Using Hemp to Improve Emergency Services

Using Hemp to Improve Emergency Services

8% of all revenue generated by the ever-increasing “Hemp Tax” should be set aside to fund specific issues related to assisting, on a direct and local level, Fire, Safety and Emergency personnel.  The first goal applied to the funding for Fire/Safety/Emergency should be to, from a national source, supplement the pay of Fire/Safety/Emergency personnel with an intent to double salaries relative to what they currently are within a decade.  The second goal should be to establish an ever-increasing fund with which to facilitate the upgrade and modernization of equipment needed by those departments charged with such duties.  The third is to establish a fund for the specific goal of ensuring availability to on-going training programs for Fire/Safety/Emergency personnel.  The fourth allotment of funds from this general category should be used to establish regionally specific Civilian focused emergency and natural disaster response training.

Insofar as establishing a target date for the increase in pay for Fire/Safety/Emergency personnel, being that revenue will not instantly be available but will, over time, dramatically increase as the nation becomes more and more acclimated to having Hemp as a primary national commodity, allowing for the passage of one decade should suffice to achieve this goal.  These monies, the “Hemp Tax” revenue ear-marked for Fire/Safety/Emergency would be drawn from a national pool and disbursed equally amongst the States relative to the numbers of Fire/Safety/Emergency personnel employed.  Though the details of just how this should work would need to be decided by Congress, the goal should be to incrementally, across the Nation, begin supplementing the salaries of all individuals working in the Fire/Safety/Emergency professions.

The secondary goal for the funds allotted to Fire/Safety/Emergency would be to establish a permanent and ever-increasing national pool from which to assist State and Local Fire/Safety/Emergency agencies in the upgrade and modernization of critical equipment.  The primary focus of this fund should be directed first to those departments or agencies, both rural and urban, most in need of such increase.  As more funds become available over time, this pool, directed from a national level with a consideration given not toward State government level disbursement but directly focused on individual departments on the State and Local level.  This funding pool should have no finite date applied but instead should continue to grow, to build and to assist with the needs of all interested parties in the purchase of such items related to the direct essential needs of Fire/Safety/Emergency personnel.

Third, a portion of the revenue generated for Fire/Safety/Emergency should be set aside to fund training programs.  It should be self evident that continuously educated and trained professional Fire/Safety/Emergency personnel are more effective.  Therefore, it is imperative that those who have chosen this most noble profession receive current and continuous training relevant to their field.

            Over the past dozen years, this nation has experienced several watershed incidents in which regional areas of the country have been affected by natural and generated crisis.  Though such incidents have existed prior to the time mentioned, focused and effective management of such situations have generally failed both on the local and national level.  One of the primary notable problems which exist is the lack of preparedness amongst the affected populations.  Herein we have a method to fund Civilian Emergency Response training programs with the goal of establishing regionally specific training for local populations in order to better facilitate such activities as prevention, evacuation, rescue and relief.  Such programs as they are developed should remain voluntary amongst the adult population but should be strongly encouraged.  Related programs should also be established on the High School level as a minor part of the curriculum, thus achieving a sense of community and responsibility amongst students.  All such courses, both adult or as a part of a High School curriculum, should remain free of charge with the intended payback being an educated and prepared populace.  Participation in such education should be assisted by encouraging community pride and cohesion.  With even 10% of the population voluntary participating, such events as mass evacuations should occur in a much more manageable fashion with the expected result being more lives and property saved.