmarks and guidelines.
As a result, the roles of the Office of Homeland Security and FEMA need
to be clearly articulated, especially if the Administration expects the
Congress to bless a transition of responsibility for the police as
First Responders from the Department of Justice to FEMA. We also need
to address the fears of local fire departments, especially rural
departments, that some fire departments will be shortchanged if these
First Responder funds are block granted to States subject to a State
plan.
In addition to these issues, there are recent revelations that
Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda were looking for vulnerabilities in our
dams, water systems and nuclear plants. These revelations reemphasis
the size of the job facing our Nation in providing the needed security
expected by our citizens and the immediacy of the problem. Finally,
there needs to be coordination and cooperation through the Office of
Homeland Security with the Department of Defense, the National Guard,
FEMA, the Department of Justice and our other domestic agencies to make
this work. In any event, there is much to discuss and debate.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I look forward to the testimony today and I
applaud the early start on this important issue.
Senator Mikulski. Thank you, Senator Bond.
I would like to call up now Assistant Chief Morris, and
Chief Paulsell that Senator Bond has already spoken about, and
Firefighter Olaguer to present their testimony. Gentlemen,
America welcomes you, and I want you to know that as we sit
here today listening to your testimony, we are neither the
Republican Party nor the Democratic Party. We are the Red,
White, and Blue Party. So, we are here to work on a bipartisan
basis to be able to support you.
Chief Paulsell, Senator Bond has already told us about your
wonderful and extensive career.
Assistant Chief Morris, we want to welcome you. For the
record, please show that Assistant Chief Morris is in the
volunteer ranks of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. He
joined it in 1984. When he is not saving lives, he is a CNN
cameraman covering the White House. And that tells you
something really about the broad spectrum of who our volunteer
fighters are. It was the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad that
responded to the Pentagon. When I went over there that day, I
saw this wonderful rescue squad that literally was moving
heaven and earth to continue the search and rescue. We look
forward to hearing that, but we saw you there in that horrific
undertaking.
Of course, we have Mr. Olaguer from the Baltimore City Fire
Department who comes again with an extensive background. He has
been a firefighter. He has been working as a lieutenant, a
platform operator, and a pump operator.
Senator Bond, you should know that Baltimore faced its own
crisis in August when a cargo train was trapped in one of the
oldest train tunnels in America. We did not know what was in
there. We did not know if it was going to explode. We did not
know if it was going to be a toxic cloud that was going to
explode over Baltimore. It was a tunnel of several miles.
And Mr. Olaguer went down into that tunnel and it shows you
what our firefighters do. They had to go down through a manhole
cover. They had to go down 8 feet in dark and smoke to a
platform to then go down another ladder, and we did not know if
they were descending into hell, toxic fumes, or what they were
going to find as they did it. And they went fearlessly. They
were intrepid. And thanks to their effort and the cooperation
with civil engineering skills, we were able to get out of that.
But just know there was a time in Baltimore when manhole covers
were exploding and we had 300-pound manhole covers going
through the air as frisbees, and these men, going down there,
did not know what they would find and we did not know if they
could come back out. So, God bless you for all of that.
Having said all that, why do we not start with you, Mr.
Morris, and then just go down the line, ending with you, Mr.
Olaguer.
STATEMENT OF PETER MORRIS, ASSISTANT CHIEF, BETHESDA-
CHEVY CHASE RESCUE SQUAD
Mr. Morris. Good morning, Madam Chairwoman and members of
the committee. I am Assistant Chief Peter Morris of the
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.
I would like to take the opportunity to commend you,
Senator Mikulski, and the other members of the subcommittee for
providing the important leadership needed on this critical
issue. Senator Mikulski recently visited our station, and the
firefighter/rescuers in our department were very impressed with
her interest and her in-depth knowledge of the fire/rescue
services. We would not be able to do our jobs without the
support of our elected leaders. We consider the members of this
subcommittee to be a vital part of our team. Senator Mikulski,
the extra time that you spent at our station sent a strong
message to our firefighters that you and your colleagues are
committed to finding political solutions that help our service
and ultimately our community. So, we thank you very much for
that.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad is located in Montgomery
County, Maryland. Our department provides 24-hour fire, rescue,
and emergency medical service to a suburban/urban area of
southern Montgomery County and portions of northwest
Washington, D.C. The rescue squad is unusual in that it
provides fire and emergency medical service without the benefit
of tax funds from Montgomery County or the District of
Columbia. We are a vibrant, successful volunteer organization
that defies the myth that volunteer fire and rescue departments
can only exist in rural, low-call volume systems. In 2001,
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad units responded to 10,957
emergency incidents.
Today I have been asked to provide a local responder's view
of the terrorism and disaster preparedness world. Our response
area is replete with foreign embassies, residences of senior
Government officials and other dignitaries, the National
Institutes of Health, the National Naval Medical Center, four
Metro stations, and a number of other high-profile Government
facilities and potential targets for a terrorist attack.
Over the years, we have responded to major incidents in
neighboring jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia.
We share a close daily working relationship with the District
of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department,
which means that we are one of the first outside resources that
are called upon to assist the District in a response to a major
disaster.
On September 11, 2001, our units were first called to
assist the District but were sent to the Pentagon once it
became clear that no targets had been struck in the city. Four
of our medic units, a special air supply truck, and a command
officer were on scene at the Pentagon and back-filling
Arlington County fire stations within the first hour of the
attack. Our air supply unit supported firefighting operations
at the Pentagon for the first 24 hours. That same unit was
parked outside of this building for more than a week supporting
the cleanup operations at the Hart Building.
Our experience responding to major incidents over the past
several decades and our recent experience responding to the
September 11 attack on the Pentagon has taught us four major
lessons.
First of all, these incidents reaffirm the critical role of
local fire, rescue, EMS, police departments. And local
governments, including their fire, rescue, EMS, law enforcement
and public health departments, are the Nation's primary defense
when a terrorist attack occurs. Local fire and rescue services
are the only agencies that can respond within minutes and save
lives while there is still time. They must be equipped to
provide the initial response, immediate rescue and treatment,
and scene stabilization.
Second, the development of Federal assets such as various
FEMA units, including urban search and rescue teams, the
metropolitan medical response system, and civil support teams
are good, but they cannot solve the terrorism problem alone.
With the exception of designated national security events like
the Olympics or the Superbowl where Federal assets are likely
to be prestaged and ready to respond, the response times of
Federal assets may be extended. Local responders must be
equipped and prepared to deal with at least the first several
hours, if not the first 24 hours of a terrorist attack.
Third, special efforts and attention need to be devoted to
high threat areas. We know that terrorists are more likely to
select symbolic targets, including high profile Government
facilities, and we believe special efforts should be devoted to
ensuring that departments in and around high-threat targets
have the information and resources they need to respond
effectively. Many of these targets are Federal facilities or
where Federal Government has public safety responsibilities,
such as foreign embassies.
Lastly, our department stresses the application of the
daily routine doctrine to our domestic preparedness plans and
our overall operations. The daily routine doctrine is a common
sense theory in emergency planning that espouses the idea that
what you do regularly you do well. It argues that training and
techniques and equipment required to mitigate large emergencies
must be part of daily fire, rescue, and emergency medical
services, if these incidents are to be managed effectively. If
we integrate terrorism preparedness into everyday training and
equipment needs, we are most likely to succeed when the next
terrorist attack occurs.
Now, one program that is already in existence that is
helping to meet the mandate of the daily routine doctrine is
the Assistance to Firefighters grant program. This program is
using Federal dollars to bolster the Nation's fire and rescue
systems.
The good news about the Assistance to Firefighters grant
program is that it gave out almost $100 million to improve
basic fire and rescue infrastructure in the fiscal year 2001.
These improvements will help all types of emergency response
whether to a terrorist bombing, an auto collision on an
interstate highway, or a structure fire.
The bad news is that slightly more than $2 billion in
requests did not receive funding, and furthermore, emergency
medical service preparedness is not currently eligible for
grants under this program. Congress authorized up to $900
million for the program each year through fiscal year 2004, but
only $360 million of that authorization has been appropriated
for fiscal year 2001. The appropriation should be changed to
the full $900 million to include emergency medical services.
We do recommend two changes to the grant program in
addition to funding the full amount.
Grants for terrorism preparedness to fire, rescue, and EMS
departments serving large populations, Federal facilities, and
specific target hazards should receive favorable consideration
under the program. In fiscal year 2001, these proposals would
not have been eligible for consideration at all.
And two, emergency medical services are an integral part of
the preparedness puzzle and should be eligible to receive FIRE
Act money. Their role in patient triage, pre-hospital care,
decontamination, and incident management at a mass casualty
incident should be plainly evident. They need training and
equipment as well.
PREPARED STATEMENT
In summary, we hope that we have provided the committee
with a snapshot of the challenges that we faced in the post-
September 11 world. The World Trade Center events certainly
demonstrate that it is possible for terrorists to engineer an
incident that even the world's largest fire department has
difficulty in managing. Nevertheless, we must still strive to
be prepared for whatever occurs. We must enhance our strengths
and fix but not inappropriately focus on our weaknesses. This
committee can help by increasing funding to the Assistance to
Firefighters grant program and improving the impact of the
program to meet the threats that our first responders may face
today.
Thank you for your time, and I will be available to answer
questions.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Peter H. Morris
Good morning, Madam Chairwoman and members of the Committee. I am
Assistant Chief Peter Morris of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.
I would like to take the opportunity to commend Senator Mikulski and
the other members of the sub-committee for providing the important
leadership needed on this critical issue. Senator Mikulski recently
visited our station; the firefighter/rescuers in our department were
very impressed with her interest and in-depth knowledge about the fire/
rescue services. We would not be able to do our jobs well without the
support of our elected leaders. We consider the members of this sub-
committee to be a vital part of our team. For Senator Mikulski, the
extra time you spent at our station sent a strong message to our
members that you and your colleagues are committed to finding practical
solutions that help our service and ultimately the community. We thank
you for that.
B-CC Rescue Squad is located in Montgomery County, Maryland. Our
department provides 24-hour fire, rescue, and emergency medical
services to a suburban-urban area of southern Montgomery County, MD and
portions of northwest Washington, DC. The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue
Squad is unusual in that it provides fire, rescue, and emergency
medical service without the benefit of tax funds from Montgomery County
or the District of Columbia. All our services are free. Although we are
part of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, all funds for
capital improvement and operations are raised primarily through
individual contributions and foundation grants. We are a vibrant,
successful volunteer organization that defies the myth that volunteer
fire and rescue departments can only exist in rural, low call volume
systems. In 2001, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad units responded to
10,957 emergency incidents.
I have been asked to provide a local responder's view of the
terrorism and disaster preparedness world. It is important to note that
while we consider ourselves to be a local community based fire/rescue
department, we do not serve the average community. Our response area is
replete with foreign embassies, residences of senior government
officials and other dignitaries, the National Institutes of Health, the
National Naval Medical Center, four Metro stations, and a number of
other high-profile government facilities and potential targets for
terrorist attacks.
Over the years we have responded to major incidents in neighboring
jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia. We share a close,
daily working relationship with the District of Columbia Fire and
Emergency Medical Services Department (DCF&EMSD), which means that we
are one of the first outside resources that are called upon to assist
the District in response to a major disaster. On January 13, 1983, we
responded with significant resources when an Air Florida jetliner
crashed into the 14th Street Bridge and, almost simultaneously, a Metro
train derailed at the Federal Triangle station. On September 11th,
2001, our units were first called to assist in the District, but were
sent to the Pentagon once it became clear no targets had been struck in
the city. Four of our Medic Units, a special air supply truck and a B-
CC Command Officer were on-scene at the Pentagon and back-filling
Arlington County fire stations within the first hour of the attack. Our
air supply unit supported firefighting operations at the Pentagon for
the first 24 hours. That same unit was parked outside of this building
for more than a week, supporting the clean-up operations in the Hart
Senate Office Building.
One of the most fundamental concepts in determining what first
responders need in order to respond to terrorist attack is an
assessment of the threats we may potentially face. The problem that
emergency managers face is weighing the value of protecting against a
generic threat of a terrorist attack versus preparing to respond to
actual known emergencies such as heart attacks, auto collisions, and
structure fires which occur every day. Our challenge is to balance
these competing needs in crafting an overall strategy for our
operations, the community we serve, and our neighboring jurisdictions.
Our experience responding to major incidents over the past several
decades and our recent experience in responding to the September 11
attack on the Pentagon has taught us four major lessons.
First, all of these incidents reaffirm the critical role of local
fire, rescue, EMS and police departments. Local governments including
their fire, rescue, emergency medical service, law enforcement and
public health departments are the Nation's primary defense when a
terrorist attack occurs. Local fire and rescue services are the only
agencies that can respond within minutes and save lives while there is
still time. They must be equipped to provide initial response,
immediate rescue and treatment, and scene stabilization capabilities.
Second, The development of Federal assets such as various FEMA
units, including Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) teams, the Metropolitan
Medical Response System, and Civil Support Teams are good, but cannot
solve the terrorism response problem alone. With the exception of
designated National Security events like the Olympics and the
Superbowl, where Federal assets are likely to be pre-staged and ready
to respond, the response times of Federal assets may be extended. Local
responders must be equipped and prepared to deal with at least the
first several hours--if not the first 24 hours of a terrorist attack.
Third, special efforts and attention need to be devoted to high
threat areas. We know that terrorists are more likely to select
symbolic targets, including high-profile government facilities. We
believe special efforts should be devoted to ensuring that departments
in and around high-threat targets have the information and resources
they need to respond effectively. Many of these targets are Federal
facilities, or where the Federal government has public safety
responsibilities, such as foreign embassies.
Lastly, our department stresses the application of the ``Daily
Routine Doctrine'' to our Domestic Preparedness plans and our overall
operations. The ``Daily Routine Doctrine'' is a common sense theory in
emergency planning that espouses the idea that ``what you do
regularly--you do well.'' It argues that training, techniques, and
equipment required to mitigate large emergencies must be part of daily
fire, rescue and emergency medical services operations, if these
incidents are to be managed effectively. Restated, if we integrate
terrorism preparedness into everyday training and equipment needs, we
are most likely to succeed when the next terrorist incident occurs.
One program already in existence that is helping to meet the
mandate of the Daily Routine Doctrine is the Assistance to
Firefighter's Grant Program. This program is using Federal dollars to
bolster the Nation's fire and rescue systems.
The good news about the Assistance to Firefighter's Grant Program
is that it gave out almost $100 million to improve basic fire and
rescue infrastructure in fiscal year 2001. These improvements will help
all types of emergency response whether to a terrorist bombing, auto
collision on an interstate highway, or a structure fire.
The bad news is that slightly more than $2 billion in requests did
not receive funding. Furthermore, Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
preparedness is not currently eligible for grants under this program.
Congress authorized up to $900 million for the program each year
through fiscal year 2004, but only $360 million of that authorization
has been appropriated for fiscal year 2002. The appropriation should be
changed to the full $900 million and should include Emergency Medical
Services. Departments need this money now to meet the increased demands
being placed on them.
We support and encourage strengthening the Peer Review Panel
process that was used to select grant awards. This process performed
extremely well given the tight timelines and constraints that were
mandated. This method of allocation provided an excellent evaluation of
the grant proposals with a quick turn-around time on the funds. Also
important is that these grants were awarded directly to fire
departments with very little indirect costs used for administration.
This direct method of awarding these grants with low administrative
costs is fantastic and should be congratulated and continued.
We do recommend two changes to the Assistance to Firefighter's
Grant Program in addition to funding the full $900 million:
--Grants for terrorism preparedness to fire, rescue, and EMS
departments serving areas with large populations, Federal
facilities, specific target hazards or other demonstrated needs
should receive favorable consideration under the Assistance to
Firefighter's Grant Program. In fiscal year 2001, these
proposals would not have been eligible for consideration at
all.
--Emergency Medical Services are an integral piece of the
preparedness puzzle and should be eligible to receive Fire Act
money. Their role in patient triage, pre-hospital care,
decontamination, and incident management at a mass casualty
incident should be plainly evident. They need training and
equipment as well.
In summary, we hope we have provided the Committee with a snap shot
of some the challenges we face in the post-September 11th world. The
World Trade Center events certainly demonstrate that it is possible for
terrorists to engineer an incident that even the World's largest fire
department has difficulty in managing.
Nevertheless, we must still strive to be prepared for whatever
occurs. We must enhance our strengths and, fix, but not inappropriately
focus on, our weaknesses. This Committee can help by increasing funding
to the Assistant to Firefighters Grant Program and improving the impact
of the program to meet the threats that our first responders may face
today.
Thank you for your time, and I will be available to answer any
questions you may have.
Senator Mikulski. Excellent. Thank you very much for that
detailed and compelling testimony.
Chief Paulsell?
STATEMENT OF STEPHEN D. PAULSELL, CHIEF, BOONE COUNTY
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT AND SPONSORING
AGENCY CHIEF, MISSOURI TASK FORCE 1
Mr. Paulsell. Thank you. Good morning, Madam Chair and
members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to
speak with you this morning.
In the interest of the 10-minute rule, I will be presenting
an abbreviated text, and the full text and supporting documents
are being provided to you.
Before I begin my comments, I would like to take this
opportunity on behalf of our task force and all Missourians to
thank my good friend, Senator Kit Bond, for his tireless
efforts in assisting our organization as we work to achieve our
designation as a Federal task force. His enthusiastic efforts
here, coupled with the perseverance of our people back home,
have produced a resource that our entire State has become very
proud of. Senator, we thank you very much.
On September 11, as the world watched in horror as the
events of that morning unfolded, over 100 Missourians quickly
moved methodically in preparation for an activation to a
disaster site, as did other task forces throughout the country.
Members of Missouri Task Force 1, 1 of 28 FEMA urban search and
rescue task forces, knew that they would be activated. Over
76,000 pounds of equipment, 62 highly trained search and rescue
specialists and 4 search canines were ready for assignment.
Work schedules were cleared. Family commitments were deferred.
Baseline medical exams were conducted, and equipment was
loaded. This was to be our first Federal mission, an incredible
first test.
By the afternoon of September 12th, Missouri Task Force 1
was in lower Manhattan working side by side seven other FEMA
task forces and the incredible firefighters of New York City.
During the course of the consequence management following
the attacks at the Trade Center and the Pentagon, 25 of the 28
task forces were deployed over a 3-week period. Clearly these
men and women performed admirably under incredibly difficult,
dangerous, and challenging conditions. While the personal
tragedies seemed endless, the FEMA urban search and rescue
family also suffered great personal tragedy with the loss of
many members of New York City's task force, and specifically
FDNY Special Operations Chief Ray Downey who, in addition to
being the godfather of our system, was a very special friend
and mentor to all of us. Ray gave so much to this program. He
believed in it. He lived it. He designed it. He dedicated his
life to it. He died in the lobby of the second tower doing what
he had always done: saving people.
On behalf of some 5,200 search and rescue specialists
across this great country who gallantly serve in the FEMA urban
search and rescue system, I come before you today in his memory
with our thoughts, our recommendations, our frustrations, and
our intense and unyielding desire to make this system the
system that Ray always dreamed it should be.
Our world, as we know it, has changed. Those of us in the
urban search and rescue business clearly understand that and
quite frankly knew that long before September 11. We are
clearly on the front line of the Federal Government's response
to not only natural disasters but to acts of terrorism as well.
I feel it is very important to ensure that the uniqueness
of this program is made clear here today. The Federal
Government has at its immediate disposal 28 heavy search and
rescue units unmatched anywhere in this world today. They are
quietly domiciled in 28 different communities across this
country and staffed by rescue workers serving in their local
fire departments every day. They train, they prepare, they
maintain equipment, and they make themselves available on 6
hours' notice to go anywhere in the country. Yet, they are not
on the Federal payroll.
When activated, a 62-member team goes out the door. They
carry fiber optic search cameras, concrete cutting chain saws,
and an emergency room. They are self-sustaining for 72 hours
and carry everything they need, including the kitchen sink.
Most of all, what they bring to an event is an incredible level
of expertise and an insatiable desire to help. These people are
the absolute best at what they do.
Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, not only is this
partnership between the Federal Government and local
governments an incredible value, it inserts the local response
mentality into the Federal system. These task forces have
become the Federal Government's rapid reaction force, the
domestic Marines, if you will, who if given sufficient
resources, can establish an early disaster beachhead and
commence operations much sooner than other tactical Federal
units. We are the civilian equivalent to the military special
operations force. Our people are trained in all relative
national standards in rescue, emergency medicine, hazardous
materials, and emergency incident management. It does not take
us 48 hours to activate. These teams are multifaceted, mobile,
self-contained, and capable of interfacing with local incident
commanders and clearly understand how to move fast in a crisis
when time is so very critical.
We, along with first responders across this great country,
now find ourselves on the front lines of homeland defense in
this new and expanding era of terrorism. This was again clearly
validated on September 11.
As Congress moves forward on issues funding relative to
homeland defense, response to terrorism, and a plethora of
other funding initiatives, we come before you to simply ask
that consideration be given to the following concerns regarding
an existing and invaluable program. We have stood on the
sidelines for years as we watched billions of dollars pass by
us. We believe this is our moment.
Obviously the equipment operated by these task forces is
very critical. Since the inception of the program in the early
1990's, the task forces have yet to become fully equipped.
Using the meager annual Federal grant of $150,000 per year to
support training exercises, maintain equipment, and provide
protective safety equipment for personnel, the task forces have
been unable to expand their equipment cache. In fact, the
annual grants are not nearly sufficient for us to even maintain
our individual systems, let alone enhance them. It is a
travesty that, for over a decade now, the Federal Government
has not yet fully equipped its own elite search and rescue
teams.
We are very worried about our inability to effect search
and rescue operations in an environment contaminated by weapons
of mass destruction. We must immediately equip these task
forces with the appropriate protections so that we may operate
in a dirty bomb environment.
Additionally, as the Federal Government's rapid reaction
force, this increased capability will enable us to more quickly
assist a local government in dealing with a direct act of
chemical or biological terrorism.
Each task force maintains a roster strength of 186
personnel. They give of their time and their talents to this
effort by constantly training and preparing the equipment. Task
forces incur overtime expenses, insurance expenses, training
expenses, and protective clothing expenses for our personnel.
Additionally, the task forces incur equipment maintenance,
repair, and replacement expenses. Many of the pharmaceutical
and logistical supplies have shelf lives and must be replaced
periodically. Some of the equipment is now in excess of 10
years old. In addition to maintenance issues surrounding parts
availability, there is always increased technological advances
we are financially unable to take advantage of.
In short, the annual funding is embarrassingly inadequate
for the type of service we are expected to provide. Would you
feel comfortable hanging from a 15-story building on a 10-year-
old rope?
This program is one of the most cost effective programs in
the Federal system and is at the tip of the spear in the
Federal Government's response to a disaster. And yet, we
attempt to operate it on a shoestring. With each passing day,
we get farther behind in equipment currency and dependability,
we miss training opportunities, task force managers spend more
time and energy defending their local support of the program to
their local bean counters, and the tip of the spear continues
to dull. We must provide appropriate annual grant funding to
these units to ensure their viability, availability, and
dependability.
We are required to be on the tarmac within 6 hours of
activation and await military airlift. Ground transportation
requires two tractor-trailers and a bus. Most task forces must
rely on rental agreements for trucks and buses upon activation.
Valuable time is lost acquiring and loading vehicles.
We are also very concerned about the ongoing availability
of military airlift as we continue to support the war on
terrorism. In a search and rescue environment, obviously
response time is critical. Sufficient grant funding should also
be provided annually to ensure that these task forces are
preloaded on reliable ground transportation assets and can
respond immediately upon activation.
Your Federal task forces are domiciled in local fire
departments, fire departments that day in and day out take care
of people immediately. We make tactical decisions in seconds
and policy decisions within minutes, a concept seemingly
foreign here in D.C. The sluggishness in the bureaucracy that
we continually deal with is the most frustrating and puzzling
thing any of us have ever experienced.
We are constantly amazed at how many people have to review
the simplest of documents and seemingly it takes a minimum of a
month for each. We constantly seek direction and support, yet
we continually seem to find ourselves in a quagmire of in and
out boxes, OMB audits, general counsel reviews, rulemaking,
canceled meetings, and the never-ending pursuit of a decision
maker. This is not a new problem. It has existed for years.
The significance of this program has been proven. The
dedication of 5,200 search and rescue specialists is unmatched.
In this regard, we simply ask that the proper direction and
resources be given to FEMA to ensure that the proper priority,
program emphasis, and attention be given the program to ensure
its responsiveness to the agencies that participate in the
program and this country.
In conclusion, I would like to thank you for your time and
attention. It is indeed an honor and a privilege to be here
with you. As we sit here this morning, I know that there are
5,200 highly dedicated and skilled rescue workers around this
country valiantly waiting to step into harm's way if needed.
Know also that those same 5,200 are energized with optimism in
light of our discussions here this morning. They have spent
years persevering with meager resources and yet their spirit is
unwavering. I also thank you on their behalf.
PREPARED STATEMENT
We are simply asking, particularly in light of current and
anticipated future threats, that the FEMA urban search and
rescue program be supported properly and fully. It is an
incredible and very unique resource unmatched anyplace in the
Federal response system. Our criticality to our Nation's
response to terrorism in the future will be immense. We simply
want to perform to our fullest potential. In our business,
there is no room for mediocrity.
Thank you very much.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Stephen D. Paulsell
Good Morning. Madam Chair and members of the committee, thank you
for the opportunity to speak with you this morning.
My name is Steve Paulsell. I serve as Fire Chief of the Boone
County, Missouri Fire Protection District and also have the distinct
honor of serving as the sponsoring agency chief for Missouri Task Force
1, one of your 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces.
Before I begin my comments, I would like to take this opportunity,
on behalf of our task force and all Missourians, to thank my good
friend, Senator Kit Bond, for his tireless efforts in assisting our
organization as we worked to achieve our designation as a Federal task
force. His enthusiastic efforts here, coupled with the perseverance of
our people back home, have produced a resource that our entire State
has become very proud of. Senator, we thank you very much.
On September 11, as the world watched in horror as the events of
that morning unfolded, over one hundred Missourians moved quickly and
methodically in preparation for an activation to a disaster site, as
did the other task forces throughout the system. Members of Missouri
Task Force 1, one of 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces knew
that they would be activated. Over 76,000 pounds of equipment, 62
highly trained search and rescue specialists and 4 search canines were
readied for assignment. Work schedules were cleared, family commitments
were deferred, baseline medical exams were conducted and equipment was
loaded. This was to be our first Federal mission--an incredible first
test.
Within four hours, the official activation orders were received.
Under our agreement with FEMA, we were to be on the tarmac at Whiteman
Air Force Base within six hours of our activation. Our people and
equipment cleared security and were loaded on 3 Air Guard C-130's which
would take them to McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. Upon their
arrival at McGuire, they were billeted for a few hours for some badly
needed sleep. During the night, they were joined by three of our fellow
task forces from California.
Shortly after noon on September 12th, the first four task forces to
arrive by air were transported via escorted convoy into Manhattan where
they established their base of operations at the Javits Convention
Center, joining four other Federal task forces that had previously
arrived by ground transportation--Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts and
Indiana. By that evening, they were on assignment at Ground Zero at the
World Trade Center and, for they next ten days, worked around the
clock, side by side with seven other FEMA task forces and the
incredible firefighters of New York City.
During the course of consequence management following the attacks
at the Trade Center and Pentagon, 25 of the 28 task forces were
deployed over a three-week period. Clearly, these men and women
performed admirably under incredibly difficult, dangerous and
challenging conditions. While the personal tragedies seem endless, the
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue family also suffered great personal
tragedy with the loss of many members of New York City's task force
and, specifically, FDNY Special Operations Chief Ray Downey who, in
addition to being the godfather of our system, was a very special
friend and mentor to all of us. Ray gave so much to this program. He
believed in it. He lived it. He designed it. He dedicated his life to
it. He died in the lobby of the second tower, doing what he had always
done--saving people. On behalf of some 5,200 search and rescue
specialists across this great country who gallantly serve in the FEMA
Urban Search and Rescue System, I come before you today, in his memory,
with our thoughts, our recommendations, our frustrations and our
intense and unyielding desire to make this system what Ray always
dreamed it should be.
FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue System was conceived in the early
1990's. It was born of a growing concern for local and State
governments' inability to deal with the collapse of steel and
reinforced concrete buildings in, primarily, earthquake events. Through
cooperative partnerships with 28 local fire departments, FEMA has
developed a national rescue response system and integrated it into the
Federal Response Plan. While the system has been activated for
hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes, its most notable missions have
been to the Oklahoma City bombing and, of course the Pentagon and World
Trade Center.
Funding has been meager, at best. Early Federal grant funding was
approximately $80,000 annually. In 1997, Senator Bond was instrumental
in increasing the annual allocation and, today, each task force
receives $150,000 annually. Additional funding for some equipment
acquisition has been provided during disasters through the Stafford
Act. Unfortunately, not all task forces have been able to take
advantage of that. It is also very important to point out that a great
deal of the operating expenses of these task forces to insure their
readiness has been absorbed by the sponsoring agencies.
Our world, as we all know, has changed. Those of us in the urban
search and rescue business clearly understand that and, quite frankly,
knew that long before September 11. A process, although very minimal,
had already been undertaken to bring 6 of the 28 task forces to a level
of capability, which will enable them to function in an environment
contaminated by chemical, biological or nuclear agents--Weapons of Mass
Destruction. This has been done in anticipation of next week's Olympic
games in Salt Lake City.
We are, clearly, on the front line of the Federal government's
response to, not only natural disasters but to acts of terrorism, as
well.
I feel it very important to insure that the uniqueness of this
program is made clear here today. The Federal government has, at its
immediate disposal, 28 heavy search and rescue units unmatched anywhere
in this world today. They are quietly domiciled in 28 different
communities across this country and staffed by rescue workers serving
in their local fire departments everyday. They train, they prepare,
they maintain equipment and they make themselves available on six hours
notice to go anywhere in the country yet, they are not on the Federal
payroll.
When activated, a 62 member team goes out the door with rescue
specialists, technical and canine search specialists, physicians,
structural engineers, communications specialists, hazardous materials
technicians, paramedics and nurses, heavy equipment operators, safety
specialists, logisticians and incident management personnel. They carry
fiber optic search cameras and concrete cutting chain saws. They are
self-sustaining for 72 hours and carry everything they need including
the kitchen sink. Most of all, what they bring to the event is an
incredible level of expertise and an insatiable desire to help. These
people are the absolute best at what they do.
Dollar for dollar--pound for pound, not only is this partnership
between the Federal government and local governments an incredible
value, it inserts that local response mentality into the Federal
system. These task forces have become the Federal government's rapid
reaction force--the domestic marines, if you will, who, if given
sufficient resources, can establish an early disaster beachhead and
commence operations much sooner than other tactical Federal units. We
are the civilian equivalent to the military special operations forces.
Our people are trained to all relative national standards in rescue,
emergency medicine, hazardous materials and emergency incident
management. It does not take us 48 hours to activate. These teams are
multi-faceted, mobile, self-contained, and capable of interfacing with
local incident commanders and clearly understand how to move fast in a
crisis when time is so very critical. Most importantly, however, these
units are highly flexible and readily adaptable.
I come before you today on behalf of the men and women who comprise
this system. My comments stem from discussions with task force leaders
and sponsoring agency chiefs and, they come from our intense desire to
make this system right--the way Ray Downey wanted it.
We, along with first responders across this great country, now find
ourselves on the front lines of homeland defense in this new and
expanding era of terrorism. This was, again, clearly validated on
September 11.
As Congress moves forward on issues funding relative to Homeland
Defense, response to terrorism and a plethora of other funding
initiatives, we come before you to simply ask that consideration be
given to the following concerns regarding an existing and invaluable
program. We have stood on the sidelines for years as we watched
billions of dollars pass by us. We believe this is our moment.
task force equipment caches
There is an urgent need to completely equip the 28 FEMA Urban
Search and Rescue Task Forces with basic compliment of equipment
prescribed by FEMA.
Obviously, the equipment operated by these task forces is very
critical. They deploy with approximately 80,000 lbs. of search, rescue
and support equipment. A full compliment or cache of equipment is
valued at $1.8M. Since the inception of the program in the early
1990's, the task forces have yet to become fully equipped. Using the
meager annual Federal grant of $150,000 per year to support training
exercises, maintain equipment and provide protective safety equipment
for personnel, the task forces have been unable to expand their
equipment cache. In fact, the annual grants are not nearly sufficient
for us to even maintain our individual systems, let alone enhance them.
We must complete these equipment caches. It is a travesty that, for
over a decade now, the Federal government has not yet fully equipped
its own elite search and rescue teams.
An immediate allocation of $10M is necessary to meet this need.
weapons of mass destruction protection for task forces
All FEMA US&R Task Forces must be capable of operating in an
environment contaminated by Weapons of Mass Destruction.
We hear a great deal, these days, about weapons of mass
destruction. We are also hearing growing and, in our opinion, very real
concern over dirty bomb scenarios. A dirty bomb is a device in which a
conventional explosive device is laced with a chemical, biological or
nuclear agent. Our task forces will be called upon to effect search and
rescue activities in a collapse environment. We MUST be capable of
providing agent identification and personal protection for our people
while engaged in a search and rescue mission.
Each task force carries a small complement of hazardous materials
mitigation equipment. This equipment is designed to assist us in
minimal protection of our personnel, should a hazardous substance be
encountered in a conventional building collapse but it is not
sufficient to meet the demands that will be created by a dirty bomb.
Additionally, as the Federal government's rapid response force,
this increased capability will enable us to more quickly assist a local
government in dealing with a direct act of chemical or biological
terrorism.
Six of the 28 teams, as a result of the Salt Lake Olympics, have
been trained and equipped to this level.
I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to express
another concern relative to this entire WMD issue. The Federal
government has vested significant funds in the Department of Defense in
recent years to enhance chemical, biological and nuclear defense
capabilities. In our estimation, those programs, particularly now at a
time of international crisis, are not positioned, nor always readily
available, to provide the homeland defense service they were originally
designed for. We strongly suggest that the entire Federal response plan
for domestic WMD events be reevaluated prior to further funding or
expansion with strong consideration being given to the responsibilities
and capabilities of first responders.
An immediate allocation of $31.6M will provide appropriate
equipment and training.
properly fund annual grant program for task forces
Adequate annual grant funding must be provided to the task forces
to insure they are capable of operating at maximum effectiveness.
Present funding is terribly inadequate.
Each task force maintains a roster strength of 186 personnel. They
give of their time and talents to this effort by constantly training
and preparing the equipment. Task forces incur overtime expenses,
insurance expenses, training expenses and protective clothing expenses
for our personnel.
Additionally, the task forces incur equipment maintenance, repair,
and replacement expenses. Many of the pharmaceutical and logistical
supplies have shelf lives and must be replaced periodically. Some of
the equipment is now in excess of ten years old. In addition to
maintenance issues surrounding parts availability, there is always
increased technological advances we are, financially, unable to take
advantage of.
In short, the annual funding is embarrassingly inadequate for the
type of service we are expected to provide. Would you feel comfortable
hanging from a 15 story building on a ten year old rope?
This program is one of the most cost effective programs in the
Federal system and is at the tip of the spear in the Federal
government's response to a disaster. And yet, we attempt to operate it
on a shoestring. With each passing day, we get farther behind in
equipment currency and dependability, we miss training opportunities,
task force managers spend more time and energy defending their local
support of the program to their local bean counters and the tip of the
spear continues to dull. We must provide appropriate annual grant
funding to these units to insure their viability, availability and
dependability.
Annual grant needs per task force is $1M.
task force transportation
Funding must be provided to enhance the mobility of task forces by
ground.
Under the Federal response plan, upon receipt of activation orders
from FEMA, we are required to move 62 members and 80,000 lbs. of
equipment very quickly. Our orders direct us to a point of departure at
an Air Force base. We are required to be on the tarmac within 6 hours
of activation and await military airlift. Ground transportation
requires two tractor-trailers and a bus. Air transport then requires 3
C-130s or one C-5A military airframe.
Most task forces must rely on rental agreements for trucks and
buses upon activation. Valuable time is lost acquiring and loading
trucks.
We are also very concerned about the ongoing availability of
military airlift as we continue to support the war on terrorism. In a
search and rescue environment, obviously, response time is critical.
Sufficient grant funding should also be provided annually to insure
that these task forces are preloaded on reliable ground transportation
assets and can respond immediately upon activation. In most areas of
our country, several task forces could arrive on site by ground long
before airlift arrives.
Annual system cost: $4M
task force system expansion
Following catastrophic events as were experienced on September 11,
there is predictable discussion regarding additional task forces.
Should an expansion be warranted, the most cost effective approach is
to enhance the task forces.
There is always discussion following events like Oklahoma City and
September 11 regarding the possible expansion of the FEMA US&R system
to include additional teams. Several important points must be made in
this regard.
First, the existing 28 task forces, in our opinion, are under
utilized. This poses training and proficiency challenges. A further
dilution of the system would have catastrophic effects on the existing
task forces. Even in the aftermath of September 11, two of the existing
task forces were not used.
Second, should there be a desire to expand the program, based on
sound threat assessment, the acquisition of additional caches for the
existing task forces would double the Federal capacity without
incurring additional personnel or training expenses. Specifically, we
are staffed and trained three deep in each position to insure immediate
deployment capability. Sixty two go and 124 stay home. Within the first
24-36 hours each of our task forces could easily field another 62-
member trained team. All we lack are the additional equipment caches.
In other words, for an additional $50.4M, we could double the system
capacity utilizing existing trained personnel.
international response of additional task forces
With a growing threat to our interests abroad, an expansion of our
international response system is warranted. Presently, only two of our
28 task forces are prepared and authorized for overseas deployment.
As we move to enhance our homeland defenses, the vulnerability of
our facilities and those of our allies abroad will increase.
Presently, two of the 28 task forces are equipped and maintain
agreements with the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance within the
State Department to respond outside the United States. We do not
believe this is adequate and immediate steps should be taken to
facilitate the overseas deployment of any of the task forces should
they be needed on foreign soil.
This will involve the acquisition of additional logistical
supplies, provision for passport acquisition, immunizations and an
adjustment in the State Department's philosophy regarding the need for
additional teams for international deployment.
task force system enhancements
FEMA's Incident Support Teams are vital to US&R missions.
Additionally, task force readiness evaluations are essential to
maintaining optimum capability. Both programs require additional
support.
Upon deployment of Urban Search and Rescue assets, FEMA deploys
Incident Support Teams (ISTs) to interface with the local jurisdiction
and provide management and coordination of task force resources. This
is a very vital function and maximizes the utilization and efficiency
of the task forces in addition to facilitating a cooperative effort in
the local/Federal interface.
An increase in funding is necessary to insure that appropriate and
timely task force readiness evaluations can be effected. It is critical
that this quality assurance system is maintained and conducted. The
present system is only capable of conducting one or two evaluations per
year.
The annual cost for IST support and readiness evaluations is $5M.
program administration and support
Historically, the task forces have experienced significant
frustrations with the Federal bureaucracy. In light of immediate and
expanding threats and the need for a system that is responsive to
changing threats, additional support and program emphasis is required
at FEMA.
Your Federal task forces are domiciled in local fire departments--
fire departments that day in and day out take care of people--
immediately. We make tactical decisions in seconds and policy decisions
within minutes--a concept seemingly foreign here in D.C. The
sluggishness and the bureaucracy that we continually deal with is the
most frustrating and puzzling thing any of us have ever experienced.
We are constantly amazed at how many people have to review the
simplest of documents and, seemingly, it takes a minimum of a month for
each. We constantly seek direction and support yet we continually seem
to find ourselves in quagmire of in and out boxes, OMB audits, General
Counsel reviews, rulemaking, cancelled meetings and the never ending
pursuit of a decision maker. This is not a new problem. It has existed
for years.
We ask that program staff be empowered to provide direction and we
be allowed to operate a responsive program capable of saving lives. It
is our mindset--it is the way we do business. While we are sure that
FEMA's urban search and rescue program is woefully understaffed, we
also believe that it has more to do with the mentality and, perhaps,
the conflict between two drastically different delivery cultures.
Particularly in this time of uncertainty, we must be able to adjust
quickly to meet changing needs.
We realize that the Federal government, clearly, must do business
differently than we do at the local level but we also propose that,
particularly in light of the criticality of our mission that some
direction be given to this program to streamline its ability to do
business. Specialized rescue course development takes two years, policy
and procedures never get completed and rulemaking to develop more
equitable MOA's seems to get stalled someplace for up to three years--
we can't even find it.
The significance of this program has been proven. The dedication of
5,200 search and rescue specialists is unmatched. In this regard, we
simply ask that the proper direction and resources be given to FEMA to
insure that the proper priority, program emphasis and attention be
given the program to insure its responsiveness to agencies that
participate in the system.
conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to thank you for your time and
attention. It is indeed an honor and a privilege to be here and know
that this type of interest exists for your Federal urban search and
rescue program. As we sit here this morning, know that there are 5,200
highly dedicated and skilled rescue workers around this country
valiantly waiting to step into harm's way, if needed. Know also that
those same 5,200 are energized with optimism in light of our
discussions here this morning. They have spent years persevering with
meager resources and yet, their spirit is unwavering. I also thank you
on their behalf.
We are simply asking, particularly in light of current and
anticipated future threats, that the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue
Program be supported properly and fully. It is an incredible and very
unique resource unmatched anyplace in the world. Our criticality to our
Nation's response to terrorism in the future will be immense. We simply
want to perform to our fullest potential. In our business, there is no
room for mediocrity.
Thank You.
Supporting Documentation
national urban search and rescue response system
The National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response System,
established under the authority of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) in 1989 is a framework for structuring local emergency
services personnel into integrated disaster response task forces.
These task forces, complete with necessary tools and equipment, and
required skills and techniques, can be deployed by FEMA for the rescue
of victims of structural collapse.
about us&r
Urban search-and-rescue (US&R) involves the location, rescue
(extrication), and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in
confined spaces. Structural collapse is most often the cause of victims
being trapped, but victims may also be trapped in transportation
accidents, mines and collapsed trenches.
Urban search-and-rescue is considered a ``multi-hazard''
discipline, as it may be needed for a variety of emergencies or
disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, storms and
tornadoes, floods, dam failures, technological accidents, terrorist
activities, and hazardous materials releases. The events may be slow in
developing, as in the case of hurricanes, or sudden, as in the case of
earthquakes.
incident support team
The Incident Support Teams supports the US&R Task Forces in
accomplishing their mission through logistical, electronic and
coordination expertise.
fema task force tools and equipment
The equipment cache used to support a task force weighs nearly
60,000 pounds and is worth about $1.4 million. Add the task force
members to the cache and you can completely fill a military C-141
transport or two C130's.
Logistics specialists handle the more than 16,400 pieces of
equipment needed to support the task force. To ensure rapid response
and to avoid burdening the already suffering community more, the task
force equipment cache must be a mobile emergency room, construction
site, communications center, high-tech engineering firm and camp rolled
into one.
The equipment cache allows the task force to be totally self-
sufficient for up to four days.
The equipment cache consists of five types of equipment: medical,
rescue, communications, technical support and logistics.
Medical supplies include various medicines, intravenous fluids,
blankets, suture sets, airways, tracheal tubes, defibrillators, burn
treatment supplies, bone saws and scalpels.
The search component of the equipment is a lot like the equipment
at a normal construction site. Common building supplies such as
concrete saws, jackhammers, drills, lumber and rope are used to safely
and slowly remove victims from the rubble.
The communications section allows rescuers to stay in contact in
case of a find or an evacuation. Generators, lights, radios, cellular
phones, laptop computers and other electronics equipment are used.
More than 500 items make up the technical support cache, the most
high-tech of all the equipment. Snake-like cameras and fiber optic
scopes are used to locate victims trapped in rubble. Sensitive
listening devices that can detect even the slightest human sound locate
victims who are still alive.
The logistics section cares for the needs of the rescuers as they
work in 12-hour shifts around the clock. Supplies include sleeping
bags, cots, food and water, as well as cold weather gear.
urban search and rescue: commonly asked questions
Washington, D.C., September 18, 2001--The terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon have thrust FEMA's Urban Search and
Rescue (US&R) teams--and rescue teams in general--into the spotlight.
Their important work has transfixed a world, brought a surge of
gratitude and support, and raised many questions. Below are some
answers to questions being asked about US&R and the rescue efforts.
What is FEMA's National US&R response system?
This system is a framework for structuring local emergency
personnel into integrated disaster response task forces. These task
forces, complete with necessary tools and equipment, and specialized
training and skills, are deployed by FEMA in times of catastrophic
structural collapse.
How many FEMA US&R teams are there?
There are 28 teams: one from Arizona; eight from California; one
from Colorado; two from Florida; two from Virginia, and one each from
Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and
Washington State.
How are FEMA US&R teams different from other search and rescue teams?
FEMA teams organize existing search and rescue capability into a
national program that can quickly deploy to an event. They have
additional training, and must be able to deploy within six hours and to
sustain themselves for 72 hours. They must also have a roster that
fills 31 different positions with at least two people for each
position. To receive the FEMA certification, the team must be approved
by a US&R oversight board that includes leaders in the field and FEMA
officials. One of the difficulties in obtaining the certification is
being able to staff a complete roster of at least 62 trained
individuals.
What kind of positions make up the 31 in each team?
First, all team members are trained and certified emergency medical
technicians. Then positions fall into roughly four categories: search
and rescue; medical; technical and logistics. The search and rescue
positions include engineers with expertise in shoring up, bracing,
evaluating, breaching and lifting structural components, rescue
specialists, and search specialists who use trained and credentialed
search dogs, cameras and listening devices. The medical positions
include physicians, EMTs, nurses and others who can set up and staff a
mobile field hospital. Technical positions include hazard materials
specialists and communications specialists, among others.
What are the first steps the teams take when they arrive at a site?
The FEMA US&R team meets with the field incident commander--the
local firefighter or emergency specialist who is in charge of the site.
After a general situation update and briefing, some team members set up
a base of operations at the site, including tents, equipment and a
stage area. Meanwhile, search and rescue specialists and structural
engineers inspect the site. They look for major problem areas, likely
areas to search, the condition of the collapse and hazardous materials.
Also at this time, logistics team members are contacting local vendors
to obtain heavy equipment, shoring materials, food, portable toilets
and other supplies.
Then what happens?
The search and rescue specialists being to gently and carefully
move into the structure into areas that are not in imminent danger of
collapse to get a better idea of the damage. They will have looked at
blueprints of the building to understand its layout and will mark areas
that need bracing and areas where victims can be seen. During this
preliminary search, if any victim is found alive, the survey halts and
stabilization efforts are concentrated there to get the victim out.
After this preliminary search, the detailed search begins with dogs,
cameras and listening devices. Medical services are given to any
victims who are found alive, so they are treated while they are being
extricated.
What comes next?
Major shoring up is the priority at this point, as additional
search is not possible until the site is safe. Shoring up will take
place, often, in many different places on the site and searches will be
conducted simultaneously. As more and deeper parts of the structure are
shored up, the searchers are able to penetrate deeper into the
collapsed structure and are not seen from the outside. The search
continues as long as it's possible that victims remain alive.
What makes the task so difficult?
Essentially the teams have to ``de-layer'' the site. Layers of
slabs ``pancake'' on top of each other during a collapse. Within each
layer are potential safe areas for victims. But the site has to be dug
out from the top to the bottom and from the outside to the inside or
the pile will collapse further, threatening rescue workers and
potentially killing buried, but alive victims.
Is that why rescuers don't dig from underneath the structure to reach
people?
Yes, to do so is impossible without injuring or killing rescuers.
Why do rescuers use ``bucket brigades'' to remove the debris rather
than heavy equipment, such as bulldozers or cranes?
Heavy equipment can't get close enough to the core of the site. The
equipment is blocked by twisted steel and slabs, at a minimum. Plus
using heavy equipment would destabilize the structure, risking the
lives of rescuers and victims buried in the rubble. Only by hand can
the pulverized concrete, glass, furniture and other debris be removed.
In a large site, such as the World Trade Center, the bucket brigade has
to span a long way across potentially unstable parts of the structure
to firm ground that can handle large trucks to haul it away. The site
itself spans four square city blocks and seven different collapsed
buildings.
In the World Trade Center, for example, what amount of debris are we
talking about?
In the first five days after the collapse of the towers, 30,000
tons of debris had been removed by hand; there are 600,000 tons left.
Do bulldozers or cranes ever help?
Yes, when it is determined that the rescue effort is over and that
no one remains alive in the structure, large equipment can be moved in
to remove debris.
Since water is necessary to keep trapped victims alive until they are
rescued, why don't rescuers shower the site with water in the
hopes it will reach them?
Water creates significant problems for rescuers, slowing down the
rescue process and potentially destabilizing the site because of run-
off.
How often are the US&R teams rotated?
The teams work 12 hours on and 12 hours off. They may rotate
members within the team--remember each position has at least two
members--or they may rotate complete teams. Typically, no team stays on
site for more than seven days before being rotated out.
Since there are so many teams, why are there only eight at the World
Trade Center and four at the Pentagon?
It has to do with space limitations at the site. You can only have
so many workers ``attacking'' the structure at one time before it
becomes too dangerous. Also, the FEMA US&R teams augment the skilled
and determined local rescuers as well, so there are sufficient numbers
of rescuers at any time.
What kind of risks do the US&R teams face?
Of greatest concern, of course, is being crushed by a structural
collapse. Rescuers also get cuts and scrapes, broken bones, respiratory
injuries due to hazardous material/fumes, dust and carbon monoxide, and
burns. They are also susceptible to diseases such diphtheria, tetanus
and pneumonia.
How are the teams paid?
When they are activated by FEMA, they are paid by FEMA. Otherwise,
they work their regular jobs.
Who funds their equipment?
FEMA funds the equipment. Each team has about $1.7 million worth of
equipment, and team member may each carry as much as 60 pounds of
equipment and protective clothing on their body.
How long will they stay at a site?
Until it is determined that no victims could possibly be alive. In
Oklahoma City, the teams stayed for 15 days.
Does FEMA hire members of the US&R team and how can I apply?
FEMA does not hire team members; FEMA credentials teams that meet
the stringent criteria and are approved by the US&R oversight board.
The training is extensive and the commitment required is significant.
Senator Mikulski. Chief, thank you very much for that
outstanding contribution. I feel like I have just listened to
the Schwarzkopf of the firefighting community.
I am ready to organize and mobilize. Your testimony was
outstanding, along with Assistant Chief Morris. I can
understand why Senator Bond is so proud of you and the work you
do. We are delighted you are part of the panel.
Mr. Paulsell. Thank you very much. It is an honor to be
here.
Senator Mikulski. We will come back to you because you have
given us a good blueprint.
Firefighter Olaguer.
We would like to hear from you now. But, before we do, I
want to acknowledge the presence of another outstanding
colleague, Senator Larry Craig of Idaho, who comes really from
the perspective of a rural population from very rugged terrain
that also faces, in addition to these new threats we are
talking about, the whole issues around firefighting and forest
fires.
So, there has to also be regional sensitivity. As Assistant
Chief Morris mentioned, for those of us who are in the Capital
Region, there is one kind of threat. Missouri, with its very
strategic location and knowing the flooding and issues and so
on, is another. Then you have the west that faces other types
of firefighting challenges. Yet, we are going to call upon
them, as you said, to back up where others need to be deployed.
So, Senator Craig, we are just delighted that you are here.
Why do you not go ahead?
STATEMENT OF CARLOS OLAGUER, FIREFIGHTER, BALTIMORE
CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT
Mr. Olaguer. Thank you. Did you have an opportunity to get
this picture here?
Senator Mikulski. Yes.
Mr. Olaguer. Okay, thank you. It is a representation of
what I am talking about.
Senator Mikulski. You went down in the tunnel. Right?
Mr. Olaguer. Physically I did not go in the manhole, no. I
dealt with the north end of the tunnel on the third alarm
response. My unit did. And also once the trains were pulled
out, we were extinguishing the product and having to remove the
product on there.
Senator Mikulski. You tell us your story and what you think
you need to.
Mr. Olaguer. The story is quite compelling.
Madam Chair, members present, and guests, my name is Carlos
Olaguer, and I am a Baltimore City firefighter.
On July 18th of last year, Baltimore City firefighters
responded to a train fire inside the Howard Street Tunnel, a
tunnel built in 1895, 1.7 miles long and directly beneath the
heart of the city. My unit, truck company 26, located in the
northeast part of the city, responded on the third alarm to the
north entrance of the tunnel at Mt. Royal Avenue.
Surrounding the north entrance are historic buildings and
cultural centers which are a part of many great cities.
Truck 26 was initially dispatched for additional manpower
and rapid intervention and had several minutes to reach the
staging area and prepare for the task at hand. First due fire
companies, anticipating diesel smoke from the train's engine,
had no idea of the magnitude of the fire. The amount of smoke
emanating from the north end of the tunnel was so thick and
toxic that citizens above the tunnel had to be tended to and
cleared from the area.
The next morning, engine 27, also stationed with truck 26,
staged near the south entrance of the tunnel near Camden Yards.
The south end of the tunnel is, once again, 1.7 miles from the
north entrance and almost 5 miles from our own station engine
27 and truck 26.
Prior to the tunnel fire, seven fire companies were closed
in Baltimore City. Six of these seven were closer to the tunnel
fire than engine 27 and truck 26.
Engine 27 was to advance hose lines into the south end and
attack the fire from within. The pump operator, stationed above
ground in his wagon, was responsible for maintaining water flow
to the firefighters down below. He would position himself near
the opening of the tunnel to try to maintain radio contact,
then retreat to the engine to make any adjustments needed. He
would then return to his listening position. Although many
attempts were made, engine company 27 was unable to reach the
train from the south entrance.
Engine 27 was later repositioned to a manhole opening
directly above the still burning train. Through this opening,
firefighters came in direct contact with the burning train.
Each firefighter entering the hole was now being exposed to
direct heat and smoke and whatever chemicals were spewing from
the train. Please keep in mind that the train had been burning
for more than 24 hours at this point.
On the fifth day of the tunnel fire, boxcars were finally
removed from the tunnel and pulled to a remote location near
Fort McHenry. Truck 26 was again dispatched along with aerial
tower 102 and engine company 14. The task at hand was to
forcibly enter the boxcars and extinguish all contents. The
process began on the day shift and my shift relieved on the
scene at 1700 hours, or 5:00 p.m. We were subsequently relieved
at 3:00 a.m. and returned to our own station.
It is important to note that similar operations were being
done at the north end of the tunnel. Trains were taken out of
the south and also on the north end.
Madam Chair, the events I described placed the citizens and
firefighters of Baltimore City in great peril. The horrific
events of September 11 brought new awareness and respect to our
Nation's firefighters. 9/11 forever changed this country. For
firefighters, we will never forget the heroism of the New York
brothers and sisters and the ultimate sacrifice made by 343
dedicated firefighters who died saving tens of thousands of
lives.
However, it would be a mistake for this committee or anyone
else to frame the needs of the fire service by the events of 9/
11. Across the country in communities large and small,
firefighters and paramedics answer the call every day. Whether
it is a train derailment in Baltimore, a raging forest fire in
the west, or a vacant warehouse in Worcester, Massachusetts, we
respond. We serve and in all too many cases we die.
The sad irony is that in spite of our sacrifice and
dedication, we are simply not provided with the resources and
equipment to do our job safely and effectively. As municipal
and county budgets tighten, the fire service becomes the
unfortunate target of cuts. Our industry is hemorrhaging and we
need your assistance now.
I can only speak to the needs of our Maryland firefighters.
Across the board in every category in which FIRE Act money can
provide revenue, there are deficiencies. In training,
equipment, apparatus, communications, safety and health issues,
and staffing, we come up short.
Training budgets have been slashed to put more firefighters
on the street. As a result, we are not receiving adequate
training. The long-term impact will create a firefighting force
that is ill-equipped to handle emergencies such as the train
derailment or a future terrorist attack. More disturbingly, it
will impact our ability to handle more everyday responses such
as a normal dwelling fire. Like the military, training and
preparation are key ingredients to a successful operation.
An often forgotten-about component of response capabilities
is communications. The Baltimore train derailment provides an
example of the inadequacies of our communications system. Very
candidly, firefighters operating inside of the tunnel were
completely out of radio communications with the outside units
and command center except when you got down near the tunnel, if
you will. Essentially we were on our own. If you will take a
look at the pictures provided, you must visualize being a half
a mile inside a tunnel with heavy fire, confirmed hazardous and
explosive chemicals, and smoke so thick that you could not see
your hand in front of your face and knowing that no one knows
where you are or even if you are alive or dead.
The situation is not unique to this scenario. In many high-
rise and older buildings, we have several sub-basements. I
traveled in one here in Washington this morning. In the hulls
of container ships, and in large industrial complexes, the
radios do not always work. Our safety and the efficiency of the
operation are compromised.
Like many other Americans, I have watched recent news
accounts stating that firefighters operating inside the twin
towers were out of radio communications with command. I also
recall an article last spring prior to 9/11 detailing problems
with the radio system in New York. I cannot help wonder what if
there was a problem that could have been fixed. Would 343 of my
brothers have died?
Another major problem with respect to firefighter safety is
the lack of personal protective clothing and equipment. As I
stated earlier, I drive a ladder truck and function as a
firefighter. I am not a chief officer or a budget person, so I
do not know exactly how the money is gotten or where it goes. I
do know that firefighters need to perform their jobs safely.
Once again, I will use the train derailment as an example.
Firefighters work in flame retardant clothing called
turnout or bunker gear. These garments protect us against
extreme heat and adverse conditions under which we work. In
normal fires, they get completely soaked by water and become
very heavy and cumbersome, weighing over 40 pounds. While
inconvenient, this is part of the job.
However, in incidents like the train derailment,
firefighters are on the scene for days at a time. We have only
one set of gear. By industry standards our gear should be
decontaminated after exposure to hazardous chemicals. It is
not. Firefighters who entered the tunnel and whose gear was
exposed to PCB's, ammonium, and other carcinogens were forced
to work in the same gear for days on end. Having a second set
of gear would dramatically lessen possible long-term health
hazards and possibly add to a longer life, if you will.
At least in the Baltimore department, we have adequate
self-contained breathing apparatus and pass devices to locate
trapped members. Some departments do not. Technology exists
through thermal imaging to locate and monitor firefighters
operating inside any structure. If all departments had this
technology, both firefighter and civilian deaths would be
reduced dramatically.
At the end of the day, the most important resource for fire
departments is manpower. It takes firefighters willing and
ready to go into a burning building to put out the fire and
save lives. Madam Chair, in Baltimore we simply do not have
enough firefighters to do the job. Consider this. When you
served in the city council in the early 1970's, Baltimore had
11 firefighting battalions, 55 engine companies, 30 truck
companies, 2 hose wagons, 2 chemicals units, and 4 fire boats.
Today the same city has 6 battalions, 33 engine companies, 19
truck companies, 1 HAZMAT unit and 2 fire boats.
When I came into the department in 1974, the hose wagons
were gone, a chemical unit was disbanded, several engine
companies had been closed, and Baltimore's Inner Harbor renewal
project was being compromised by the dismantling of the Marine
Division.
A more contemporary and compelling statistic is that since
1990 our suppression force, in terms of engines and trucks in
service, has been cut by 26 percent. In that same period, our
call volume has soared from almost 70,000 responses to 116,392
responses. That is a 47 percent increase in responses. We do
not have enough firefighters to do the job.
Years ago, our fire department could handle multiple
incidents at the same time and still have adequate resources to
respond to other calls. Sadly today that is not the case. Two
small fires occurring at the same time completely deplete our
resources. Firehouse closings have created a situation that
extends response time and threatens people's lives.
To put the citizens' minds at ease, the city has instituted
an interesting program called rotated closures. Essentially
each day one firehouse is shut down and firefighters are
dispersed throughout the city to man other companies. It is
designed to save on overtime costs. However, the community is
left unprotected. Since the residents still see a fire truck,
they believe they are being protected. It is a sham.
This occurs for one reason: lack of resources. And I am not
here to debate whether firefighting expenses are a local,
State, or Federal responsibility. I am here as a front-line
firefighter and a taxpaying citizen who believes that
protecting our citizens is government's responsibility.
Across the country, fire departments need money to hire
additional personnel. It is our most critical need.
Madam Chair and members of the committee, you can address
our issues. I ask you to fully fund the FIRE Act. Give
America's firefighters the full $900 million that has been
authorized and allocate half of that money to a staffing
program. America's first responders need your assistance.
PREPARED STATEMENT
The events of 9/11 have brought the needs of the fire
service to the forefront. The greatest tribute that could be
paid to our 343 lost New York brothers and Eric Shafer, the
last Baltimore firefighter to die in the line of duty, is for
Congress to provide the resources to allow America's
firefighters to do our job safely and effectively.
Thank you very much, and I will be available for questions.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Carlos Olaguer
Madam Chair, members present, and guests.
My name is Carlos Olaguer and I am a Baltimore City Firefighter.
On July 18, of last year Baltimore City Firefighters responded to a
train fire inside the Howard Street Tunnel, a tunnel built in 1895, 1.7
miles long and directly beneath the heart of the city.
My unit, Truck Company 26, located in the northeast part of the
city responded on the 3rd alarm to the North entrance of the tunnel at
Mt. Royal Avenue.
Surrounding the north entrance are historic buildings and cultural
centers which are a part of many great cities.
Truck 26, was initially dispatched for additional manpower and
rapid intervention and had several minutes to reach the staging area
and prepare for the task at hand.
First due fire companies, anticipating diesel smoke from the
train's engine had no idea of the magnitude of the fire. The amount of
smoke emanating from the north end of the tunnel was so thick and toxic
that citizens above the tunnel had to be tended to and cleared from the
area.
The next morning Engine 27, also stationed with Truck 26, staged
near the south entrance of the tunnel near Camden Yards. The south end
of the tunnel is 1.7 miles from the north entrance and almost five
miles from the station of Engine 27 and Truck 26.
Prior to the tunnel fire seven fire companies were closed in
Baltimore City. Six of these seven were closer to the tunnel fire than
Engine 27 and Truck 26.
Engine Co. 27 was to advance hose lines into the south end and
attack the fire from within. The pump operator, stationed above ground
with his wagon was responsible for maintaining water flow to the
firefighters down below. He would position himself near the opening of
the tunnel to try to maintain radio contact then retreat to the engine
to make any adjustments needed. He would then return to his listening
position. Although many attempts were made, Engine Co. 27 was unable to
reach the train from the south entrance.
Engine Co. 27 was later repositioned to a manhole opening directly
above the still burning train. Through this opening firefighters came
in direct contact with the burning train. Each firefighter entering the
hole was now being exposed to direct heat and smoke and whatever
chemicals were spewing from the train. Please keep in mind that the
train had been burning for more than 24 hours at this point.
On the 5th day of the tunnel fire, boxcars were finally removed
from the tunnel and pulled to a remote location Near Fort McHenry.
Truck Co. 26 was dispatched along with Aerial Tower 102 and Engine Co.
14. The task at hand was to forcibly enter the boxcars and extinguish
its contents. The process began on the day shift and my shift relieved
on the scene at 1700 hrs (5pm.). We were subsequently relieved at 3 am
and returned to our own station.
It is important to note that similar operations were being done the
north end of the tunnel.
Madam Chair, the events I described placed the citizens and fire
fighters of Baltimore City in great peril. The horrific events of
September 11th brought new awareness and respect to our Nation's fire
fighters. 9/11 forever changed this country. For fire fighters, we will
never forget the heroism of our New York brothers and sisters and the
ultimate sacrifice made by 343 dedicated fire fighters who died saving
tens of thousands of lives.
However, it would be mistake for this committee, or anyone else, to
frame the needs of the fire service by the events of 9/11. Across the
country, in communities large and small, fire fighters and paramedics
answer the call every day. Whether it is a train derailment in
Baltimore, a raging forest fire in the west or a vacant warehouse in
Worchester Massachusetts, we respond. We serve. And, in all too many
cases, we die.
The sad irony is that in spite of our sacrifice and dedication, we
simply are not provided with the resources and equipment to do our job
safely and effectively. As municipal and county budgets tighten, the
fire service becomes the unfortunate target of cuts. Our industry is
hemorrhaging and we need your assistance now.
I can only speak to needs of our Maryland fire fighters. Across the
board, in every category in which fire act money can provide revenue,
there are deficiencies. In training, equipment, apparatus,
communications, safety and health issues and staffing, we come up
short.
Training budgets have been slashed to put more fire fighters on the
street. As a result, we are not receiving adequate training. The long-
term impact will create a fire fighting force that is ill equipped to
handle emergencies such as the train derailment or a future terrorist
attack. More disturbingly, it will impact our ability to handle more
everyday responses such as a normal dwelling fire. Like the military,
training and preparation are key ingredients to a successful operation.
An often forgotten about component of response capabilities is
communications. The Baltimore train derailment provides an example of
the inadequacies of our communications system. Very candidly, fire
fighters operating inside of the tunnel were completely out of radio
communications with outside units and the command center. Essentially,
we were on our own. Take a look at the pictures provided. You must
visualize being a half mile inside of a tunnel with heavy fire,
confirmed hazardous and explosive chemicals and smoke so thick you
couldn't see your hand in front of your face, and knowing that no one
knows were you are or, even, if you're alive or dead.
The situation isn't unique to that scenario. In many high-rise and
older building that have several sub-basements, in the hulls of
container ships, and in large industrial complexes, the radios do not
always work. Our safety and the efficiency of the operation are
compromised.
Like many other Americans, I've watched recent news accounts
stating that fire fighters operating inside the twin towers were out of
radio communications with command. I also recall an article last
spring--prior to 9/11--detailing the problems with the radio system in
New York. I can't help but wonder: What if there was a problem and what
if it could have been fixed, would 343 of my brothers have died?
Another major problem with respect to fire fighter safety is the
lack of personal protective equipment. As I stated earlier, I drive a
ladder truck and function as a fire fighter, I'm not a chief officer or
a budget person, so I don't know precisely what everything costs. I do
know what fire fighters need to perform their jobs safely. Once again,
I'll use the train derailment as an example. Fire fighters work in
flame retardant clothing called turnout or bunker gear. These garments
protect us against the extreme heat and adverse conditions under which
we work.
In normal fires, they get completely soaked by water and become
very heavy and cumbersome, weighing over forty pounds. While
inconvenient, this is part of the job. However, in incidents like the
train derailment, fire fighters are on the scene for days at a time. We
have only one set of gear. By industry standards, our gear should be
decontaminated after exposure to hazardous chemicals. It isn't. Fire
fighters who entered the tunnel and whose gear was exposed to PCBs,
ammonium, and other carcinogens were forced to work in the same gear
for days on end. Having a second set of gear would dramatically lessen
possible long-term health hazards.
At least in the Baltimore department, we have adequate self-
contained breathing apparatus and pass devices to locate trapped
members. Some departments do not. However, technology exists through
thermal imaging to locate and monitor fire fighters operating inside
any structure. If all departments had this technology both fire fighter
and civilian deaths would be reduced dramatically.
At the end of the day, the most important resource fire departments
have is manpower. It takes fire fighters willing and ready to go into a
burning building to put out the fire and save lives. Madam Chair, in
Baltimore we simply do not have enough fire fighters to do the job.
Consider this, when you served in the city council in the early 1970s,
Baltimore had eleven fire fighting battalions with 55 engine companies,
30 truck companies with two hose wagons, two chemical units and four
fire boats. Today, the same city has only 6 battalions with 33 engine
companies, 19 truck companies, one HAZMAT unit and two fireboats.
When I came into the department in 1974 the hose wagons were gone a
chemical unit was disbanded, several engine companies had been closed
and Baltimore's Inner Harbor Renewal Project was being compromised by
the dismantling of the Marine Division
A more contemporary and compelling statistic is that since 1990 our
suppression force, in terms of engines and trucks in service, has been
cut by 26 percent. In the same period, our call volume has soared from
69,665 responses to 116,392, a 47 percent increase. We don't have
enough fire fighters to do the job.
Years ago, our fire department could handle multiple incidents at
the same time and still have adequate resources to respond to other
calls. Sadly, today, that isn't the case. Two small fires occurring at
the same time completely deplete our resources. Fire house closings a
have created a situation that extends response time and threatens
people's lives.
To put the citizens' minds at ease, the city has instituted an
interesting program called ``rotating closures.'' Essentially, each day
one firehouse is shut down and the fire fighters are dispersed
throughout the city to other companies. This is designed to save on
overtime costs. However, a community is left unprotected. Since the
residents still see a fire truck, they believe that they are protected.
It's a sham.
This occurs for one reason: lack of resources. I am not here to
debate whether firefighting expenses are a local, State or Federal
responsibility. I am here as a frontline firefighter and a taxpaying
citizen who believes that protecting our citizens is government's
responsibility.
Across the country, fire departments need money to hire additional
personnel. It is our most critical need.
Madam Chair and members of the committee, you can help address our
issues. I ask you to fully fund the FIRE Act. Give America's fire
fighters the full 900 million that has been authorized and allocated
half of that money to a staffing program. America's first responders
need you assistance.
The events of 9/11 have brought the needs of the fire service to
the forefront. The greatest tribute that could be paid to our 343 lost
FDNY brothers and Eric Schafer, the last Baltimore fire fighter to die
in the line of duty, is for Congress to provide the resources to allow,
America's fire fighters to do our job safely and effectively.
Thank you and I'll be happy to answer any questions.
URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE
Senator Mikulski. Thank you very much, Mr. Olaguer.
I am going to ask a few questions and then turn to my
colleagues and then move to the next panel.
First of all, that was outstanding testimony. I would like
to thank each and every one of you. It was exactly the kind of
testimony that the committee wanted to hear, kind of what are
the basics that we need to do. I know that as each and every
one of you are at this table, you are representing thousands
who are depending on you to articulate these issues. And we
will be hearing from the leadership of the professional
associations and the firefighters union.
Mr. Paulsell, I would like to just ask a question of you in
terms of the urban search and rescue issues and then go to you,
Assistant Chief Morris, and then move with my colleagues. I
want to be sure they have a chance.
We have these 28 FEMA units. Chief, you outlined what you
needed from FEMA. Chief Morris, when I went to the Pentagon and
you were there, is Chevy Chase not one of the 28?
Mr. Morris. No, Senator. Montgomery County is home to one
of the 28 teams. The rescue squad is not part of that unit.
Senator Mikulski. Could you reiterate, in terms of a must-
do list, what we need to do to really be able to strengthen
these 28 units? You referred to them as the special forces of
the firefighting community. And then I want to go back to the
firefighters. What do you think specifically, if you had three
things that you felt that by the time we finished our
appropriations in October, we actually had money in the Federal
checkbook, not wish lists or dream teams, are the three things
we could do to maximize your potential?
As I understand your testimony, there might be a desire in
Congress to say, well, if we have got 28, let us double it.
That is the way Congress talks when they want to show they want
to do something. Let us double and go to 56. You have a
different point here.
And also, what do you need from FEMA for urban search and
rescue? Then we are going to go to the firefighter grant
program.
Mr. Paulsell. Good question.
The first thing we need to do is complete the equipment
caches, the basic urban search and rescue equipment cache for
each one of those task forces so that when they go out the
door, they go out the door with all the equipment that they
need to effect search and rescue safely and thoroughly.
Senator Mikulski. Working with the task force, what do you
think that is?
Mr. Paulsell. I think to completely fill out the equipment
caches for these task forces, we are talking around $1 million.
Senator Bond. Each?
Mr. Paulsell. No, in total.
Senator Mikulski. $1 million?
Mr. Paulsell. That will complete the equipment caches.
Senator Mikulski. But that is not your equipment. That is
what you have stored. What do you mean by equipment caches?
Mr. Paulsell. Each task force goes out the door with about
$1.8 million worth of equipment. The equipment cache is
predetermined by FEMA.
I am sorry. I misquoted. It is $10 million. I am looking at
my notes here.
Senator Mikulski. You caused a collective gasp here.
Senator Bond. Chief, you cannot come before an
appropriations committee and only ask for $1 million.
Mr. Paulsell. Is $10 million better? I'm sorry.
Senator Mikulski. My little lungs gasped. That is why I am
coughing.
Senator Craig. He has just learned his lesson.
Mr. Paulsell. I will never, ever do that again, Senator. I
promise.
Mr. Paulsell. $10 million to fill out the existing
equipment caches so that they have all the equipment they are
prescribed to have.
The second thing we need to do is provide annual grant
funding in excess of $150,000 a year to keep that equipment
cache current, keep the training up, and we are talking about
around $1 million per year per task force. That would be an
annual recurring fund.
The third thing we need to do is equip all of these task
forces immediately so that they can operate in an environment
of weapons of mass destruction. If, as an example, a dirty bomb
was detonated in Kansas City, Missouri, we would be called upon
to effect search and rescue operations. We do not have the
chemical and biological protection necessary to do that safely
and protect our people.
Senator Mikulski. Is that both training and equipment?
Mr. Paulsell. Training and equipment, right.
What we would like to see from FEMA is a program priority
set within FEMA so that they have sufficient staff and they
have sufficient agency focus to be responsive to this program
so that we do not get caught up in what we all call bureaucracy
and we can move along quickly. We have a number of systems in
place where participants in this program freely give of their
time to participate in working groups and committees to develop
training standards and performance standards and so on, but we
get caught up in, it seems like, tiers and tiers of approval
within FEMA to get this out the door. And time, more now than
ever, is of the essence and we need to move this program along
and get the necessary support from the agency.
Senator Mikulski. Well, I want to come back to this tiers
and tiers and layers and layers of bureaucracy. We do not want
tiers and we do not want to shed tears. That is kind of our
goal.
This is a touchy subject and I really turn to you and
others on the panel. The way FEMA is set up is to work through
Governors, which is fine because we are talking about the
response. FEMA was originally set up to respond to natural
disasters in which a Governor had to declare an emergency and
FEMA would come in with money. It would not come in to fund
people directly, except the hazards people, the FEMA people,
the emergency management people.
Here this is local control. These are local firehouses.
This is done through States not only the rescue. These are
cities. These are communities. These are independent. If you
are a volunteer fire department, you are an independent unit.
Am I right, Assistant Chief Morris?
Mr. Morris. Well, we in Montgomery County operate in a
system where it is a series of 19 fire rescue departments that
are providing service to Montgomery County. Like I said
earlier, Montgomery County is home to one of these FEMA teams.
As an incident commander in the field, I have many of these
resources from that team at my disposal if I want them. So, an
investment in those FEMA teams is also an investment in the
resources available to the local community.
Senator Mikulski. Yes, but now I want to switch to the Fire
Grant program and then turn to my colleagues.
I believe in local control, local decision making, and not
trickle-down money to you. I am afraid it will get all caught
up in a lot of bureaucracy, that the coordinators who do not
communicate any better than your radio equipment works for you,
that the money just gets all tied up in bureaucracy and sign-
offs, one page at a time.
So, my question would be, number one, do you believe the
money should come directly to the urban search and rescue teams
and come directly, in the Fire Grant program to local
departments? Or do you believe it should go through the State
and then be allocated and then you apply there?
Mr. Morris. Senator, I would advocate it going to the local
departments directly. One of the things I was impressed with
about the Fire Grant program was the process for applying
seemed to be simplified so that many local departments could
not only submit a grant proposal, but then there was a peer
review process that we felt streamlined the operation and made
it very easy and in very short order for that money to be
awarded. We support the peer review process and a continuation
of the program. The fewer steps you take out of it, the faster
it is going to reach the citizens.
I will just give you one example. Montgomery County is
still trying to make purchases from a Justice Department grant
that is 3 years old, and it has just been mired in red tape.
Senator Mikulski. Well, we want to hear more about that.
One last question. When those radios failed, what was the
means of communication with our firefighters? What would be the
single most important thing we should direct FEMA to focus on
in terms of protection for the local firefighter?
Mr. Olaguer. As far as communication was concerned----
Senator Mikulski. We watched you. All of Baltimore and I
think all of America was pulling for you. But pulling for you
is one thing, but you being out in PCB-saturated clothes every
day deserves a lot better attention here.
Mr. Olaguer. I would think so.
Standard communication was difficult between the guys above
ground trying to monitor their people under the ground. What
looked like a good time for everybody--and the TV cameras were
up and the public information officer was saying we have
everything under control--was above ground. Underground, the
best example I can give is we had one individual who was lost
in the tunnel. We did not know if he had one person, four
people, five. We had no idea where he was. He was in the north
end of the tunnel. Baltimore County units were dispatched and a
cave-in unit was dispatched. Other units just showed up who
were monitoring our radio and happened to show up at the scene,
and then confusion, of course, ensued because there was no
command structure organized with the other jurisdictions. It
really was a tense and strained situation at one time.
The next thing we know, here came a car full of the people
we thought were trapped. Of course, they were overcome and had
to be tended to by medic units, but no one knew where he was,
how he was, what was going on because we could not hear what he
was saying and they could not hear what command was saying up
top.
And that was an incident that was featured in the morning
paper the next day with--I do not have a picture here. But I am
saying that was the feature that morning in the morning paper,
was this group that went in. No one had contact with him.
You literally need technology and advances in setting up
communication relay systems, antennas in particular buildings
and tunnels and areas like that. That is just one small
improvement just on the communication side.
Senator Mikulski. Thank you very much.
Senator Bond, why do I not turn to you and then Senator
Craig?
TASK FORCES
Senator Bond. Thank you, Madam Chair.
To follow up with firefighter Olaguer's comments about the
need for better communications equipment, I asked a rather
simple question yesterday of acting FEMA Regional Administrator
Paccino in New York City, and I said why did you not have a
structural engineer or a specialist who could advise and warn
the command staff and the firefighters about the danger of
collapse. And the chilling response was, we did. We could not
communicate it. And to me that was one of the most chilling
things I learned. Madam Chair, obviously communications and
command structure are very important.
Let me turn back to Chief Paulsell. It appears that the
Chair has seen the set-up questions that the Chief gave me to
ask.
Senator Bond. But I will follow up with some of the ones
that you did not ask, Madam Chair.
Is there a need for the task forces perhaps to deploy
overseas? What would need to happen and what is the need there?
Mr. Paulsell. Well, presently out of the 28, there are 2 of
the existing task forces that have a prearranged agreement with
the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance to the Secretary of
State's Department. Our concern there is that as we tighten up
our borders here in the United States, we have vulnerability
overseas in our assets there, as do our allies. And we have
seen some deployments to some terrorist attacks at some of our
embassies and Marine barracks and those sorts of facilities in
the past.
We would like to see our Government move forward to
facilitate a broader response from these task forces,
particularly in light of the fact that we have a number of them
on the west coast that can deploy much quicker going to the
west. That involves some additional logistical support and
supplies to support us overseas, passports, immunizations, that
sort of thing, and just some prior planning and some funding.
And I quite frankly do not have those numbers here today.
Senator Bond. Senator Mikulski raised a question and I was
not clear about your answer. Is there a need for additional
task forces in the system?
Mr. Paulsell. We believe that the task forces that
presently are in place are probably underutilized. In a way
that is fortunate because that speaks to the number of
disasters that we respond to. But on the other hand, that makes
it difficult for us to maintain skills and currency and that
sort of thing. So, those task forces within the system do not
see a need to expand. If there was an identified need through
some sort of threat assessment, quite frankly by doubling the
equipment cache in the existing task forces, you could double
your capacity without adding extra training and personnel.
We have to maintain a current roster staff of 186 to ensure
that we are three deep in each one of the 62 positions to
ensure around-the-clock availability. Once that initial wave of
62 go out the door, within 24 hours every one of these task
forces could field another team of 62 if we had the equipment
to go.
Senator Bond. So, in other words, you have the personnel.
You have essentially three full task forces, but you only have
equipment for one.
Mr. Paulsell. For one.
Senator Bond. And if there is a need for additional teams
to be in the field, it would seem that the simplest thing is to
provide double equipment so that at least two teams of each
task force could go out, obviously keeping one back.
Mr. Paulsell. That is correct.
Senator Bond. But you train all 186. Just with an
additional level of equipment, you can maintain it.
Mr. Paulsell. That is right.
URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE
Senator Bond. What other areas in FEMA's urban search and
rescue response system need attention?
Mr. Paulsell. Well, I think we have touched on most. I
think there is probably a need to address transportation
assets. Presently most of us have to rely on renting trucks and
buses to get out the door to get to our point of departure at a
military air base. We are concerned about our ability to do
that. We could be out the door quicker if we had the funding
levels to support a ground transportation system.
Secondarily, we are a little bit concerned also, as we
continue the war on terrorism, about the availability of
military airlift resources. Our planes are going to be busier
in the military and may not be readily available to get us
across the country. If we had ground assets preloaded, ready to
go that were dependable and not dependent on using excess or
surplus property equipment that we get through the Federal
excess program, that costs a lot of money to maintain and is
not very dependable, we could be on the road and moving quicker
than we are.
UTILIZATION OF ASSETS
Senator Bond. It seems to me that this is an area where
Governor Ridge can perhaps bring some more coordination and
resources. We are blessed in Missouri with a lot of C-130's.
Maybe we will even get some C-17's at some time. I know the C-
130's came and picked you up at Whiteman. But when we are
combining the homeland defense, it would seem reasonable.
But let me ask you. We have some technical capabilities at
Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, chem/biological response. We have
National Guard. How do you see the broader scheme that we could
utilize the resources we have from the Doctrine and Training
Command in Fort Leonard Wood, the National Guard, and the urban
search and rescue task forces? Is there not potential for a
much more effective utilization of all these assets together?
Mr. Paulsell. Certainly. There are some concerns that I
have kind of beyond the realm of the task force program. The
military has put forth a great deal of emphasis on weapons of
mass destruction research, training, and capability. Through
the National Guard program, they have established civil support
teams across the country to respond to domestic acts of
terrorism involving chemical and biological warfare. I really
have some questions and some doubts as to the effectiveness of
those teams long term and, quite frankly, right now their
availability because we are at war and military assets are
primarily used in that regard as well.
My fellow panelists here this morning spoke about the
challenges faced at the first responder level. If those
resources and those capabilities are available within the
military structure, then clearly they need to be made available
to the first responders of this country in terms of training
and research and assistance and support and not kept purely
within the military establishment. The chemical weapons school
at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri is an incredible and developing
resource that should be made available to firefighters, not
only task forces but firefighters across this country. What
comes of that and what is learned in that process needs to be
shared and it cannot only exist on a military base. There has
to be a disbursal program that can be taken to the Senator's
State out west and not rely necessarily on him transporting all
these firefighters to a military installation.
I think there is a marriage there and the National Fire
Academy is a good model of that of how they have done a hand-
off package. But I think we need to get these people married
up, the military establishment and the intelligence
establishment and the people on the front line of this war that
we are facing, and get that information and that material and
that training and capability to the local level and get it to
the street quickly.
Senator Bond. Madam Chair, if I just may make one
additional point we had talked about earlier. Training, the
protective equipment, chemical or biological or nuclear, but
when there is an incident involving one of those, detailing the
military specialists to join, if they are specialists in chem
attack or specialists in biological or specialists in
radioactive management, would seem to me to be helpful, if they
were available from the military, to assist in a command and
advice structure to a USAR task force.
Senator Mikulski. I think that is very interesting. We are
going to be having Joe Allbaugh, apart from the overall FEMA
budget, just on this topic and the FEMA role in homeland
security, as well as all the other things FEMA has to talk
about. An excellent point.
Are you done, Senator?
Senator Bond. Yes, thank you.
Senator Mikulski. Senator Craig.
Senator Craig. Madam Chairman, first of all, let me thank
you for this hearing and let me ask unanimous consent that my
opening statement be a part of the record.
Senator Mikulski. Absolutely, without objection.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Senator Larry Craig
Madam Chairman and Senator Bond, thank you for holding this very
important hearing on issues that affect our nation's fire fighters.
These brave men and women put their lives on the line to serve and
protect their communities--not only on September 11, but every day.
Time after time, they are the first on the scene to respond to an
emergency.
Now today, in the fight against terrorism, we are again turning to
fire fighters as the first line in our homeland defense. And while we
owe them a debt of gratitude that we could never repay for taking on
this difficult and dangerous job, gratitude is not enough. It is
critical to their safety, as well as the safety of the communities they
protect, for them to have access to adequate resources in the way of
equipment, training, and personnel.
I have spent a lot of time talking to the fire fighters in my state
of Idaho, both the volunteer and career forces. While I understand the
terrible threat that terrorism poses in an urban setting--I visited
both ground zero in New York City and the Pentagon--I hope my
colleagues will keep in mind that the largely rural, public lands
states of the West, like mine, present special challenges in fire
fighting that equally deserve Congressional attention.
Let me thank the witnesses who have agreed to share their expertise
with us today. I look forward to hearing your testimony and your
suggestions as to how we might better support the fire fighters across
our country.
NATIONAL INTERAGENCY FIRE CENTER
Senator Craig. Let me make a couple of observations because
time is an issue with me here, and I apologize.
We have the privilege in Boise, Idaho of hosting the
National Interagency Fire Center which is a cache deployment
facility both for equipment and personnel for fires within the
Forest Service, BLM, Park Service, Bureau of Rec, Madam
Chairman, you name it. It also deploys caches of equipment and
material to FEMA at times of national emergency.
Madam Chairman, I heard the Chief mention this, talking
about relationships of resources and bringing them together. I
think we need to be very cautious about recreating anything.
The FEMA model and these task forces that have been mentioned
here today are a model that we looked at 2 years ago following
the catastrophic fire events in the west of that summer, to see
where we could find resources of knowledge and training to
bring into the Federal firefighting system, both for the Forest
Service and the BLM, because we ran woefully short of trained
people to take crews into the fires and all of that and we ran
short of equipment.
As you know, Senator Pete Domenici and I and others led
that charge to get more money into that, echoing remnants of
the Los Alamos issue and others, and we were successful in
that.
What I found out during that time is there is phenomenal
talent that is out there, but that it is segregated and
oftentimes independent of others. And they do not communicate
well, nor do they cross-train, nor do they share. And shame on
us.
I think 9/11, hopefully, and the role of Tom Ridge and
others and our response to it can begin to break down these
barriers not only of information and training and sharing--I do
not deny the argument of additional equipment and modern
equipment and updates and adequate uniforms and all of that
kind of thing. That clearly is necessary. But what I have found
over the years in watching the Interagency Center in Boise, as
its role adjusts and changes and spreads, it is not just a
firefighting center anymore, it has ready caches on hand to
immediately load on an aircraft and get to a hurricane upon a
FEMA request. We have some excellent models if we will begin to
share them and integrate them, along with the additional
resources to make that happen and the complement of training.
So, your hearing is very timely in that respect.
I am also pleased to hear the chief say we may not need any
more of these top quality response task forces as much as we
need the training and the material and the equipment, and as
you mentioned, the ability with stashes of equipment to bring
the second team out and the third team out of these trained
folks. That makes a lot of sense to me based on the experience
I have had in observing this.
We have also, both in the professional firefighter and the
volunteer firefighter range, with the resources that we put
together 2 years ago, additional training, a higher level of
professionalism. It was clearly there with the professional
full-time firefighter. The volunteers did their very best on
even increasingly limited resources as you moved out to the
smaller community to the county that was much more rural, and
at the same time, we find all of a sudden cast into the role of
having to participate or having to be the first responder in a
chemical spill of magnitude, 75 to 100, even 300 miles away
from an urban-based, broader-talented, oftentimes more
resourced team. So, it is clear across the board that we really
need to beef up in these areas.
I guess those are general observations that I would make
and take no more of the committee's time.
On a personal note, Madam Chairman, I am going to not be
able to be here for the next panel, but Mr. Harold
Schaitberger, General President of the International
Association of Firefighters. Who is this person out here? We
have not met. This gentleman here. He and I have been at cross
purposes for the last several months, not with my intent. That
came as a result of a debate on the floor and a position paper
that the Republican Policy Committee put out some months ago.
As you know, we had that debate on the floor on a Daschle
amendment some time ago.
Harold, I have a letter that I want to hand-deliver to you
as I leave the room. But I also want to look you straight in
the face and apologize that it was not my intent by a headline
in a paper that was published to impugn the integrity of you or
any of the high quality professional firefighters of this
Nation. Certainly that was not my intent.
The substance of the paper produced under the headline did
not do that. It talked about the differences and policy and
priority and relationships of State to Federal Government. But
tragically enough, the headline did and could have been and you
did interpret it to impugn the reputation of the people you
represent. So, I wanted you to hear it first and foremost from
me that that was not my intent and I apologize to you for that.
We are here united as a Congress, Democrat and Republican,
to make sure that we amplify the role you play, the role that
your people play, both professional and voluntary, and do so
not just with words but with resources so that we can build
even better first responder teams of men and women who put
their lives on the line as the first people to the incident.
So, I wanted you to hear that from me because I am not
going to be able to stay and listen to your testimony. I will
read that testimony.
And I thank you very much, Madam Chairman, for getting this
group before us today. We have a lot of work to do in this
area. We do not have time to reinvent, but we certainly have
time to break down the barriers and begin a greater cross
reference of material and training that I think brings us
together in a first responder homeland defense mode that
clearly this country needs. Thank you.
Senator Mikulski. Thank you very much, Senator Craig.
We are really now going to have to turn to our panel
because we have to adjourn no later than 1 o'clock. We want to
thank everybody. Certainly what you had to offer has been
excellent.
I know you want to say one more thing, but could you come
around and say that to me while everybody comes up?
Mr. Olaguer. Okay.
Senator Mikulski. Can we call up the leadership? I think
this is a very good way to begin.
We want to welcome each and every one of you. First of all,
the first panel was just excellent. I think they gave it to us
from really a hands-on, on-the-ground perspective. But I know
that each and every one of you represents the leadership of
America's firefighting community. So, I want to turn to you
now.
We have Mr. Harold Schaitberger, who is the President of
the International Association of Firefighters; Mr. Philip
Stittleburg, who chairs the National Volunteer Fire Council;
and of course, Chief John Buckman, who is the head of the
International Association of Fire Chiefs. We feel with you
three, you really represent the core leadership of America's
firefighting community and each from a different perspective,
and we welcome that.
I would like to turn now to really a long-standing friend.
Harold Schaitberger and I go back a very long time. When we
started this firefighter caucus, I was in the House of
Representatives, and for some time we have been concerned about
those issues. Of course, after the horrific events of 9/11, we
knew all that you were facing.
But rather than me talking, let us start with you, Mr.
Schaitberger, and then just go right down. We are happy to take
your testimony. Please be candid tell it like it is. No holds
barred. We want straight talk and fast action.
STATEMENT OF HAROLD SCHAITBERGER, GENERAL PRESIDENT,
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS
Mr. Schaitberger. Madam Chair, thank you very much. I
really do appreciate the opportunity to appear before you and
the members of this subcommittee on behalf of our Nation's
career firefighters. As General President of our international
union, I really have the privilege and honor of representing
more than a quarter of a million professional firefighters and
paramedics in this country of ours.
And it is no exaggeration. We have all watched and felt and
have spoken in our own personal ways about the horrific acts of
September 11. It has been said it has certainly changed this
world of ours. It was an absolutely tragic day for our Nation.
It was a catastrophic moment for thousands of innocent
civilians, but I have to tell you that for our profession and
my union, it was absolutely our darkest day. The 343 FDNY
firefighters who made that ultimate sacrifice and worked, along
with their colleagues, brothers and sisters, to try to save--
and in fact, saved--tens of thousands of civilians from the
hellish carnage of the World Trade Center were my members. The
343 families that they left behind, the 631 children are an
extension of my union's family, and we will be continuing to
deal with and supporting and handling those issues.
My focus today is also on the thousands of my members who
made the immediate response to the terrorist attacks both in
New York and at the Pentagon. For over 100 years, IAFF members
have been protecting the citizens of our Nation from all
hazards. They are the first on the scene when there are
incidents involving fire, natural disasters, hazardous material
incidents. They are our Nation's primary providers of emergency
medical care. They are the ones who do search and rescue
individuals that are trapped and in danger. They perform the
high angle rescues that we hear about, the confined space
rescues. They do water rescues. They are truly dedicated and
skilled in so many ways. And now, in addition to these
traditional responsibilities, they are also on the front lines
in our war against terrorism that is being carried out on this
country's soil.
If we are going to be successful in fulfilling both our
traditional mission and our newest responsibility, we must have
adequate resources. It really is that simple. Sadly, as we meet
here today, we simply do not have adequate resources. We have a
need for additional firefighters, more training, more
equipment, and this cannot just be borne by our local
communities any longer. The Federal Government must step up and
must begin to shoulder this burden.
It was just over 1 year ago when Congress took the historic
step of creating the Nation's first real program of direct
assistance to local fire departments. And this, unfortunately,
only after decades of our Federal Government not only
recognizing, but providing hundreds of millions of dollars,
rightfully so--the responsibility and fiscal responsibility
that our Government recognizes--to support our Nation's law
enforcement and education needs. Our Nation's fire service
needs are no less important.
We are pleased to report to you that the FIRE Act was a
success. The down side, very straightforward, very candid.
Simply not nearly enough money. It was not enough funding to
even begin to meet the needs expressed by our fire services
throughout this country.
Madam Chair, we are well aware--and we congratulate you and
the vital role you played and members of this great body in
funding the FIRE Act at $360 million for the current fiscal
year. We appreciate the administration's new homeland security
initiative, and I have had the pleasure of meeting and spending
time with Governor Ridge and with Director Allbaugh to talk
about the real needs.
But we are also concerned, as much as we applaud what we
see in the budget initially and what we hear in the words about
homeland security, as to whether these resources are really
going to be able to meet where the tire meets the road, and
that is down to the fire department for actual training and
actual equipment for our Nation's first responders.
The FIRE Act and the President's proposal for homeland
security in my view really should only be the beginning. We
must undertake a comprehensive effort to ensure that every fire
department in America has the personnel, training, and
equipment that it needs to safely and efficiently and
effectively protect our Nation's citizens.
Madam Chair, a vibrant, strong, and effective fire
department response is built on three very straightforward
foundations: an adequate number of firefighters on each piece
of apparatus responding, proper training, and the right
equipment. If you shortchange it and take just one away, you
are going to allow the entire structure to potentially
collapse.
The first and foremost need of the fire service is adequate
personnel. All the training, all the sophisticated equipment is
not really worth much if we are not going to have an adequate
number of firefighters deployed at the scene to do the job.
Across our Nation, two-thirds of all fire departments, large
and small, are operating with inadequate staffing. In your own
State, Madam Chair, the overwhelming majority of the fire
departments operate with two and three firefighters assigned to
a piece of apparatus. That is below the international consensus
standard and OSHA regulations for safe fire ground operations
issued by our own Department of Labor.
In earlier testimony, as we have heard from my brother
Carlos Olaguer, the City of Baltimore is simply in a dire
situation. But it does not stand alone. In nearly every other
jurisdiction in Maryland, the problems are also evident. Prince
George's, Howard, and other Maryland jurisdictions, counties
that should be capable and should be able to provide sufficient
personnel simply are not. These departments are riding with two
and three firefighters, which I believe is dangerous to our
people and which should be unacceptable to this Congress and to
our Government and certainly below our national standard.
And in Missouri, Senator Bond, fire departments throughout
the State, including the capital and St. Louis County do not
meet the minimum staffing requirements in this country.
Congress would never allow our military to engage in a war
with two-thirds of its divisions understaffed, but incredibly
this is exactly what we are asking our local fire departments
to do. Whether it is through the FIRE Act or some new fire
staffing initiatives, we ask this committee to provide the
resources to ensure that every fire department in America has
the minimum staffing it needs to respond to emergencies safely
and efficiently. We encourage your committee to fully fund the
FIRE Act at $900 million and to dedicate $450 million of that
money towards staffing.
The second need of the fire service is training. Far too
many jurisdictions lack the funds to hire training instructors,
purchase training equipment, or have access to training
facilities and are unable to provide new firefighters with even
basic level training.
While basic firefighter training is needed by so many of
our members, all firefighters I believe now need advanced
training in HAZMAT and weapons of mass destruction response and
mitigation. Terrorism, using weapons of mass destruction, is no
longer a theory. We have experienced it, and it is now a
constant threat to our Nation. September 11, Oklahoma City, and
other terrorist acts have demonstrated that these madmen will
employ appallingly unthinkable measures to achieve their goals.
In fact, just a few short weeks after September 11, our
Nation experienced its first biological terrorism when anthrax
was mailed, targeting leaders and members of this great body
right here, in a building that is just next door, as well as
our media. And during those frantic days in October, thousands
of frightened Americans called their local fire departments to
report suspicious white powder incidents, quickly overwhelming
the capability of the few dedicated HAZMAT crews that we have.
And as a result, it was front-line firefighters who responded
to these calls, far too many of whom lacked any HAZMAT
training. It is now clear that all firefighters need operations
level hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction
response training.
The members of this committee can begin to address this
training shortage by fully funding the FIRE Act.
Additionally, this committee has jurisdiction over two
innovative HAZMAT programs. From the vantage point of front-
line emergency responders, two components of HAZMAT that are
doing the job now, that do the job and train our people in
their own jurisdictions. And the advantage of that is self-
evident because training for terrorism in your own community
allows first responders to not only learn the tactics and
methods of effective response, but also to apply these
hypothetical concepts to concrete targets in their
jurisdictions.
I am proud to note that the IAFF is also in partnership
with EPA and NIEHS which offers training programs to fire
departments throughout this Nation.
A third foundation, equipment. A lot has been said today
about equipment, and I would simply say that of the 30,000 FIRE
Act grant requests submitted last year, over 27,000 were for
just three categories: personal protective gear, firefighting
equipment, and vehicles. Less than 5 percent of those grant
requests were awarded. And I had members who were part of the
group that evaluated the requests, and they were appalled and
it broke their heart to turn down requests to replace 15-year-
old turnout gear, and they only turned down those requests
because there were departments that were even more dire in
need.
As my organization has become more increasingly aware of
weapons of mass destruction response, I am convinced that we
really have a threat, and I do not believe the threat is
necessarily by nuclear devices launched by foreign Nations nor
necessarily by tactical nuclear weapons in a suitcase being
walked around by cells, although, God forbid, those are threats
that we have to be focused on. I believe the real threat is
dirty bombs and we have heard the term ``dirty bomb''
mentioned. It is a very simple device with catastrophic
results. You simply take a conventional explosive, ammonium
nitrate and fuel oil like in Oklahoma City, dynamite, and then
introduce radioactive material to it. You can have a
catastrophic incident.
And our first responders, our Nation's firefighters who are
the first that are expected to be on that scene, are not now
properly trained to identify nor do they have the equipment to
even attempt to determine whether it is a radioactive incident.
And all the wonderful military ops and all the special
operations are just terrific, but that is 4 hours, 5 hours, and
how many more hours later while we have our people on the front
line doing their job and they need the ability to do it
correctly.
So, in conclusion, Madam Chair, let me just say that I
would ask you and the distinguished Members of Senate, starting
with this committee, to please fully fund the FIRE Act, to
provide the resources directly to the fire departments, to
ensure that these resources are not siphoned off by levels of
government, but get to the departments where it is needed.
PREPARED STATEMENT
I see a lot of attention about prevention components,
intelligent and prosecution components, and treatment
components by all these threats. Every one starts with the
possibility of an incident or an actual incident, and it is
firefighters who will be there first. We need your help.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Harold A. Schaitberger
Madam Chair. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before this
subcommittee today on behalf of the Nation's professional fire
fighters.
My name is Harold Schaitberger, and I am the General President of
the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). I started my
career in 1966 as a fire fighter with the Fairfax County, Va., Fire and
Rescue Department and I now have the honor of representing more than
245,000 professional fire fighters and paramedics who protect 80
percent of our Nation's population.
It is no exaggeration to say that September 11, 2001 completely
changed the world. The 343 firefighters, who made the ultimate
sacrifice that day and rescued tens of thousands of civilians from the
hellish carnage of the World Trade Center tragedy, are my brothers, as
are the thousands of fire fighters who responded to the terrorist
attacks in New York and at the Pentagon.
While the horrific event brought public recognition and acclaim to
our profession and membership, the mission of the fire service remains
unchanged. Before and after September 11, America's Bravest are the
country's first responders. Each and every day, they risk their lives
protecting communities across our Nation.
Madam Chair, I come before this subcommittee as a man on a mission
to build a living memorial to these fallen heroes. In tribute to them,
and to provide for our common security, the IAFF is dedicated to
improving homeland security, enhancing the safety of our Nation's fire
fighters, and ensuring that our Nation's fire service is prepared to
respond to any and all challenges we may face in the future. The
question isn't if another terrorist attack will occur, but when and
where.
For nearly 100 years, IAFF members have been protecting the
citizens of our Nation from all hazards. We are the first on the scene
when there are incidents involving hazardous materials, we are the
Nation's primary providers of emergency medical care, and we are the
ones who search for and rescue people who are trapped and in danger.
And now, in addition to these traditional responsibilities, we are
also at the frontlines in the war against terrorism. For firefighters,
every day is September 11. Every time the alarm goes off, my members
steel themselves to the possibility that they are responding to the
latest act of terror. In the past, America's domestic warriors, our
fire fighters, have had to respond to isolated incidents. In this new
world, our fire and emergency medical services need to be prepared for
a coordinated, well-orchestrated series of attacks on American
citizens. In this first war of the 21st Century, the battle lines are
drawn in our own communities and firefighters are, and will continue to
be, our Nation's first line of defense.
If we are to be successful in fulfilling both our traditional
mission and our newest responsibilities, we must have adequate
resources. Sadly, as of today, we do not. The need for additional
firefighters, training, and equipment is tremendous and it can no
longer be borne solely by local jurisdictions. The Federal Government
must help shoulder this burden.
existing programs
It was just over one year ago when Congress took the historic step
of creating the Nation's first program of direct assistance to local
fire departments. The FIRE Act was created in the closing days of the
106th Congress, and--in large measure thanks to your leadership--the
program was funded at $100 million.
We are pleased to report that the first year of the FIRE Act was an
unqualified success. In 9 months, the United States Fire
Administration--with help from the fire service--issued regulations,
developed evaluations criteria, evaluated more than 30,000 requests for
grants, and disbursed $100 million in grants.
The only downside to last year's FIRE Act grant program was that
there was simply not enough funding to meet the need. Fire departments
submitted grant requests totaling close to $3 billion. Clearly the $100
million disbursed last year is only a small drop in the $3 billion need
bucket.
In recognition of this need, and in response to the events of
September 11, funding for the FIRE Act was increased for the current
fiscal year to a total of $360 million. Madam Chair, we are well aware
of the vital role you played in both the regular appropriations process
and the supplemental appropriation to secure this funding. For that our
Nations fire service, and my members are indebted to you.
We are mindful that even prior to September 11, and the heightened
awareness of our profession, you took the lead in increasing FIRE Act
funding. It was our honor to stand with you in a firehouse in Arbutus,
Maryland the day before the attacks as you announced the Senate's first
increase in funding.
We are also appreciative of President Bush's recent proposal to
spend $3.5 billion to train and equip the Nation's first responders. I
had the opportunity to discuss the vital role fire fighters play in our
Nation's Homeland Security with Governor Ridge late last year, and I
have full confidence that he understands the importance of providing
fire fighters with the tools they need to get the job done. We are
eagerly looking forward to reviewing the details of this proposal, and
look forward to working with Congress and the Administration on this
important initiative.
But the FIRE Act and the President's Homeland Security proposal are
only the beginning. We must undertake a comprehensive effort to ensure
that every fire department in America has the personnel, training and
equipment it needs to safely and effectively respond to emergencies
that occur daily and the extraordinary calamities like acts of
terrorism or floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters.
the needs
Madam Chair, a vibrant, strong, and effective fire department is
built upon three foundations: (1) an adequate number of fire fighters
(2) proper training and (3) the right equipment. Staffing, training,
and equipment are the three pillars that support our Nation's fire
departments. Shortchange or take one away and the whole structure
collapses.
Personnel
The first and foremost need of the fire service is adequate
personnel. Across our Nation, two thirds of all fire departments--large
and small--operate with inadequate staffing. In order to come into
compliance with accepted industry standards, the International
Association of Fire Chiefs has estimated that 75,000 new fire fighters
are needed.
In your own State, Madam Chair, virtually all fire departments are
in need of additional staffing. The fire departments in Prince
George's, Anne Arundel, Howard, and other counties respond with three
or less fire fighters per apparatus.
In the City of Baltimore, the fire department claims to meet the
minimum staffing of four fire fighters per apparatus. While this is
technically true, Baltimore is able to achieve this only by closing
fire stations and using gimmicks. Since 1990, runs by the city fire
department have increased by 47 percent while the city has closed 15
fire stations marking a 26 percent reduction in coverage. Additionally,
Baltimore employs the practice known as ``rotating closures'' where the
city closes a station per day on a rotating basis and literally bets
the lives of its citizens that a life-threatening emergency will not
occur in the area protected by the closed station.
This fire fighter shortage is so dire that the Baltimore Fire
Department cannot respond to more than one multi-alarm emergency at a
time. And it is completely overwhelmed in major incidents like the
tunnel train derailment that occurred in Baltimore's Inner Harbor last
summer.
Throughout Missouri, the home of the distinguished Ranking Minority
Member, fire departments are understaffed. Cities in St. Louis County,
including University City (the largest in the county), run with three
on a pumper and two on a ladder truck. These jurisdictions are forced
to violate State law by relying on mutual aid to have an adequate
number of fire fighters respond to an incident.
In Jefferson City, the State capital, the fire department runs with
three or less fire fighters per apparatus and cannot even afford to
hire fire fighters to serve on its weapons of mass destruction teams.
Fire fighters have been asked to volunteer to serve on the team,
undergo training, and respond while off duty.
The fire fighters of Baltimore, Maryland and Jefferson City,
Missouri are as brave and capable as any in the Nation, but there is
simply no way that they can safely protect the public with two people
on a rig. Responding to emergency incidents with only two people makes
it impossible for the first responding unit to comply with OSHA's ``2-
in/2-out'' standard for safe fireground operation, and places the lives
of those firefighters in jeopardy.
Congress would never allow our Army to engage in a war with two
thirds of its divisions understaffed. Incredibly, this is exactly what
we are asking our local fire departments to do in this current war on
our home soil.
Currently, there are several proposals under consideration that
would enable the Federal Government to fund the creation of new fire
fighter positions. Legislation was introduced last year to create a
program modeled after the COPS program, which has successfully put more
police officers on the street. The Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science and Transportation is also developing fire service legislation
that would include a staffing component.
Madam Chair, without any new authorization your committee can
remedy this chronic problem. The FIRE Act could easily be used as the
appropriate vehicle for a major staffing initiative. The law already
allows fire departments to request funding to ``hire additional fire
fighters,'' but FEMA has opted to exclude hiring from the list of
grants it will fund. We believe that specific direction from this
committee would enable FEMA to structure grants in such a way that
could accommodate staffing. To ensure that staffing would not devour
the rest of the FIRE Act program, we recommend that the FIRE Act be
fully funded at $900 million, with half of the money set aside for
staffing.
The question of whether the funding for staffing is included as
part of the FIRE Act or as a separate initiative is of secondary
concern to the members of my organization. Whatever the appropriate
vehicle, the Nation's fire fighters call upon this committee to work to
provide the necessary resources for a nationwide fire fighter staffing
initiative.
Training
The second pillar that needs to be fortified is training. Far too
many jurisdictions lack the funds to hire training instructors,
purchase training equipment, or have access to training facilities. As
a consequence, fire departments in these jurisdictions do not provide
new fire fighters with the basic level of training identified by the
National Fire Protection Association as necessary to perform the job
safely and effectively. Throughout the Nation, too many fire fighters
essentially receive on-the-job training. This is a situation that
endangers not only the lives of the new fire fighters, but their fellow
fire fighters and the public that they are sworn to protect.
While basic fire fighter training is a need for many fire fighters,
all fire fighters need advanced training in hazmat and weapons of mass
destruction (WMD) response and mitigation. Terrorism using WMD
threatens our Nation as never before. September 11, Oklahoma City, and
other terrorist acts have demonstrated that these madmen will employ
appallingly unthinkable measures to achieve their goals.
In fact, just a few short weeks after September 11, our Nation
experienced its first biological terrorism when anthrax was mailed
targeting elected officials and the media. During those frantic days in
October, thousands of frightened Americans called their local fire
department to report suspicious white powder, quickly overwhelming the
capability of all dedicated hazmat crews. As a result, it was frontline
fire fighters who responded to these calls, far too many of whom lacked
hazmat training. It is now clear that all fire fighters need operations
level hazardous materials/WMD response training.
Two solutions to the training shortage are the FIRE Act and the
Administration's Homeland Security proposal. The members of this
subcommittee have direct influence on both items and the IAFF urges you
to fully fund both programs.
The FIRE Act and the Homeland Security proposal complement each
other and offer the promise of covering the full spectrum of training.
With full funding for the FIRE Act, cash strapped fire departments can
begin to get the basic fire fighter training that is desperately
needed. For the more specialized training, the Homeland Security
proposal could be the means to fund the needed hazmat/WMD terrorism
response training across the Nation.
Additionally, this subcommittee has jurisdiction over two
innovative hazmat training programs. From the vantage point of front
line emergency responders, the two crucial components of any hazmat
training program are that the training is conducted in the local
jurisdiction incorporating the unique aspects of the communities, and
that it uses trainers who are both certified instructors and
professional firefighters.
The advantage of training in one's own jurisdiction is self-
evident. Training for a terrorism event in your own community allows
first responders to not only learn the tactics and methods of effective
response, but also apply these theoretical concepts to concrete targets
in their jurisdiction. This value-added piece is missing when
firefighters are forced to attend remote training sites.
The value of qualified firefighters teaching other firefighters is
in the benefit gained by shared experiences. The bond of common
experiences allows firefighter instructors to more effectively
communicate the lessons of a training course than, say, a person from
the academia or the military. These firefighter instructors know the
fire fighting jargon and can speak the language and because they are
both firefighters and subject matter experts, they command a great
amount of respect from their students.
I am proud to note that the IAFF, in partnership with the EPA and
NIEHS, offers training programs to all fire departments--free of
charge--in hazmat response. The IAFF program focuses on emergency
responder safety and has all the elements of a successful training
program. We use skilled instructors, who are both hazmat technicians
and certified instructors, to train fire departments to safely and
effectively respond to conventional, biological, chemical, or nuclear
hazmat incidents. Additionally, our program conducts the training in
the community and incorporates the unique aspects of the localities. I
am also proud to note that this training is available to all fire
fighters, career and volunteer.
Especially since September 11, the demand for our training program
far outpaces our funding to deliver it. If this subcommittee increases
the appropriations to the EPA and NIEHS for our training program, we
can meet this ever-growing demand and improve the security of our
Nation.
Equipment
The third pillar that needs to be reinforced is equipment.
Recently, the IAFF, which represents more than 90 percent of all the
professional fire departments in the Nation, conducted a survey of our
State Associations. Twenty-two States participated in the survey,
representing 1364 fire departments (54 percent of all IAFF Locals).
Among the survey findings were:
--43 percent of fire departments are in need of additional turnout
gear (i.e., coats, gloves, helmets, and boots).
--50 percent of fire departments are in need of additional
respirators.
--70 percent of fire departments do not have adequate maintenance
programs for their protective gear.
--66 percent of fire departments are in need of better communications
equipment.
Our bleak survey results were validated by the analysis of last
year's FIRE Act data. Of the 30,000+ grant requests submitted last year
for the six eligible categories, 27,384 were for the three categories
of personal protective equipment, fire fighting equipment, and
vehicles. The 27,384 grant requests in these three areas accounted for
$2.71 billion. Less than 5 percent of those grant requests were
awarded.
As you know, the FIRE Act's purpose is to assist those fire
departments most in need. Thus, there was a heavy emphasis on basic
firefighting needs. The vast majorities of the grant requests were not
for State of the art or specialized equipment. They were for the basic
everyday firefighting and personal protective equipment.
A number of IAFF members served as grant evaluators. Some of them
have told me they literally shed tears during the evaluation process
because they denied requests to replace 15-year-old threadbare turnout
coats that are shared by several fire fighters, because there were many
departments in worse circumstances. It is a deplorable situation when
fire fighters who possess barely functional equipment must consider
themselves lucky because there are fire departments in such dire need
that their fire fighters do not have basic equipment at all.
And beyond the need for basic equipment, there is a tremendous need
for advanced hazmat equipment, in particular hazmat detecting
equipment. As my organization has become increasingly involved in WMD
emergency response, I have become convinced that the greatest threat to
our safety comes not from sophisticated nuclear devices launched by
foreign Nations, but from so-called ``dirty bombs'' that utilize a
conventional explosion to release radioactive material. With minimal
technical expertise, anyone with access to agricultural fertilizer
could unleash an atomic reaction that threats thousands of lives.
In the event of such a dirty bomb detonation, calls to 911 will
only report an explosion and fire. Fire fighters responding to the
scene will be completely unaware of the radiological contamination
dispersed miles beyond ground zero.
For years we have been told that it is the job of the military,
with their specialized training and sophisticated monitoring devices,
to respond to such incidents. But the reality is that these military
teams, as capable as they are, could be hours away. Meanwhile, the fire
fighters are on the scene within minutes.
Thus, it is vital that all first responders have access to
monitoring devices, and be provided with the proper training to use
them accurately. When fire fighters are made aware of the radiological
dangers, we can take the appropriate procedures to limit our exposure
so that we can begin to conduct rescue and decontamination missions.
This subcommittee has the means to begin addressing the atrocious
lack of equipment, both basic and specialized. First, again the FIRE
Act must be fully funded. With approximately 26,000 requests
unfulfilled from last year, we can be sure that basic firefighting and
personal protective equipment will again be in demand.
Second, fully fund President Bush's proposals for Homeland
Security. $3.5 billion for equipment and training will go a long way
towards closing the gap between the needs of the fire service for
hazmat equipment and the resources available to obtain it.
conclusion
Too often, the fire service has been neglected when it comes to
planning and devoting resources to do our job. Yet, we are the first
responders and the ones making the ultimate sacrifice to protect our
Nation. As we pray for a quick and decisive resolution to the war in
Afghanistan, we must not forget that the fire service stands guard,
day-in and day-out, protecting our communities and our Nation.
The Federal Government, including Congress and the Administration,
has begun to recognize that firefighters are the lynchpin to an
effective and strong homeland security. The firefighters of the IAFF
will be ready when the next alarm rings or when terrorists strike
again. But our ranks are thin and reinforcements are needed quickly.
Congress must follow through and provide the resources to ensure
that fire fighters have adequate staffing, proper training and the
right equipment so that we will be able to do our job. Fully funding
the FIRE Act and Homeland Security proposal, and increasing the funding
for hazmat training are ways this subcommittee can meet this
obligation. Our organization will never forget the sacrifice of 343
members on September 11. Hopefully their sacrifice and heroism will be
the catalyst for the Federal Government to embrace its responsibility
and provide the resources to allow our members to do their job safely
and effectively.
Thank you for this time to present the view of the IAFF. I will be
available for questions by the committee.
Senator Mikulski. Thank you very much. That was very
compelling.
Chief Buckman, why do we not turn to you?
STATEMENT OF JOHN M. BUCKMAN, III, CHIEF, INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS
Mr. Buckman. Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members of the
subcommittee. I am John Buckman, Chief of the German Township
Volunteer Fire Department in Evansville, Indiana, and President
of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The IAFC
represents the leaders of America's fire and emergency
services.
Thank you for the opportunity to advise you about the
pressing needs of America's fire and emergency services and the
status of the Assistance to Firefighters grant program
administered by FEMA.
In the autumn of 2000, Congress authorized and funded the
Assistance to Firefighters grant program. Its purpose is to
assist departments in securing the fundamental tools of
firefighting. You have heard the statistics. You know how many
people applied. You know how much money they asked for.
FEMA established an office to administer the program and
the criteria for the selection of recipients. Working to
achieve the goals and priorities established by Congress, FEMA
consulted with major fire service organizations and developed
the specifics of the first Assistance to Firefighters grant
program quickly and efficiently.
And let me say one thing about FEMA. They performed. Even
with the events of September 11 and all the things that FEMA
was called upon to do in those ensuing days, they still got the
FIRE Act grant program done, completed, and the money out the
door.
The events of September 11 demonstrated, once and for all,
the critical role of the fire service in responding to national
disasters. As a result, Congress has enacted several
significant enhancements to the grant program for future years.
Most significantly is your authorization to increase the
funding to $360 million for fiscal year 2002, and an additional
2 years of funding at a level of $900 million, triple the
original amount.
In addition new grant categories were added, including
grants for equipment related to the response to terrorism
incidents. These changes will pay extraordinary dividends to
local fire departments and the citizens they protect around the
country, and we thank you and Congress for enacting them.
As this record indicates, in a very short time the grant
program has developed an impressive record of funneling
desperately needed Federal resources directly to those who are
on the front line of homeland security. That is America's fire
service. Based on that record, we encourage you and Congress to
utilize the Assistance to Firefighters grant program for any
funds appropriated for the purpose of assisting the fire
services' missions of domestic defense.
In his State of the Union address 1 week ago today,
President Bush made a commitment to a sustained strategy for
increased homeland security. The President has made clear that
he considers a critical component of this strategy to be
increased Federal funding for America's first responders.
In order to ensure that the full benefits of this increased
funding are realized by the American people, we urge you and
Congress to utilize the Assistance to Firefighters grant
program for that portion of funding meant for the fire and
emergency services.
We do not think there is a need to establish any new
programs for terrorism preparedness. The mechanisms to get
necessary local resources are already in place within FEMA. Let
us use them. Use the existing programs. Congress can ensure
that appropriated funds quickly reach where the rubber meets
the road. It is America's fire service, the only people in the
United States who are situated locally, trained, equipped, and
sworn to respond within minutes to all incidents that are
communities face.
The understaffing of fire departments is an issue that must
be addressed. Whether a department is a career, combination, or
volunteer, the level of staffing is an immediate issue,
especially in light of today's reality.
Working with our counterparts at the International
Association of Firefighters, we have strongly endorsed the
bipartisan legislation, Staffing for Adequate Fire and
Emergency Response, the SAFER bill, introduced by Senators Dodd
and Warner, that will provide Federal assistance to local fire
departments for the purpose of hiring new firefighters. Local
governments would be required to pay an increasing share of the
costs associated with new firefighters over a 3-year period
until the local government assumes all responsibility for
funding the new positions.
General President Schaitberger urged this morning to fully
fund the Assistance to Firefighters grant program, one-half of
that being allocated to staffing. And we agree with his
objective and fully support it.
We anticipate that volunteer and combination fire
departments will also have the opportunity to apply for grants
to fund staffing within their departments. We believe that it
is important that volunteers and combination departments have
this opportunity.
The primary objective of adding 75,000 additional
firefighters is raising the staffing level of fire departments
throughout the country to four firefighters per unit. A four-
person unit will yield a 100 percent increase in operational
capacity with three-person companies. Under Federal
administrative law and proper safety practices, firefighters
must operate in teams of at least two people. Therefore,
staffing a fire apparatus with four people will yield two
working teams of two each, doubling the capacity of apparatus
staffed with three personnel. Raising staffing levels to four
personnel is a large undertaking but it is necessary.
Another aspect of this problem is the increased difficulty
in recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters. As a
volunteer fire chief myself, I personally know how difficult
that is. The reasons for this problem are varied and the
solutions are complex. We will continue to work with Congress
and you on these issues.
However, I would like to take a moment to applaud the
National Fire Academy and their work in the volunteer incentive
program. They have developed courses specifically designed for
the volunteer firefighters to attend the National Fire Academy
and to be exposed to the leadership courses that they present.
Their curriculum reflects the diverse needs of the volunteer
fire service, and the financial aid enables any volunteer
firefighter in this country to attend their classes. The
National Fire Academy is a critical supporter of the volunteer
fire service and we are grateful.
In 1997, the Department of Defense and Justice began
training and equipping local firefighters and police to deal
with incidents of terrorism involving weapons of mass
destruction. Similar programs have since been authorized by
Congress bringing the Department of Health and Human Services,
FEMA, and other Federal agencies into this effort. Without
doubt, we have made progress. But preparedness efforts need to
be more clearly focused.
In May of last year, President Bush proposed an Office of
National Preparedness at FEMA. The ONP was to serve as a single
point of contact for State and local public safety agencies
charged with reviewing all Federal training and response
programs spread all across a myriad of Federal agencies.
We have strongly endorsed the creation of the Office of
National Preparedness in prior testimony before Congress and we
reiterate that endorsement today. It has the support of
America's first responders and represents a crucial step in the
right direction. It is the logical extension of FEMA's
responsibilities for disaster response and is consistent with
President Bush's public announcement in May last year
concerning the organization and management of Federal terrorism
response programs and his creation of the Office of Homeland
Security.
In the days immediately following the attacks of September
11, many Americans heard for the first time urban search and
rescue, USAR, teams. As Chief Paulsell testified, there are 28
teams. We would agree with his analysis that we do not need
more teams but we need to fully fund the existing teams.
In the metropolitan Washington area, for example, there are
USAR teams in Fairfax County, Virginia and Montgomery County.
In the event of a major structural collapse, such as occurred
in New York City or in San Francisco a few years ago with their
earthquake, any of these teams can be activated by FEMA. They
travel distances far beyond their local jurisdictions to
perform crucial rescue operations. By any measure, the
effectiveness of USAR teams in response to a wide variety of
disasters has been impressive. Building upon this proven track
record, the IAFC has put forth several suggestions to enhance
the effectiveness of USAR teams.
First, we are pleased to note that FEMA Director Joe
Allbaugh has already proposed action on one of our initial
recommendations, authority for credentialing, training, and
deploying USAR teams will move to the U.S. Fire Administration.
This organizational change will ensure that FEMA staff with
operational fire experience will be leading the USAR program
and coordinating the Federal response to a major disaster.
We also encourage the following additional changes to the
USAR program. The IAFC believes that USAR should be expanded
and upgraded by the formation of smaller, more mobile ``USAR
Lite'' teams. Under the existing system, the Federal Government
should assist the fire service in expanding a proven concept by
creating additional smaller units within each State, which
would include staffing levels and equipment caches with
sufficient personnel and equipment to effectively function for
4 to 24 hours. These teams will be designed to be smaller,
quicker to deploy, and in closer proximity to the emergency,
and therefore have easier and more rapid access to emergency
scenes. Short response times are critical to saving lives. They
are a critical consideration in search and rescue operations
when looking for people buried beneath rubble. Time is what
saves lives. This immediate response would be followed by the
deployment of more traditional USAR teams, which would be
activated and deployed in their usual manner.
We also believe there is a need for what we call command
overhead teams. In talking with the firefighters, the chief
officers from Arlington County that responded to the Pentagon
incident, one of the problems they had was in having enough
qualified people to manage the incident. The command overhead
teams are similar to what the Bureau of Land Management does in
wildland fires. It is often the case in prolonged major
incidents where managing the incident, having enough skilled
and competent people to do that, becomes a major issue. These
local fire departments would welcome outside assistance to help
manage the incident. The command overhead teams involve the
creation of small groups of qualified, competent command
officers who can be called upon on short notice to provide
assistance to local efforts in an emergency at the request of a
local incident commander.
The U.S. Fire Administration is a directorate within FEMA.
Its mission is to provide leadership, coordination, and support
for the Nation's fire prevention and control, fire training and
education programs. The U.S. Fire Administration's ultimate
objective is to significantly reduce the Nation's loss of life
from fire.
Historically, leadership at the U.S. Fire Administration
has been unstable. As the fire service moves forward with
changes that it will make as a result of September 11, those
changes will place an even greater leadership burden on the
U.S. Fire Administration. That is why the Federal Government
must move forward now to ensure that constancy and depth of
leadership is in place throughout the U.S. Fire Administration.
I know my time is up. I will summarize with this comment.
Senator Mikulski. We have to leave the room at 1:00.
PREPARED STATEMENT
Mr. Buckman. The fire service is America's domestic
defender. We are the first ones inside and most of the time we
are the last ones outside. We need and deserve Federal
assistance because we have proven time and time again that we
respond to all the communities' emergency needs. We need your
help.
Thank you very much.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of John M. Buckman, III
Good morning, Madam Chair and members of the subcommittee. I am
Chief John Buckman, chief of the German Township Volunteer Fire
Department in Evansville, Indiana and president of the International
Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).
The IAFC represents the leaders of America's fire and emergency
service, which consists of over 31,000 fire departments in the United
States staffed by more than 1.1 million fire fighters and emergency
medical services personnel. Of those, more than 800,000 are volunteers
and about 250,000 are career personnel.
Thank you for this opportunity to advise you about the pressing
needs of America's fire and emergency service and the status of the
Assistance to Firefighters grant program administered by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
assistance to firefighters grant program
In the autumn of 2000, Congress authorized and funded the
Assistance to Firefighters grant program. Its purpose is to assist
local departments in securing the fundamental tools of fire fighting.
In its first year, nearly 20,000 fire departments sought support from
the Federal government to improve fire prevention programs, upgrade
training, purchase personal protective gear, apparatus and equipment,
and enhance fitness and wellness programs to better enable personnel to
mitigate the all-hazards incidents to which we respond. Grant requests
totaling nearly $3 billion were received by FEMA for the $100 million
available in fiscal year 2001.
FEMA established an office to administer the program and criteria
for the selection of recipients. Working to achieve the goals and
priorities established by Congress, FEMA consulted with major fire
service organizations and developed the specifics of the first
Assistance to Firefighters grant program quickly and efficiently.
The events of September 11th demonstrated, once and for all, the
critical role of the fire service in responding to national disasters.
As a result, Congress enacted several significant enhancements to the
grant program for future years. Most significantly, funding for the
program was increased to $360 million for fiscal year 2002 and the
program was reauthorized for an additional two years at a funding level
of $900 million--triple the original amount. In addition, new grant
categories were added including grants for equipment related to the
response to terrorism incidents. These changes will pay extraordinary
dividends to local fire departments and the citizens they protect
around the country and we thank you and Congress for enacting them.
As this record indicates, in a very short time the grant program
has developed an impressive record of funneling desperately needed
Federal resources directly to those who are on the frontline of
homeland security, America's fire service. Based on that record, we
encourage you and Congress to utilize the Assistance to Firefighters
grant program for any funds appropriated for the purpose of assisting
the fire service's mission of domestic defense.
In his State of the Union address one week ago today, President
Bush made a commitment to a sustained strategy for increased homeland
security. The president has made clear that he considers a critical
component of this strategy to be increased Federal funding for
America's fire and emergency service. In order to ensure that the full
benefits of this increased funding are realized by the American people,
we urge you and Congress to utilize the Assistance to Firefighters
grant program for that portion of funding meant for the fire and
emergency service. We do not think there is a need to establish any new
programs for terrorism preparedness. The mechanisms to get necessary
resources to local responders are in place. Let's use them. By using
this existing program, Congress can ensure that appropriated funds
quickly reach America's fire service--the only people in the United
States who are situated locally and trained, equipped, and sworn to
respond within minutes to all incidents, natural or man-made, which
threaten the American homeland.
additional firefighter staffing
The understaffing of fire departments is an issue that must be
addressed. Whether a department is a career, combination, or volunteer,
the level of staffing is an immediate issue, especially in the light of
today's reality.
Working with our counterparts at the International Association of
Fire Fighters we have strongly endorsed bipartisan legislation--the
Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) bill--
introduced by Senators Christopher Dodd and John Warner that would
provide Federal assistance to local fire departments for the purpose of
hiring new fire fighters. Local governments would be required to pay an
increasing share of the costs associated with the new fire fighters
over a three-year period until the local government assumed all
responsibility for funding the new positions.
The primary objective of adding 75,000 additional fire fighters is
raising the staffing level of fire departments throughout the country
to four fire fighters per unit. A four-person response unit will yield
a 100 percent increase in operational capacity compared with three-
person companies. Under Federal administrative law and proper safety
practices, fire fighters must operate in teams of at least two people.
Therefore, fire apparatus staffing of four will yield two working teams
of two, doubling the capacity of apparatus staffed with three personnel
which can only form one operational team. Raising staffing levels to
four personnel is a large undertaking, but it is necessary.
Another aspect of this problem is the increasing difficulty in
recruiting and retaining volunteer fire fighters. As a volunteer fire
chief, I personally know how difficult this is. The reasons for this
problem are varied, and the solutions complex. We will continue to work
with Congress on these issues. However, I would like to take a moment
to applaud the National Fire Academy for its effective support of the
volunteer fire service. Its curriculum reflects the diverse needs of
the volunteer fire service and their generous financial aid enables
many volunteer fire fighters to attend their classes. The National Fire
Academy is a critical supporter of the volunteer fire service, and for
that we are grateful.
office of national preparedness
In 1997, the Departments of Defense and Justice began training and
equipping local fire fighters and police to deal with incidents of
terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction. Similar programs have
since been authorized by Congress, bringing the Department of Health
and Human Services, FEMA, and other Federal agencies into the effort.
Without doubt we have made progress, but preparedness efforts need to
be more clearly focused.
In May of last year, President Bush proposed an Office of National
Preparedness (ONP) at FEMA. The ONP was to serve as a single point-of-
contact for State and local public safety agencies, charged with
reviewing all Federal training and response programs spread across
myriad Federal agencies.
We have strongly endorsed the creation of the Office of National
Preparedness in prior testimony before Congress, and we reiterate that
endorsement today. It has the support of America's first responders and
represents a crucial step in the right direction. We are pleased that
this Committee approved and funded the Office of National Preparedness.
It is a logical extension of FEMA's responsibilities for disaster
response and it is consistent with President Bush's public announcement
in May of last year concerning the organization and management of
Federal terrorism response programs and his creation of the Office of
Homeland Security.
usar expansion
In the days immediately following the attacks on September 11,
2001, many Americans heard for the first time about the Federal
Emergency Management Agency's ``Urban Search and Rescue'' (USAR) teams.
There are 28 teams, largely composed of local fire fighters with
specialized training and equipment and extensive experience that can be
deployed to major incidents throughout the country.
In the metropolitan Washington area, for example, there are USAR
teams in Fairfax County, Virginia, and Montgomery County, Maryland. In
the event of a major structural collapse--such as occurred in New York
City, or a few years ago in the San Francisco earthquake--these teams
or any of the other 26 can be ``activated'' by FEMA. They travel to the
scene of disasters to perform crucial rescue operations.
By any measure, the effectiveness of the USAR teams, in response to
a wide variety of disasters, has been impressive. Building upon this
proven track record, the IAFC has put forth several suggestions to
enhance the effectiveness of the USAR teams.
First, we are pleased to note that FEMA Director Joe Allbaugh has
already proposed action on one of our initial recommendations--
authority for credentialing, training and deploying Urban Search and
Rescue teams will move to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). This
organizational change will ensure that FEMA staff, with significant
operational fire experience is in charge of this critical component of
the Federal response to any major disaster.
We also encourage the following additional changes to the USAR
program. The IAFC believes the USAR program should be expanded and
upgraded by the formation of smaller, more mobile ``USAR Lite'' teams.
The Federal government should assist the fire and emergency service in
expanding a proven concept by creating additional smaller units in each
State, which would include staffing levels and equipment caches with
sufficient personnel and equipment to effectively function for 4 to 24
hours. These teams will be designed to be smaller, quicker to deploy,
and closer in proximity to the emergency, and would therefore have
easier and more rapid access to emergency scenes. Short response times
are a critical consideration when the lives of people buried beneath
rubble are at stake. This immediate response would be followed by the
deployment of the more traditional USAR teams, which would be activated
and deployed in their usual manner.
We also believe there also is a need for what we call ``Command
Overhead Teams.'' It is often the case in prolonged, major incidents
that a fire department's commanders are fully engaged in addressing the
instant issues and are hard-pressed to anticipate what might develop
and to then plan for the future. They would welcome outside assistance.
The ``Command Overhead Teams'' concept involves the creation of small
groups of three-to-five experienced command officers who can be called
upon on short notice to provide assistance to local efforts in an
emergency at the request of a local incident commander.
The USAR program has a well-deserved reputation for excellence.
Based on this record we strongly encourage FEMA to implement these
recommendations in order to further enhance the operational
capabilities of this critical national resource.
federal leadership
The U.S. Fire Administration is a directorate within FEMA. Its
mission is to provide leadership, coordination, and support for the
Nation's fire prevention and control, fire training and education, and
emergency medical services activities. The U.S. Fire Administration's
ultimate objective is to significantly reduce the Nation's loss of life
from fire, while also achieving a reduction in property loss and non-
fatal injury due to fire.
Historically, leadership at the U.S. Fire Administration has been
unstable. As the fire service moves forward with changes that it will
make as a result of the September 11th tragedy, those changes will
place an even greater leadership burden on USFA. That is why the
Federal government must move forward now to ensure that constancy and
depth of leadership is in place throughout the organization to prepare
the U.S. Fire Administration for the challenges that lie ahead and to
meet the needs of the Nation.
Fortunately, FEMA Director Joe Allbaugh understands this need and
has taken decisive action to provide leadership at the U.S. Fire
Administration and provide it with the resources and oversight to
effectively carry out its mission. We applaud Director Allbaugh's
appointment of a strong leader with a distinguished fire service
background as U.S. Fire Administrator. We further appreciate Director
Allbaugh's recognition, as evidenced by his advocacy, of the role of
America's fire and emergency service community in protecting our
Nation's communities. His actions since assuming office will enhance
the safety and security of all Americans.
conclusion
Madam Chair, our testimony today has been strongly supportive of
FEMA. The reason for this is simple. They have earned the support of
the fire and emergency service based on a proven track record of
providing invaluable training, equipment, and resources to America's
local ``first responder'' community both on-scene at disaster sites and
during the ongoing planning and training that all responder
organizations must constantly pursue. They clearly recognize that
America's local fire departments are the first line of disaster
response in this country.
It is for this reason that we encourage Congress to utilize this
Agency as you look to significantly enhance and improve America's
readiness capabilities. President Bush has budgeted an unprecedented
amount of Federal support for America's ``first responders'' in the
name of homeland security. We strongly urge Congress to utilize
existing programs, specifically the Assistance to Firefighters grant
program administered by FEMA, to ensure that these funds are quickly
disbursed to the local responders who will use them efficiently and
effectively to provide for the security of the American homeland.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs very much appreciates
the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss FEMA and the
Assistance to Firefighters grant program. I am happy to answer any
questions you may have.
Senator Mikulski. Thank you very much, and we do not want
to cut anybody off. This has been so important, it ought to go
on for a long time.
Mr. Stittleburg, why do you not bring to us the views of
the National Fire Council? And we welcome you from Wisconsin.
We have good representation here.
STATEMENT OF PHILIP C. STITTLEBURG, CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL
VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL
Mr. Stittleburg. Thank you, Madam Chairlady. I had the
pleasure of making your acquaintance last fall at the fallen
firefighters memorial service in Emmitsburg, and I thank you
for your attendance there.
Senator Mikulski. It was when President Bush was there and
then we shortly began to bomb Afghanistan. Harold and we were
all there.
Mr. Stittleburg. It was indeed an important day. I thank
you for your attendance. You did us honor by your presence.
My name is Chief Phil Stittleburg. I am Chairman of the
National Volunteer Fire Council. I have been in the volunteer
fire service for 30 years. I spent about 25 years of that
serving as chief officer.
There are about 800,000 volunteer firefighters in the
United States. About 90 percent of the fire departments in this
country are volunteer fire departments. About 75 percent of all
firefighters in this country are volunteer firefighters, and we
protect about 38 percent of the United States population.
Volunteers give of their time, their talents. Sometimes
they give their very lives. This donated time and talent that
they provide translates directly into substantial dollar tax
savings for the taxpayers. Estimates run as high as $60
billion. That is with a B, $60 billion or more a year provided
just simply by the donated services of volunteer firefighters
nationwide.
Volunteers were deeply involved in all the events
surrounding September 11. Volunteer departments responded to
the plane crash in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. We were part
of the response to the Pentagon, as you have already heard.
Volunteer departments provided backup to the World Trade Center
disaster. A number of the firefighters from New York City who
lost their lives, in fact, in the trade center were also
volunteers in their own home communities.
September 11 sent many messages. I think the clearest of
all is that the fire service is indeed the first responder to
terrorist attacks. Terrorism is going to expand our
responsibilities. I can tell you we will meet that challenge.
That is part of the proud history of the fire service, meeting
challenges.
I will tell you also we will not meet it without a
struggle. One of the struggles that the volunteer fire service
encounters is that of funding. Most, if not all, of us struggle
routinely for the dollars we need to operate. The dollars
provide protective clothing to our members, safety equipment,
the necessary training that they need, and that is not even
taking into account the money it takes to actually buy the
equipment to mitigate the hazard itself.
It is not just a rural problem. Suburban areas likewise are
seeing expanded demands for their services which translates
into greater demand for dollars. And technology I think offers
some solutions, but it is often solutions at a high price.
In the first panel there was some discussion about the
radio communications. A couple of years ago, I had an
opportunity to speak with a major radio communications
manufacturer. I said, what is in the pipeline? What kind of
technology is out there that you are going to be giving us in
the coming years? And his response was, anything you want. And
I said, well, what do you mean by that? And he said, it is as
simple as this. If you can dream it, we can build it, but you
cannot afford to buy it.
What we need to do is support the development of technology
that becomes affordable, and we can do that in a number of
ways. I suggest we can do it through exploring technology
transfer. We look to industry. We look to the space program. We
look to the military for other pieces of technology that are
already in place that are adaptable to our mission. I think
Chief Paulsell made some reference. The marriage he referred to
it as. We need to be able to draw upon that technology that is
already there.
Most of the previous speakers already referred to the
Assistance to Firefighters grant program, and I will simply
echo what they said by indicating, first of all, it was a
tremendous first step. It was certainly a step in the right
direction and it was a giant step. Unfortunately, it is not
enough.
Just to highlight the significance of it because when that
program was being considered, I heard some people say, well, I
wonder if the fire service is really listening. I wonder if
really the need is there. Well, there were 31,000-plus grant
requests received from nearly 19,000 fire departments. Bearing
in mind there are only 26,000 fire departments in the United
States, there were nearly 19,000 departments requesting money.
$3 billion requested; $100 million appropriated. Interestingly
enough, 1,855 grants were awarded. 1,379 of those were awarded
to communities under 20,000 people.
And I salute you for your efforts in that regard having
increased that appropriation for this year to $360 million. You
have also expanded the category to fire department sponsored
EMS, and that was a good move. EMS is a rapidly expanding area
for us, and that was I think a very wise choice. The $900
million that is proposed for 2003 and 2004, I would certainly
strongly encourage you to support that and authorize those
funds.
President Bush has recommended the role that volunteers
play in homeland defense, and specifically he has asked the
public to volunteer. He has talked about something called the
first responder initiative. As I understand it, he proposes
that to enhance homeland security and proposes $3.5 billion in
fiscal year 2003 for that. We certainly support that. We would
wish to be closely involved in the development of that program
and would ask your support for it also.
As to the distribution of funds, I would echo what I think
nearly every speaker ahead of me has said, and that is the
Assistance to Firefighters grant program I think has been an
absolute model of Government efficiency. As my colleague, Chief
Buckman said, it put the money where the people needed it and
it did it quickly. It did it with very little shrinkage. It did
it by bringing in people who volunteered their time to review
the grant applications, people who were knowledgeable and in a
position to fairly evaluate those at a cost to the Government
of only the travel. They donated their time and their talents
to do this.
Another issue for the volunteer sector is that of
recruitment and retention. Chief Buckman mentioned staffing.
That is our staffing. Recruitment and retention of our
staffing, and it is a serious problem for us. There are about
100,000 less volunteer firefighters in this country today than
there were in 1983, and I find that to be a pretty frightening
statistic. I am not here to tell you that the volunteer fire
service is dying. To paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of our
demise have been greatly exaggerated. However, there is a
problem and we do need help to stay healthy.
There are, I believe, a number of factors that contribute
to this challenge that we face in recruitment and retention,
one of which is fund raising demands. As equipment becomes more
expensive, as more equipment is required, more time is spent on
raising the funds to buy that equipment, which seems to me to
be illogical.
In some areas, calls are increasing, and that of course, is
a matter of concern.
Training requirements continue to increase, and that
certainly has an impact.
And this all occurs at a point when there is less time to
volunteer. All the statistics seem to show that we spend more
time at our jobs today than we did years ago. There are more
two-earner families now, so there are less people to share the
housekeeping duties and things of that nature.
President Bush in his State of the Union address asked for
everyone to commit to service to their neighbors to become
volunteers. Let me tell you, when it comes to that, we are the
experts. We have been doing that for 300 years. We wrote the
book on it.
He laid out a plan for the USA Freedom Corps, which would
create a new citizens corps. As I understand it, FEMA is to
coordinate the citizens corps. The Bush administration I
believe has proposed $230 million for fiscal year 2003. Once
again, I would strongly urge that you support that.
PREPARED STATEMENT
We have a vested interest in promoting and protecting the
volunteers in this country. America has a vested interest in
promoting and protecting the volunteers of this country. I am
very honored to share these thoughts with you today. I thank
you for your past support. I ask you for your future support. I
can assure you that we take good care of the dollars you give
us, and the dollars you give us directly benefit your
constituents.
I would be pleased to take any questions. Thank you.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Philip C. Stittleburg
Madam Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Phil
Stittleburg and I am Chairman of the National Volunteer Fire Council
(NVFC). The NVFC represents the interests of the Nation's nearly
800,000 volunteer firefighters, who staff over 90 percent of America's
fire departments. I have served in the volunteer fire service for the
last 30 years and have been the Chief of the LaFarge Volunteer Fire
Department in Wisconsin for the last 25 years. I have had experiences
in all phases of the first responder community, including chemical and
hazardous materials incidents, information management, EMS, rescue and
fire.
In addition to serving as NVFC Chairman, I have represented the
NVFC on a variety standards-making committees, including ones that set
industry standards on firefighter health and safety. I also serve on
the National Fire Protection Association's Board of Directors and I am
an adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy. I earn my
livelihood as an attorney, which includes serving as an Assistant
District Attorney on a half-time basis for the last 28 years. These
positions give me an excellent opportunity to work in emergency
services in both the law enforcement and fire service professions. On
behalf of the volunteer fire service, I appreciate the opportunity to
comment on needs and challenges we face.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),
nearly 75 percent of all firefighters are volunteers. In most years
more than half of the firefighters that are killed in the line of duty
are volunteers. In addition to the obvious contribution that volunteer
firefighters lend to their communities as the first arriving domestic
defenders, these brave men and women represent a significant cost
saving to taxpayers, a savings sometimes estimated to be as much as $60
billion.
September 11, 2001 is a date that will be long remembered for the
horrible losses our Nation suffered, including the loss of so many of
our brothers and sisters in the emergency services. September 11 will
also be remembered for the heroics of those brave men and women who ran
into the World Trade Center to render aid to their fellow New Yorkers,
those who valiantly fought the raging fire at the Pentagon in
Arlington, VA, and the fire companies who responded to the Somerset
County, PA plane crash. Volunteer fire, rescue, EMS, and technical
specialty teams answered and responded on that fateful day at Somerset
and the Pentagon incidents and provided backup support to many
departments who responded to the World Trade Center. Finally, September
11 will be remembered for ushering in America's new all out war against
terrorism at home and abroad.
The September 11 tragedies in New York, Arlington, Virginia and
Southwestern Pennsylvania made it clear to all Americans that the fire
service is the first responder to all terrorist attacks this country
may face. Administration officials and Members of Congress continue to
warn Americans of a ``clear and present danger'' of follow-up terrorist
attacks. The question now is when and where, not if, the next terrorist
attack will occur. As America's domestic first responders, the fire
service will be on the front lines of any incident and must be prepared
to respond to and defend our citizens from the ravages of terrorist
attacks using conventional weapons or weapons of mass destruction. This
expands our normal services beyond the delivery of fire, EMS, rescue,
and technical specialty services to our citizens. These services
already have time and training demands that are escalating annually.
America's fire and emergency services are in need of your
assistance and you, as Members of the United States Senate, can make a
difference by partnering with the fire service to give America's
domestic defenders the tools they need to help fight this new war.
One of the largest problems faced by America's volunteer fire
service is funding. Many volunteer fire departments struggle to provide
their members with adequate protective clothing, safety devices and
training to protect their communities, as mandated by regulations and
standards. These fire companies, in towns across America, are being
asked to respond to emergency calls involving hazardous materials,
structural fire suppression, search and rescue, natural disasters,
wildland fires, emergency medical services, and terrorism.
Many of these emergencies occur at Federal facilities and buildings
and on Federal lands. In addition, these incidents can damage America's
critical infrastructure, including our interstate highways, railroads,
bridges, tunnels, financial centers, power plants, refineries, and
chemical manufacturing and storage facilities. We as a fire service are
sworn to protect these critical facilities and infrastructure.
In these difficult times, while volunteer fire departments are
already struggling to handle their own needs and finances, they are now
forced to provide more services. Often, local governments are unable to
afford the extensive training and specialized equipment that these
activities require.
The funding problems in America's volunteer fire service are not
just limited to rural areas. As suburbs continue to grow, so does the
burden on the local fire and EMS department. Even though many of these
departments have the essentials, they are unable to gain access to new
technologies. At no other time have advances been greater in equipment
to protect them and make their jobs safer. Yet because the newer
technology is so expensive, many volunteer fire departments are forced
to forgo the purchase of the new technology or use outdated equipment.
Long before the terrorist attacks of September 11, the national
fire service organizations began working together to enhance readiness
and increase funding levels for programs related to America's fire
departments. Many Members of Congress have been with us since day one
and have fought hard for improvement in the fire service.
Unfortunately, it has taken a horrible tragedy for all of America to
fully appreciate the risks our firefighters and EMS personnel take on a
daily basis and the level to which they need to be prepared.
The following items are some of the needs of America's fire
service:
First and foremost, we urge Congress to fully fund the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant
Program. This direct grant program has proved to be the most effective
program to date in providing local volunteer and career fire
departments not only with the tools they need to perform their day-to-
day duties, but it has also enhanced their ability to respond to large
disasters as well.
In 2000, Congress took a giant step in addressing the needs of
America's fire service by creating this grant program and funding it at
the $100 million level. Every fire department across the country was
eligible for funding for safety and firefighting equipment, apparatus,
training, prevention, and wellness and fitness programs. In the first
year of the program, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and FEMA
received 31,295 grant applications from 18,915 fire departments
totaling $2.99 billion in requests. In the end, USFA/FEMA awarded 1,855
competitive grants to local fire departments, including 1,375 to
volunteer and combination fire departments. In addition, 1,379 grants
totaling $55,377,798 were awarded in communities with populations below
20,000 people. Many of these were rural volunteer fire departments that
struggle the most to provide their members with adequate protective
gear, safety devices and training to protect their communities.
Thanks to your leadership, Madam Chairman, and the support of your
colleagues, the funding for the program was increased to a total of
$360 million in fiscal year 2002. This increase in funding has allowed
FEMA to add fire department based emergency medical services (EMS) as
an eligible category this year. EMS calls continue to be the fastest
growing burden on local fire departments and these new grants will help
to ease that burden. Late last year, Congress also passed a
reauthorization of the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
for $900 million for each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2004. We
respectfully request that Congress fully fund this program at the $900
million level in fiscal year 2003.
An increase in funding for the program will allow more departments
to obtain the firefighting and safety equipment, training, and vehicles
they so desperately need to do their jobs. It would also allow FEMA to
continue to expand the grant categories the program offers to include
fire department construction and modification, as well as grants for
recruitment and retention initiatives.
Terrorism and hazardous materials response training and equipment
are of vital importance to America's fire service. Even the best-
prepared localities lack adequate resources to respond to the full
range of terrorist threats this country faces. Many jurisdictions,
especially those in rural and suburban areas protected by volunteers,
have little or no capability to respond to terrorist attacks using
weapons of mass destruction.
In the President's budget, the Administration has outlined plans
for a new First Responder Initiative, which proposes to spend $3.5
billion in fiscal year 2003 to dramatically enhance the homeland
security response capabilities of America's local fire, EMS, and police
departments. This proposed program, which would be administered through
FEMA, will allocate approximately $105 million for planning, $2 billion
for equipment, $1.1 billion for training, and $245 million for
exercises. The National Volunteer Fire Council fully supports this
program and we ask Congress to do the same.
However, although we understand that some small fire departments
are better served through structured training from State training
organizations, we are concerned about the possibility that a large
portion of this new funding for equipment and training will get bogged
down in State agencies and will not get down to the local first
responders. We look forward to working with the Congress and FEMA to
ensure that this program reaches needy departments. The efficient
administration of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program could
well serve as a model for distributing these funds.
In addition, although we understand the special needs and concerns
of America's large metropolitan areas, Congress and FEMA cannot forget
smaller communities, whose fire, rescue and EMS personnel also need the
basic training and equipment to recognize and respond to these
incidents. While these communities may not seem to be prime terrorist
targets, it is this very perception that makes them especially
vulnerable.
Another critical need in America's volunteer fire service is the
recruitment and retention of volunteer personnel. Over the past 20
years the volunteer fire service has seen its ranks decrease by nearly
15 percent. Major factors contributing to the problem of recruiting and
retaining volunteers include but are not limited to constant
fundraising demands, increase in emergency calls, more rigorous
training standards, and people working further away from the
communities in which they live.
In the President's State of the Union address last week, he
encouraged all Americans to commit to service of their neighbors and
their Nation by becoming volunteers. He also laid out a plan to create
a new USA Freedom Corps, which will include a newly created Citizen
Corps, along with the existing AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Peace
Corps programs. The programs will work with local officials and
community groups to offer expanded volunteer opportunities for
Americans at home and abroad.
The Citizen Corps would further utilize volunteers to identify
threats and respond to emergencies, including much-feared biological or
chemical attacks. The Citizen Corps will enable Americans to volunteer
to participate directly in homeland security efforts in their own
communities. Community-based Citizen Corps Councils will help drive
local involvement in Citizen Corps, developing community action plans,
assessing possible threats, identifying local resources and
coordinating other Citizen Corps programs. These Councils will include
leaders from law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services,
businesses and other community-based institutions.
We understand that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will
coordinate the Citizen Corps effort and the Bush Administration has
proposed more than $230 million in funding in their fiscal year 2003
budget. The NVFC and the volunteer fire service looks forward to
playing a large role in this exciting new initiative and we urge
Congress to support it.
When I began my testimony today, I stated that the volunteer fire
service is in need of your assistance and that you, as Members of
Congress, could make a difference with the necessary funding. I hope
that I have painted a picture that illustrates that the need is real,
that the money does go a long way, and that the continued support of
the fire service by Congress is indeed a national concern.
Madam Chairman, I thank you for your time and your attention to the
views of America's fire service, and I would be happy to answer any
questions you may have.
Senator Mikulski. Thank you very much. That was all
excellent, outstanding testimony, and exactly kind of the
navigational chart we need to move ahead.
Senator Bond, I know you have a caucus meeting. Why do I
not turn to you and then I will do the wrap-up questions.
SUPPORT OF BASIC FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT
Senator Bond. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I will be
brief. I think we have so many good things to work on here, we
are going to need to continue to have your input.
Mr. Schaitberger, I was really impressed by the facts and
the figures you gave us about the declining of the inadequate
support of basic firefighting equipment. Frankly, I would hope
that your message is heard by the citizens of St. Louis County
and the citizens of Baltimore, that there has to be a renewed
emphasis on the local support of firefighting. There is no way
that the Federal Government is going to pick up these expenses,
and I do not think anybody wants to have firefighting
controlled by the Federal Government.
But having said that, we are firmly committed and we know
that this committee is going to provide the maximum support
that we can, the fire grant and all the other programs, because
they ought to be in addition to what the local governments
ought to do.
One of the things that worries me, from what you say, is
that if we triple the fire grants, there may be cutbacks. What
do you suggest we do to make sure that what we provide from the
Federal Government does not supplant or excuse the local
governments from making their essential contributions to the
basic system?
Mr. Schaitberger. I think the experience with the first
FIRE Act grants is a great example of how it can work. That
money went directly to fire departments, and the way the act is
structured, the way the regulations are provided helped to
ensure that the money really went to the departments. That is
our biggest concern. We have seen a lot of money in this
Federal Government go to a lot of State and local agencies and
quite often the funds do not get down to the program level
where they are intended. That is, quite frankly, some of my
great concern with our homeland defense as at least I am
reading some of the very general descriptions of those funds.
So, my suggestion is straightforward. You write it and
design it to make sure that it goes to the departments.
Senator Bond. And I think we probably will continue to have
a maintenance of effort requirement because we are demanding
more.
Senator Mikulski. It is in addition to, not in lieu of.
RESPONSE TO TERRORIST ATTACKS
Senator Bond. Yes, the terrorism and the other things
require a much greater response, and we cannot tolerate the
Federal funds going in to enhance your capabilities while
lessening the local commitment.
I might turn to Chief Buckman. As you mentioned, we have
provided $360 million this year but now allow some of that
funding for training and equipment to respond to the terrorism
incident. What is your view on how much of the funds should be
used to build the capacity of fire departments to respond to
terrorist acts? Several scenarios have been mentioned in the
testimony. Should that be targeted towards terrorist attacks
and perhaps providing radiation detection equipment? The dirty
bomb scenario is a possible use. What kind of criteria would
you suggest?
Mr. Buckman. Whatever percentage I say would be wrong
because I have not done the threat assessment, but I do believe
that FEMA either has or is in the process of doing a threat
assessment and what the local responders' capabilities are. I
would say once we have done that and completed that threat
assessment, then we can determine a percentage of what that new
money might go for as it relates to responding to terrorism.
Senator Bond. Chief Stittleburg, I have seen in your
background that in your spare time you practice law. So, as a
fellow recovering lawyer, let me ask a legal related question.
LIABILITY OF DONATED FIRE EQUIPMENT
One of the things that we have heard from a number of
areas, particularly where volunteer fire departments need
equipment and they seek donations, many corporations, many
businesses that have equipment that they might donate are
concerned about the possible liability that would ensue if they
donated equipment. Obviously, nobody is going to forgive an
intentional or willful turnover of equipment, but if there is
equipment that is being phased out in businesses, everybody
thinks it is good, it would be helpful for the fire
departments, volunteer and perhaps even career fire
departments, to get it, is there a liability issue that we
ought to address to make it easier to get equipment into the
hands of fire departments?
Mr. Stittleburg. Well, Senator, we certainly view it that
way and in fact have supported legislation that would grant
immunity in those sorts of situations to the donor for
precisely that reason, to encourage the passing on of
equipment, though used still serviceable, to those that are
more needy. That has certainly been, in fact, a priority piece
of legislation with us for some time.
Senator Bond. Well, Madam Chair, we will have some more
questions for the record. I appreciate your time and the time
of our witnesses, and I thank both panels for some very
compelling testimony and laying the groundwork for a lot of
effort that we are going to have to put in. We thank you. We
thank your members and your participants for all you do. We are
going to be coming to the rescue of our under-resourced fire
and first responder communities.
Senator Mikulski. Thank you very much, Senator Bond. I
think what is clearly emerging here are a couple of principles,
and I will go to my questions.
FIRE GRANT PROGRAM
First of all, I think what we are all clear about is what
we want to be able to do to our first responders is to help
them become all-hazard responders. So, in our own hometown of
Baltimore where we have many chemical plants, whether it was
caused by an accident or whether it was caused by a malevolent
intent, the response is the same. While we figure out who did
it or why it happened, your response has to be the same. So, we
need to have you as all-hazard responders.
The second is keep local control and not go through
trickle-down bureaucracies and coordinators of the
coordinators. Therefore, there should be direct funding to the
fire departments themselves, and also that should be in
addition to not in lieu of local funding.
And third, really do not reinvent the wheel. We have a
couple of basic programs that even now while we are sorting out
what does the President mean, how does the President want to do
it in this very condensed appropriations year because we have
to be done by October 4, and we want to be done with our bill
really in June.
Senator Bond. June.
Senator Mikulski. It is like a little echo chamber here.
If we really focus on doing the appropriate funding level
for the Fire Grant program where everybody is learning how to
use it and also the urban search and rescue, we will really
have created a momentum, knowing that whatever we do this year
is not the only thing we are going to do or the only way we are
going to do it. But we have got to keep the momentum going and
get those resources now.
Am I correct in saying that is really your core
recommendations and to stay the course?
Harold, in many ways you represent big city/urban. You
represent a lot more than that, but really the big cities that
are often the biggest target of threat, and then the suburbs
come in doing the backup like Mr. Morris talked about. What do
you think is the best way to really help these urban fire
departments? Stick with the Fire Grant program for now.
Mr. Schaitberger. Right now the Fire Grant program I think
works great. We just have to make sure, particularly in the big
cities, that we do not allow the mayors, city councils to back
in the grant by, in effect, reducing their initial obligation
to the department which they were responsible for or which they
intended to provide and you simply are allowing the Federal
dollars to come in the front door of the department while the
city dollars are going out the back door. There has to be
assurance that their commitment to their fire departments
fiscally are maintained or growing and then the Federal dollars
added to it.
Senator Mikulski. So, that would be the maintenance of
effort that Senator Bond talked about.
Mr. Schaitberger. Yes.
Senator Mikulski. So, again, our effort becomes in addition
to not in lieu of.
Mr. Schaitberger. Correct.
Senator Mikulski. Yes. I think that is really an excellent
recommendation.
Did you know in the Fire Grant program Baltimore City got
$300,000?
Mr. Schaitberger. I did. That is not a surprise, Madam
Chair.
Senator Mikulski. No, no, no. It was all competitive. I
want you to know this. I want to also say this because I am
going to really need the help of the leadership. Senator Bond
and I, my counterparts in the House, Congressman Walsh and
Congressman Mollohan, really said no earmarking. No earmarking.
This had to be based on, first of all, the criteria of the
bill, peer review, and evaluation. Essentially our job is to
get the money to the Fire Grant program but not to designate
it. I am really going to need your help to resist your fire
departments requesting earmarks because we will lose control
over it.
And I love earmarks. I have been doing a lot of good with
earmarks.
But really, I like the way this Fire Grant program worked.
The peer review. Again, you talked about that the firefighters
were actually there. They knew how to evaluate it. I read the
testimony where they were in tears about how threadbare
equipment, fire departments could not be funded, and so on. So,
please help me by keeping it peer-reviewed and then go for at
least the $900 million. That would be an excellent approach.
FUND RAISING EFFORTS OF LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Let me go to the fund raising of the volunteer fire
departments. Could you tell me, is this a big deterrent in
terms of the recruitment of volunteer firefighters? And if you
could tell me how much time is spent by the volunteer
firefighters? Mr. Stittleburg, maybe you could comment on this
and Chief Buckman.
Mr. Stittleburg. It is certainly a significant factor,
Madam Chairlady, and it varies from department to department
across the Nation because some departments draw more of their
funds from the municipality. Some, on the other hand, are
totally funded by their own fund rasing. But it certainly is in
every instance a significant commitment of time.
One of the things I think, to the volunteer sector, the
grant program provides is literally buying time. That may seem
to be inconsistent, but in addition to the value of the
equipment that is purchased, which has its own utilitarian
value, when we get the money from FEMA to buy that equipment,
we literally have bought back time that would have been spent
by us doing this fund raising. So, it has a double value to us
beyond just the value of the equipment received. It also
redeems our time to take the training which is now going to be
targeted, for instance, toward terrorism and issues of this
nature.
I do not have a specific number I can give you, but I can
tell you that it is not uncommon for it to be several hours per
week frequently spent just on the fund raising activities.
Senator Mikulski. Thank you. Interesting insights.
Chief Buckman?
Mr. Buckman. I would agree with Chief Stittleburg in that
it is really difficult to quantify, but I would say this that
it is probably at least one or two nights a week in many fire
departments. But if you can imagine trying to raise $300,000 to
buy a fire truck. How much time would that take? Whether you
are selling raffles, chicken dinners, or doing bingo, how much
time is that going to take? It is going to take a tremendous
amount of time.
The young people who join the volunteer fire departments
today do not join to raise money. They join to make runs and
help people. And that is where the conflict comes in in the
volunteer fire service. The chief says we have got to raise
money. The young volunteers say, I am not going to participate,
but I want new equipment. So, that becomes a retention issue as
well. Well, if I am not going to get new equipment, I am not
going to volunteer anymore. So, we do need help with
recruitment and retention, and we do need help with these funds
through the FIRE Act.
Senator Mikulski. I think that is excellent. What you were
saying is if there is only so much time a person can give, and
even if they are willing to do the fund raising, essentially
the chicken dinners and the bingo calling--and in our State we
have money wheels; other States do it differently--but you are
either going to be at the fire hall on a Friday night raising
money and your family is proud of you because you are a
volunteer or you are going to be there on Friday night ready to
answer a call. But you do not get any more time because of
family and job. You just cannot. I think that is an excellent,
excellent viewpoint.
I think the liability issues for donated equipment--though
as wonderful as donated equipment is and we appreciate it, we
would never run a clothing drive for our Marines.
Mr. Buckman. Thank you, Madam Chair. You are exactly right.
Senator Mikulski. In other words, I could see some
additional things like computers, the kinds of things
particularly like technology, if they had those palm machines
that they are ready to turn over so you could better
communicate among yourselves. But we are not running used
clothing drives or used car sales for our fire departments.
This is not a charity operation. We do not want you to have to
forage for funds, which is essentially what you are doing. And
we need you to have what is the most protective gear available
at the time. Best available technology, best available gear
that we can then help you be able to afford to buy.
And what does it mean? I am just going to come back and
close out by this. I believe the better equipped fire
departments are, the lower home ownership insurance rates will
be. In other words, the more we can do fire prevention--we have
not even talked about all your education, the way you go into
schools, the way you are often the ``officer friendlies'' of
fighting fires, the way you go around to make sure
everybody has got smoke detectors. We are talking about
terrorism here, but often your first job is to prevent fires in
local communities and be able to respond to them. This really
takes a tremendous effort.
I have lots more questions.
We want to think this through. I like President Bush's
commitment. We appreciate that. We appreciate that he actually
put it in his budget. Now we have to sort out how he wants to
do it organizationally, but while we are sorting that out--and
there are going to be turf issues and Justice does not want to
do this and all of those things--you should not have to worry
about that. Let us worry about it. Give us your advice and
commentary. We might be able to get it done, but for this year,
to make a really firm commitment to full funding as a minimum--
minimum--to our Fire Grant program and keeping politics out of
it, and at the same time really do our maximization of our
urban search and rescue, I think then we will have done a very
good job this year, knowing next year we have another good job
to do.
Mr. Schaitberger. It sounds like music to my ears.
Mr. Stittleburg. Madam Chairman, I can think of little that
would make me happier.
CONCLUSION OF HEARING
Senator Mikulski. Well, let me just say to each and every
one of the people that you represent at this table, thank you.
God bless you and God bless America.
The subcommittee stands recessed until the call of the
Chair.
[Whereupon, at 1:06 p.m., Tuesday, February 5, the hearing
was concluded, and the subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene
subject to the call of the Chair.]
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