EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IN THE CAPITAL REGION

The terrorist attacks on September 11th shocked our state, our nation and the world. Those tragic events produced losses of security and freedom, economic losses, and infrastructure damage, but most importantly and most fundamentally they created an incalculable loss of family, friends and loved ones.

In ways great and small, New Yorkers, Americans and the whole world pulled together to begin rebuilding after that terrible day. The new spirit of cooperation, teamwork and communication that has grown out of the horror of September 11th will enable us to move forward as a stronger family of New Yorkers to meet more efficiently and effectively the challenges and disasters of the future, be they man-made or natural.

For years, I have worked hard to help provide our emergency responders with all the resources they need to be prepared, but September 11th showed us new challenges to face and the absolute necessity of being prepared to mount effective responses to disasters and emergencies.

The Senate Majority's Emergency Preparedness Task Force, created after September 11, issued a report in June, which will serve as a blueprint for the action we will take in our ongoing effort to provide our state and local first responders with the training, equipment and resources they need to be in the best possible position to prepare for, prevent, mitigate and recover from disasters.

In addition, the Senate passed a package of anti-terrorism legislation throughout this session designed to give New York the toughest, most comprehensive anti-terrorism laws in the nation, including bills that would fight agri-terrorism, bio-terrorism and cyber-terrorism.

This package, combined with other anti-terrorism and emergency preparedness legislation previously passed by the Senate, will ensure that New York is as prepared as possible to prevent, mitigate, recover and rebuild from any emergency within New York State and the Capital Region, be it man-made or natural, and serve as an example for the rest of the nation.

__________________________________________________________________________________

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TASK FORCE
The Senate Majority Task Force on State and Local Emergency Preparedness was formed in the wake of the 9/11 and anthrax attacks to determine if communities across the state are prepared to mount effective responses to unexpected disasters, to apply lessons learned from the widely acclaimed state and New York City response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attack and to help communities prevent, prepare and respond to natural and man-made events.

The Task Force conducted fact finding, information-sharing meetings to assess and coordinate New York State's capabilities and preparedness in responding to disasters, including meetings with James Kallstrom, former Director of the New York State Office of Public Safety, James Natoli, Director of the Governor's Office of State Operations, Edward Jacoby, Director of the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO), and officials from the New York State Department of Health. Members of the task force have also toured the Department of Health's David Axelrod Institute to learn about their capabilities for addressing infectious disease and bio-terrorism and inspected the SEMO underground disaster response coordination bunker.

The Task Force also held statewide hearings to gather input directly from first responders, like the personnel at Ground Zero, about existing local disaster plans and what additional training, funding, support and assistance first responders and local entities need to respond to disasters in light of September 11th. Participants addressed the need for improved pre-incident communication and planning to prevent disasters. The key points raised in hearings thus far have highlighted the need for improved communications between agencies; more, better and increasingly interdepartmental training; recruitment and retention issues; more high technology equipment; and the capacity of the public health system.


EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COMPACT
The Senate passed legislation that enables New York State to join the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a mutual aid agreement between membership states. Approved by Congress in 1996, 34 states and the territory of Puerto Rico have ratified EMAC. The emergency forces of any state offering assistance to another state are afforded the same rights, duties and privileges as the emergency personnel of the home state.

EMAC provides for clear, predictable and standardized operating procedures for member states. This ensures an effective and sufficient response when a major emergency occurs, which is beyond local and state capability to handle.


HELPING FIRST RESPONDERS
I have worked to support our local volunteer and professional emergency service workers, who are always on the job to ensure our safety. My support continued this year in the form of millions of dollars given directly to help train in the latest techniques and provide necessary equipment like communications systems and thermal imaging cameras.

I worked to create a plan to boost the ranks of firefighter and ambulance volunteers by offering free college tuition. My plan will provide $2 million to pay up to the level of SUNY college tuition � up to $3,400 a year that could be used at any public or independent degree-granting college in New York.

I also successfully fought to develop the Local Enhanced 911 Program to improve emergency response capability, and I made certain the Senate dedicates $1.5 million annually to the State Emergency Service Revolving Loan Program, which provides localities with low interest loans to purchase new equipment.

2002 Funding Secured by Senator Bruno for Local Emergency First Responders
* Averill Park-Sand Lake Fire Department .......................... $25,000
* Berlin Volunteer Fire Company ........................................ $25,000
* Best-Luther Fire Department.............................................. $65,000
* Castleton Fire Company, Inc. ............................................ $13,900
* Eagle Mills Fire District ..................................................... $25,000
* East Greenbush Police Department .................................... $12,000
* General Schuyler Emergency Squad .................................. $25,000
* Grafton Volunteer Fire Department ................................... $20,000
* Halfmoon Fire District #1 .................................................. $25,000
* Hoags Corners Fire District ............................................... $25,000
* Hoosick Fire District .......................................................... $25,000
* Johnsonville Volunteer Ambulance ................................... $50,000
* Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Company ............................... $25,000
* North Hoosick Fire Department ......................................... $21,000
* Northside Fire District #1 ................................................... $29,650
* Pittstown Volunteer Emergency Corps .............................. $25,000
* Pleasantdale Fire Company ................................................ $20,000
* Poestenkill Fire Company................................................... $25,000
* Raymertown Fire District ................................................... $20,000
* Rensselaer County District Attorney .................................. $36,000
* Rensselaer County Fire Training Tower ............................. $150,000
* Rensselaer Volunteer Ambulance........................................ $15,000
* Round Lake Hose Company #1........................................... $15,000
* Saratoga County District Attorney ...................................... $20,000
* Schodack Valley Volunteer Fire Company.......................... $25,000
* Stephentown Volunteer Fire Department .............................$20,000

NEW ANTI-TERRORISM AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
The Senate passed a package of legislation, recommended by the Senate Majority Task Force on State and Local Emergency Preparedness, designed to give New York the toughest, most comprehensive anti-terrorism laws in the nation, including bills that would fight agri-terrorism, bio-terrorism and cyber-terrorism.

THE SENATE TOOK A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN MAKING LAWS THAT CREATE THE NEW CRIMES OF:
* Terrorism
* Making a terrorist threat
* Soliciting or providing support for an act of terrorism in the first degree
* Soliciting or providing support for an act of terrorism in the second degree
* Hindering prosecution of terrorism in the first degree
* Hindering prosecution of terrorism in the second degree
* Revision to the death penalty statute

NEW ANTI-TERRORISM LAWS PASSED BY THE SENATE WOULD ALSO:
* Enhance penalties for those who falsely report an incident
* Enhance penalties for those who place a false bomb
* Make it easier to obtain eavesdropping and video surveillance warrants

THE SENATE PASSED LEGISLATION TO:
* Create the crimes of cyber-terrorism and agri-terrorism
* Severely punish the possession and use of chemical and biological weapons
* Increase penalties for impersonating a pilot or member of a flight crew
* Increase security at airports
* Make it easier to obtain eavesdropping and video surveillance warrants

[BIOGRAPHY] [DISTRICT MAP] [PHOTO GALLERY] [LEGISLATION] [CONSTITUENT SERVICES] [YOUR OPINION COUNTS] [GUESTBOOK] [PRIVACY POLICY] [SENATE INSIDER] [CONTACT INFO] [HOME/NEWS]