FYI. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050623/dcth034.html?.v=17
Daniel J. Sullivan Community Research Associates, Inc <http://www.community-research.com> Http://www.community-research.com 625 North Washington St. Suite 200 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: (703) 562-1011 Fax: (703) 519-4510 Mobile: (571) 221-6788 Press Release Source: House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Cox: Responder Preparedness Must Include Prevention Training Thursday June 23, 11:57 am ET WASHINGTON, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- House Homeland Security Chairman Christopher Cox delivered the following statement at today's joint hearing of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Science, and Technology and Subcommittee on Management, Integration, and Oversight, entitled "The National Training Program: Is Anti-Terrorism Training for First Responders Efficient and Effective?" "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would also like to welcome and thank our witnesses for appearing today before this joint Subcommittee hearing to discuss the important issue of anti-terrorism training for first responders. "I would especially like to welcome Ray Kelly, who -- as the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department -- is very much on the front lines of our war on terrorism and can speak directly to the importance of proper training in this daily battle with terrorists. "Training is one of the Department of Homeland Security's most important missions. Our Nation's first responders -- at all levels of government -- need targeted and effective training to develop and hone the specialized skills they need to fulfill their new homeland security responsibilities. Anything less is simply unacceptable. "Training our Nation's first responders, however, is an enormous task -- there are more than 1,000,000 firefighters, 800,000 law enforcement officers, and 840,000 EMTs and paramedics across the country. As a result, when it comes to first responder training, as well as so many other homeland security responsibilities, we've got to make choices. We've got to focus our resources, in this case, on training those first responders most at risk, and on the most significant threats that our populations faces. "We also must ensure that, to the maximum degree possible, terrorism preparedness training includes the prevention of terrorism. We must never fail to take advantage of opportunities to stop terrorist in the first place - - even as we rightfully prepare for the worst. "We also must make sure our Federal house is in order when it comes to first responder training programs. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 designates the Office for Domestic Preparedness -- now the Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (OSLGCP) -- as the primary agency for coordinating Federal terrorism preparedness training. "Unfortunately, coordinating Federal anti-terrorism training for first responders is easier said than done. At least seven Federal departments -- including the Departments of Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, and Transportation -- offer hundreds of training courses. Even within DHS itself, OSLGCP has no monopoly on training -- the Directorates for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, and Border and Transportation Security each trains first responders. This patchwork of programs creates opportunities for duplication, inefficiency, and confusion. "Yet, even with all of these Federal training programs, State and local governments, academic institutions, and professional organizations still provide the vast majority of training for first responders -- including in partnership with DHS. I look forward to hearing the testimony of these training partners today with respect to the Department's programs. "How effective are they? Is the Department doing enough to leverage existing State, regional, and local training infrastructure? Does the Department certify non-Federal training courses in a timely manner? Are we training first responders in the most efficient way possible? "Again, I want to thank all our witnesses for being with us today. I look forward to your answers to these and other questions about first responder anti-terrorism training. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back the balance of my time." _____ Source: House Committee on Homeland Security [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. 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