Res. No. 87
Resolution calling upon the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to specify emergency departments and trauma centers as recipients of federal funds for emergency preparedness in order to ensure that such entities receive the maximum amount of funding available to assist their efforts in safeguarding the public health and safety in the event of a nuclear biological or chemical attack.
By Council Members Vallone, Quinn, Avella, Brewer, Clarke, Comrie, Fidler, Gennaro, Gerson, Jackson, Jennings, Sears, Weprin, Yassky, Liu, Gentile and Nelson
Whereas, Hospital emergency departments and trauma centers are essential components of New York City’s first responder system; and
Whereas, In their capacity to expeditiously stabilize, diagnose and treat critically ill patients, hospital emergency departments and trauma centers will be at the front-line of any response to a nuclear, biological or chemical attack on New York City; and
Whereas, Hospital emergency departments and trauma centers routinely work with other first-responder agencies, such as the New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM), the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) and the Police, Fire and Health Departments; and
Whereas, The cost of providing specialized training for emergency medical technicians and other medical staff and developing, renovating and maintaining emergency departments and trauma centers able to address the needs that would be presented by a nuclear, biological or chemical attack are overwhelming, and pose a great financial burden to the City's hospitals; and
Whereas, Although federal appropriations bills provide a small amount of funding for public health and/or medical establishments, none specifically cite emergency rooms and trauma centers as recipients of funding made available to first-responders; and
Whereas, Notwithstanding the fact that hospital emergency departments and trauma centers would play an integral role in the first-response to a nuclear, biological or chemical attack, federal funded first-responder emergency preparedness grants also do not specifically earmark funds to these entities; and
Whereas, Hospital emergency departments and trauma centers have received limited federal emergency preparedness funding which is needed to cover vital emergency preparedness costs, such as facility improvements, response training, improved communication systems, and other equipment and supplies; and
Whereas, In the absence of sufficient federal funding, New York City hospitals have funded first-responder emergency preparedness projects from minimal day-to-day operating budgets and have, in many cases, not been able to make all changes which they believe are necessary; and
Whereas, New York City hospitals should have access to the maximum amount of available federal funding for emergency responders in the case of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack to ensure the health and safety of all who live in, work in or visit our City; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to specify emergency departments and trauma centers as recipients of federal funds for emergency preparedness in order to ensure that such entities receive the maximum amount of funding available to assist their efforts in safeguarding the public health and safety in the event of a nuclear biological or chemical attack.