Durbin Asks Homeland Security Chief to Fund Chicago Search and Rescue Team

DURBIN ASKS HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF TO FUND CHICAGO SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to ask him to consider Chicago's eligibility for a federally funded search and rescue team. Durbin also discussed the impact of the Fiscal Year 2008 budget on Illinois' ability to respond to natural disasters and terrorist threats.

"Chicago is the third largest city in the country, yet year after year, we are not included in the 28 cities that receive federal funds for urban search and rescue teams. The State of Illinois has done a tremendous job in funding its own urban search and rescue team, but I expressed my frustration to Secretary Chertoff over the lack of federal support," said Durbin. "Our state deserves to have federal help in fielding these trained and equipped urban search and rescue teams when local resources are overwhelmed."

Currently, there are 28 FEMA-certified urban search and rescue teams that operate as a disaster response task force. The teams operate around the clock, and include engineers, medics and other technical experts, specially trained search dogs and an average of $4.5 million of equipment. The State currently spends approximately $1 million for training each year and has spent $3 million in equipment over the last couple of years in funding its own urban search and rescue team.

In the meeting, Durbin also expressed serious concerns about the impact of the President's FY 2008 budget on Illinois' ability to respond to natural disasters and terrorist threats. The budget the President presented to Congress yesterday cuts funding for state and local law enforcement assistance by $1.3 billion, dramatically decreases funding for FIRE grants and eliminates the SAFER firefighter hiring program.

"Emergency management officials from Illinois have told me that the priorities in the President's budget could undermine efforts to protect the people of our state," said Durbin. "If a disaster or terrorist attack occurs, people in Illinois are not going to pick up the phone and call the White House. They are going to dial 9-1-1. We simply cannot afford to take resources away from first responders like police and firefighters."

Durbin also raised concerns that the President's budget reduces funding for the FIRE program which provides equipment and training to fire departments in Illinois and across the country to help them prepare and respond to terrorist incidents. Last year, in Illinois, over $13.6 million was awarded to IL fire departments.

The President's budget completely eliminates the SAFER firefighter hiring program, which provides funding to fire departments to hire additional fire fighters and first responders. Last year, $4.4 million was awarded to Illinois fire departments for hiring/recruiting additional fire fighters.

http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=268593&&