Syosset, NY-Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury), joined Congressman Steve Israel (D-Huntington), Syosset Fire District Superintendent Robert Swanson, Commissioner of Emergency Management Richard Rotanz and Long Island First responders to call for additional federal funding for local security efforts. Even as Washington requires more from local first responders, it has cut promised money for health screening, protective gear and improved communication technologies.

"Adequately securing our nation begins right here in our neighborhoods," said Presiding Officer Jacobs. "Our local first responders and our County's Office of Emergency Management must have the funds they require to do their job in this era of high security alerts and terrorism."

According to Congressman Israel, first responders are finding it increasingly difficult to get the needed money from Washington. Though the Bush budget claims to provide $3.5 billion for grants to local first responders, the White House is essentially double counting funds. The money is actually subtracted from other funding for local first responders. Nor can they expect much help from the newly established Homeland Security Department: according to a report by the Brookings Institution, the budget for the department needs $10 billion more than Bush proposed to cover necessary costs. Because the Department is meant to defray the costs felt by local governments and first responders, the burden will be shifted to them. Even more, the Senate slashed the president's earlier promise for the current year of $3.5 billion in direct aid for first responders by more than $200 million.