[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 78 (Friday, May 23, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7127-S7128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      GRANTS TO HIRE FIREFIGHTERS

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to thank my colleagues, 
especially Chairman Warner and Senator Levin, for their support in 
approving amendment No. 785 that I offered to help America's 
firefighters and ensure that our Nation will be prepared to respond to 
future acts of terrorism, should they occur. The amendment, which was 
approved by the Senate yesterday as part of the Department of Defense 
Authorization Act, will authorize the creation of a grant initiative to 
help local governments hire the firefighters they need to address the 
threat of terrorism and the dangers posed by more ordinary crises.
  This amendment, Senate Amendment No. 785, is nearly identical to the 
Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, SAFER, Act, which I 
am pleased to have co-authored with the distinguished Senator and 
chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee--Mr. Warner. I am happy 
to say that this amendment has enjoyed strong support on both sides of 
the aisle.
  The amendment I offered will help ensure that America's local fire 
agencies have the human resources they need to meet the challenge of an 
extended war against terrorism. The amendment authorizes the President 
to provide up to $3 billion in firefighter staffing grants to State and 
local governments over the next 3 years. These grants will provide a 
portion of the salary for new firefighters hired by State and local 
agencies.
  Many of us in Congress have long understood that America's 
firefighters make extraordinary contributions to their communities 
every day. But on September 11, 2001, we got a glimpse of the larger 
role that the men and women of the fire service play. The National role 
of our firefighters has become apparent and our firefighters have made 
the Nation proud.
  After September 11, we know that America needs its firefighters to be 
better prepared to respond to deliberate acts of mass destruction. The 
fire service needs to be better prepared to deal with acts of 
bioterrorism and it needs to be prepared to help save people who have 
been attacked with toxic chemical weapons. In short, America's fire 
departments need to be prepared for what once seemed unthinkable.
  Despite the increasingly important role firefighters play as part of 
our National homeland defense system, communities over the years have 
not been able to maintain the level of staffing necessary to ensure the 
safety of the public of our firefighters themselves. Since 1970, the 
number of firefighters as a percentage of the U.S. workforce has 
steadily declined and the budget crises that our State and local 
governments are now enduring have only made matters worse. Across the 
country today, firefighter staffing is being cut and fire stations are 
even being closed because of State and local budget shortfalls.
  That is not to say that we haven't made progress--we have. In recent 
years, the Federal Government has recognized that it can and should be 
a better partner with local firefighters. In 2000, my colleagues 
Senator DeWine, Senator Levin, Senator Warner, and I worked 
successfully on this floor to help create the FIRE Act. The FIRE Act 
was the first Federal grant program explicitly designed to help fire 
departments throughout America obtain better equipment, improved 
training, and much needed personnel. Since September 11, 2001, Congress 
and the administration have provided billions of dollars to help local 
firefighters purchase equipment and training to respond to acts of 
terrorism, accidental fires, chemical spills, and natural disasters. 
Over the last 2 years, the Federal FIRE Act grant initiative has 
provided nearly $\1/2\ billion in direct assistance to local fire 
departments across the country and will provide another $750 million 
this year. We are beginning to significantly improve the quality of the 
equipment available to firefighters in every State and in communities 
large and small.

  Today, with passage of the SAFER provision, we have taken a giant 
step forward toward improving staffing conditions for America's fire 
service. The need for this legislation is abundantly clear. Currently 
two-thirds of all fire departments operate with inadequate staffing. 
Experts believe that previous hiring limitations and the increased 
demands for first responder services have resulted in a shortage of 
85,000 firefighters.
  According to a ``Needs Assessment Study'' recently released by the 
U.S. Fire Administration, USFA, and the National Fire Protection 
Association, NFPA, understaffing contributes to enormous problems. For 
example, USFA and NFPA have found that only 11 percent of our Nation's 
fire departments have the personnel and equipment they need to respond 
to a building collapse involving 50 or more occupants. I am delighted 
that the Senate has taken steps to address these problems and, again, I 
thank my colleagues for joining me in this important effort.
  In closing, let me say that this legislation honors America's 
firefighters. It acknowledges the men and women who charge up the 
stairs while everybody else is running down. But it does more

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than that. This legislation is an investment in America's security, an 
investment to ensure the safety of our firefighters, our families, our 
homes, and our businesses.
  Both the International Association of Firefighters and the 
International Association of Fire Chiefs have expressed their strong 
support for this legislation.

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