INTERNATIONAL RESCUE AND FIRST AID ASSOCIATION, Senator ERNEST GRUENING, Chairman, Subcommittee on Donable Property, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR GRUENING: Thank you for the opportunity of making a matter of record the support of the International Rescue and First Aid Association of those bills which would amend the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to make both volunteer fire departments and volunteer rescue and first aid squads eligible for donations of surplus Government property. Our association first went on record in regard to expanding eligibility under the donable property program at its 1956 convention at Toledo, Ohio, with the membership, assembled in convention session, adopting the following resolution: "Whereas in recent years our great Nation has suffered enormously from the destructive forces of nature by virtue of hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes, which caused great tolls in loss of life and injury to thousands of our citizens as well as being most destructive to commercial establishments and residential structures; and "Whereas these catastrophes must be met by the immediate organization of disaster squads, equipped with articles from Federal surplus stockpiles, which would greatly enhance rescue, first aid, and transportation so vital at said disaster areas; and "Whereas disaster squads should be organized, equipped, and trained within the organizational planning of Armed Forces reserve training centers, stations, and armories, Civil Defense, Civil Air Patrol, and organized civilian rescue and first aid squads; and "Whereas the release of said surplus Federal equipment would also enhance routine localized functions on a year-round basis and thereby greatly reduce death and injury tolls from the presently high rates; and "Whereas human misery could be relieved and alleviation of unwarranted delays could be achieved by trained and well-equipped squads which would provide the best in rescue, first aid, and transportation; and "Whereas within the past 2 years the eastern seaboard and the New England States have suffered high tolls in loss of life and billions in property losses, causing peril to our national security and public safety: Now, therefore, be it "Resolved, That this resolution be unanimously passed in concurrence and proper Federal authorities be notified." The IRFAA's position has been reaffirmed at subsequent conventions and again by our board of directors and executive committee, meeting jointly at Alexandria, Va., February 28, 1959, with emphasis that both volunteer fire departments and volunteer rescue and independently operating volunteer rescue and first aid squads should be eligible to receive donable surplus Government property. The action taken at the February 28, 1959, joint meeting specifically endorsed H.R. 105 which was introduced by Representative W. Pat Jennings, of Virginia, at the opening of the present session of Congress. Mr. Jennings' remarks as set forth in the Appendix (A2118) of the March 12, 1959, issue of the Congressional Record include the IRFAA action of February 28, 1959, the resolution adopted at Toledo, Ohio, in 1956 and specific information regarding our association and its objectives. There is apparently a willingness to make volunteer fire departments eligible for donations of surplus Government property; and some hesitancy as to including volunteer rescue and first aid squads in the donable property program. We believe the latter may result from lack of complete information as to the organization, training and community-level services of the volunteer rescue and first aid squads and crews which are not part of volunteer fire departments, but are likewise giving continuous humanitarian services in their respective communities. These volunteer rescue and first aid units are, like most of the volunteer fire departments, dependent almost entirely on contributions of residents of their own communities and special fund-raising efforts for purchase and maintenance of their vehicles and equipment, headquarters buildings, and operational costs. The fact that more and more volunteer rescue and first aid squads are being formed every year, and almost every month, is evidence that these units, whether independent or a part of a volunteer fire department, are meeting community needs. Other factors which are part of the overall picture in regard to volunteer rescue and first aid squads are: The organized rescue and first aid movement is comparatively young-with the pioneer units organized from 25 to 20 years ago-in comparison to the volunteer fire departments, some of which have been in service since Colonial days; and a number of States do not have such volunteer squads and crews in their communities, and their communities and rural areas, not having municipal emergency unit services, are entirely dependent on funeral home or commercial ambulances and hence residents of those States are not familiar with the round-the-clock work of the many thousands of volunteers, both men and women, who are trained members of the organized rescue and first aid squads and crews. It is in behalf of these many thousands of men and women who have given, and continue to devote their time, their skills, and contribute their own money as members of organized and trained units, that our association urges amendment of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 to make both volunteer fire departments and volunteer rescue and first aid squads— independent operating as part of or within volunteer fire departments-eligible for donation of surplus Government property. We wish to point out that our membership includes municipal (paid), funeral home, and commercial ambulance units as well as volunteer fire departments and independent volunteer squads and crews. We accept the funeral home and commercial units as members providing each ambulance driver and attendant has had first aid training and carries at least a standard first aid card. We believe and recommend that all drivers and attendants or other personnel of emergency vehicles should be required to have had first aid training and have a current card showing such training. We regret that the situation and time element were such that representatives of our association could not appear personally at the hearings held by the Subcommittee on Donable Property, but appreciate the opportunity and thank you and the other members of the subcommittee for permitting the IRFAA to make the foregoing a matter of record in behalf of the volunteer rescue and first aid squads and the volunteer fire departments across the Nation. MAX L. SPRAY, Lrecutive Director. INTERNATIONAL RESCUE AND FIRST AID ASSOCIATION, INC. "And a certain Samaritan *** going up to him bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine; and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn and took care of him."-Luke 10: 33-34. THIS IS THE IRFAA The International Rescue and First Aid Association is an association of organized volunteer, paid, and industrial rescue squads, ambulance, and first aid crews, fire departments, and other comparable units equipped with all types of rescue and first aid apparatus and devices which can be carried in mobile units, either by vehicular, water, or air transport; county, State and other associations; and individuals, both men and women, active or interested in the rescue and first aid movement. The IRFAA membership thus is composed of individuals, organized units, and associations, and associate members in the United States, Canada, and other countries. This association was organized in 1948 at the first annual convention in Atlantic City, N.J. The IRFAA is incorporated under the code of the Commonwealth of Virginia as a voluntary nonprofit organization. OBJECTIVES OF THE IRFAA 1. To promote the ideas of organized rescue and first aid work throughout the world. 2. To promote and assist in the establishment and training of rescue and first aid organizations. 3. To cooperate to the fullest possible extent with other organizations whose objectives are accident prevention, safety education, rescue, and first aid work. 4. To cooperate in, foster, and conduct research designed to advance the science and art of rescue and first aid work, and to encourage the desirable standardization of practice and equipment. 5. To establish a system of mutual assistance both within the association and with other organizations to be used in the event of large-scale disaster. 6. To develop and maintain a code of high ethical standards among rescue and first aid personnel. 7. To promote the general good and welfare of the members of the association. 8. To aid in bringing about and maintaining world harmony by developing a spirit of kinship among the people who are devoted to the cause of saving life and aiding the sick and injured. 9. To bring together in a common association all organizations and individuals interested in the aforementioned objectives. ACTIVITIES All activities of this association are designed and carried out to accomplish and forward the aforementioned activities. All elected and appointed officers are volunteers in their work in and for the association except the executive director who is employed to conduct the operations of the executive office and to serve as editor of the association's official magazine, the International Rescuer. This association encourages plans of cooperative action and mutual assistance among its members; and on local, county, State, Provincial and other levels but it does not itself become operational in any emergency or disaster situation whether it be of a local, State, national or international character. It does not order, dispatch, or request any member unit to go to the scene of any emergency or disaster of any type. Any unit, individual, or organization does not lose any autonomy or freedom of action through membership in this association. EXECUTIVE OFFICE The association's executive office is located at 101 North Alfred Street, Alexandria, Va. Telephone King 8-1255. Night telephone Temple 6-0537. All correspondence and requests for information or membership applications should be directed to the executive office. WHY BELONG TO THE IRFAA? This association is an international organization with worldwide goals. It is working for better recognition of organized rescue and first aid activities by organizations, governmental officials, agencies, and departments on community, State, Provincial, national and international levels. Individual, unit, and association membership gives each such member of this association direct participation in promoting this greater understanding and recognition of the organized rescue and first aid movement. Membership also provides 1. Mutual exchange of information regarding best procedures, practices, and new techniques. 2. Opportunity for participation in annual conventions. 3. Voting participation in the association's activities. 4. The official magazine, the International Rescuer, and other informative mailings which may be made from time to time. MEMBERSHIPS AND DUES Active membership in this association is open to individuals, both men, women, units, and associations actively engaged in the training and/or practice of rescue, lifesaving, and first aid work or those comparable activities of safety, accident prevention, and prevention of loss of life, injuries, and property damage by accident, fire, or disasters from any cause. Associate membership in this association is open to those individuals or concerns who manufacture or sell rescue, first aid, and comparable equipment, vehicles, and supplies, or who are otherwise interested in financially aiding the association. Dues are on an annual, calendar-year basis. There is no initiation fee or assessment. Payment of dues for the current year only is required for initial membership. Subsequent annual dues are on January 1 of each year. The dues for individual active membership are $3 per year. Each individual holding direct membership has one vote in the association and receives a membership card, the official magazine, and other mailings as a part of membership. The dues for units-squads, crews, brigades, corps, fire departments, and other organized groups, including those operating in industry, whether volunteer or paid-are $10 per year. The unit member has five votes in the association; and receives a membership certificate, the official magazine, and other mailings as a part of membership. Dues for association membership organizations of city, county, bicounty, State, Provincial, territorial, national and international score-are $25 per year. The member organization has 10 votes in the association; and receives a membership certificate, the magazine, and other mailings as a part of membership. ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP Dues for associate membership are $5 per year for employees or representatives of manufacturers and distributors; $25 per year for distibutors and resale organizations; and $50 per year for manufacturers building rescue, first aid, firefighting, and other vehicles, equipment, and supplies, or who wish to financially aid the association. Associate members do not have a vote in the association. Each associate member receives a membership card and/or membership certificate, the official magazine, and other mailings as a part of membership. IRFAA "HONOR ROLL" When the current year's dues are paid for the unit and each of its active members, the unit receives a special 100-percent membership certificate. All 100-percenter units are listed in the honor roll which is published regularly in the International Rescuer. INTERNATIONAL RESCUER This association's official magazine, the International Rescuer, is published bimonthly. It is distributed to each direct member-one copy of each issue to each individual, unit, association, and associate member-with a specified portion of each such member's annual dues being designated as the current year's subscription for this publication. The association solicits advertising for this magazine which is now distributed in more than 40 States, most Canadian provinces, and to some individual members in other countries. Advertising rates are immediately available on request to the executive office. IRFAA EMBLEM Any individual member and member unit may use shoulder patches, lapel buttons, vehicle shields, and so forth, carrying the IRFAA emblem when in good standing with dues paid for the current year. Members of units in good standing may use IRFAA emblem items as indirect members of this association. items may be purchased from the executive office. CONTRIBUTIONS DEDUCTIBLE Emblem This association is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 n line with a ruling by the Exempt Organizations Branch of the Internal Revenue Service. The association welcomes contributions and gifts to further its educational and other objectives. Such contributions and gifts are deductible by the donors in computing their taxable income in the manner and to the extent provided by section 170 of the 1954 code. Hon. JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Chairman, Government Operations Committee, U.S. Senate. SEPTEMBER 3, 1959. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is with further reference to your letter of June 29, 1959, requesting the views of this agency on S. 2198, a bill to amend the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. The bill would make surplus property acquired by eligible American educational organizations available for use in a foreign country where such organizations were "working among underprivileged tribal groups pursuant to contract agreements under such foreign country." Under existing law (sec. 203 (j) of the above act), surplus property is available to American educational institutions only for domestic use. We are informed that the Bureau of the Budget is opposed to enactment of this bill for reasons not related to this agency or its activities. From the point of view of the oversea information program, there is no compelling reason to dissent from the Budget Bureau's position. However, if the committee does consider the bill, it may wish to broaden the scope of the bill to permit American institutions which engage in educational or research activities in a foreign country (pursuant to contract with such country), and which are otherwise eligible to acquire surplus property, to take surplus property abroad for use in connection with such activities. It would seem difficult to explain to a foreign country that only organizations working among underprivileged tribal groups may take American surplus property overseas. We appreciate the opportunity to offer the foregoing comments. HARRY TYSON CARTER, General Counsel and Congressional Liaison. Hon. ERNEST GRUENING, SWEENY, MAHARY & EWING, Newburgh, N.Y., September 2, 1959. Senate Government Operations Committee, DEAR SIR: As a member of a local advisory board of the Salvation Army, I am interested in the passage of bill S. 1365, which would make the Salvation Army and other agencies eligible for Federal surplus property. I feel certain that the Salvation Army would make good use of such surplus property and that many people would benefit from it. I would, therefore, appreciate anything you could do in furthering the adoption of this bill. Very truly yours, GORDON W. EWING. TOWN OF EATONVILLE, Eatonville, Wash., August 28, 1959. Hon. HENRY JACKSON, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: This letter is sent to draw your attention to the matter of governmental surplus equipment and materials being made available to municipalities. I know that such surplus has been given to schools and universities and in some cases has never been utilized by the recipients. As you are well aware all governmental agencies are faced with financial problems. It is my opinion that small towns are faced with a more acute problem than are larger cities. By small I am thinking in the class of 2,000 population and less. If surplus equipment and materials were made available to us here in Eatonville we could make street extensions, open alleys, etc., at a reasonable cost. By having to rent equipment or contract jobs out, the cost becomes prohibitive. If our town is to grow, and all Pacific coast towns will according to all population predictions, in an orderly and planned fashion these things are necessary. I know that this situation is not only here but all over and that allocation of materials to smaller communities would create a problem. However this need by small towns is urgent and is most certainly worthy of some thought and consideration. Yours very truly, DUELL DRANE, Mayor. Senator GRUENING, CHEVY CHASE, MD., August 3, 1959. Chairman of Special Subcommittee on Donable Property, New Senate Office Building. DEAR SENATOR GRUENING: I attended the hearings but didn't ask to speak as I am not connected with any surplus property committee, and I don't feel that I am anybody of importance, but I am interested in helping the reformatories get |