The president and chair of the board of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) supported efforts by Congress to improve first responder preparedness for bioterrorism attacks but said that even more work remains while testifying on Tuesday at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing entitled “Terrorism in America Response.”
Rhoda Mae Kerr, president and chair of the board of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, cited efforts by Congress to set up a voluntary anthrax vaccine program, as well as legislation passed by the House to allowed funding for the establishment of programs to provide first responders with medical countermeasure kits.
“The IAFC also supports current efforts in Congress to improve the preparedness for potential acts of bioterrorism,” Kerr said. “In December, this committee marked up the First Responder Anthrax Preparedness Act (S. 1915), which would set up a voluntary anthrax vaccine program at the Department of Homeland Security. On February 2, 2015, the House passed the Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act, which would allow grantees to use SHSGP (State Homeland Security Grant Program) and UASI (Urban Areas Security Initiative) funding to establish programs that place kits of medical countermeasures with first responders and their families. The IAFC supports both of these bills as necessary to improving local first responder preparedness for bioterrorism attacks. We urge the Senate to pass this legislation this year.”
Kerr said that the threat of terrorism has changed since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, requiring local first responders to be more prepared for a variety of incidents.
“It is important that local fire and EMS departments have the training and specialized equipment they need to respond to the variety of terrorist threats facing their communities,” Kerr said. “Programs such as the SHSGP and UASI play an important role in helping communities pay for assets to be used in mass casualty or mass decontamination response. These grant programs also can be used to purchase advanced chemical detectors and equipment needed to respond to a bioterrorism attack. In many cases, state and local grantees have used the approximately $40 billion in federal grants to purchase the capabilities that they need, and these funds are now being used to sustain these capabilities. Federal grant funds also are used to staff and maintain local fusion centers.
“It also is important to recognize that federal funding acts as an important incentive in regional planning, training and exercises by bringing together all of the federal, state and local stakeholders together. The IAFC supports the concept of developing a database of state and local projects funded by SHSGP and UASI grants, so that other jurisdictions can learn how federal funds have been used. This database could allow for the better use of taxpayer funds by preventing grantees from ‘re-inventing the wheel’ when developing capabilities.”
Kerr said local first responders also need to engage in regional planning and exercises to be prepared for the wide variety of threats they may face. Additionally,
“It will take a whole community effort to be prepared for these threats, which requires the active participation of all federal, state, local and private sector stakeholders, including the American public,” Kerr said. “The federal government provides a number of opportunities for local first responders to receive the information, training, communications, planning, equipment and coordination that are required for an effective emergency response. It is important to recognize the essential role that this committee has played in improving our nation’s preparedness. I look forward to working with you to ensure that local fire and EMS departments are ready to protect their communities.”