HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC AG PKT 2003-03-10 #L AGENDA REPORT
DATE: March 10, 2003
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: John B. Bahorski, City Manager
SUBJECT: Support for Senate Joint Resolution 6 (SJR 6)
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
Approve support for Senate Joint Resolution 6 (SOTO) and authorize the Mayor's
signature on the attached letter of support.
BACKGROUND:
Orange County Fire Authority has requested the City's support for Senate Joint
Resolution 6. SJR 6 encourages Congress and the President of the United States to
provide funding for first responder training as part of the previously identified homeland
security funding.
In January 2002, President Bush indicated that he would include $1 billion for first
responder training in the homeland security legislative funding package. This funding
legislation approved by Congress and signed into law in November, 2002, did not include
any provisions for funding first responder training. SJR 6 requests that training be
included as part of that funding package and is critical to the ongoing efforts in preparing
against the domestic terrorism threat. It will allow fire service agencies across the State,
including Orange County Fire Authority, to provide critical training needs for their
firefighters.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
That Council approve supporting Senate Joint Resolution 6 and authorize Mayor's
signature on comment letter to be sent to appropriate legislators.
Agenda Item L
DRAFT
March 11, 2003
The Honorable Nell Soto
•
State Capital, Room 4074
Sacramento, California 95814
RE: SUPPORT FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 6 (SOTO)
Dear Senator Soto:
The City of Seal Beach supports Senate Joint Resolution 6 as the mechanism to
encourage Congress and the President of the United States to provide funding for first
responder training as part of the previously identified homeland security funding.
In January 2002, President Bush indicated that he would include $1 billion for first
responder training in the homeland security legislative funding package. It has come to
our attention that the homeland security funding legislation approved by Congress and
signed into law in November, 2002, does not include any provisions for funding first
responder training. Senate Joint Resolution 6 requests that funding for first responder
training be included.
The City of Seal Beach is a member of the Orange County Fire Authority. The OCFA is
a regional joint powers authority that provides fire protection and emergency medical
services to 22 cities and over 1.2 million people.
We encourage a "yes" vote on Senate Joint Resolution 6 and request that you forward our
letter of support to the Senator Governmental Organization when this matter is scheduled
before them. Please stress the importance such funding has with the on -going training
and preparedness efforts of our firefighters against the constant threat of domestic
terrorism.
Yours truly,
Mayor John Larson
City of Seal Beach
cc: OCFA, League of Cities, Orange County Division
Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator Diane Feinstein, Senator Ross Johnson, Senator Bill Morrow
Senate Joint Resolution No. 6
Introduced by Senator Soto
(Principal coauthor: Senator Torlakson)
February 3, 2003
Senate Joint Resolution No. 6— Relative to emergency services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SJR 6, as introduced, Soto. First responder training.
This measure would call upon Congress and the President of the
United States to provide funding to the states for first responder training
as part of homeland security funding.
•
Fiscal committee: yes.
1 WHEREAS, The devastating September 11, 2001, attacks in
2 New York and Washington, D.C., changed the way our nation
3 thinks about terrorism. Those attacks, during which hundreds of
4 police officers, firefighters, and other emergency personnel died
5 (along with thousands of civilians), emphasized the need for all
6 levels of government to devote additional resources and devise
7 creative new strategies toward preventing future attacks on United
8 States soil; and
9 WHEREAS, The first line of defense in protecting life and
10 property often falls to the states and local communities; and
11 WHEREAS, Police officers and firefighters are often the first
12 to arrive at the scene of an emergency or disaster, and every day,
13 many of these dedicated "first responders" place themselves in
14 harm's way to save the lives of others - hundreds died on September
15 11 so that thousands could live; and
16 WHEREAS, Because terrorist attacks or natural disasters could
17 strike at any time, having adequate numbers of these first
99
T
•
SJR6 —2-
1 responders available will be critical to forestalling and minimizing
2 the potential loss of life in possible future attacks, as well as
3 meeting the challenges of other types of emergencies or natural
4 disasters; and
5 WHEREAS, Many regions of California face an acute shortage
6 of trained paramedics, who are often called upon to administer
7 sophisticated, life- saving medical care to the victims of
8 emergencies or disasters; and
9 WHEREAS, Experience has shown that by training firefighters
10 to perform as paramedics and thus providing them with additional
11 tools to assist in emergencies and disasters, the loss of life can be
12 minimized; and
13 WHEREAS, In January 2002, President George W. Bush told
14 an audience of mayors and other local government officials
15 gathered at the White House that he would commit more than $1
16 billion for first responder training as part of his Homeland Security
17 legislative package. "Your police forces, your emergency medical
18 teams, your fire fighters ... are responsible for the first response on
19 any terrorist attack, and are responsible for saving lives. The first
20 minutes or hours after an attack, are the most hopeful minutes for
21 saving lives," the President told the local officials; and
22 WHEREAS, It has been the expressed desire of the Legislature
23 and Governor of the State of California to ensure that our state is
24 properly prepared and adequately staffed with trained first
25 responders, including a plan to use some of the promised federal
26 Homeland Security funds allocated to California for paramedic
27 training for firefighters; and
, 28 WHEREAS, The legislation approved by Congress and signed
29 into law by the President in November, 2002, contained no
30 provision for first responder training; now, therefore, be it
31 Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of the State of California,
32 jointly. That the Legislature of the State of California reaffirms its
33 commitment to strengthening our cities and counties as the first
34 line of defense of our people, and to giving our firefighters the
35 training they need to provide critical care in disasters or
36 emergencies; and be it further
37 Resolved, That because the severe budget crisis in California
38 and other states limits the states' ability to provide such necessary
39 training to protect citizens, the Legislature of the State of
40 California calls upon Congress and the President of the United
99
P
-3— SJR6
1 States to fulfill the pledge to provide badly needed funding to the
2 states for first responder training. Fulfilling this pledge would be
3 a low -cost way to help make the homeland more secure; and be it
4 further
5 Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
6 this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
7 States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority
8 Leader of the Senate, and each Senator and Representative from
9 California in Congress.
0
99
T
o
ce-ak
CI 11 11;11 1 211 11( 111 S I N I I'
St Al. 11l \(;II, ('.III (11011A 9112411
15112) I i 1 2,527 • w .., ll -treat I a.to
•
March 11, 2003
The Honorable Nell Soto
State Capital, Room 4074
Sacramento, California 95814
RE: SUPPORT FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 6 (SOTO)
Dear Senator Soto:
The City of Seal Beach supports Senate Joint Resolution 6 as the mechanism to
encourage Congress and the President of the United States to provide funding for first
responder training as part of the previously identified homeland security funding.
In January 2002, President Bush indicated that he would include $1 billion for first
responder training in the homeland security legislative funding package. It has come to
our attention that the homeland security funding legislation approved by Congress and
signed into law in November, 2002, does not include any provisions for funding first
responder training. Senate Joint Resolution 6 requests that funding for first responder
training be included.
The City of Seal Beach is a member of the Orange County Fire Authority. The OCFA is
a regional joint powers authority that provides fire protection and emergency medical
services to 22 cities and over 1.2 million people.
We encourage a "yes" vote on Senate Joint Resolution 6 and request that you forward our
letter of support to the Senator Governmental Organization when this matter is scheduled
before them. Please stress the importance such funding has with the on -going training
and preparedness efforts of our firefighters against the constant threat of domestic
terrorism.
Yours truly,
Mayor John Larson
City of Seal Beach
cc: OCFA, League of Cities, Orange County Division
Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator Diane Feinstein, Senator Ross Johnson, Senator Bill Morrow