Homeland Security Committee Chairman Cox: "Responder Preparedness Must Include Prevention Training" - Government Technology

Homeland Security Committee Chairman Cox: "Responder Preparedness Must Include Prevention Training" - Government Technology: "Homeland Security Committee Chairman Cox: 'Responder Preparedness Must Include Prevention Training'
Jun 28, 2005 By News Staff

House Homeland Security Chairman Christopher Cox delivered the following statement last week at a joint hearing of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Science, and Technology and Subcommittee on Management, Integration, and Oversight, entitled 'The National Training Program: Is Anti-Terrorism Training for First Responders Efficient and Effective?'

'Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would also like to welcome and thank our witnesses for appearing today before this joint Subcommittee hearing to discuss the important issue of anti-terrorism training for first responders.





'I would especially like to welcome Ray Kelly, who -- as the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department -- is very much on the front lines of our war on terrorism and can speak directly to the importance of proper training in this daily battle with terrorists.

'Training is one of the Department of Homeland Security's most important missions. Our Nation's first responders -- at all levels of government -- need targeted and effective training to develop and hone the specialized skills they need to fulfill their new homeland security responsibilities. Anything less is simply unacceptable.

'Training our Nation's first responders, however, is an enormous task -- there are more than 1,000,000 firefighters, 800,000 law enforcement officers, and 840,000 EMTs and paramedics across the country. As a result, when it comes to first responder training, as well as so many other homeland security responsibilities, we've got to make choices. We"