The nation's "first responders" to terrorist attacks--police, fire fighters and emergency medical technicians--say their own protection against terrorism is lacking, a new study says.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health commissioned the study, by the Rand Corp., a noted "think tank." Rand pinpointed problems ranging from non-compatible radios to bulky equipment to lack of detectors for chemical and biological hazards.

"The majority of emergency responders feel vastly under-prepared and underprotected for the consequences of chemical, biological or radiological terrorist attacks," the study says. Rand interviewed 190 first responders.

"Men and women who risk their lives to save the lives of others are telling us they need better protection, better safety training equipment and better coordination to do their jobs," added lead author Tom LaTourrette.

Inadequate safety training and outmoded equipment--and a lack of personnel--has emerged as an issue since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. The attacks killed more than 3,000 people, including 343 New York City Fire Fighters who died trying to rescue others from the doomed World Trade Center towers.

Later investigation showed the Fire Fighters' radios, among other things, were inadequate, so they were not completely aware of the danger of the towers' collapse.

"This study adds one more voice to the chorus calling for more funding and resources for Fire Fighters and other first responders to help local fire and police departments...meet the added responsibilities of homeland security," said Fire Fighters President Harold Schaitberger. His New York locals lost those members when the Twin Towers crashed to the ground.

"With two-thirds of the nation's fire departments understaffed, funding is needed for fire fighter staffing, training and equipment," Schaitberger pointed out.

"It is of no use to provide the best equipment and the best training if a fire department doesn't have adequate staffing to provide an effective response," he added.

IAFF has led the lobbying for more federal funds to train and staff local fire departments nationwide, especially after the terrorist attacks. But the Bush administration opposed increas-ing the money. It wanted to provide it by transfers from other fire fighters' programs and through cuts elsewhere.

The Rand study did not address lack of people. It cited other problems the first responders face, including:

  • Fire Fighters are pleased with protective clothing, but they say it is so heavy that it causes physical stress and overexertion and dulls their response to dangers. They also feel "it is inadequate or inappropriate on assignments such as medical calls, some rescues or terrorism response."

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  • EMTs "feel inadequately protected against assaults and hazards associated with terrorism" and feel they generally lack protective equipment.

  • Police officers feel "much of their protective equipment is not designed with terrorism in mind," among other flaws. On the other hand, gear that protects them from chemical and biological weapons makes it difficult to run or use their own weapons, they said.

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  • First responders' gear must be "a total protective ensemble to avoid protection" leaks at places such as openings between gloves and sleeves, they told Rand researchers.

    • online pharmacy purchase topamax online generic

  • Responders need better equipment "to detect and monitor hazards, including physiological monitoring systems and detectors for chemical and biological hazards."

  • Lack of equipment to protect first responders who are not professionals--but who often get to a terrorist scene or hazardous site first. Such equipment would protect those responders from chemical and respiratory hazards.

  • Better communications equipment so first responders can talk to each other--as the New Yorkers could not--and new ways of making it so that first responders wearing, say, bulky protective gloves would not have difficulty handling their radios.

  • Better ways to inventory and deploy anti-terror equipment. "Even the best equipment is useless when it is left in storage when it is most needed to respond to an emergency," the Rand study said.

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    This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.

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    First responders say terrorism protection is lacking

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    The nation’s “first responders” to terrorist attacks–police, fire fighters and emergency medical technicians–say their own protection against terrorism is lacking, a new study says.

    The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health commissioned the study, by the Rand Corp., a noted “think tank.” Rand pinpointed problems ranging from non-compatible radios to bulky equipment to lack of detectors for chemical and biological hazards.

    “The majority of emergency responders feel vastly under-prepared and underprotected for the consequences of chemical, biological or radiological terrorist attacks,” the study says. Rand interviewed 190 first responders.

    “Men and women who risk their lives to save the lives of others are telling us they need better protection, better safety training equipment and better coordination to do their jobs,” added lead author Tom LaTourrette.

    Inadequate safety training and outmoded equipment–and a lack of personnel–has emerged as an issue since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. The attacks killed more than 3,000 people, including 343 New York City Fire Fighters who died trying to rescue others from the doomed World Trade Center towers.

    Later investigation showed the Fire Fighters’ radios, among other things, were inadequate, so they were not completely aware of the danger of the towers’ collapse.

    “This study adds one more voice to the chorus calling for more funding and resources for Fire Fighters and other first responders to help local fire and police departments…meet the added responsibilities of homeland security,” said Fire Fighters President Harold Schaitberger. His New York locals lost those members when the Twin Towers crashed to the ground.

    “With two-thirds of the nation’s fire departments understaffed, funding is needed for fire fighter staffing, training and equipment,” Schaitberger pointed out.

    “It is of no use to provide the best equipment and the best training if a fire department doesn’t have adequate staffing to provide an effective response,” he added.

    IAFF has led the lobbying for more federal funds to train and staff local fire departments nationwide, especially after the terrorist attacks. But the Bush administration opposed increas-ing the money. It wanted to provide it by transfers from other fire fighters’ programs and through cuts elsewhere.

    The Rand study did not address lack of people. It cited other problems the first responders face, including:

  • Fire Fighters are pleased with protective clothing, but they say it is so heavy that it causes physical stress and overexertion and dulls their response to dangers. They also feel “it is inadequate or inappropriate on assignments such as medical calls, some rescues or terrorism response.”
    • online pharmacy order amaryl online with best prices today in the USA
  • EMTs “feel inadequately protected against assaults and hazards associated with terrorism” and feel they generally lack protective equipment.
  • Police officers feel “much of their protective equipment is not designed with terrorism in mind,” among other flaws. On the other hand, gear that protects them from chemical and biological weapons makes it difficult to run or use their own weapons, they said.
    • online pharmacy buy flomax online with best prices today in the USA
  • First responders’ gear must be “a total protective ensemble to avoid protection” leaks at places such as openings between gloves and sleeves, they told Rand researchers.
    • online pharmacy purchase topamax online generic
  • Responders need better equipment “to detect and monitor hazards, including physiological monitoring systems and detectors for chemical and biological hazards.”
  • Lack of equipment to protect first responders who are not professionals–but who often get to a terrorist scene or hazardous site first. Such equipment would protect those responders from chemical and respiratory hazards.
  • Better communications equipment so first responders can talk to each other–as the New Yorkers could not–and new ways of making it so that first responders wearing, say, bulky protective gloves would not have difficulty handling their radios.
  • Better ways to inventory and deploy anti-terror equipment. “Even the best equipment is useless when it is left in storage when it is most needed to respond to an emergency,” the Rand study said.
    • online pharmacy abilify for sale with best prices today in the USA

    This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.

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