EMERGENCY PREPARATION

A legislative group studying Maine’s security has come up with many ways to better prepare the state for an emergency. Most of their suggestions don’t carry large price tags, making it easier for lawmakers to adopt them.

The task force, chaired by Sen. Ethan Strimling, a Portland Democrat, and Rep. Stan Gerzofsky, a Democrat from Brunswick, should be commended for not calling for purchases of anti-terrorism equipment for police and fire departments around the state. Instead, their recommendations are more practical.

A key suggestion is to make more radio frequencies available for emergency communications between all levels of government. As seen during Hurricane Katrina and the collapse of the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001, first responders must be able to talk with one another and those coordinating their efforts.

A second task is to ensure that different communication systems – such as the State Police and local police – work together. To ensure this interoperability, the Legislature should pass a bill requiring municipal, county and state emergency response agencies, as well as private entities such as hospitals and utilities, to enter into agreements to coordinate their communications systems. Once a statewide communications system is in place, it should be tested periodically so problems can be fixed before a disaster occurs.

The task force also calls for important changes in the management and oversight of the Maine Emergency Management Agency. Currently, there are no requirements that the MEMA director has emergency management qualifications and experience, although the current director Art Cleaves does. Legislation proposed by the group would require that a new director have such qualifications and be confirmed by the Legislature.

The draft bill would also shift oversight of MEMA from the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee to the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. This makes sense because the committee already oversees the state’s other public safety agencies.

The group also calls for changes that would make disaster money more readily available and for better coordination between MEMA and the Maine Centers for Disease Control, which get emergency preparedness funds from different federal agencies. The group has asked for more information about the capability of the state’s hospitals and shelters to respond to disasters. It also recommends a public education campaign to remind Maine residents of things they should do – such as stocking up on food and having an emergency contact plan – to be prepared for a disaster.

In its remaining meetings, the task force will focus on the Maine National Guard’s ability to respond to local emergencies given their deployments to Iraq and other foreign countries. Port security, volunteer training and homeland security funding are also on the agenda.

Maine is in a fairly good position to deal with disasters, the task force found. The changes they suggest will improve communication and coordination to make the state even better prepared.