IAEM pushes for Paulison appointment

IAEM has written to the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs to support David Paulison’s nomination as FEMA chief.

The letter reads as follows (published verbatim):

To: The Honorable Susan Collins, Chairman,
The Honorable Joe Lieberman, Ranking Member,
Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs

Dear Chairman Collins and Ranking Member Lieberman:

The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), a not-for-profit organization founded to serve its members by providing information, networking and professional development opportunities and to advance the emergency management profession, supports the nomination of R. David Paulison as the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Mr. Paulison has a proven track record in emergency management and has shown great leadership at FEMA as the head of the U.S. Fire Administration, as Chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department which included the Dade County Emergency Management office, and as past president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).

IAEM and our members have had a positive working relationship with Mr. Paulison when he served as U.S. Fire Administrator and through our work with professional associations, such as the IAFC. First responders and emergency managers play a key role in disaster response and Mr. Paulison has a firm grasp of both the on-the-ground efforts as well as the emergency management support needed in the hours immediately following a disaster.

At a time when FEMA has come under great scrutiny, we believe that Mr. Paulison is an outstanding choice as the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management and we fully support his nomination and look forward to working with him in the future.

Sincerely,

Marg Verbeek, CEM, MCIP
IAEM President

•Date: 23rd May 2006• Region: US • Type: Article •Topic: Emergency management
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