First, use firefighters as props then say no to requests that could make a difference in an attack. Pathetic, especially considering the amounts involved. I guess we need every little bit to oust Saddam. Bush: "If it sounds like a Clinton idea, why then I'm agin' it." (Truth in posting--this is sort of my profession, so I'm not absolutely objective on this post like I am on all the others. ) ______________ White House Resists Pressure From Fire Chiefs Assistance Sought for Staffing Needs By Bill Miller Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, October 16, 2002; Page A23 President Bush and Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge have often praised the courage of the nation's firefighters, noting the critical role they play as "first responders" in U.S. anti-terror efforts. But, at the same time, the White House is resisting pressure from fire chiefs, firefighters' unions and lawmakers to use federal money to help departments hire more personnel. The International Association of Fire Chiefs and the International Association of Fire Fighters maintain that the nation's fire departments are vastly understaffed and unprepared to cope with a terrorist attack. They want the Bush administration to create a federal grant program that would help communities hire 75,000 new firefighters over the next seven years, at a cost of $7.6 billion. There are roughly 1 million firefighters in the United States, a number that has remained fairly steady over the past 20 years. But that total isn't nearly enough for fire departments to meet staffing standards set last year by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a nonprofit organization that provides guidance to governments about fire and building codes. Most of the nation's fire departments don't have enough personnel to meet the standards, the associations said. "We do not have enough firefighters to do the job," said Garry L. Briese, executive director of the fire chiefs association. "We're asked to work at maximum capacity on an infrequent basis. But it could have catastrophic consequences if we do not perform well." Federal Hiring The push for a federal hiring program gained momentum after 343 members of the New York City Fire Department were killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Briese agreed that there were sufficient personnel at the trade center as well as at the Pentagon to respond to the crises, but he maintained that departments at most jurisdictions aren't nearly as well-staffed or as well-equipped. The push to use federal dollars to pay for more firefighters is modeled after a Justice Department initiative, the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, which has helped put 114,000 new police officers on the streets since 1995. Under the COPS program, the federal government subsidizes police salaries for the first three years. It would do the same if the firefighter program is enacted. The Bush administration has proposed spending $3.5 billion for police officers, firefighters and other first responders in the next fiscal year, but it wants to use most of that money for equipment and training, not to hire personnel. The White House also wants to drastically cut spending for the COPS program, contending that state and local governments should pay for staffing. "If the federal government is to invest in first responders . . . better that we invest in equipment, training, exercises and education, rather than paying partial salaries for firemen over a long period of time," Ridge said in an interview. "I think the hiring of personnel for emergency response has been, is now and should be either a state or a local responsibility," he said. Rep. Sherwood L. Boehlert (R-N.Y.) countered that the shortage of firefighters is "unsettling, and it's potentially dangerous." Boehlert is chairman of the House Science Committee, which held a hearing on the subject this month. He said new firefighters are desperately needed to fill gaps on volunteer departments as well as on departments staffed by career firefighters. Boehlert, who proposed legislation that probably will not come up for a vote before Congress adjourns this year, would require jurisdictions to keep new firefighters on the payroll for at least a year after the federal aid runs out. The federal assistance would run for three years and cover as much as 75 percent of a new firefighter's salary and benefits. The COPS program uses a similar formula, and many cities wound up hiring the new officers on a permanent basis, Boehlert and others said. Staffing Standards The National Fire Protection Association's standards call for putting at least four people on every engine or ladder truck used by fire departments with career employees. In highly congested areas, the NFPA recommends five or six people per apparatus. The standards also call for the first fire equipment to arrive at a scene within four minutes of an emergency call. Volunteer departments are encouraged to meet that standard. Fire chiefs, unions and other advocates have been calling for additional fire personnel for years. They were among those who worked with the NFPA on the standards released last year, and they have cited studies showing that putting more personnel on fires results in fewer injuries and fatalities. About 4,000 people die from fire each year in the United States, including an average of about 100 firefighters, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Budget Problems Harold Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said that many cities are struggling with budget problems and that some, including Buffalo, Seattle and Dayton, Ohio, have eliminated positions or are planning to do so, making the needs even greater. "All the right equipment in the world and all the training isn't really of much value if you don't have adequate numbers of personnel to perform their mission," said Schaitberger, a former fire lieutenant in Fairfax County whose union represents 255,000 professional firefighters. Schaitberger said that most jurisdictions operate with only two or three firefighters per apparatus. As a result, he said, firefighters take longer to get hoses in place and are short-staffed as they begin attacking fires. In Houston, the fire department has been paying overtime to put four firefighters on every engine and ladder truck. The city acted last year after a fire captain -- part of a three-member crew -- died in a high-rise blaze. Steve Williams, president of the union local, said that the overtime is a temporary solution because it puts firefighters at risk of fatigue. In Los Angeles County, roughly one-third of the engines are staffed by four personnel, and most of the rest operate with three, according to Richard Guerrero, president of the union local there. Firefighters have special masks and other anti-terror equipment, Guerrero said, but need more help. "We are greatly ahead of the curve," he said. "And we are still grossly behind."
The Bush administration has proposed spending $3.5 billion for police officers, firefighters and other first responders in the next fiscal year, but it wants to use most of that money for equipment and training, not to hire personnel. Only $3.5 billion? What a b*stard.
