September 16, 2008

WROBLEWSKI MAKES IMPASSIONED PLEA FOR FIREFIGHTER TRAINING FUNDS IN NEW YORK STATE BUDGET

Just last week, Americans solemnly marked the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11th. The heroism and sacrifice demonstrated by those who responded will be forever etched in our collective memory.

That infamous day changed our preconceived notions of what constitutes adequate training and preparedness for all first responders. Prior to 9/11, we could not have imagined an incident on our shores requiring firefighters and other first responders to deal with such a coordinated and lethal terrorist attack. Now, professional and volunteer firefighters alike must receive specialized training on responding to all manner of bombing incidents, or improvised explosive devices that could be detonated on our highways and bridges, or acts of bioterrorism, or other heretofore unimaginable carnage ready to be dispatched to any American community, at any time.

There is a centuries-old adage that public safety should be the first and utmost concern of government. Those words are startlingly valid today.

Over the last few months, I have closely followed the state's precarious financial position, and applaud Governor Paterson's engagement of state legislators in the painful belt tightening process necessary to weather this storm.

However, without question, basic security and public safety are the most important functions of government. The financial constraints of the state led me to write the Governor asking him to regard firefighter training "first among equals" within the budget of the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control currently being drafted.

As a member of the Erie County Legislature and chair of the Public Safety Committee, I recognize the primary responsibility of county government to provide the local resources necessary for those who are sworn to "serve and protect." Two weeks ago, we approved an important contract that will result in a substantial capital investment in public safety. We authorized the replacement of Erie County's antiquated fire training structure with a pre-engineered Live Burn Building. However, local government is not in the financial position to fill in the gaps of insufficient state funding given the times we live in here and abroad.

When a firefighter answers a call, he or she does not know whether the situation at hand will present "the ultimate call" for heroism or self-sacrifice. However, they do know that simply by answering any one call to service, that moment may come on any given day, at any given hour.

Those of us serving in executive or legislative policymaking positions, in turn, are called upon to provide the resources to equip and to train our firefighters to a level commensurate with the increasingly complex threats they face while protecting our lives, limbs and property. Indeed, we must train firefighters as though their lives and ours depend on it.

Back to District 9 Homepage