SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS’S LEGISLATION CO-ORDINATING EFFORTS OF NEW DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND FIRST RESPONDERS GAINS ACCEPTANCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Susan Collins's bi-partisan legislation, the First Responders Act of 2002, has been passed by the Senate and is now a part of the Homeland Security Bill. Senator Collins's legislation, which she introduced with Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), will ensure that the new Department of Homeland Security maintains strong and open ties with local first responders such as police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel, as well as with state and local government officials.

"As we saw on September 11th, the first people on the scene of a terrorist attack are our police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians. It is imperative that the new Department of Homeland Security communicate and co-ordinate with first responders, and provide them with a voice in setting policy and strategy," said Senator Collins. "Our legislation will do that."

The First Responders Act of 2002 will require that the new department designate a Homeland Security Liaison Officer in each state so that first responders and state and local officials will know where to go to get answers and to share important information.

The amendment also creates an interagency committee charged with identifying the needs of police, fire and rescue, and medical and emergency relief services and figuring out ways in which the new department can better meet these needs. It creates an advisory council that will include representatives of the law enforcement community, fire and rescue organizations, and medical and emergency relief services.

Major General Joseph Tinkham, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency Management, praised Senator Collins's legislation, saying, "The initiative to designate an individual in each state to provide liaison on issues relating to homeland security is not only valuable from an operational effectiveness standpoint, but will save countless federal dollars as an efficiency measure."