White House Flu Plan Overlooks Fire
Fighters & Paramedics
WASHINGTON, DC - The General President of the International
Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO/CLC, Harold Schaitberger, issued this
statement today on the federal government’s plan to prepare for a potential
flu outbreak:
“The Bush administration’s plan outlining the nation’s
response to a potential outbreak of pandemic flu is a startling reminder of
the work that still needs to be done to guard against influenza.
“The federal government’s plan fails to adequately address
the health of fire fighters and emergency medical professionals and fails to
recognize the role fire departments play in developing and implementing a
community-wide response to a flu outbreak.
“In addition, state and local governments must ensure fire
fighters and emergency medical personnel have the training and resources to
perform their jobs adequately during such a potential national crisis.
“State and local preparedness is paramount, because the
federal government made it clear today that people can’t count on a rescue
effort orchestrated by Washington officials. Fire fighters and emergency
medical services personnel will be the first ones responding to the needs of
America’s citizens during a pandemic.
“Fire fighters and paramedics will face enough risk caring
for people exposed to pandemic flu; they shouldn’t be exposed to greater
risk because states, cities and towns are ill-prepared to respond to an
outbreak that health officials have warned for months could sweep across our
nation.
“Preparation and funding are crucial to an effective
emergency response. Federal, state and local officials must make funding
available so fire fighters and EMS personnel are adequately trained and
equipped with routine safety equipment. They must have vaccine, gloves and
proper respirators so they don’t become carriers of the infection as they
treat those stricken with the flu.
“Local government officials and public health officials must
collaborate with fire departments and emergency medical service providers to
take the fundamental first step of crafting a plan of action. In addition,
they need to outline the role of fire departments, draft a plan to limit
exposure of fire fighters to pandemic flu, and acquire protective equipment
and enforce the proper hygiene measures. They also must plan for the impact
on departments in the event fire fighters become infected in large numbers.
“The plan also fails to recognize the substantial role that
fire departments can have in public outreach, as well as community-based
vaccine delivery before an outbreak occurs.
“The president outlined a $7.1 billion spending plan to
combat an outbreak, but Congress has approved just $3.8 billion to date.”
The International Association of Fire Fighters,
headquartered in Washington, DC, represents more than 273,000 full-time
professional fire fighters and paramedics who provide emergency medical
response to 80 percent of the population in the United States and Canada.
More information is available at www.iaff.org.
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