Consolidate public safety

Score (109)

Consolidate the various state agencies with primary emergency response and public safety duties; State Police, Office of Fire Prevention and Control, State Emergency Management Office, Dept of Health Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, within the Office of Homeland Security. Since OHS was created to “…oversee and coordinate the state’s homeland security resources..” it would seem the greatest oversight and coordination and efficiency would be possible if these operations were under a single commissioner who reported directly to the governor.
Each of these state response agencies and its personnel is a vital part of the state’s overall public safety team and must be fully supported, funded and encouraged to do everything possible to ensure the safety of the people of the Empire State. Please provide them the organizational structure to help facilitate their accomplishment of their missions.
As a local member of an emergency service provider, I can assure you that we need each and every service and asset these state agencies provide - and more. They have repeatedly proven themselves invaluable in time of emergency and we hope they will continue to be able to do so well into the future.
As you work to fulfill you goal of “reinventing New York” I implore you not to reduce any of these agencies but rather, strengthen and streamline their coordination – for that would be seen as a display of smart reinvention.
- Submitted by Keith Daniels on 12.24.06