Security and Emergency Preparedness

Partners In Peace program:

I am the mechanic for a portable toilet/septic company. We have 18 drivers on the road. My proposal is this:

Using tax incentives to help defray the cost of communication equipment needed to equip vehicles and dispatch centers, commercial vehicles could be used as patrol/surveillance platforms. Regional reporting centers would be established to sift through tips/alerts forwarded by participating entities. These reporting centers would then submit information to the appropriate local/state/federal agencies.

At any given time there are between 30 and 40 million commercial vehicles of all types traveling the roads. These "observers" often see things which seem suspicious to them. However, a poll of my drivers shows that only 10% of suspicious activity/circumstances get reported because the driver has no idea who to call.

The Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Transportation could assist with the recruiting and registration of participating entities. Perhaps during the registration of fleet vehicles or corporate registration (ie. tax number assignment).

Service could possibly be through Nextel, which would benefit many small companies with improved communication capabilities. For example: My company currently utilizes an outdated radio system (222 MHz AM, with an effective range of about 30 miles. So we are frequently out of touch with most of our drivers for several hours per day.) An addition of 1 - 2 personnel at each county 911 call center would be required to field calls from dispatchers. These 911 personnel would have access numbers/Nextel/radio contact with the appropriate local/state/federal agencies.

National Emergency and Security Staffing act: 

The purpose is to provide proportional defensive staffing in order to effectively, and efficiently respond to natural disasters and threats to National security from within and without our sovereign borders. The manpower goal is 8% of the national population (to wit: 26,400,000 member standing army). Following the events of Sept. 11th, 2001 right through the hurricane Katrina and Rita disasters a notable lack of qualified emergency response personnel caused me to look into the manpower requirements necessary if there were no volunteering agencies or personnel. I believe the goal of 8% is a proper proactive level.