As an emergency preparedness officer in the Air Force Reserve, I have learned two important lessons.

First, when people cooperate, they can overcome great odds.
And second, it is better to declare an emergency early. The simple act of declaring the emergency brings focus and coordination to addressing the challenge.

I saw this illustrated in very real terms when I was deployed to the Gulf Coast for disaster response following Hurricane Katrina. I saw it again last winter when a heavy snowstorm struck Rhode Island. A major lesson learned was that because officials never declared an emergency, the response was not focused and well coordinated.
So when I received an email ten days ago from Ken Gordon, Director of the Northeast Kingdom Area Agency on Aging, expressing his concerns about the rising costs of food and fuel, I knew that this is the time to act.

Ken wrote, “I'm becoming very concerned about how we're going to manage the continued delivery of home-based services to frail elders should gasoline prices remain high. In addition, food costs are going through the roof and our meal programs are feeling the pinch on this end of their operations as well.”

He continued, “I'm also very concerned about home heating costs and how seniors (and others) are going to cope over the coming months. We're hearing from many seniors who have overdue bills with their fuel companies and who are worried sick about heating their homes next winter with fuel cost running @ $4.50 a gallon in this area.”

That’s why last week, Ken joined me in Montpelier as I announced that I will lead a review of the state's preparedness plans for addressing emergency circumstances that may come this winter as a result of the price of home heating fuel. I will also work with human service providers to ensure the continued delivery of home-based services to elderly Vermonters.

As chair the Governor's Homeland Security Advisory Council and the Governor's Commission on Healthy Aging, it’s a logical extension for me. The work will be part of a wide-ranging effort Governor Jim Douglas announced last week, which Administration Secretary Neale Lunderville and I will co-chair.

Vermonters should not freeze in their homes this winter because they run out of, or cannot afford, home heating fuel. We are pulling together now to prepare for the impact of even higher home heating fuel, especially for our elderly and lowest income Vermonters. I will lead a review of Vermont Department of Emergency Managements existing “all hazards” emergency plans to be sure the state is prepared to respond to a broad range of potential crises involving heating fuel.

I will also spearhead a public education campaign to warn of the dangers of faulty installation and operation of home heating appliances and informs Vermonters how to arrange for free safety inspections from their local fire departments.

It seems that lives and homes are lost every year due to unsafe operation or installation of wood stoves, electric space heaters or kerosene space heaters. As more Vermonters turn to them for relief from this year’s oil prices, the tragedies could multiply in our state without effective public education.

That’s why planning is beginning now at the statewide level. Preparing for the worst and taking proactive steps to protect our most vulnerable neighbors has always helped Vermonters through times of potential crisis like this one. I believe we can do this at a very low cost.

The solution will be a product of families, local communities, non-profit and faith-based groups, and state and federal governments all working together. Together, we will ensure that we protect the most vulnerable. We must address this challenge head on to succeed. U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, and Representative Peter Welch are all working in Washington to advance federal solutions to the high price of oil.

The importance of diversifying our energy resources has seldom been so compelling. We must find new ways to heat our homes and power our cars that don't depend on oil.

Vermont alone cannot solve the nation's fuel crisis, but we need to ensure that no elderly and low income Vermonter will have to sleep in a freezing home this winter, and that supplemental heating appliances and wood stoves are used safely.

Brian Dubie is Vermont’s Lieutenant Governor. E-mail his office at martha.hanson@state.vt.us, or visit www.ltgov.vermont.gov

Seniors looking for assistance should call the state's Senior Help Line, at 1-800-642-5119.