Nation's Emergency Services Personnel Urged to Educate New Lawmakers

The nation’s emergency services personnel are being called to respond. But, they won’t need apparatus, lights or sirens.

They’re being asked to educate the new legislators about the fire and EMS service.

 “We encourage people to form partnerships and establish working relationships with their elected officials,” said Bill Webb, CFSI executive director.

 Webb said it’s imperative that the freshmen lawmakers understand the contributions of the fire service as well as the challenges and needs.

 The Congressional Fire Caucus – the largest on the Hill – still has strong core members following Tuesday’s election. “They’ll be reaching out to the new legislators asking them to join, I’m sure,” he added.

 Funding of the FIRE and SAFER programs as well as the U.S. Fire Administration are among the key issues that personnel should be talking to their representatives about.

 Fire officials are hoping Congress funds the FY ’15 programs at $680M, which will be evenly divided. Also, they are asking the USFA be funded at the same level as last year -- $44M.

 Congress has not approved a Homeland spending plan for next year. When legislators come back to work next week, they could work on something or let the new group decide next year.

 Webb added that he and his staff are ready to assist in anyway, and will be keeping tabs on Congressional decisions.

 Officials from all the major fire service organizations pointed out in a recent letter some of the specific challenges and needs of emergency personnel.

•  51% of all fire departments lack enough portable radios to equip all responders on a shift (down from 77% in 2001);
• 51% of all fire departments cannot equip all firefighters on a shift with self-contained breathing apparatus (down from 70% in 2001);
• 46% of all fire departments have not formally trained all their personnel involved in structural firefighting (down from 55% in 2001);
• 48% of all fire departments responsible for emergency medical service (EMS) have not formally trained all their personnel (down from 54% in 2001);
• 20% of fire departments protecting populations of at least 500,000 have fewer than four firefighters assigned to an engine (down from 30% in 2001);
• 26% of departments protecting populations between 250,000 and 499,999 have fewer than four firefighters assigned to an engine (down from 41% in 2001).
• *35% of departments do not provide a school fire safety education program based on a national model curriculum (down from 47% in 2001).
• 52% of departments do not provide a free smoke alarm distribution program (down from 69% in 2001).