U.S. to Unveil National Response Plan

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is setting national emergency response standards for states and local governments to stem the type of confusion and turf battles that marked the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

The National Response Plan, being unveiled Thursday afternoon, gives local responders the main responsibility for managing emergencies, with the federal government intervening only when the incident exceeds local or state capabilities.

The 426-page plan "embodies our nation's commitment to the concept of one team, one goal: a safer and more secure America," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said in a prepared statement obtained by The Associated Press. He was to present the plan Thursday to the National Governors Association.

"Completion of the National Response Plan has been one of my department's highest priorities, and this achievement is a bold step forward in bringing unity in our response to disasters and terrorist threats and attacks," Ridge said in the statement.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-emergency-plan,0,7263471.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

eom

From what I see here, this is primarily a responsibility punt from
the Feds to local authorities, unless the Feds WANT to butt in for the
photo-ops and such.

... relieve the feds of paying for anything they demand of local authorities in the way of standards.

When the locals start looking at this in detail, there will be many complaints of unfunded mandates. Count on it.

eom

more than a decade. This is a revision of the National Response Plan to add detail regarding terrorist attacks. The first versions of the plan addressed all disasters (natural, technological, terrorist) more or less generically, but 911 illuminated shortcomings in that approach.

Having worked with the original plan for years, I'm anxious to see what the changes are.