WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO/CLC, Harold Schaitberger, issued this statement today regarding the nomination of Michael Chertoff to serve as the new Secretary of Homeland Security:
``The International Association of Fire Fighters is encouraged by the nomination of Michael Chertoff for Secretary of Homeland Security. Mr. Chertoff has a tough record of going after and prosecuting terrorists and he helped direct our nation's response in the hours following the September 11 attacks. That experience and expertise give him the background needed to make some real progress in preventing another attack and in preparing our nation's first responders for the next incident. Mr. Chertoff has a tough record of going after and prosecuting terrorists. He also has experience helping direct our nation's response in the hours following the September 11 attacks gives him the background to make some real progress in preventing another attack and preparing our nation's first responders to respond to another incident.
``Although some progress has been made, two-thirds of the communities in our country today lack the appropriate staffing, training and equipment to handle standard emergencies in their communities, much less a chemical, biological or radiological attack by terrorists. Mr. Chertoff's initial comments yesterday that he looks forward to working with frontline defenders to improve our homeland security is exactly the kind of team-focused approach the Department needs to deliver the personnel, training and gear that will prevent a greater loss of life and property in the event of another attack.''
Studies by the U.S. Fire Administration and Council of Foreign Relations have clearly documented the deficiencies in the funding, staffing, training and equipping of our fire departments nationwide. For more information visit http://www.iaff.org.
The IAFF, headquartered in Washington, DC, is the 16th largest union among the 63 national unions that make up the AFL-CIO, representing more than 267,000 professional fire fighters and emergency medical personnel who protect 80 percent of the nation's population. More than 2,900 affiliates protect nearly 6,000 communities in Canada and in every state in the U.S. The IAFF is one of the most active lobbying organizations in Washington and its Political Action Committee, FIREPAC, is in the Top 20 PACs in the nation.
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