Cantwell touts plan for better emergency response
2006-10-04
Source: The Bellingham Herald
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rss feedA directive to better coordinate emergency personnel on the local, state and federal level in the Northwest won approval as part of Homeland Security legislation Friday. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who supported the proposal, came to Bellingham Tuesday afternoon to trumpet her work. She said the plan could not come fast enough before the arrival of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C.
The amendment, which provides no money to create such a plan, requires Homeland Security to work with local governments in Alaska, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, other federal agencies and Canada to address issues that include handling large volumes of border traffic and potential terrorist attacks.
As of now no real plan exists, Cantwell said, and previous attempts at coordinated efforts - like the events of Hurricane Katrina - have proven disastrous.
A deadline of six months was set for a finished plan to be sent back to Congress for approval.
Cantwell said the next step is not to worry about funding whatever recommendations come out of the plan but that Homeland Security must recognize the importance of northern border security.
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