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Governmetal Affairs Committee |
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GAC Resources
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
Subscribe to the Fire Grant Data website Success Stories RSS (Real Simple Syndication) news feed. Click here.
The FAMA / FEMSA GAC would like to thank all the members who participated in the 2006 Home Day Program. Many of you had incredible results, and we encourage you to share those experiences with your fellow members. The GAC has posted a small website with information about some of the Home Day activities by FAMA and FEMSA member companies. Remember - Every Day is Home Day! Please click here to see the site.
Upcoming Events
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USFA Emphasizes Support for Residential Fire Sprinklers Ardent Sentry-Northern Edge Exercise Provides New Lessons KS spending data soon a click away Ask Your Member of Congress to Support the Families of Our Fallen Firefighters by Urging President Bush to Implement the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act Schools Need More Training for Emergencies, GAO Says USFA Emphasizes Support for Residential Fire Sprinklers News Release Date: May 17, 2007 Emmitsburg, MD - The national support for residential sprinklers has "Since 2001, then USFA Fire Administrator R. David Paulison and I have The USFA is pleased to report that the number of fire incidents, The USFA knows smoke alarm education and other public outreach programs Residential sprinkler installation is another part of the solution to For further information regarding the efforts and programs of the USFA,
Source: USFA Ardent Sentry-Northern Edge Exercise Provides New Lessons The Ardent Sentry –Northern Edge exercise wrapped up with positive results and an eye toward fine-tuning future responsibilities. Among the new elements introduced as part of the exercise was the role of the defense coordinating officer (DCO) whose job is to coordinate information and requests between FEMA and the Department of Defense. As a result of this arrangement, there will now be a DCO in each of FEMA’s 10 regions. “This was an exceptional exercise with great participation from those partners, federal and state, that would come together to provide relief to those in need when disaster strikes,” said Col. Frank Kosich, U.S. Army, who participated as the DCO in FEMA Region I. “The lessons we’ve learned over the past 10 days can only enhance future training and readiness activities in the regions. I don’t think I could have envisioned a better outcome.” Ardent Sentry-Northern Edge was the first major exercise in the five-year schedule of national level exercises. During the exercise, FEMA Regions I and II tested their operations plan for hurricane impacted northeastern states from New York to Maine. In Alaska, Region X participated in a scenario that involved terrorist threats to key energy infrastructure facilities, and FEMA Region V tested catastrophic response capabilities in a scenario involving the detonation of a 10-kiloton improvised nuclear device in north Indianapolis.
Source: DHS KS spending data soon a click away
Kansas plans to launch a first-of-its-kind Web site where users type in simple questions to unearth details about government expenses and state spending. Want to know how much Kansas taxpayers spent on athletic programs at the University of Kansas, home of the Jayhawks? Or want to see how much the governor's office shelled out for pencils and paper? Three years and $40 million in technology upgrades from now, the answer will be at Kansans' fingertips. The idea of opening up a state's accounting ledgers to computer-savvy public snoops is championed by taxpayer-rights groups and is gaining traction in other states, too. Both chambers of the Oklahoma Legislature agreed to the concept and now are ironing out differences between their plans. Fifteen other states also are working on so-called spending-transparency initiatives, according to Americans for Tax Reform, an anti-tax group. The idea for the state Web sites spun from a similar, congressionally ordered project to digitally track U.S. government spending by the end of the year. Google, the Internet search company, last month announced it is partnering with Arizona, California, Utah and Virginia to make online records such as driver's licenses, real-estate records and library collections easier to retrieve through search engines. Proponents of the efforts to make spending easier to track say most current state Web sites that display digital public records are too confusing, too limited or display data that's too hard to digest for most average citizens. In Kansas, parts of the state's accounting system are 20 to 30 years old, making it extremely difficult to use, said Gavin Young, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Administration. But because Kansas lawmakers knew they needed to replace the system anyway, they also required that the technology upgrade include a site for the public to see how taxpayers' dollars are spent. Besides replacing old computers, other changes will allow the public to look at expenses by all of state government, rather than only by gathering information agency by agency. Ask Your Member of Congress to Support the Families of Our Fallen Firefighters by Urging President Bush to Implement the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act On May 9th, Congressman Bob Etheridge (NC-2), Senator Patrick Leahy (VT), Congressman Peter King (NY-3), and Senator Arlen Specter (PA) circulated a letter in Congress asking their colleagues to sign onto a letter urging President Bush to force the Department of Justice (DOJ) to implement the Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefit Act of 2003. This legislation, which was unanimously passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law more than three years ago, provides a one-time financial benefit to the survivors of public safety officers who give their lives in the line of duty as a result of a heart attack or stroke. Unfortunately, as of today, the Department of Justice has only ruled on 40 of the nearly 250 cases submitted under the Hometown Heroes provisions of the Public Safety Officers’ Benefit (PSOB) program – they have denied 38 of those families the benefit. While no amount of money can ease the sorrow of losing a loved one, the United States government should keep it’s commitment to our firefighters, EMS, and law enforcement personnel. The PSOB was created to make sure those individuals who served their communities, and the nation as a whole, had the piece of mind that their families would be cared for should they be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. Please reach out to your members of Congress and urge them to sign the letter to President Bush and support the families of our fallen firefighters. Click here to view the letter. Contact information for members of Congress are available at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov. Source: CSFI Schools Need More Training for Emergencies, GAO Says Many of the nation’s public schools are lacking both the equipment and expertise needed to respond in an emergency situation, whether terrorist attack, natural disaster or biohazard emergency. USA TODAY’s Greg Toppo says the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report last week that found the schools to be unprepared for disaster, whether it be a terrorist attack, natural disaster or biohazard emergency. Toppo says the 50-state study found “in many cases, schools have never trained alongside local emergency response teams, and in a few districts, school officials won’t even be able to use their walkie-talkies to communicate with first responders during an emergency.” The GAO delivered the findings late last week to the House Homeland Security Committee. The committee, Toppo says, is looking into school preparedness and emergency response. Other findings include: Of those schools with emergency plans, 27 percent have never trained with first responders and only 29 percent train with hospitals and municipalities Source: USA Today The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality: The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the Name: Brandon Daley Fire Department: Butler County Fire District # 3 Incident Description: While responding to a residential structure fire, Firefighter Daley lost control of his personal vehicle near the entrance to the Sienna Ranch housing community (USNG: 14SPG645632), causing it to roll several times. Daley was reported to have been ejected from the vehicle. Firefighter Daley was transported in extremely critical condition to Kansas Medical Center in Andover, KS by Butler County EMS, but sustained injuries that proved to be fatal and passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital. Funeral Arrangements: Visitation will be held 05/14/2007 from 1800-2000hrs in the Garden Chapel of Watson Reflection Pointe. Funeral services will be held at 1000hrs, 05/15/2007 at Rose Hill Methodist Church. Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Please remember Brandon with a Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Brandon Daley at
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality: Name: Jeffrey Jeans Fire Department: Eudora Fire Department Incident Description: Firefighter-EMT Jeans fell ill while working at the station preparing vehicles to be used for vehicle extrication training. Jeans complained to fellow firefighters of not feeling well then suffered an apparent heart attack. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. Firefighter-EMT Jeans had participated in a large diameter hose training the evening before his passing away. He spent the night at the station, and then worked a number of other fire department duties in the morning and early afternoon leading up to his passing. Funeral Arrangements: 05/19/2007 Visitation @ 1000-1500hrs, Henderson Memorial Fund Contact and Address: The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in memory of Firefighter-EMT Jeffrey Jeans to the Eudora Fire Department, 9341 HWY 304 W, Hernando, MS 38632 Tribute is being paid to Firefighter-EMT Jeffrey Jeans at
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality: Name: Joe Piazzi Fire Department: Briarcliff Manor Fire Department Incident Description: Deputy Chief & Fire Police Captain Piazzi had responded to several incidents of downed power lines and trees due to storms throughout the afternoon of 5/16/2007. He had then returned home and assisted a neighbor with cleanup. The department had been dispatched to another call and he was preparing to respond when he began to experience chest pains. He contacted 911 and the fire department was dispatched to his residence. Upon their arrival, he was found unresponsive. Care was initiated and he was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Funeral Arrangements: Pending Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending Tribute is being paid to Deputy Chief & Fire Police Captain Joe Piazzi
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality: Name: Edward Andrews Fire Department: Redding Fire Department Incident Description: While engaged in physical fitness training, Fire Funeral Arrangements: A memorial service will held on Wednesday, May Memorial Fund Contact and Address: A memorial fund has been established Tribute is being paid to Fire Captain Edward Andrews at Source: USFA
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