BECAUSE WE`RE WORTH IT
BY BILL MANNING
The stage was set. Two thousand firefighters attending the third General Session at the Fire Department Instructors Conference waited in anticipation. Chief Bob DiPoli of the Needham (MA) Fire Department, legislative representative of the Massachusetts State Fire Chiefs Association, had just delivered a rousing speech on the importance of becoming politically involved in issues that have a direct bearing on the fire service`s future.
And now it was time for those in attendance to meet the man who only a few months before was a virtual “unknown” on the national fire service scene but who now is the champion of the most important federal bill in the history of the fire service.
As Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. moved briskly toward center stage, the crowd rose to its feet in ovation, expressing both appreciation and solidarity of purpose. It was a great moment.
Just two days before, Pascrell and Congressman Curt Weldon had introduced this sweeping fire service bill into the House of Representatives as H.R. 1168, the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act (previously known as the 21st Century Fire and Public Safety Act). The following day, Pascrell traveled to Indianapolis to address fire service leaders nationwide from the FDIC “back step.”
“Why does Congress need to pass this bill?” asked Pascrell. “Because we`re worth it!” Indeed. Second the motion.
I was standing in the stage wing during Pascrell`s speech. Someone turned to me, his eyes widening in a sudden realization, and whispered, “I think this is our guy. He`s sincere. He`s not `slick.` This is the guy for us.” From the three hours I spent with Pascrell that day in earnest conversation, I can attest that is true.
In two days, Pascrell and Weldon lined up 82 House co-sponsors of the FIRE bill. Note, however, that of this number, only 18 are from the Republican side of the House. For this bill to work, it must become a truly bipartisan piece of legislation. “I`m not going to let go of this,” Pascrell declared, adding that if he had to, he`d become “the Menace on the Hill.”
This is a beginning–a great beginning. The past year of hand-wringing and teeth-pulling is history. The FIRE bill is getting press in national and local papers. But be prepared for a fight. Not all the newspaper accounts have been favorable. Most people are not sensitized to the fire issue–it`s low on their priority list. It`s our job to make them sensitized.
Following are excerpts from the FIRE Bill. Fire Engineering will publish the complete bill in the May issue, along with Pascrell`s address at the FDIC.
Also following is a list of the 82 FIRE Bill co-sponsors as of March 24. Our first job is to identify representatives missing from the list and gain their support through phone calls and letters–NOW–there`s no time to lose. Also, contact co-sponsors and let them know you`re appreciative of their support.
It`s time to make history.
EXCERPTS FROM THE FIRE ACT
106th Congress, 1st Session H.R. 1168
A BILL
To authorize a Federal grant program to local governments for the purpose of protecting the public and firefighting personnel against fire and fire-related hazards.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
This Act may be cited as the “Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act.”
SECTION 3. GRANT PROGRAM
(a) Authority.–In accordance with this Act, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency….may make grants on a competitive basis to local governments for the purpose of protecting the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel against fire and fire-related hazards…
(c) Use of Grant Funds.–The Administrator [editor`s clarification: of the grant program] may make a grant under subsection (a) if the applicant for the grant agrees to use grant funds for any of the following:
(1) To hire additional firefighting personnel.
(2) To train firefighting personnel in firefighting, emergency response, arson prevention and detection, or the handling of hazardous materials, or to train such personnel to provide any of the training described in this paragraph.
(3) To fund the creation of rapid intervention teams to protect firefighting personnel at the scenes of fires and other emergencies.
(4) To certify fire inspectors.
(5) To establish wellness and fitness programs for firefighting personnel to ensure that such personnel can carry out their duties.
(6) To fund emergency medical services provided by fire departments.
(7) To acquire additional firefighting vehicles, including fire trucks.
(8) To acquire additional firefighting equipment, including equipment for communications and monitoring.
(9) To acquire personal protective equipment required for firefighting personnel by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and other personal protective equipment for firefighting personnel.
(10) To modify fire stations, fire training facilities, and other facilities to protect the health and safety of firefighting personnel.
(11) To enforce fire codes.
(12) To fund fire prevention programs.
(13) To educate the public about arson prevention and detection.
(d) Matching Requirement.–The Administrator may make a grant under subsection (a) only if the applicant for the grant agrees to match 10 percent of the Federal funds for the fiscal year in which the grant will be received…
(h) Variety of Grant Recipients.–The Administrator shall ensure that grants under subsection (a) for a fiscal year are made to a variety of local governments representing to the extent that there are eligible applicants–
(1) communities of varying size;
(2) urban, suburban, and rural communities; and
(3) communities with paid fire departments and communities with volunteer fire departments…
SECTION 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
For the purposes of carrying out this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator $1,000,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2000 through 2005.
FIRE BILL CO-SPONSORS as of 3/24/99
1. Abercrombie, Neil (HI)
2. Andrews. Robert (NJ)
3. Baldacci, John (ME)
4. Bishop, Sanford (GA)
5. Blagojevich, Rob (IL)
6. Bonior, David (MI)
7. Boucher, Rick (VA)
8. Brady, Bob (PA)
9. Brown, Corrine (FL)
10. Brown, Sherrod (OH)
11. Burr, Richard (NC)
12. Clayton, Eva (NC)
13. Costello, Jerry (IL)
14. Coyne, William (PA)
15. Crowley, Joseph (NY)
16. Cummings, Elijah (MD)
17. Deutsch, Peter (FL)
18. Doyle, Michael (PA)
19. Ehrlich, Robert (MD)
20. English, Phil (PA)
21. Etheridge, Bob (NC)
22. Farr, Sam (CA)
23. Forbes, Michael (NY)
24. Ford, Harold (TN)
25. Frank, Barney (MA)
26. Frost, Martin (TX)
27. Gejdenson, Sam (CT)
28. Gilman, Benjamin (NY)
29. Green, Gene (TX)
30. Hastings, Alcee (FL)
31. Holden, Tim (PA)
32. Holt, Rush (NJ)
33. Hooley, Darlene (OR)
34. Hoyer, Steny (MD)
35. Jackson-Lee, Sheila (TX)
36. Johnson, Eddie Bernice (TX)
37. Kanjorski, Paul (PA)
38. Kelly, Sue (NY)
39. Kennedy, Patrick (RI)
40. Kildee, Dale (MI)
41. Klink, Ron (PA)
42. Kucinich, Dennis (OH)
43. Larson, John (CT)
44. Lewis, John (GA)
45. LoBiondo, Frank (NJ)
46. Lofgren, Zoe (CA)
47. Lucas, Ken (OK)
48. McCarthy, Carolyn (NY)
49. McCarthy, Karen (MO)
50. McDermott, Jim (WA)
51. McHugh, John (NY)
52. McGovern, Jim (MA)
53. McKinney, Cynthia (GA)
54. McNulty, Michael (NY)
55. Maloney, James (CT)
56. Mascara, Frank (PA)
57. Matsui, Robert (CA)
58. Menendez, Robert (NJ)
59. Metcalf, Jack (WA)
60. Morella, Connie (MD)
61. Napolitano, Grace (CA)
62. Ney, Robert (OH)
63. Oberstar, James (MN)
64. Pallone, Frank (NJ)
65. Pascrell, Bill (NJ)
66. Pastor, Ed (AZ)
67. Payne, Donald (NJ)
68. Pickett, Own (VA)
69. Quinn, Jack (NY)
70. Rahall, Nick (WV)
71. Ramstad, Jim (MN)
72. Reyes, Silvestre (TX)
73. Rothman, Steve (NJ)
74. Sweeney, John (NY)
75. Taylor, Gene (MS)
76. Terry, Lee (NE)
77. Thompson, Mike (CA)
78. Upton, Fred (MI)
79. Weldon, Curt (PA)
80. Weygand, Robert (RI)
81. Wise, Robert (WV)
82. Young, Don (AK)
* Italics Denote Republican Co-Sponsors
