Just four years ago, the term “Homeland Security” was not
even a part of our vocabulary. Since September 11, 2001, it has become
a top priority.
In the aftermath of 9/11, when I helped coordinate information
and work between the Department of Youth and Community Development and
other city agencies at the major communication hub on one of the piers,
I saw firsthand the hard work and talent that protects New York -- from our
police and fire departments to our top officials and from our federal crime enforcement
to our Port Authority workers.
Unfortunately, these workers who put their
lives at risk every day are being short-changed by the government, using
questionable math to dole out funds for vital protections.
As Manhattan Borough President,
I will address this issue with a 5-point plan:
The MANZANO 5-Point Plan
- To implement a "Security and Preparedness" Committee in each of
the 12 Community Boards in Manhattan. I will seek to
recruit police
officers, firefighters, first responders and other law enforcement
officials who live or work in the area. Plus, I would ask the
police and fire commissioners,
union officials and other
law enforcement agencies to recommend individuals to sit on this
committee.
- To create a "Security and Preparedness" unit within the borough
president's office to highly coordinate plans and information
with the Office of
Emergency Management (OEM), the Police
Department (NYPD), the Fire Department (FDNY), First Responders,
Union Officials and other law enforcement agencies and organizations.
-
To establish a public-private partnership with companies
located in high-rise buildings. This would enable us to coordinate emergency
and evacuation plans. All workers
should be familiar with emergency situations. I would seek to
have a liaison from each company to make sure that we can bring information
to every worker.
- To develop a web portal that will enable the borough president's
office to disseminate information via the Internet to all senior
centers, non-profit organizations and community-based organizations.
This
plan will also be developed for a "person-per-person" network approach
through the community boards. This is essential in case communications
break down as
a result of damaged phone lines
and other communication hubs.
- To expand the current Community Emergency Response Team
(CERT) program to every community throughout Manhattan. In New York, the program
started in Battery Park as a result of the 9/11
attacks. This program has expanded to cover SoHo and Harlem. It
is an effective way to recruit concerned citizens and community residents.
NYPD and NYFD
The first line in defense and dealing with an attack is our police and
fire department workers. At this critical juncture in history, we must
be certain, as a city, that these departments have all the resources necessary
to fight this shadow war, including the most modern equipment and training.
The more holes that exist in our protection, the more vulnerable we will be.
Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
In 2002, the OEM became a separate department of the city government. This
department has been charged with the responsibility of preparing the public
for, and helping to prevent, future terrorist attacks and other disasters.
With a meager $19 million budget and less than two dozen employees, not to
mention little power, the OEM has been rendered virtually useless. As Manhattan
Borough President, I will lobby our legislators to strengthen the ability
of the OEM to protect us.
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
Preparation for a disaster is most vital at the community level, as each
community and borough has its unique problems and complications. I have
attended
CERT meetings to learn firsthand how local residents are organizing in
case of an emergency. I learned that a one-size-fits-all approach does
not work, and this task can only be accomplished as long as there is cooperation
with the OEM, the Fire Department and the Police Department.
As Manhattan Borough President, I will work with local residents, community
boards, and business establishments to develop and create community hubs
where local residents can obtain information and respond to emergencies without
interfering with emergency responders. In addition, I will coordinate with
my fellow borough presidents to advocate on behalf of the CERTs and Ready
New York programs to get adequate funding for training local citizens and
groups, and to disseminate information.
Making Our Ports Ready
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| Manzano speaking to local firefighters |
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New York City’s ports remain especially vulnerable to attack due
to minimal protection. Together, with the help of anti-terrorism experts
and law enforcement officials, we must implement new scanning and sensor
technologies to deter and prevent attacks on our citizens and our City.
New York is the number one target in the nation. Therefore, I will lobby
our local, state and federal officials for our city to be the number
one recipient of local, state and federal funding.
Protecting Our Reservoirs
Water is the source of life. In New York, there are two tunnels that
bring fresh water from the Croton Reservoir. A third water tunnel
is under construction and will help relieve water distribution in our
city. These tunnels provide access to an adequate, clean supply of
this increasingly precious resource. Recent studies have shown, however,
that not only are the city’s reservoirs vulnerable to pollution,
but also that they are vulnerable to terrorists. If you remember,
the Blackout resulted in major disruptions in our City. Imagine the
major
disruption to our lives if our precious water supply was unavailable
for days or weeks. Moreover, the poisoning of our reservoirs would
be an unmitigated disaster. As Borough President, I will address
this issue forcefully to develop a plan that
monitors
both the safety of our water and limits the access to the supply.
Proper Federal Funding
As Manhattan Borough President, I will join forces with our local elected
and U.S. representatives to urge the Bush administration to correct the
imbalances in funding. According to a CNN report from 2004, Wyoming receives
an impressive
$61 per head funding, Alaska an equally impressive $58 per person. New
Yorkers receive under $25 and Californians a paltry $14. This discrepancy
reflects pork barrel funding for Republican representatives in some of
our least populated areas of the country. This must be reversed.
