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Hearings, Workshops, Visits with Legislators, Pack Day of Advocacy in Washington

NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg, far right, voices his concerns regarding the fire services' needs.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Nearly 2,000 fire service personnel came to Washington to attend the Congressional Fire Services Institute's Fifteenth Annual Fire and Emergency Services Dinner on April 30. The dinner was the culmination of a day of which included Congressional hearings on fire service issues, workshops on a variety of topics pertaining to the fire service, and hundreds of meetings between firefighters and their elected officials.

NVFC Testifies

In the morning, NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg joined other fire service organizations in testifying before the Senate Committee on Science, Technology and Transportation to discuss the needs of the fire service. The hearing was chaired by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who is also Chairman of the Congressional Fire Service Caucus and a long-time friend of America's fire and emergency services.

During the hearing, Chairman Stittleburg eloquently stated the case for continued support of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. His testimony included an appeal to Congress to fund the program at the fully-authorized $900 million level in FY 2004, and keeping it as a distinct program under the U.S Fire Administration (USFA) in the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security.

The NVFC also strongly advocated that the 36 classes which were cut from the National Fire Academy be reinstated immediately. However, he stressed that the Department of Homeland Security should not simply divert funds from other fire programs to cover the shortfall.

"We shouldn't rob Peter to pay Paul," he said. "At the same time billions of dollars are going to the states for terrorism training, the U.S. Fire Administration should not have to choose between funding classes at the Academy and funding public education or other key programs."

Besides urging the Committee to reinstate Academy classes, Stittleburg also expressed displeasure at the proposed actions to eliminate the U.S. Fire Administrator position, which will hamper the ability of the fire service to carry our message to the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security.

In addition, although Stittleburg expressed NVFC's appreciation that Congress has begun to send real dollars to the States for first responder terrorism training, equipment, and planning, he relayed many concerns the NVFC has regarding this funding. For instance, he stated that much of the terrorism funding that is being sent to the states by the Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) is not making its way to the local fire departments (especially in smaller communities). Also, the NVFC feels that state fire training agencies, who play a key role in fire service training on a daily basis, are not being utilized at all to deliver this new training. Stittleburg also stated that the Department of Homeland Security needs to encourage the states to ensure that the fire service is at the table when discussing terrorism preparedness and response. In many states law enforcement, the National Guard, and emergency management will all receive higher priority than the fire service when it comes to receiving federal funding.

The NVFC also spoke in favor of federal funding for both hiring firefighters and the recruitment and retention of volunteer emergency personnel, and for ensuring the rights of career firefighters to volunteer in their local communities during off-duty hours. Finally, the NVFC spoke in favor of the Firefighting Research and Coordination Act, introduced by Chairman McCain, which would allow the U.S. Fire Administrator to develop voluntary consensus standards for evaluating the performance and compatibility of new firefighting technology and improve coordination among Federal, State, and local fire officials in training for and responding to terrorist attacks and other national emergencies.

To view a copy of all the witnesses testimony visit:
http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=742

Firefighters Lobby Congress

Besides discussing the issues already mentioned, the NVFC encouraged its membership to ask their Members of Congress to support the following pieces of legislation:

Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefit Act (H.R. 919 / S. 459) - This legislation would expand the Public Safety Officers Benefits (PSOB) Program to public safety officers who die as a result of a heart attack or stroke while on duty.

Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2003 (H.R. 1824) - This legislation would provide tax incentives for the voluntary installation and retrofitting of buildings with automated sprinklers.

Rural Fire Department Equipment Priority Act (H.R. 1311 / S. 641) - This legislation would give rural fire departments and their cooperators higher priority when Department of Defense excess property is screened.

Early indications from the sponsors of these bills are that the fire service's voice was heard and support for these bills has dramatically increased. To view a list of the NVFC's legislative priorities visit: http://www.nvfc.org/leg/legislation.html

Secretary Ridge Addresses Dinner Guests

The highlight of the evening was the keynote address given by Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge. In his remarks, Secretary Ridge eased many concerns that the fire service relayed on Capitol Hill during the day. He stated his intention to find money to reinstate the classes at the National Fire Academy, to keep the U.S. Fire Administrator position as a Presidential Appointee needing Senate confirmation, and the Administration's continued commitment to the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program.

While pleased with Secretary Ridge's remarks, Chairman Stittleburg stressed that his comments do not address all of the NVFC's concerns and that the fire service must not rest on its laurels.

"Many of the issues that Secretary Ridge addressed at the dinner simply dealt with halting administration proposals that were potentially damaging to the fire service," he said. "We need to be moving forward, instead of constantly digging ourselves out of holes."

He added, "The fire service needs keep an eye on where the Department of Homeland Security finds the money to reinstate the classes at the Academy and ensure that USFA funding is never an issue again. In addition, we must still work with Congress to ensure that the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program is fully funded at the $900 million level and does not move from the U.S. Fire Administration to the Office for Domestic Preparedness."

To view a copy of Secretary Ridge's remarks visit:
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=43&content=593