Special to EmergencyNet News - 18 MAR 98
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE
Date Mar 12, 98 - No.10-98
U.S ARMY SOLDIER SYSTEMS COMMAND
Natick, Massachusetts 01760
(505)233-4300/5340 - DSN 256-4300/5340
For more information contact:
Charles McDonald, EOPS at (617)727-7775,
Colleen Jacquet, SSCOM at (508) 233-4300, or
Maj. Michael Pacheco, MNG at (508)233-6561
State-Federal Public Safety Partnership
To Generate Better Protection Against Terrorism and Disasters
NATICK, Mass. -- A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)
will be signed on March 13, 1998 between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive
Office of Public Safety (EOPS) and the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command's (SSCOM) Natick
Research, Development and Engineering Center (NRDEC).
The CRADA will lead to a partnership in testing and developing protective clothing and
equipment for state and federal disaster response and pnblic safety personnel. Under the
agreement, SSCOM/NRDEC will provide advice and assistance related to current research and
development programs and explore common grounds of interest to both military and civilian
emergency response personnel. Sensitive to the needs of the Commonwealth, both the
SSCOM/NRDEC and EOPS believe that this CRADA will set a precedent for local use of
government assets to meet immediate regional and national needs.
"This federal and state partnership allows our public safety agencies to develop the
most technically advanced equipment and techniques in confronting and dealing with
everything from natural disasters to international terrorism," said Governor Paul
Cellueci.
The agreement joins thc resources of SSCOM and NRDEC in modernizing and updating equipment
and protective clothing in use in agencies such as the Department of Correction,
Department of Fire Services, Department of State Police, Massachusetts Emergency
Management Agency, Massachusetts National Guard (MNG), and the Criminal Justice Trainingc
Council, to name a few, Among other things, the agreement will provide access to
SSCOM/NRDEC's unique test and evaluation facilities and other national partners. Many
industrial, academia and other government agency partners leverage efforts and resources
to accomplish the SSCOM/NRDEC mission, which can be made accessible to the EOPS through
the agreement.
"Fostering greater collaboration and sharing among local, state and federal agencies
as well as technological advancement are top priorities of mine. This agreement will pay
off in cutting-edge equipment and protection for our law enforcement and public safety
personnel," said Public Safety Secretary Kathleen M. O'Toole.
The CRADA will be signed by EOPS Undersecretary David Rodham, and Mr. Philip Brandler,
NRDEC's Technical Director. Both Maj. Gen. Raymond Vezina, MNG's Adjutant General and
Brig. Gen. Robert L. Floyd II, SSCOM's Commanding General, will be present during the
ceremony to be held at the MNG Headquarters, 50 Maple Street, Milford, Mass., at 2 p,m on
the first floor conference room.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for our communities to benefit from defense
industry technology," said Maj. Gen. Raymond Venezia, MNG's Adjutant General.
About SSCOM/NRDEC
The U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command develops, integrates, acquires and sustains soldier
and related support systems to modernize, balance and improve the soldier's war fighting
capabilities, performance, and quality of life. Full life cycle management from basic
science, to product development, equipment integration, acquisition, and finally
sustainment makes this mission possible. Taking a revolutionary approach to the oldest and
most basic item of warfare, SSCOM focuses on the individual soldier as a complete weapons
platform.
The Natick Research, Development and Engineering Center is the technical arm of SSCOM,
developing the technology necessary for future soldier and soldier support systems,
providing the Project Managers and other customers technical and engineering talent to
conduct the programs they manage, and providing engineering support to procurement and
fielded items.
MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY
The mission of the Public Safety Secretariat is to protect the citizens of the
Commonwealth from injury by others or through manmade or natural disasters. In order to
accomplish this mission, the Executive Office of Public Safety strives to unify and
automate its criminal justice agencies to allow them to work in concert to arrest,
prosecute, incarcerate, and reintegrate society's offenders. Additionally, in furtherance
of this mission, the Executive Office of Public Safety endeavors to coordinate all of its
emergency management entities to respond to natural and manmade emergencies in the most
effective and efficent manner possible, and to prepare the citizens of the Commonwealth in
advance for such foreseeable events.
From the Preamble of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
"The end of the institution, maintenance, and administration of
government, is to secure the existence of the body politic, to protect it, and to furnish
the individuals who compose it with the power of enjoying in safety and tranquility their
natural rights, and the blessings of life."
Resource page on above story: http://sscom.army.mil/