$2.5 Million Approved for N.M. Tech's First Responder Program

DOMENICI: $2.5 MILLION APPROVED FOR N.M. TECH'S FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM

WASHINGTON, D. C., JUNE 25, 1998 -- Senator Pete Domenici today reported that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $22 million for a program involving the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology at Socorro to teach law enforcement how to respond to potential terrorist attacks.

Domenici is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, that today approved $22 million for the First Responder Training program through the newly-established National Domestic Preparedness Consortium. The funding is in the 1999 Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary Appropriations Bill.

New Mexico Tech is a leading player in the comprehensive first responder training effort, which is aimed at equipping and training state and local responders for potential terrorist incidents. The first responder program is funded through the Justice Department.

"Recent terrorist acts on U.S. soil underscore the need for prepared first responders," Domenici said. "We must ensure that our first line of defense is trained and ready to handled the unexpected situations."

The bill stipulates that the First Responder Program be funded through the $194 million approved for the Counter-Terrorism Fund.

The 1999 bill includes at Domenici's request, $2.5 million to continue support for the first responder program in conjunction with the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center at New Mexico Tech. The Center is developing training programs for national, state, and local law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical personnel and others involved in first responder crisis management. Training would incorporate planning for and response to terrorist weapons of mass destruction, including chemical, biological and large-scale blast devices.

Earlier this month, Domenici joined in announcing the creation of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium which will lead the preparedness training effort. The Consortium consists of New Mexico Tech, the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center at College Station, Texas, the Nevada Test Site, Louisiana State University and the U.S. Justice Department at Fort McClellan, Ala. Sandia National Laboratories will contribute to this effort.

The Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 1996, commonly referred to as the Nunn-Lugar-Domenici program, established a program to train and equip first responders and other public safety personnel in 120 cities over five years. Domenici helped kick off such a training program in Albuquerque in April. This Justice Department program will expand first responder training to additional American cities.

Domenici said this funding is provided within the spending guidelines set in the five-year, bipartisan balanced budget agreement reached by the Congress and White House last year.

CONTACT: SARAH ECHOLS (202) 224-7098