Remarks of R. David Paulison 
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency 
National Sheriffs’ Association 
Salt Lake City, UT 
June 26, 2007 
Thank you for inviting me to join you today to discuss how FEMA and law enforcement 
can continue to work together in our response to disasters and emergencies. 
Some of you may know that I got my start in local government. I served as a firefighter 
and a paramedic and rose to serve as the Chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Department. I 
worked closely with local law enforcement and know what it means to be part of a 
community’s emergency leadership team. My on-the-ground experience shaped my 
views as I moved to serve the entire country – first at the US Fire Administration, then 
within the Department of Homeland Security, and today at FEMA. 
Once, the idea that the former President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs 
would speak to law enforcement groups on a regular, almost monthly, basis as the head 
of FEMA would have been surprising. But not today. Today we know that all first 
responders must work together to respond to both natural and man-made disasters. 
In fact, FEMA has made major internal reforms in the past year since I was confirmed 
that will make sure we are including the voices and ideas of the law enforcement 
community and addressing your concerns. 
To begin with, this year we instituted a reorganization of FEMA that is more inclusive 
and incorporates many of the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina. 
One important addition is the creation of the Law Enforcement Advisor to the 
Administrator. The law enforcement community needs to have a permanent seat at the 
table, and I need someone who’s advice I can call on and who can help me to include that 
advice throughout the agency. To develop the job description, I met with many of you 
here today, with your fellow organizations such as the FOP and National Association of 
Chiefs of Police, and with people around the country. The official posting closes 
tomorrow and then we will begin to interview the best candidates and plan to have the 
right person on-board later this summer. 
The first mission set forth for the Law Enforcement Advisor is to nationally enhance 
communication and coordination between the FEMA and State, local and tribal law enforcement. Clearly we are serious about working hand-in-hand with you in the days 
and years to come. 
To further improve our relationships with our partners on the ground, I have filled all 10 
Regional Administrator positions – for the first time in recent memory. They come from 
diverse backgrounds, but all are experienced. Of interest to you, two served in law 
enforcement. 
Region Five Administrator Ed Buikema was an officer with the Michigan State Police for 
more than 26 years, serving in the Emergency Management Division for 19 of those 
years. 
Region Eight Administrator Bob Flowers served with the California Highway Patrol and 
as Chief of Police for St. George, Utah and then served as Commissioner of Utah's 
Department of Public Safety. As Commissioner, Bob led the Utah Highway Patrol, State 
Bureau of Investigations, Fire Marshall Division, Aero Bureau, Homeland Security 
Bureau, Intermountain Training and Education Center, State Crime Labs, Training 
Academies and Division of Emergency Services and Homeland Security. He is a 
graduate of the FBI National Academy and a member of the FBI National Academy 
Associates. He also graduated from the National Executive Institute and Law 
Enforcement Development Institute and is currently a member of the Utah Police Chiefs 
and Sheriffs Association. 
I know experienced and qualified people when I see them. We brought them in to work 
with you on a daily basis. We know that the worst time to exchange business cards is 
during a disaster. We need to build these relationships today. That’s why I’m here and 
why I encourage each of you to be in touch with our Regional offices. I hope they have 
already been in contact with you. 
FEMA is also developing other avenues for our partners to let us know your thoughts. 
Last week I announced the membership of the National Advisory Council. This body has 
members from diverse backgrounds representing the broad spectrum of emergency 
management specialties. It includes Sacramento Police Chief Albert Najera and Pacific 
County Sheriff John Didion from Washington. I look forward to hearing their advice and 
suggestions. 
As you can see, law enforcement’s presence is felt across the FEMA organization. 
The recent realignment at FEMA also moved the preparedness and grant offices back 
under our umbrella. The National Preparedness Directorate is working to insure the 
proper distribution of grants to help you prepare your communities before a disaster 
strikes. I was in South Carolina last week at the memorial service for the fallen 
firefighters. I am dedicated to providing all first responders with the training and support 
you need to avoid such tragedies in the future. Rest assured, my team knows of my 
2
commitment to making sure these grants get out to the people who need them in a fare, 
efficient and timely manner. We owe those of you who protect us no less. 
FEMA is also working with the Department of Commerce to administer the $1 Billion 
interoperability grant program to improve your ability to communicate across 
jurisdictions. We are committed to making your communications with every level of 
responder and to getting you the resources you need to be prepared. 
In the past year we have made steady progress to improve our preparedness posture at 
FEMA, too, so that we will be ready to work with you and your teams when disaster 
strikes. Whether it is a hurricane, tornado, flood, earthquake, or even a man-made event, 
FEMA is better prepared to respond this year than ever before. 
The New FEMA is leaning further forward to deliver more effective disaster assistance to 
individuals and communities impacted by a disaster. You can see the results in our 
response this year to Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Kansas tornadoes as well as the 
Nor’easter that affected States across the Mid-Atlantic and New England. 
In each of these cases, FEMA was an engaged partner with the tribal, state and local 
governments immediately. We deployed operational and technical experts, rolled 
logistics and communications capabilities – even before a disaster declaration – and 
coordinated with the Governor to facilitate a Presidential disaster declaration. It was also 
FEMA that supported and helped to facilitate an effective Unified Command amongst the 
many Federal, tribal, state and local partners involved in the responses. We call this: 
“engaged partnership.” 
It is this philosophy that will guide our actions as we face disasters this year and into the 
future. 
Let me reassure you, we know that local governments will always be the first to respond. 
But FEMA has an important role to play. The old paradigm of waiting for state and local 
governments to be overwhelmed before providing federal assistance does not work. 
Under “engaged partnership,” FEMA has strengthened our relationships with key state, 
county and local partners. A “one size fits all” approach to emergency management will 
not work. FEMA is helping each State analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Thus, 
our planning is more informed and we can better anticipate specific needs and move 
quickly to support you in times of need. 
FEMA’s own operations have improved as we put in place pre-scripted mission 
assignments, pre-arranged contracts, and stronger, more nimble plans. Don’t be fooled 
by press stories that FEMA has no plans in place. We do. And they are getting stronger. 
We still have a lot of work to do, but we are moving in the right direction. 
3
There are areas, though, where we could use your assistance – where you can make a 
difference. 
One way you can be of assistance is to help us bring in talented people to FEMA. 
Encourage qualified people in your community to join FEMA’s team. There are a variety 
of potential opportunities. Temporary employees are needed to be on-call to supplement 
our operations. Full-time employees who can develop the depth and breadth of skills to 
build the nation’s preeminent emergency management agency are always in demand. 
And I can tell you a career at FEMA can be extraordinarily rewarding – professionally 
and personally. 
The second area where we could benefit from your help is in building a culture of 
preparedness in America. Everyone has a role to play in preparing for disasters. First 
responders are just one percent of the population and can be overwhelmed or unable 
to reach the scene immediately. 
The recent example of the Fort Dix plot being uncovered based on a tip from a clerk 
illustrates one of the roles citizens can play in supporting law enforcement and 
making our communities safer, stronger and better prepared. For elected officials and 
law enforcement alike, engaging in your local and state Citizen Corps Councils helps 
join governmental and non-governmental partners with trained, organized, volunteers 
to strengthen communities’ protection, preparedness, planning and resiliency. Over 
2,200 state, local, tribal and territorial Citizen Corps Councils serve 75 percent of the 
U.S. population. 
Americans must “be prepared” to care for themselves and their loved ones during and 
immediately following a disaster until other resources are available. In urban areas, 
getting through debris or providing the vast quantity of supplies can pose a challenge. 
A little bit of preparedness can go a long way to reducing the burden on all of us. 
I believe we have made real progress at FEMA. By leaning further forward to coordinate 
the federal response, which is more informed through assessments and communications 
with our partners, we can better serve all Americans. 
Of course, we are not done yet. There is still much work to do. 
But if our progress over the past year is any indication, I believe we are on the right track 
to fulfilling our vision to become the nation’s preeminent emergency management and 
preparedness agency. 
I am especially proud of the men and women who work at FEMA. They have put their 
hearts and souls into rebuilding this agency. I hope you are as proud to work with them 
on the ground as I am to work with them every day. 
4
Thank you again for the work that all of you do in your communities. Thank you for 
inviting me to join you this morning. I am pleased to be joined today by my partners in 
the federal government, US Marshalls Service Director John Clark and Federal Bureau of 
Prisons Director Harley Lappin and look forward to learning from their remarks. I look 
forward to continuing to strengthen all of our relationships and partnerships in the future. 
God bless you, and God bless America. 
5