Schumer calls for better border policy (re Mutual Aid)

[Monty 35]

Schumer calls for better border policy

By JOE LoTEMPLIO

Staff Writer

— PLATTSBURGH -- In the wake of Canadian firefighters being held up at the border as they raced to help with a fire in Rouses Point, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is calling for better policies.

Schumer (D-Brooklyn) said Tuesday that a regular system must be developed and implemented to allow first-responders to cross into the United States from Canada to provide assistance swiftly.

"Sunday's blaze at the Anchorage restaurant has made it crystal clear that we need a better system for moving first-responders across so that communities like Rouses Point can have the resources they need in life-or-death situations," Schumer said.

"Border communities in both New York and Canada rely on each other's first-responders to provide vital backup, and Sunday's events served as an unfortunate reminder of the need to incorporate a system that will make sure first-responders can swiftly cross the borders while not compromising our border security."

STOPPED FOR INSPECTION

The Anchorage caught fire late Sunday night, and firefighters from Rouses Point and Champlain responded immediately.

Help was summoned from eight other departments, including Lacolle and St. Paul Isle Noix in nearby Quebec.

As the Canadian firefighters attempted to cross the border at Route 9B in Rouses Point, they were held up by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents.

It is unclear exactly how long the delay was.

A spokesman for Customs and Border Protection said the delay was only eight minutes, as one firefighter's status was questioned.

Chris Trombley, department fire coordinator for Clinton County Emergency Services, would not go so far as to say the restaurant would have been saved if the Quebec fire departments were allowed immediate access, but he said it did create a "risky situation" because local firefighters needed relief.

POLL RESULTS

Lacolle and St. Paul Isle Noix are part of the Clinton County Mutual Aid system. They respond to fires here, and Clinton County fire departments help with fires in Canada -- as do several in Franklin County, under a similar pact.

The agreements have been in existence for decades, and few problems have reported over the years.

A non-scientific online poll conducted by the Press-Republican showed that more than 96 percent of those responding favor allowing emergency vehicles to cross either without inspection or as quickly as possible.

Less than 4 percent said emergency vehicles should be treated like any other vehicle.

PRE-CLEARANCE URGED

Border crossings have taken on a new flavor since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as the Department of Homeland Security moves to tighten up security.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which calls for passports to cross the Canadian border, is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1, 2008, although that program may be delayed.

Schumer said that he is not aware of any new arrangements that Customs and Border Protection have made to ensure that systems such as Mutual Aid can continue to operate without problems in light of the border changes.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, the senator recommended that a permanent system be put in place to ensure first-responders can quickly cross the border, while making sure border security is not compromised.

He requested that a pre-clearance system be established for first-responders. And he wants emergency vehicles to be allowed to cross immediately if border officials are notified by the appropriate American authorities that emergency assistance has been requested.

"Customs and Border Patrol urgently needs to develop a plan for first-responders that will ensure the security of our border without sacrificing the safety of our population," Schumer said.

jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com

Copyright © 1999-2006 cnhi, inc.

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[Guest]

mutual aid for another COUNTRY sounds pretty damn kool!

[emt301 4]

"A spokesman for Customs and Border Protection said the delay was only eight minutes"

I guess this "spokesman" has absolutely no knowledge of firefighting operations - if a critical situation had developed on the fireground, those 8 minutes could have been the difference between life & death for a firefighter. Looks like these Customs and Border Protection guys need to be educated, and adjustments certainly need to be made in their procedures.

[ja3kfd 34]

While I agree they should be allowed thru quickly, there needs to be something in place, It would be a sad event that a terriost could get a hold of a piece of equipment and barrel thru the Border.

How would the Border Patrol know they are really going to a call?

This is not stated in the story.

We have one prison in Katonah that we are " Mutual Aid " too, we are not allowed to just pull in and they open the gates, we have to be checked, ID ed, and counted. On the way out they search vehicle. Bedford Hills has the same thing.

They need to sit down and straighten it out.

[ny10570 745]

When I went to school there it was common for crews to cross the border in both directions. From the NY side, the county would call ahead and announce which vehicles would be going and a lane would be prepared for them. They would breeze right through and then have to go through a normal crossing interview on the way back. There is absolutely no reason for this delay.

The Canadian Border is such a joke. There are established fire roads, snowmobile trails, and trails that cross all over the damn border.

Edited November 14, 2007 by ny10570

[Remember585 815]

Stop 'em at the border and ask them a question - any question.

If it doesn't end in "eh" - not a real Canadian!!!!

[AFS1970 504]

So illegal aliens and terrorists can cross unimpeded but a bunch of firefighters in fire apparatus and I assume turnout gear are stopped for inspection. Yeah um OK, whatever.

Now a possible solution which actually was in a previous post would be to notify the border crossing of the response, which I bet could be done by dispatch either just before or after calling the other department. While I really don't think it should be needed, there is the chance that these vehicles could be misused.

I really hate to agree with Schumer on anything, but he does make good points here.

[lad12derff 283]

Stop 'em at the border and ask them a question - any question.

If it doesn't end in "eh" - not a real Canadian!!!!

Thats frigging GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[helicopper 1,050]

It is after all international border. We've all heard the threats of emergency vehicles being used as weapons or carriers of terrorists so it shouldn't come as a great suprise that after being beaten up for allowing active TB cases to cross the border they're playing by all the rules. Eight minute delays for a mutual aid company? Come on, we have first due companies with response times longer than that.

If the FF had a criminal conviction that made his entry this country an issue, then the Customs actions were not completely unreasonable. It's all a matter of perspective.

Is the Canadian border a joke? YES. Should we criticize Customs for doing their job at a designated border crossing? NO.

Change the policy or deal with the delays.

[jayhalsey 6]

It is after all international border. We've all heard the threats of emergency vehicles being used as weapons or carriers of terrorists so it shouldn't come as a great suprise that after being beaten up for allowing active TB cases to cross the border they're playing by all the rules. Eight minute delays for a mutual aid company? Come on, we have first due companies with response times longer than that.

If the FF had a criminal conviction that made his entry this country an issue, then the Customs actions were not completely unreasonable. It's all a matter of perspective.

Is the Canadian border a joke? YES. Should we criticize Customs for doing their job at a designated border crossing? NO.

Change the policy or deal with the delays.

They should play by all the rules. Th eproblem seems to be that there are decades old policies already in place that the new border policies do not seem to address. Whether all it takes is a call from the requesting countrie's side to the border guards about the incident, or something else is what needs to be addressed. Personally I think there needs to be some check done at the border.

I think the 8 minute delay was at the actual border crossing, waiting to get through.

[SgtGumby311 0]

Maybe CBP FD is on the horizon.......