Defending America's First Responders

As a member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Mikulski is committed to helping firefighters and first responders get the support they need to keep us safe.

Fighting for first responders

Senator Mikulski created the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP) and is dedicated to an increased federal investment in our volunteer firefighters and first responders:

• Fights every year to restore significant fire grant funding to the federal budget so communities can continue to protect first responders without having to pay for needed equipment on their own.
• Maryland communities have been awarded over $60 million in AFGP grants since 2001 to:
  • Purchase and update needed fire equipment.
  • Increase training for firefighters and other essential first responders.
  • Conduct fire safety education and awareness campaigns.

Supporting Urban Search and Rescue teams

Senator Mikulski knows that local authorities must also be ready to respond in national emergencies:

• Advocated for increased funding for the federal Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Task Force program to give local communities the resources they need to assist in national disasters, including:
  • Increased funding to train and organize local task forces into integrated disaster response teams, which are deployed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in times of emergency.
    • Montgomery County's USAR was among the task forces who heroically responded at the Pentagon on
      September 11, 2001, and in the wake of Hurricane Katrina

Resources for local law enforcement

Senator Mikulski is committed to working with federal partners for an increased investment in law enforcement programs, including more than $4 billion in funding for first responder grants since 2001:

• Working to restore federal funding for local programs that help law enforcement agencies coordinate communication, equipment and training with each other to prepare for emergencies, including the:
  • Urban Areas Security Initiative.
  • State Homeland Security Grant Program.
  • Emergency Management Performance Program.
• Called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to study the risk of cancer among firefighters:
  • Resulted in a nationwide Hazardous Substance Training Program to educate firefighters on the potential for increased health risks.

Reforming FEMA

Senator Mikulski believes FEMA can play a vital role in preparing for and responding to emergencies and disasters, and worked in the 1990s to reform FEMA into an all-hazards agency. Following the recent failure of FEMA to respond adequately to the tragedies of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Senator Mikulski is:

• Working to reform FEMA by:
  • Establishing FEMA as an independent agency to minimize bureaucracy and maximize responsiveness
  • Making sure FEMA is professional by guaranteeing that leadership and staff have a background in crisis management and emergency response.
• Making sure FEMA adheres to the Three R's of Preparedness:
  • Ready for both predictable and sudden national disasters, ranging from hurricanes to terrorist attacks.
  • Response-focused to keep FEMA able to assist states and local governments with managing disasters as they occur.
  • Recovery-oriented in the wake of disasters in order to help communities stabilize and get back on their feet.