FIRE FIGHTERS LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
NEW HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY
IAFF General President Harold
Schaitberger welcomes the nomination of Michael Chertoff, is encouraged by
nominee’s statements in support of frontline workers
WASHINGTON, DC – The General President of the International
Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO/CLC, Harold Schaitberger, issued this
statement today regarding the nomination of Michael Chertoff to serve as the
new Secretary of Homeland Security:
“The International Association of Fire Fighters is
encouraged by the nomination of Michael Chertoff for Secretary of Homeland
Security. Mr. Chertoff has a tough record of going after and prosecuting
terrorists and he helped direct our nation’s response in the hours following
the September 11 attacks. That experience and expertise give him the
background needed to make some real progress in preventing another attack
and in preparing our nation’s first responders for the next incident.
“Although some progress has been made, two-thirds of the
communities in our country today lack the appropriate staffing, training and
equipment to handle standard emergencies in their communities, much less a
chemical, biological or radiological attack by terrorists. Mr. Chertoff’s
initial comments yesterday that he looks forward to working with frontline
defenders to improve our homeland security is exactly the kind of
team-focused approach the Department needs to deliver the personnel,
training and gear that will prevent a greater loss of life and property in
the event of another attack.”
Studies by the U.S. Fire Administration and Council of
Foreign Relations have clearly documented the deficiencies in the funding,
staffing, training and equipping of our fire departments nationwide. For
more information visit www.iaff.org.
The IAFF, headquartered in Washington, DC, is the 16th
largest union among the 63 national unions that make up the AFL-CIO,
representing more than 267,000 professional fire fighters and emergency
medical personnel who protect 80 percent of the nation’s population. More
than 2,900 affiliates protect nearly 6,000 communities in Canada and in
every state in the U.S. The IAFF is one of the most active lobbying
organizations in Washington and its Political Action Committee, FIREPAC, is
in the Top 20 PACs in the nation.
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