Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management

Crisis and Emergency Management

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October/November 2007                                                                                            Volume 13 - Number 1/2

Presidential Candidates' Positions on Emergency Management...

“If I’m Elected…”:  Presidential Candidate Bill Richardson’s Stand on Emergency Management
By Christa Jackson

On the second anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy, Democratic Presidential hopeful Bill Richardson stated his view of national emergency response and preparedness very directly: “As a nation, we are no better prepared now to handle a disaster like Katrina than we were then. Presidential leadership is nowhere to be found.”

So, what will Bill Richardson do if he is elected?  Candidate Richardson claims he has a plan to “create an emergency response structure, able to respond immediately and effectively, that will restore the nation’s confidence and peace of mind.”  What this structure is and how it will work remains to be seen, but three key elements were included in his statement released on August 29, 2007: pulling FEMA out of the Department of Homeland Security and placing it directly under the Executive Office; appointing the best-qualified people to lead the most important national agencies; and eliminating bureaucracy and ensuring immediate assistance to those in need.

On the campaign trail, Bill Richardson has stated that anti-terrorism funding decisions should be risk-based rather than “pork based” and he has pledged increased homeland security funding considerations to states.  While in Iowa, he stressed the importance of the State’s strategic location and its role in supplying the nation with food and a vital energy source.  Although he supports increased homeland security funding for fire fighters and other first responders through restoring funding for grant programs, much of his focus with these groups has been related to bargaining legislation and benefits.

While these statements are essentially sound bites at this point, Bill Richardson does have the unique advantage of his gubernatorial experience, which includes executing state disaster declarations and New Mexico’s search and recovery efforts for the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy.  Indeed, he appointed a seasoned emergency management professional, Timothy Manning, as his Homeland Security Advisor and Director of the Office of Homeland Security in March, 2005.  

In recent months, New Mexico has taken innovative steps to improve the State’s readiness posture.  In June, Governor Richardson appointed a Campus Safety Committee to review college and university emergency response plans in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings.  This initiative includes participation and input of local and state emergency agencies and additional response training to improve safety of campuses. In August, the State hosted a mine safety meeting, in conjunction with the New Mexico Bureau of Mine Safety, to introduce underground and surface mine operators to the Incident Command System (ICS) and statewide response capabilities.  

In his own words, improving the nation’s emergency response structure will be “a top priority” as President. While the details of his plan for America are still sketchy, Bill Richardson’s actions to date indicate that he just might be able to “walk the talk” when it comes to emergency management.