The U.S. Senate confirmed Chief David Paulison today as Director of FEMA, a job he has held on an acting basis since Michael Brown was forced to resign. Chief Paulison, approved unanimously, becomes the Homeland Security Department's undersecretary for FEMA.
Without a doubt, Dave (a good man who has NEVER forgotten that he is a firefighter) takes over FEMA, which had been a stand-alone agency, but was rolled into the Homeland Security Department as part of a questionable government reorganization after the September 11th murders. Not the best decision ... to "lose" FEMA in the massive bureaucracy of DHS ... but what's done is done -- for now.
We have full confidence in Dave ... and we could write volumes on him. We won't do that now. Probably the #1 "thing" that makes Dave so clearly the man with the ability to attempt to get FEMA going in the right direction, is the fact that he has never failed to HAVE TIME to listen to-and remember -- the Nation's firefighters ... and his role as a firefighter.
To us, that means he has never stopped thinking and acting like a firefighter. And, at least to us, a "good firefighter" is one that never forgets the mission and is always "ready". And if he can get FEMA ready and operating in a manner similar to a well staffed, well trained, well lead and well equipped FD ... who wouldn't smile with pride?
a Is he nuts to take this job? Some think so -- but that's also a quality of a good firefighter. Seriously though -- Dave has his hands full-not only is the curtain about to rise for the 2006 hurricane season, but he has to deal with a staff loaded with good folks who want to be lead and have pride in FEMA.
But FEMA is also loaded with folks who have totally and completely lost touch with their mission ... and that could be very dangerous ... again. But like a good firefighter, we have confidence that Dave will find the source of the problem and fix it -- quickly.
And while he has his hands full, maybe it's our turn to help as well. The success of any national response will be the above mentioned qualities as applied to LOCAL FD's & EMS agencies. FD's that have their act together-not one-but all in a region or area. Forget "personality based" mutual aid..forget who you like and who you don't ... forget how much someone gets paid ... forget the BS stuff.
It should be clear to any of us with a pulse, by now, that FEMA is NOT a first or even second responder agency. We do that ... or are supposed to. It is when "we" get overwhelmed that "other FIRE systems" fall into place. If local needs help, they call County ... if County needs help, they call regional...if regional needs help ... they call a MABAS system, a larger mutual aid group-or the State.
And then, IF the State can't handle it, FEMA's "tones" should be set off and yes-then THEY BETTER have their act together because there ain't much left after FEMA. They don't really have the option to NOT be able to handle something. But clearly, we better have it together locally, regionally and state wise that works as well locally, as we expect FEMA to act when they are called.
With the IAFC finalizing the National Fire Mutual Aid System -- a nationwide mutual aid system lead by FIRE folks, another tool is also being created to help us succeed.
All we gotta do is wanna.
Sure, there are EMA systems out there-and they are fine in their areas of expertise-such as coordinating with the Red Cross, Salvation Army etc.. But when FIRE/RESCUE and EMS RESOURCES are needed-there are no better folks qualified to make that happen than FIRE folks. And now there is a system from the IAFC that will help create a national FIRE mutual aid system.
Again-all we gotta do is wanna make it work. And, as usual, it's really not about us. It's about the poor folks who are needing our help. When you look at it closely, there are some very common denominators between how a FD should prepare, train and respond and how FEMA needs to train and respond.
We sincerely wish Chief Dave Paulison the best and hope that our words-all of our words of support equate to all of us wanting to be prepared locally so we can really say we did OUR BEST when we have to call for FEMA ... when we expect them to do THEIR BEST.
