Pentagon finds first responders not prepared for attacks on Army bases

Defense Department inspectors have found that first responders are not prepared to respond to attacks against U.S. Army bases.

"Plans to implement an Installation Preparedness Program for first responders were substantially fragmented and ineffective," says an Army Audit Agency report obtained by the Deseret Morning News of Salt Lake City, Utah.

A survey of Army bases in 2000 found "that installation first responders weren't adequately equipped, trained or funded to respond to all facets of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and/or high-yield explosive incident," the report states.

In May 2001, the Army provided base commanders with "eight critical tasks" to help improve training, equipment and funding for first responders. The report found, however, such efforts have been "fragmented," "ineffective" and "not adequate."

Officials overseeing different groups of first responders failed to coordinate training or consult with weapons of mass destruction specialists on training or equipment, while the Pentagon had not developed a doctrine for WMD training, the report states. In addition, money that was supposed to be used for training was regularly diverted to unrelated work.

The report, though, is almost a year old, and Army officials said that improvement measures have been taken since its release, the Morning News reported Monday.