[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 125 (Monday, September 24, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9744-S9745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FEINGOLD:
  S. 1458. A bill to facilitate the voluntary provision of emergency 
services during commercial air flights; to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Volunteers 
For Safe Skies Act of 2001. This bill will allow our Nation's 
firefighters, law enforcement officials, and emergency medical 
technicians, EMTs, to serve voluntarily on commercial aircraft to help 
ensure the safety of the flying public. In many cases, these public 
servants already notify the crew when they board that they are fully 
trained for emergencies and are willing to help out in the event they 
are needed.
  This bill would simply streamline and organize this practice by 
requiring the Federal Aviation Administration to create a program 
through which

[[Page S9745]]

these officials can register voluntarily and confidentially with the 
airlines. Our Nation's law enforcement officials, firefighters, and 
EMTs are trained to respond to and keep calm during emergencies and can 
be of great assistance to an airline crew.
  When I was back in Wisconsin following the vicious attacks on our 
country, I was proud of the outpouring of support and the number of 
people who wanted to help the victims, their families, and the rescue 
workers in the attacks. Across Wisconsin and the country, we have all 
heard the stories of people lining up to donate blood and food, of 
charities being flooded with donations of goodwill. People are 
searching for ways to help.
  When I held one of my listening sessions last week, Fire Chief James 
Reseburg and Deputy Police Chief Charles Tubbs of Beloit, WI, came up 
to me with an idea that they thought would help make our skies safer. 
Part of this idea was to create a registration system through which law 
enforcement officials, firefighters, and EMTs could register 
voluntarily to serve in the event of an emergency on a commercial 
airplane. For example, if an official was going on vacation on an 
airplane, he would register with the airline beforehand to notify them 
that they would have a trained public safety official on that flight. 
Like the sky marshals, only the crew would know when one of these 
volunteers was on the plane.
  Keep in mind that this would strictly be a volunteer program. This 
bill will help make our skies safer while at the same time making it 
easier for our police officers, firefighters, and EMTs to serve their 
country.
  As many of my colleagues have stated, if the airline industry is to 
recover fully from the events of September 11, 2001, we must make the 
flying public feel safe once again in our skies. The Volunteers For 
Safe Skies Act would help us do just that.

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