Remarks By Deputy Secretary Of Homeland Security James Loy At The International Association Of Fire Chiefs “Fire-Rescue International Conference”

Release Date: 08/12/04 00:00:00

New Orleans
August 12, 2004
(Remarks as Prepared)

Thank you for that introduction.  I’m honored to be here this morning with the members of the International Association of Fire Chiefs - a valued partner of our Department.  

While the Department of Homeland Security is only about eighteen months old, the work of securing our hometowns and safeguarding our communities has been an ongoing effort since the days when a different “George W” held the office of President.  And it has been part of your courageous story for more than 130 years.

It’s an effort that has been led by dedicated first responders – firefighters, law enforcement officers, rescue service personnel - ordinary men and women who have forged a proud tradition of service and dedication to the safe-keeping of our nation.  And I know that level of commitment is no different in Israel than Iowa - or anywhere around the world.

Today - from California to Connecticut to Canada - from urban areas to small rural towns - your fellow firefighters will continue that tradition by answering the call, rushing to aid those in need and putting their lives on the line.  

On September 11th, the entire world was able to see first-hand the sacrifices firefighters and other first responders are called to make on a daily basis -- and the incredible, steadfast courage they exhibit in making them.  

And as recently as last week, we have seen your continued commitment to the security of the American people as the Department worked with local first responders in New York, New Jersey and Washington to confront terror threats to the financial services sector in those areas.   These recent terror warnings are a somber reminder that security must remain a high priority for all of us.  As President Bush said, “We are safer, but we’re not safe.”  Terrorism is not going away; it is the new reality under which we all live.  

And while we can put protections in place - which we have done - that make us more secure, as long as there are terrorists bent on carrying out their evil plans we must recognize that we are at war.  A war like none other that preceded it, but a very real war none the less.    And in this struggle, we have to be right a billion times a year -- the terrorists only once.  Such a threat must be met with unparalleled urgency and action. We cannot afford to grow complacent -- the stakes are simply too high.        

As we have seen in the past week, the relationship that exists between local first responders and the federal government is crucial to ensure that swift and effective action is taken to confront the existence of a threat.  In many ways, the coordination we have witnessed between the financial services sector, local law enforcement and government is an example of just how far we have come since the tragedy of September 11th.  

Today, we share information more efficiently, we communicate more effectively, and all of that enables us to act decisively.  That is why threat information policymakers received on a Friday morning was immediately turned around and shared with the first responders, private sector specialists, and local government.  And come Monday morning extensive security measures were already in place at the affected areas to protect those facilities, communities, and citizens.

Secretary Ridge has said time and again, we cannot secure the homeland from Washington, DC. We must engage the entire country - state, local and tribal governments, first responders, the private sector, academia and concerned citizens everywhere. Homeland security is not a federal strategy; it is a national call to action for each of us as citizens of our country.

Before September 11th, counties, cities, and states for the most part worked independently to achieve their security goals and objectives.  The problem with that approach is that if security goals aren’t integrated then there are going to be holes and gaps, the type of weaknesses terrorists look to exploit.  

That’s why after September 11th, it became abundantly clear that securing our homeland would require all those different entities to come together around a shared goal of protecting our nation and our citizens from those who would seek to do us harm.  

It would require a homeland security vision that, at its core, is based on partnerships.  A vision of shared leadership a vision of shared responsibility – a regional approach – counties, cities, and states working together through mutual aid agreements, interoperable communications, statewide intelligence centers, community and citizen participation – all these necessary elements communicating and coordinating in the event of a crisis.

For more than two years now, we have worked to build upon that vision and turn it into a reality, to build that security capacity from the ground up and to build strong partnerships across all segments of our society, from the private sector to state, tribal and local governments to the first responder community in order to accomplish our vision of a strong and safe nation.

Washington can be expected to lead, but we cannot, nor should not, micro-manage the protection of our country.  Nowhere is this more important than in the area of emergency preparedness and response. At Homeland Security we have worked to provide a framework for emergency preparedness planning that will guide and coordinate the integration of our national response capabilities, but also will ensure that localities and states still have the freedom to make the necessary decisions to ensure the highest level of protection for their citizens.  You know the needs of your community better than anyone else; you know the unique requirements of your community better than anyone else.

This National Response Plan will pull together all of the current federal response capabilities under a single “all hazards” system for prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The plan is being developed with guidance from all stakeholders - federal government agencies, state, local, and tribal officials, as well as first responders. This working blueprint will enhance our nation’s capabilities and unify our efforts to prevent, prepare, respond and recover from potential threats, attacks or disasters of any kind.

A cornerstone of this plan has been the creation of the National Incident Management System - or NIMS - as it’s known in the land of acronyms.  As many of you know, NIMS is based on the highly successful Incident Command System developed and used for more than 30 years by America’s fire services.  

NIMS is the nation’s first-ever multi-discipline, intergovernmental, standardized incident management plan -- a framework to create a unified command system for federal, state, tribal and local governments and the response community.

Under NIMS, all levels of government will share a common set of terminologies, protocols and processes to ensure a seamless, coordinated response.  It puts into practice the concept of “one mission, one team, one fight” - across all levels of government.

First responders are often the first on the scene and the last to leave, and your ability to communicate and work together is paramount.  There were many painful lessons learned on 9/11 that we must fix.  From these disappointments and wake-up calls emerged a resolve not to let an incompatible radio frequency or a too-small/too-large piece of safety equipment impede the ability of brave men and women to save the lives of citizens as well as their own.

That’s why we’re working to develop standards that fit into the NIMS framework and improve your ability to operate effectively and safely.

Thanks to President Bush’s leadership, we will soon have incident-level interoperable communications equipment in ten high-threat urban areas.

While we continue to work on long-term solutions to overall interoperability, this RapidCom 9/30 program - so named to include our expected date of delivery, September 30th - will allow emergency personnel to communicate using existing equipment over an incident area the size of the attacks on the World Trade Center.

All of the Department’s efforts in this area will be coordinated by the new Office of Interoperability and Compatibility. It will focus not just on interoperable communications, but also on the gear that will be used by multiple jurisdictions - firefighters and police officers from different neighborhoods - as they join together to respond to a major event.

For instance, the Department has announced the first comprehensive Statement of Requirements for communications throughout the first responder community.

This document outlines the future technology requirements for public safety wireless communications and interoperability. This is going to serve as another chapter in our playbook - one that will bring governments, public safety officials, the communications industry, and future research and development efforts together under a common mission. Because only together can we provide first responders with the tools they need to do their jobs well - in a way that replaces outdated, outmoded relics with an interoperable, innovative and integrated system of communications.

We have also adopted the first set of standards regarding personal protective equipment developed to protect first responders against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents.  

These standards, which will assist state and local procurement officials and manufacturers, are intended to provide emergency personnel with the best available gear - allowing them to protect themselves, as they work to protect others.

This Department has been unwavering in its commitment to the needs of first responders like yourselves.  Since the tragedy of September 11, 2001, we have allocated or awarded more than $8 billion to assist and equip our Nation’s first responders.  And in this year’s budget, the President has requested an additional $3.6 billion to further bolster our first responders’ ongoing efforts.

As you know, President Bush has also strongly supported the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program - in fact, he is the first President to request specific funding for this program in his budget.  When the FY 2004 grant process finishes, we will have distributed close to $2 billion under this program to more than 20,000 local fire departments, and the President has proposed another $500 million in this year’s budget.  

As many of you know, Congress and the Administration have recently moved the Firefighters Grant Program from FEMA to our Office for Domestic Preparedness.  This move marks an effort on our part to consolidate all of our grants in one place, so that the process can become more efficient for both the applicant and the Department.  We are constantly looking for ways to streamline the grant process and make it more user-friendly.

Already with FIRE grants, we have added help screens, provided a 1-800 assistance call center, provided a tutorial CD-ROM in every application packet, as well as offered extensive grant applicant workshops - more than 340 across the country since the beginning of the year.  

In addition, I have asked ODP to aggressively review the application and look for ways to simplify the application itself.    

Of course, all the facets of the FIRE grant process that have generated such positive feedback from you - the online application, direct funding, peer review process, and the grant workshop assistance - will continue to be a part of the program.  

Whether fighting an act of terrorism or fighting a fire, firefighters need proper breathing equipment, boots, a helmet, and protective gear.  This grant program helps ensure that firefighters are getting the basic equipment they need to do their jobs, even as you take on more difficult responsibilities and challenges in your expanded post 9/11 role.  

With that in mind, we have looked for ways beyond just funding that can support the mission of our nation’s firefighters.    

Homeland Security is working closely with you – as well as several other firefighter organizations - to build a national Fire Corps program that will fall under the umbrella of Citizen Corps.  

Citizen Corps has been a tremendous grassroots tool to engage Americans at an individual level to invest in the security of their community.  

By partnering with the fire community to create Fire Corps, we will offer citizens in every neighborhood across America an opportunity to support their local firehouse.  Citizen volunteers can have an impact in a variety of ways.  Some may choose to spread the word about fire prevention or educate the community on fire safety or help with routine administrative tasks.

By choosing to serve, they will give firefighters more time and resources to pursue their critical, highly skilled responsibilities on the front lines of emergency response - where they are needed most.  Every American - indeed every citizen of the world - relies on your courage, bravery, and commitment to service, every day, in every town.

So as we build a Department dedicated to Homeland Security – my goal and hope is that we forge a tradition of dedication and sacrifice that aspires to the tradition of “hometown security” passionately pursued by a long line of heroes – known simply to all of us as firefighters.  

Thank you.  

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This page was last modified on 08/12/04 00:00:00