Town Finance Board Voting to Cut EM Position - "We Don't Have a Disaster Everyday"

[T. John 21]

Below is a link to my Editorial to a series of articles regarding the effort of the BET for the Town of Greenwich to essentially cut the Emergency Manager's position.

Emergency coordinator needed - BET playing with town's safety

This past weekend, the town of Greenwich was hit by one of the most devastating storms in its history. During the period Mother Nature was wreaking havoc on the town I called home for 29 years, your fire, police, Emergency Medical Service, public works and other first responders were rushing around town to help those in need.

I listened for hours to radio communications by these courageous men and women risking their own lives to respond to hundreds of calls for assistance.

The timing of this storm comes at a time when the Board of Estimate and Taxation has voted unanimously to drastically cut the funding of the emergency management coordinator's position. Mr. Mason, the BET's chairman, justified the cut by stating, "We don't have a disaster every day" (Greenwich Time, Feb. 25). Unfortunately, a disaster did occur this past weekend in Greenwich -- one that killed a resident, injured others, displaced many more and left the entire town a complete mess.

http://www.greenwich...0852.php#page-1

Greenwich Time Articles:

• 03/17/2010 - In wake of deadly storm, Tesei pushes for emergency management funding
• 03/12/2010 - Tesei to press BET to reinstate funds for emergency management post
• 02/26/2010 - Tesei chides BET for recommended funding cut to emergency management post
• 02/25/2010 - BET votes to slash emergency management funds

Edited March 18, 2010 by T. John

[v85 212]

Apparently the BET doesn't understand the job of emergency management. Probably 90% of EM's work is planning for incidents BEFORE they happen, not dealing with them during.

Besides, this line of thinking is very dangerous to any emergency service, especially in a small towns:

ie.

"We don't have a (fire/crime/medical emergency) everyday, so why do we ned (fire/police/ems).