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The Rand Report-First Responders
WASHINGTON (AP) - Police officers, firefighters, health care
workers and others who would be the first to respond to a terroris atttack say they need better protection, according to a study
released Wednesday.
The 174-page report by the Rand Corp., a California-based think
tank, said responders don't know how well their clothing would
protect them, or how well their current equipment would function.
They said that they often cannot talk to one another because radios
work on different frequencies.
"Men and women who choose to risk their lives to save the lives
of others are telling us they need better protection, better safety
training equipment and better coordination to do their jobs," said
Tom LaTourrette, lead author of the study, which is based on
interviews with 190 people in 60 communities.
The responders said they would likeighter-weight equipment and
protective clothing, handsfree radios, better training and new
tools to detect the hazards they face. One problem is that they
have few choices when it comes to personal protection no matter
what the hazard "because protection options are very limited to
begin with," the report said.
Homeland Security Department spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the
department was receptive to improvements. "Every day, states and
cities are buying new protective and communications equipment," he
said.
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, first responders are
very concerned about the dangers and casualties that could result
from another terrorist attack.
"Terrorism is on everybody's mind," said D.J. Peterson, the
project leader. "Protecting themselves against terrorist incidents
is their greatest priority. In the past, the big terrorist threat
might have been a pipe bomb at a school. Now we're talking about
entire buildings coming down. The scale has changed."
Congressional Democrats have tried to add millions of dollars
for first responders and other security priorities to spending
bills for the new Homeland Security Department, but the majority
Republicans have defeated those efforts, saying that the department
gets enough money. House and Senate Republicans this summer
rejected Democratic efforts to reduce tax cuts for millionaires and
use the money for homeland security.
Peterson said more money may not be the only answer. For
example, he said, small towns may be able to pool their orders for
emergency equipment, thus getting a better price than they
currently get for buying small amounts separately.
----
On the Net:
Rand report: http://www.rand.org
workers and others who would be the first to respond to a terroris atttack say they need better protection, according to a study
released Wednesday.
The 174-page report by the Rand Corp., a California-based think
tank, said responders don't know how well their clothing would
protect them, or how well their current equipment would function.
They said that they often cannot talk to one another because radios
work on different frequencies.
"Men and women who choose to risk their lives to save the lives
of others are telling us they need better protection, better safety
training equipment and better coordination to do their jobs," said
Tom LaTourrette, lead author of the study, which is based on
interviews with 190 people in 60 communities.
The responders said they would likeighter-weight equipment and
protective clothing, handsfree radios, better training and new
tools to detect the hazards they face. One problem is that they
have few choices when it comes to personal protection no matter
what the hazard "because protection options are very limited to
begin with," the report said.
Homeland Security Department spokesman Gordon Johndroe said the
department was receptive to improvements. "Every day, states and
cities are buying new protective and communications equipment," he
said.
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, first responders are
very concerned about the dangers and casualties that could result
from another terrorist attack.
"Terrorism is on everybody's mind," said D.J. Peterson, the
project leader. "Protecting themselves against terrorist incidents
is their greatest priority. In the past, the big terrorist threat
might have been a pipe bomb at a school. Now we're talking about
entire buildings coming down. The scale has changed."
Congressional Democrats have tried to add millions of dollars
for first responders and other security priorities to spending
bills for the new Homeland Security Department, but the majority
Republicans have defeated those efforts, saying that the department
gets enough money. House and Senate Republicans this summer
rejected Democratic efforts to reduce tax cuts for millionaires and
use the money for homeland security.
Peterson said more money may not be the only answer. For
example, he said, small towns may be able to pool their orders for
emergency equipment, thus getting a better price than they
currently get for buying small amounts separately.
----
On the Net:
Rand report: http://www.rand.org
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