Broad support is being expressed within the emergency services community regarding President George W. Bush’s nomination of Chief R. David Paulison as Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management at the Department of Homeland Security. Organizations ranging from the International Association of Fire Chiefs to the Fire and Emergency Manufacturers and Services Association are urging members and non-members alike to contact their senators and ask them to support Paulison’s confirmation to the position.

The most effective way to do this, those organizations say, is to write a letter similar to the sample below and fax or e-mail it to your senators. The full Senate will vote on Paulison’s confirmation following hearings later this spring.

Since the anthrax incidents in 2001, mail is no longer recommended for contacting legislators because the postal testing procedures currently in effect can delay documents. Contact information for your senators, including their fax numbers, can be found at www.congress.org.

Sample letter:

(Date)

The Honorable ____________
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator ____________ :

I am writing to urge you to support President Bush’s nomination of Chief David R. Paulison as under secretary of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Chief Paulison has been acting director of FEMA since September and is a 30-year veteran of the fire and emergency services. He was confirmed by the Senate as the administrator for the U.S. Fire Administration in December 2001, and before that served as chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department. His emergency management experience includes Hurricane Andrew and the crash of ValuJet Flight 592.

With his many years of experience, Chief Paulison understands both the challenges and opportunities of coordinating major disaster response efforts. He is highly respected throughout the fire and emergency services for his vision and leadership abilities.

Please support Chief David R. Paulison in the upcoming Senate Confirmation Hearings.

Also, please contact me if I can provide any additional information.

Sincerely,
(Signed)