By Justin O’Brien
June 19, 2006

The Conference’s Homeland Security Task Force convened June 4 with Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary for Preparedness George W. Foresman and FEMA Director R. David Paulison present to discuss ongoing federal and local preparedness efforts and response capabilities.

In opening remarks, Task Force Co-Chair Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace described the ongoing need to foster greater city'state-federal coordination for effective and efficient response.

Wallace went on to describe how funding needs continue, even while allocations are now based more on risk, threat and need. Last year saw a $600 million reduction in key homeland security funding, with funding down $1 billion from two years ago.

Wallace also noted serious concern over the Administration’s proposal to further reduce key homeland security programs by an additional $400 million this year, and pledged to continue efforts to ensure implementation of the Conference’s 2005 Homeland Security Action Plan, which addressed major issues including regional logistics centers and city-to-city mutual aid.

Foresman described the necessity of national standards and a strong federal-city dialogue in a continued national push to integrate federal, state and local coordination and cooperation efforts with the private sector, while adopting the all-hazards approach to preparedness called for after Secretary Michael A. Chertoff’s Second Stage Review.

Accurate threat analysis is key to focused response efforts, and risk assessment with proper city justifications will improve risk management, he said.

On the Secure Border Initiative, Foresman explained that implementation of physical border security enhancements are underway, also adding that enforcement must take into account national economic needs and that enforcement requires the right mechanisms.

Foresman also urged city-based efforts to improve the numbers of family disaster plans to assist in ensuring a culture of preparedness.

Director Paulison thanked the mayors for their assistance nationwide with Hurricane Katrina evacuees, conceding that logistics failures were transparent in the wake of the disaster. He described real-time tracking of improvements in the preparedness and response systems, including greater stock levels of Meals-Ready-to-Eat (1 million), Blue Roofs (90,000) and tarpaulins (80,000). He also spoke of the placement of on-the-ground monitors and flexibility for in-place local contracts for debris removal.

Finally, Paulison described the need to perfect victim registration processes with a clear need existing to distinguish between those truly in need and those who are not.

In follow-up discussions, Wallace noted that a positive outcome of the 2005 disasters has been that the federal-city partnership in incident command and response protocols has been much better defined.

Charlotte Mayor Patrick McCrory noted the need for cities to verify what is being done well in cities and what is not. The need for local relocation plans was highlighted as well as a need to forecast and distinguish between capital projects and ongoing operating costs. McCrory also described how immigration enforcement resources are not well distributed geographically, with no enforcement offices available to support city-based efforts even in a large metro area such as Charlotte.

In response to questions about problems with integrating regional communications networks and online testing for city response officials from Kenosha (WI) Mayor John Antaramian, Foresman noted that grant monies for regional communications systems integration and interoperability process were included in this year’s round of funding. He explained that National Incident Management System (NIMS) testing is required to ensure base levels of understanding nationally regarding response systems and protocols.