Washington – Most emergency officials who responded to a fact-finding survey told Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar’s office they feel largely unprepared for a major terrorist incident and that they’re frustrated by inconsistent direction from the federal government.
Colorado’s first-responders reported a number of problems to Salazar’s office, according to preliminary findings in a report released Tuesday by the senator’s office. About a month ago, Salazar asked police, fire and medical workers, as well as state and regional emergency planners, about their concerns. They responded with complaints about communications equipment, inability to get federal funding for needed improvements and poor anti-terrorism information from the federal government concerning possible threats or risks.
“Emergency officials across Colorado are doing everything they can to protect their communities, but in many ways they are on their own when it comes to help from the federal government,” Salazar said.
“Colorado’s management of homeland security funding is not a political football, it is a real problem that first-responders across the state have identified,” said the Democrat. “The state and the federal government need to work together to address it.”
But Gov. Bill Owens’ top homeland security official said the state’s homeland security program is working well, and that Salazar’s report relies on information from only 40 out of the roughly 1,000 emergency agencies in Colorado.
“This is a vocal minority that I hear from as well every day,” said Michael Beasley, director of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. “We need to listen to them every day as we work to reform this program that, as the former chief law enforcement officer of the state, he (Salazar) helped create.”
Before becoming a U.S. senator, Salazar was the state attorney general.
Based on survey returns from more than 40 officials from different parts of Colorado, Salazar’s survey found that:
More than 70 percent have problems using their radio equipment to communicate with other agencies.
Five out of six believe federal grants don’t go to the right priorities.
By a 4-to-1 ratio, officials feel unprepared to handle an attack involving a weapon of mass destruction.
By a 2-to-1 ratio, responders feel that anti-terrorism information they receive from the federal government is insufficient.
Emergency medical responders are largely “out of the loop” for homeland security funding and anti-terrorism information.
Salazar’s report comes on the heels of a state legislative session in which homeland security was a contentious issue.
A legislative committee issued a report Monday saying the state government’s approach to distributing homeland security funds is “backward” and should be overhauled.
The committee said the Owens administration has allocated about $130 million in federal homeland security grants without properly evaluating needs. It called for putting all homeland security functions under one executive-level department that would report to the governor. Owens split the duties in 2004 between the Office of Preparedness, Security and Fire Safety and the state Department of Local Affairs.
Beasley said griping resulted from his restructuring of the grant program to reflect regional priorities.
