Leigh-Ann Bellew for Congress

BELLEW FOR CONGRESS
Op ed by Leigh-Ann Bellew

LOSING THE FIRE SERVICES, HAZMAT TEAM AND TESTING LAB AT FORT MONMOUTH WILL LEAVE OUR COMMUNITIES DANGEROUSLY VULNERABLE!

The Raritan Bay sits in the high risk corridor of New Jersey when it comes to potential terrorist attacks. When Fort Monmouth closes in 2011, this area will lose many important assets from fire safety personnel, specialized equipment and the only hazmat response unit from Boston to Washington, D.C.

The loss of the Fort means a loss of jobs and a loss of a source of revenue for the area. But most importantly, it is costing surrounding communities the protection of the fort’s fire and hazmat services that will cost millions of tax dollars to replace.

The Fort Monmouth Fire Department, with facilities in the Oceanport and Tinton Falls portions of the fort, operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with at least 15 firefighters on duty at any time. They answer hundreds of fire, rescue, and EMS calls a year, including dozens of calls off-post on a "mutual aid" basis, assisting local volunteer fire departments on structure fires, collapses, and other "major incident" calls, especially during the daytime when many volunteers cannot respond due to work.

Fort Monmouth is also home to a state-of-the-art hazardous materials response truck that can be brought into a wide variety of incidents, from spills to explosions to weapons of mass destruction issues involving chemical, biological, and radiological incidents. Since the New Jersey Turnpike is utilized by trucks carrying hazardous materials coming through our seaports, having this response truck is not just a convenience, it is a necessity and it is imperative that we keep it.

Yet this issue has not been championed by Frank Pallone or Rush Holt. They worked on the fort's BRAC closure. Shouldn’t they know what's there? The FBI and other branches of the Department of Homeland Security have expressed an interest in keeping a presence at the Fort due to its proximity to New York. Keeping the Haz-Mat lab and team would add to the security presence in this high target area.

I am a strong proponent of this idea because I believe that New Jersey, especially the Raritan Bay and surrounding areas, are high profile target zones for terrorists. We have many chemical plants, pharmaceuticals and two of the largest seaports in the country. To lose Fort Monmouth, and especially these specialized security and safety services at a time when we are so vulnerable, is nonsensical. With all that Fort Monmouth has to offer Homeland Security could have a top notch training ground for a variety of disciplines and keep a top notch emergency response unit up and running at the same time. Everyone would win.

Another win is that the local towns won’t be forced to spend tax dollars upgrading first responder equipment and facilities to make up for the loss of the Fort’s services. We’ll be able to keep the current level of service using tax dollars we’ve already sent to DC that are already budgeted for these services. It's win-win-win-win!

Leigh-Ann Bellew is the Republican Candidate for Congress from New Jersey’s 6th District which includes parts of Monmouth, Middlesex, Union and Somerset counties. CONTACT: Leigh-Ann Bellew Phone: 732-670-9839 info@bellewforcongress.com