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Governmental Affairs Committee |
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HELP THE GAC!
Dear FAMA/FEMSA member: In January, you received an e-mail from the FAMA/FEMSA Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC) asking you to complete a survey that will help the GAC and its consultants learn what congressional relationships FAMA/FEMSA member companies have established. This information is essential to the GAC’s work to increase FAMA/FEMSA’s dialogue with federal government agencies in an effort to educate key officials on the important role our industry plays in providing equipment and services to the nation’s first responders. To help us enhance these efforts, we once again ask you to take a few moments to complete the enclosed survey. Specifically, this survey will help the GAC compile a comprehensive list of FAMA/FEMSA members’ locations and the congressional senators and representatives for those locations, an important step in establishing an educational network with the members of Congress and the administration. Please note that the survey can be conveniently completed online here. We also ask that the survey be completed as soon as possible. We have tried to keep this survey as simple and straightforward as possible. We thank you in advance for your assistance in this important effort. Sincerely, FAMA/FEMSA Governmental Affairs Committee
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Department of Justice Implements Plan to Enact Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act NVFC Testifies Before Congress on Reauthorization of the U.S. Fire Administration Study to Focus on Disaster Resilience Application Period Opens for Fire Prevention and Safety Grants Stafford Disaster Act is Out of Date, Study Finds Wildland Fire and Urban Interface: Three Things You Can Do Now
Department of Justice Implements Plan to Enact Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act The Department of Justice unveiled a new strategy to streamline the claim review process and address the backlog issue related to the Hometown Heroes Survivor Benefits Act at a recent hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Hometown Heroes Act of 2003 states that the families of public safety officers who suffer a fatal heart attack or stroke while in the line of duty may qualify for survivor benefits under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program. Families of three fallen firefighters testified at the hearing, detailing the difficulties they faced in attempting to claim survivor benefits from the Department of Justice (DOJ). The result: two denied claims, one pending claim and a combined five years of delay. In a statement issued at the hearing, Domingo Herraiz, Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance which administers the PSOB program, vowed, “We have taken and will continue to take steps to decrease the time it takes for survivors to be given an answer on their claims.” Those steps include additional PSOB staff, a case management system that enables claimants to track the status of their case, outreach to public safety agencies and—most importantly—a plan to expedite the claims process. As of October 4th, DOJ reported 202 pending cases, 21 approvals, 57 denials and 26 appeals. The department has been criticized for major delays in processing claims and for rulings that, in the words of Herraiz, are “too restrictive.” Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, stated that the DOJ is “delaying implementation of the law and disregarding the clear will of Congress to grant surviving families death benefits in a timely, fair manner.” Herraiz recently addressed the semi-annual meeting of CFSI’s National Advisory Committee regarding the issue. “I am not pleased with our progress over the last year,” stated Herraiz, who admits that the claim review process has taken longer than expected. “It’s time for me to accept responsibility. I can take charge of my organization and I will fix it,” he promises. The department states that the initial backlog is the result of a complete revision of PSOB regulations following the implementation of the Hometown Heroes Act. The regulations were finalized in September of last year. DOJ maintains that most claims currently under review are waiting to receive additional evidence from the agency for which the public safety officer worked, causing additional delay. Herraiz calls the internal issues at the DOJ a long-standing problem—one that he plans to resolve. “You will see a big change. In three months, I guarantee a difference with the Hometown Heroes claims. We can do better and we will do better.” In an attempt to enact these changes, DOJ released two policy memorandums relating to the processing of survivor benefit claims. The memos, signed by Director Herraiz, clarify the definitions of two terms contained in the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act of 2003. The Hometown Heroes Act, which was unanimously passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Bush in December of 2003, stated: “if a public safety officer dies as the direct and proximate result of a heart attack or stroke, that officer shall be presumed to have died as the direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty, if-- (1) that officer, while on duty--(A) engaged in a situation, and such engagement involvednonroutine stressful or strenuous physical law enforcement, fire suppression, rescue, hazardous material response, emergency medical services, prison security, disaster relief, or other emergency response activity; or(B) participated in a training exercise, and such participation involved nonroutine stressful or strenuous physical activity… The manner in which DOJ was defining the term “nonroutine stressful or strenuous physical activity” has caused some concern among survivors and the public safety community at large. In several cases, DOJ has denied benefits to the survivors of public safety officers who have died in the line of duty from a heart attack or stroke based at least in part on the assumption that the emergency activities the officers were undertaking were “routine” for a public safety officer. “I believe it is safe to say that any firefighter or law enforcement officer will tell you no emergency situation is ever ‘routine,’” stated Bill Webb, Executive Director of the Congressional Fire Services Institute. “Our nation’s public safety officers put their lives on the line every day. A situation which they may encounter on a regular basis can quickly escalate into a catastrophic situation. While the men and women of our nation’s fire service are often prepared for almost any situation, the stress involved in their jobs is anything but routine and can take an enormous toll both physically and mentally.” The new DOJ policy memorandum clarifies the meaning of the term “nonroutine stressful or strenuous activity” and specifically states that “Responding to an emergency call shall presumptively be treated as non-routine.” Many survivors have also expressed concern over how DOJ has implemented the phrase “competent medical evidence to the contrary” in past decisions. The Department has often asked for as much as ten years of medical records and some survivors have reported infinite requests for more medical records from DOJ staff. The new policy memorandum clarifies that medical records shall only be requested if the information provided in the claim file suggests factors outside of the line of duty may be responsible for the heart attack or stroke. The memo further clarifies that “medical-history records requested of the claimant will be reviewed for mitigating evidence in favor of the claim.” “While we believe this a positive development in resolving this issue, there is still more work to be done,” said Mr. Webb. “It is now up to DOJ to implement the new policy and to make it work. Too many families have been left out in the cold waiting for DOJ to do what Congress unanimously intended for them to do. It is imperative that fire service continue to monitor the situation to make sure the families of our public safety officers are treated fairly and their claims are processed efficiently and as Congress intended.” To view the PSOB policy memos click here.
Source: CSFI
The U.S. Fire Administration’s NFA is pleased to announce the launch of a new web-based online training system NFAOnline. EMMITSBURG, MD. – The U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy is pleased to announce the launch of a new web-based online training system NFAOnline. NFAOnline provides an easy one-stop website where fire and emergency services personnel, first responders, emergency management personnel, and the general public will find free training and education programs that they can complete at their own pace.
Source: FEMA NVFC Testifies Before Congress on Reauthorization of the U.S. Fire Administration On October 2, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) testified at a hearing held by the House Science and Technology Committees’ Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation to discuss reauthorization of the United States Fire Administration (USFA). The NVFC was represented by Deputy Chief Gordon Henderson, a Past President of the Georgia State Firefighters Association, which is a state member of the NVFC. “USFA plays a critical role in educating and training fire, rescue, and emergency personnel throughout the United States,” Henderson told the Subcommittee. “Additionally, USFA collects, analyzes and disseminates data about fires and other emergencies to stakeholders and members of the public.” The NVFC made several specific recommendations for the reauthorization, including adding advanced emergency medical services (EMS), hazardous materials, and wildland fire to the core mission of USFA; updating the National Fire Incident Reporting System so that reports can be filed electronically; and requiring USFA to work with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, which operates the National EMS Information System, to ensure the respective data collection systems are capturing data that is accurate and as useful as possible. In his testimony, Henderson also discussed some of the specific programs that USFA has to help the volunteer fire service. “The most visible and direct benefit that USFA provides to the volunteer fire service is hosting the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) at the National Fire Academy,” he said. “VIP combines two weeks’ worth of course work into an intensive six-day session. The compressed course schedule is essential for many volunteers who cannot take two weeks off to attend classes and the course topics are geared specifically toward addressing challenges faced in many volunteer agencies.” Henderson also told the Committee about Retention and Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges and Solutions, a 237-page guide developed jointly by USFA and the NVFC, which identifies the specific challenges to retaining and recruiting volunteers and offers suggestions and best practices on how to overcome each one. Retention and recruitment are two of the most important issues in the volunteer fire service, which has a population that is both declining and aging. The guide is available for free download at www.nvfc.org. Ultimately, the NVFC believes that in order to be most effective, USFA must receive the funding that it is authorized by Congress to receive. In FY 2007, Congress appropriated less than $42 million for USFA, despite an authorization of more than $68 million. “USFA should be reauthorized at a funding level that will allow USFA to maintain existing programs, update and develop new programs, and expand their ability to deliver those programs to the fire and other emergency services,” Henderson said. The full testimony is available on the NVFC web site at www.nvfc.org. The NVFC will continue to work with Congress, the administration and other stakeholder groups to pass legislation reauthorizing USFA.
Source: NVFC Study to Focus on Disaster Resilience A new Oak Ridge National Laboratory initiative could help officials in Tennessee, Mississippi and South Carolina avert disasters and increase their resilience through information sharing. According to an article on the Fire Chief website, the new initiative, dubbed the Community and Regional Resilience Initiative (CARRI) will be implemented in Gulfport, Mississippi, Memphis and Charleston and is designed to increase resilience — the ability to prepare for, respond to and quickly recover from natural and man-made disasters — of the three communities. CARRI director Warren Edwards told the publication the initiative will help the communities develop and share essential knowledge, best practices, tools and techniques to strengthen a community’s ability to withstand a major disaster event with minimal downtime to basic government and business services. “We will be seeking insights from the experiences of the Gulfport, Memphis and Charleston communities to construct what we are calling our resiliency toolbox,” Edwards told the publication. “We hope to identify what the partner communities need to be truly resilient; use that information to assess vulnerabilities in other communities; and work with them to help them close the gaps. “A resilient community is prepared to help prevent or minimize the loss or damage to life, property and the environment and more quickly return citizens to work, reopen businesses, and restore essential services needed for a full and swift economic recovery,” he added. Edwards said the three cities were approached about becoming the first communities for the project because they are susceptible to both natural and man-made disasters. To read the full article, click here: http://firechief.com/news/disaster_resilience_10102007/
Source: Disaster Resource Guide Application Period Opens for Fire Prevention and Safety Grants Washington – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today the opening of the application period for the 2007 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants Program. Under the FY 2007, approximately $27 million will be available to fire departments and other eligible organizations to reduce losses from fire and fire-related hazards. The application period for awards under the FP&S Grants Program opens today, October 22, 2007 and closes on November 30, 2007. The application kit will be made available today at:www.firegrantsupport.com and at www.grants.gov. Actual awards will be made at a later date.
Source: FEMA Stafford Disaster Act is Out of Date, Study Finds Louisiana lawmakers have been pushing for changes to the nation’s major disaster response law since Hurricane Katrina. Now they might get some help in their fight, as a new study by New York University finds the act to be dangerously out of date. In an article in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Bruce Alpert says the report, by the university’s Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response found the 1988 Robert T. Stafford disaster act offers the same level of assistance for a blizzard in a rural community as it does for a major earthquake or hurricane in a major urban area. “It’s time for Congress to strengthen the nation’s capacity to respond to the catastrophes that we face in the 21st century,” said Mitchell Moss, an NYU urban planning and policy professor. “We face serious threats of biological, chemical, radiological and nuclear attacks that require fundamental reform of the Stafford Act.” Among the report’s recommendations: Eliminate the $5 million cap on tax recovery assistance for state and local governments.
Source: Disaster Resource Guide Wildland Fire and Urban Interface: Three Things You Can Do Now Fairfax, Va., Oct. 23, 2007... The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) urges fire departments to take a leadership role in ensuring their communities are educated and prepared for the threat of wildland fire. The current situation in southern California and continuing drought conditions in many parts of the U.S. serve as reminders for the fire and emergency services to stop and evaluate wildland fire planning in their community. “We are closely monitoring the progress of events in southern California, and we stand ready to support the affected communities and their responders in any way we can,” said Chief Steven P. Westermann, IAFC president. “While the focus is on California now, the issue of fire in the wildland urban interface (WUI) is one that impacts an increasing number of communities from coast to coast. We urge the fire and emergency service community to make sure they are prepared to address this growing issue.” The IAFC urges its members to review the tools and resources available from the IAFC website (www.iafc.org/wildland) and to take action in three areas: Review and update as needed your Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) and tactical and operational procedures pertinent to responding to a wildland fire situation in your community and surrounding communities. Take both an internal and interagency approach to the review; make sure changing environmental factors are not overlooked, various public safety and local officials understand each other’s roles and firefighters understand critical safety issues. A review should also include recovery planning. Source: IAFC
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality: Name: M.L. Hopper Rank: Forestry Aide 2 Age: 74 Gender: Male Status: Career Years of Service: 21 Date of Incident: 08/24/2007 Time of Incident: 1330hrs Date of Death: 08/24/2007 Fire Department: Tennessee Division of Forestry Address: 3520 Central Avenue, Nashville, TN 37205 Telephone: 615-837-5537 Fire Department Chief: John Kirksey Incident Description: While flagging a proposed fire control line, the employee suffered a massive heart attack. Funeral Arrangements: 08/2007 Memorial Fund Contact and Address: None reported. Tribute is being paid to Forestry Aide 2 M.L. Hopper at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/
Source: USFA |
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