Statement of
Senator James M. Jeffords
Committee on
Environment and Public Works
Hearing on Proposed
First Responder Initiative
March 12, 2002
Good Afternoon. I want to welcome everyone in attendance
this afternoon. I would especially like
to welcome Director Allbaugh and the other witnesses, including Chief Mike O'Neil
of the South Burlington, Vermont, Fire Department. We are here today to discuss the President's new First Responder
Initiative.
Yesterday this
nation commemorated an unfortunate milestone - six months since the tragic
attack of September 11th. Since that time, much has
been said and written about the terrible events of that day.
I vividly remember my own visits to the
Pentagon and the World Trade Center just days after the attack. I remember the sights, the sounds, the
smells, but most of all, I remember the tireless efforts of the first responders
risking their lives in an heroic attempt to save others.
But these men and
women were heroes long before September 11th. These men and women were
heroes the day they became firefighters and police officers. As a former volunteer firefighter in my
small Vermont community, I feel a great sense of pride when I listen to the
stories of the brave men and women - the firefighters, police officers, and
other emergency personnel - who on a daily basis answer the call to serve.
Since September 11th I have thought every day about the causes of this horrible tragedy and
what we as a nation can do to better prepare ourselves against future terrorist
acts. Time is a great healer, and the passage of time has allowed this nation
to begin to feel normal again. For me,
this healing process has brought a renewed commitment to make sure that this
nation is prepared for and can respond effectively to any future acts of
terrorism. However, we cannot allow the passage of time to dull our
recollections of what we saw and felt in the days after September 11th.
The Federal
government, under the careful orchestration of FEMA, mobilized like never
before to respond to September 11th. But as Oliver Wendell Holmes
once said, "I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we
stand, as in what direction we are moving."
I believe the First
Responder Initiative is an important step in the right direction - moving us
toward a strong national preparedness network, a network composed of
well-prepared, well-trained, well-equipped first responders. But as we move away from September 11th, we
must not forget the continuing need.
Currently in the
United States there are over one million firefighters, over 600,000 law
enforcement officers, and 155,000 trained EMTs. Within this community, response
capability varies widely, and many areas have little or no response capability. This initiative aims at correcting those
deficiencies by helping states prepare for and respond to terrorist
attacks. But the Federal government and
the states must be partners in this process.
I hope, as all
Americans hope, that we never have to respond to another act of terrorism, but
we live in a world where we must be prepared.
I call on FEMA and the Office of Homeland Security to carefully craft
this initiative.
States and the
Federal government must work together
to ensure that our people on the front lines, our first responders,
receive all they need to answer the call.
I look forward today to hearing the testimony
of our witnesses.