The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), in conjunction with the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate, recently convened the "Third Annual Conference on Strengthening the Public Safety Response to Terrorism and Other Hazards." This conference included a broad range of representation from the first-responder community, including: city and county managers, fire chiefs, health and human services directors, police chiefs and sheriffs, public works directors, and other emergency responders These individuals were selected, by invitation only, from their respective national professional membership organizations. The professional associations involved in this selection process, and who sent representatives from their respective memberships to attend this conference, included the following: IAFC, American Public Works Association (APWA), Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), International Association of Police Chiefs (IACP), International City/County Management Association (ICMA), National Association City and County Health Officials (NACCHO), National Sheriffs' Association (NSA), as well as other emergency-responder membership organizations.

The topics covered included an understanding of the threat of terrorism, an overview of the national perspective, a review of the National Response Plan (NRP), an overview of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), a review of the Incident Command System (ICS), and other topics and issues facing emergency first-responders.

The roles of respective first-responders were also examined from a number of different perspectives. These included state-of-the-art emergency management practices, the on-site management and chain-of-command used for emergency incidents, the most effective ways of providing mutual aid, and methods and options to improve communications among and between those agencies involved in responding to an emergency. Attendees included representatives from the following levels of government: cities and towns, counties, tribal nations, states, and federal.

Individual working, or focus, groups consisting of state, local, and tribal government practitioners, were organized, with the use of trained facilitators, to examine, discuss, and suggest recommendations on ways to enhance various aspects of emergency management, including the following topics: interoperability issues, unified command system management, mutual aid methods, human, social, and public health services, continuity of government operations, personnel and human resources issues relating to these topics, as well as moving preparedness and response forward together and adequate and stabilized federal funding and other resources. These topics were previously identified by an interdisciplinary focus group. Suggestions from these groups were passed along to all in attendance, including representatives from the state and federal governments. All focus groups had federal observers, who took careful note on ways to improve intergovernmental relations.

This conference represents the true partnership, from an intergovernmental perspective, that exists among first-responders to emergencies, and the systems (in terms of staff-power, technology, and funding) that back them up during times of a disaster. It is only by meeting, reviewing, and discussing and debating the issues, that problems can be resolved, and that all levels of government can better respond to the public they serve during an actual emergency.

DHS and IAFC, as well as all of these national membership organizations, should be congratulated for their efforts to improve the quality of emergency management services to citizens throughout the United States. One of the best ways to secure the future of America is to hold conferences such as this to improve the policies and practices at all levels of government to both prevent and mitigate emergencies, be they natural or man-made. CI

 Roger L. Kemp, PhD, a career city manager, attended this conference on behalf of the International City/County Management Association, Washington, DC.