Responder Quotes

You're never going to get around the fact that the local officials are going to be the first responders. My concern is they're going to bring in the military to handle the response. They don't know the lay of the land. That's why the local officials are there. - George Haddow

You're going to have pushback from governors, county executives, mayors, fire chiefs, police chiefs all up and down the emergency-management structure who wonder whether the military will become a super domestic responder and who do they respond to, ... Who determines if a state can't handle a disaster? What if a riot happens in a major city? Does a mayor get a call that the 82nd Airborne has just landed in your city? We've got to talk about this. - Mike Huckabee

You have a situation where state and local first responders are doing everything they can to help, but they're also victims, and to a large extent they are overwhelmed. Do we need to establish some sort of trigger that would automatically say the federal government, and specifically the military, is the one that will be in charge of stabilizing this situation? - Scott McClellan

You clearly did your duty as law enforcement, but the question comes to bear about the interface between emergency preparedness and our first responders locally. We want to make sure there is intercommunication between agencies. - Sen. Donald DeFronzo

Working with Troop A, we were successful in getting the Senate to approve a plan that would protect our first responders and prevent highway fatalities... Dozens of police officers and fire fighters have lost their lives in accidents that should have been avoidable. Our initiative instructs the Department of Transportation to develop model legislation that will increase awareness and help save lives. - Jim Talent

Within two minutes of his heart stopping he was administered the life-saving care that he desperately needed. The quick actions of Mike Meyer, the emergency responders and the Vanderbilt health care providers saved this young man's life. - Andrew Gregory

While we have put forth the best estimates so far on emergency responder needs, the nation must urgently develop a better framework and procedures to generate guidelines on national preparedness. - Warren Rudman

Whether dealing with hurricanes, the recent spread of methamphetamine production, or the kidnapping and murder of innocent children, our first responders and law enforcement personnel are on the front lines and deserve the resources required to protect our citizens. By making public safety our first priority, we will make sure that we are prepared for any emergency and that justice is never denied. - Tom Gallagher

When terrorists strike, first responders are the first people we turn to. - Patrick Leahy