Start training first responders
Despite the political rhetoric, the men and women charged with protecting our citizens in times of attack – the first responders – have received little or no additional training. While the initial terrorist attacks targeted major cities and installations, analysts suggest that future incursions are more likely to be carried out in smaller population centers.
Carlisle is home to the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, a senior educational institution. Several hundred military leaders from all services and the federal government spend a year at the facility.
The school also consists of foreign military leaders from countries friendly with America. This diverse group of worldwide military leaders deserves protection provided by our first responders.
New challenges facing firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical providers include chemical, biological, and nuclear “bombs.”
Unfortunately, first responders lack not only the “turnout” gear that can protect them, but also an understanding of the new weapons in the terrorists’ arsenal.
Congress and the Department of Homeland Security must immediately address this matter. First responders must be trained to identify specific acts of terrorism.
They must also be trained on how to respond and limit potential loss of life, serious injury, and property damage. They must also be provided the tools to do the job.
To his credit, Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed a $25 million grant program to aid volunteer first responders. It could be available as early as the fall of this year.
Realistically, it makes no sense for states to go it alone. This is a problem that affects the nation. The cost and resources must be absorbed by the federal government. The Department of Homeland Security must take the lead in implementing this initiative.
The serious matter of preparing and supplying first responders for acts of terrorism appears to have fallen off the scope of emergency planners.
Those “who run in while others run out” deserve to be prepared to respond with the knowledge and equipment so their lives are not placed in jeopardy, and so they are able to save the lives of those who might be caught in the terrorists’ path.
Kirk R. Wilson
The writer is president of Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities and the mayor of Carlisle.
Lower DUI tolerance
Although outward appearances vary, nearly everyone is too drunk to drive at a blood alcohol concentration of .08. This deterioration of skill affects drivers of any age, gender or driving experience.
Most people don’t need to read the hundreds of studies showing that drivers can’t perform tasks such as braking and steering at .08 BAC. They just know not to drive after drinking and plan their lives accordingly. That’s common sense.
Since the 1990s, there have been proposals in Harrisburg to match our laws regarding drinking and driving to common sense. Our laws should set .08 as the level at which it is illegal to drive.
Every day, nearly 40 Pennsylvanians are injured in alcohol-related crashes. The emotional and economic costs of these crashes are staggering.
Emotional costs can’t be measured. They can only be felt by the families of those who are injured or killed – whether they are innocent victims or the drunk drivers themselves.
Economic costs are measurable and borne by everyone. We all pay for the health care, rehabilitation, disability insurance, property damage, lost productivity, emergency services and other costs.
In Pennsylvania these costs totaled $5 billion in 2001. Especially at a time when every level of government is troubled by budget deficits, we cannot throw money away on a problem as preventable as drunk driving.
Passing .08 won’t prevent all drunk driving. Nonetheless, .08 could save the lives of 50 Pennsylvanians and prevent some of the injuries and economic losses caused by drunk driving every year.
Two out of three Americans favor .08 when they learn how much alcohol it takes to reach that level.
The members of the Pennsylvania Driving Under the Influence Association have renewed our efforts to keep people who are too drunk to drive off our roads.
Please help us add Pennsylvania to the growing list of states with .08.
C. Stephen Erni
Harrisburg
The writer is the executive director of the Pennsylvania Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Association.