Disaster Preparedness Presents Formidable Challenge

March 12, 2007 – David Price (D-NC), chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, understands the critical role fire fighters play in protecting the homeland whenever disaster strikes. He spoke to delegates at the IAFF 2007 Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference about the important – but difficult – task of effective national preparedness.

“In 2003, when the Department of Homeland Security was created, we needed to pull agencies together and do new things to protect this homeland,” Price said. “We knew it would be hard – it was the first major governmental reorganization of its kind.”

Price worried about smothering effective agencies and compounding the troubles of other agencies. “This concern was not unfounded,” he said. The biggest problem, he noted, is the department’s mode of operation, which is too often reactive rather than proactive. “It needs to be forward thinking, instead of frustrating us with mistakes and shortcomings.

The most known failure is the federal government’s response to Hurricane Katrina, but there are others, Price said, including recruiting and retaining personnel and establishing management systems. “Make no mistake,” he said. “It’s no easy task.”

However, Price maintained that the challenge has been given highest priority. But there is lots to be done, including funding homeland security grants above the levels set forth in the president’s proposed budget for DHS in 2008.

“Not all of the problems can be solved with more money,” Price admitted, “but it’s part of the problem because it’s simply inadequate.”

In closing, Price said, “I know you’re depending on Congress to do the right thing. We will fund SAFER and I promise to boost homeland security grant funding above their current levels.”