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This group is a volunteer organization and is not a goverment program. Its disaster relief is based primarily on the desire of people to help others. The volunteers are not legally mandated to help, they do it because they want to.

This is a legislative report produced by Department of Human Services following up on SF 119, an act creating a new certification for Community Paramedics. 

While "front line" emergency response is not directly addressed in the article, it does discuss the motivation and sociopolitical background for emergency response from the public health perpsective at great length. The article looks at nationalism and the self interest of countries in epidemic scenarios and other international public health crises, and discusses how emergency response to a public health crisis and eradicating diseases within the borders of one country is not the best plan of action, but is the one most friequently taken under current international protocols.

The authors present the modernization and globalization of nations and the emerging global threat of infectious diseases as the primary catalysts for the intersection of various organizations concerned with biosecurity and public health. Numerous national and multi-national organizations have reacted to this emerging threat by developing new strategic frameworks to promote prevention and preparedness. The increase in tension among various organizations on developing effective strategies is indicative of the overlapping fields of national security, biosecurity, public safety, and global health. 

FDNY, Fire Department, City of New York
-composed of individual Engine, Truck, Ladder, Rescue, HazMat, and EMS companies, as well as other specialized units which handle most of the city's emergencies that could cause dammage to life and property. The FDNY was technically the agency in command of the response at the WTC site.

NYPD - New York City Police Department. 
-Provides law enforcement for the NYC. Police Emergency Service Units are also mentioned. These are groups which share some of the responsibilities and training of firefighters, and are familuar with technical rescue equiptment.

PAPDNYNJ - Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey. 
-Responsible for providing protection at all of the major ports and entrances to NYC, incluing bus terminals, shipping docks and ports, train stations, rail yards, bridges, tunnels, and other commuter and shipping hubs.

The primary responsibility of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is "...to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance." The mission is to improve the safety and health of workers in all industries.

This article does not specifically address emergency response. It focuses more on the public health, its responsibility to deal with the health of immigrants, and the social factors behind this. 

The author supports his case by citing various articles of legislation, highlighting the anecdotal accounts from affected immigrants, and presenting the perspective of physicians who are tasked with caring and treating for these patients.