ABSTRACT
Introduction We have clearly demonstrated the need to cross-train responders in America in this book. Countless examples of areas of training, how they will bene¤t society and why, have been explored and examined. ere is one other group of people who need very much to be involved in this process from start to ¤nish. eir involvement can bring many additional assets, predominantly funding, to bear on the issue of cross-training our responders. is group of people is our elected o¢cials, at the local, county, state and federal level. is group is generally overlooked when problems are identi¤ed and solutions are sought. But, if we look at things logically, it is the politicians at all levels who make critical decisions on funding. It is this body of civil servants who introduce, author, vote on and require implementation of legislative initiatives that a ect each one of us. ese are the very people who need to be there when we train, and when we identify problems. ey need to see the hard work that goes into maintaining response annexes and to watch the e orts of our responders when they train. We need them to empathize with us when we are frustrated because we lack the required tools to get certain jobs done due to lack of funding. ese politicians need to be aware of what we are able to accomplish and what we cannot do. I have already referenced the syndrome where people believe television to be representative of the real world. Politicians watch television too, and they need to be able to distinguish between fact and ¤ction. If we are afraid to invite them to our training and exercises, we cannot be surprised when our funding requests go unanswered.
