Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff made his first major speech to the fire service at the 17th annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner.

Before more than 2,000 leaders of fire and emergency response organizations, Chertoff pledged that “as long as I am secretary of this department, I and the people who manage this department will listen to you.”

To support that statement, Chertoff announced that DHS was recommending the Department of Transportation leave in place the placard system first responders depend on to identify hazardous chemicals in rail-car emergencies. DHS had considered removing the system because of concerns that terrorists might target such rail cars, a move the International Association of Fire Chiefs Hazardous Materials Committee strongly opposed.

Chertoff said it was a matter of common sense, and an example of “very real-world type of decision-making we have to do.” It's also an example of risk management, because concerns of the threat inherent in placarding are legitimate, he said.

As the leader of an organization with hundreds of thousands of people, Chertoff said his was a very big job, and DHS's work was a team effort, but he looked forward to working with partners in state and local government and in the private sector.

“I look forward to seeing some of you in firehouses or in stations and to seeing and hearing from you directly how it is that you do your jobs and what it is that you need for us to do, because you're the front line of our response and our rescue when we face our time of greatest need.”

Speakers who followed urged Chertoff to continue listening and urged leaders of America's fire service to continue raising their voices on DHS policy decisions.