The nation's director of Homeland Security will make a stop along the front lines in Cincinnati Wednesday when he takes a look at the Tristate's team responsible for being first on the scene of a crisis.

        Tom Ridge, former Republican governor of Pennsylvania, is expected to talk about President Bush's $3.8 billion commitment to so-called first responders, who are first on the scene of any natural or man-made disaster before federal officials move in.

        In Hamilton County, those first responders are the 105 men and women who make up the Urban Search and Rescue Task Force.

        B.J. Jetter, fire chief of Sycamore Township and a deputy commissioner for the task force, said the federal money earmarked for local agencies is a great starting point.

        “Everybody wants more, but you have to start someplace and we haven't even started yet,” Mr. Jetter said.

        Accompanying Mr. Ridge will be Joe Allbaugh, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Ohio Lt. Gov. Maureen O'Connor.

        Hamilton County commissioners will also be at the meeting. Commissioner Todd Portune has questioned whether Mr. Bush's commitment to homeland security is enough.

        Mr. Portune said Hamilton County's share of additional homeland security funding will be about $6 million. The county has identified $60 million in need for things such as first responder equipment, bio-hazard suits, vaccines and other medical supplies.

        “Everyone who looked at the issue even before 9-11 acknowledged the civil defense infrastructure has undergone a generation of federal neglect,” Mr. Portune said. “What the president has recommended represents a drop in the bucket.”

        Commissioner John Dowlin, who is one of two Ohio representatives on the National Association of Counties, said local agencies are lucky to be getting anything given the state of the economy.

        “I think we're darn lucky to get what we've got,” Mr. Dowlin said.

        The county's search and rescue task force, in operation since 1998, is considered a model across the country. It draws its 105 members from 28 fire departments in Hamilton, Butler, Warren and Clermont counties. Its funding comes from a combination of public and private sources.

        Mr. Portune has called for a meeting of the Emergency Management Association's board Feb. 28 to make sure the county is ready to apply for the additional homeland security money being made available and to answer the president's call for development of a citizen corps.

        Commissioner Tom Neyer said he respects Mr. Ridge's willingness to personally find out what the issues facing first responders are.

        “Throwing money at a problem does not amount to a solution,” Mr. Neyer said.

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