As hurricane season officially began Thursday, the Senate Government Operations Committee took a step toward ensuring new sources of assistance in the event of a disaster striking the territory.
The panel unanimously approved a bill providing for the Virgin Islands to become part of the nation's Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). This relationship could provide assistance in addition to that available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Testifying for the measure was Col. Gene J.P. Walker, state director of the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA).
Participation in EMAC provides for each member to access assistance available from the other member states and territories when disaster, natural or otherwise, strikes, Walker said. He said the compact comprises 30 jurisdictions, with four more on the waiting list. Compact members assist one another by providing help where needed, he said.
As an example, Walker cited last year's fires in Florida. He said when Florida needed assistance, North Carolina came to its aid by providing firefighting aircraft, materials and technical help.
EMAC assistance is often less expensive than that provided by FEMA, Walker said, and may be more readily available. He said that FEMA supports state and territorial participation in EMAC has said it would not limit federal disaster assistance.
Another plus, Walker said, is "the potential for training our people." V.I. government employees could be sent to stateside locations to obtain "excellent training on management of emergencies." he said, and the cost of participation will be reimbursable in accordance with the EMAC agreement.
Asked by Sen. Donald "Ducks" Cole if the agreement had any drawbacks, Walker said "none." The VITEMA director added that then-Gov. Alexander Farrelly signed an earlier version of the agreement at the Southern Governors Conference in 1993, but it was never approved by the Legislature.
Asked by Cole if former Gov. Roy L. Schneider knew of the agreement, Walker said the document was "submitted several times to Gov. Schneider, who did not choose to send it to the Senate." Praising Gov. Turnbull for sending it to the 23rd Legislature, Walker added that Puerto Rico has been an EMAC signatory for several years and received substantial help as a result after Hurricane Georges in 1998.
Aiming to see the bill enacted before the height of this year's hurricane season, Government Operations Committee chair Gregory Bennerson and the five other members present, Sens. Lorraine Berry, Cole, Roosevelt David, David Jones and Allie-Allison Petrus, voted to approv it. Committee member Adelbert Bryan was absent.
The bill, introduced by Senate president Vargrave Richards, now goes to the Rules Commitee; if approved there, it will move to the full Senate.