NEEDA - National Emergency Equipment Dealers Association

NEEDA Executive Director Kenton Pattie is in Southern California monitoring wildifires which have exploded in Orange County south of Los Angeles and have put San Diego area first responders on alert. Evacuations are underway as powerful winds push the fires across hills of dry undergrowth adjacent to populated areas.

A substantial portion of the Cleveland National Forest is affected.

A Santa Ana wind, blowing at 35-60 miles per hour, is fanning the flames which soar hundreds of feet into the air. Smoke can be seen from Los Angeles. Warnings are up from from Santa Barbara County south through San Diego to the U.S.-Mexico border.

In 2003, Southern California wildfires destroyed more than 3,600 homes and killed 22 people. NEEDA's Kenton Pattie visited the area in north and eastern San Diego County immediately following those fires and discussed the situation with first reponders. He filed a story to NEEDA Newsletter at that time.

So far, he reported, over 1500 homes have been evacuated. "The last time I was here, citizens and first responders told me how hazardous it was to drive through the mountains because heavy smoke made visibility impossible with twisting roads totally blind and unsafe at any speed."

"Several fire department officials told me this week that since 9-11-01 there has been very little Federal help for local fire departments although the Federal expenditures for fighting wildfires has been increased. They noted that recently there has been more focus on cooperation among jurisdictions and more Federal emphasis on training for huge disasters. But as far as funding new equipment, little has been done."

"It was interesting to talk to first responders who have served in the US military in Europe -- there are a lot of former members of the Armed Forces now working in Southern California. They report having access in Europe to some excellent firefighting equipment they would like to see in the United States market.

Fire leaders in Southern California are concerned about the budget cuts projected recently in Washington DC where the Federal budget is under pressure to finance operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the Katrina rebuilding.

Kenton Pattie also met with wildfire responders in Washington State and filed a NEEDA NEWSLETTER report at that time from Spokane, Washington, and Coeur D'Alene, Idaho.

THIRTEEN STATES REQUIRE DEALERS TO E-FILE TAX RETURNS
Originally Posted: February 7, 2006 2:31 PM
Last Updated: February 7, 2006 2:31 PM

Here are the thirteen states that now mandate that dealers electronically file their tax returns: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. More states are expected to adopt this rule. The Federation of Tax Administrators says that the IRS is five years behind in its goal of getting 80 percent of states to require electronic filing by dealers.

FTA Government Affairs Associate Verenda Smith: If you file for the state electronically, theres no business reason not to file the accompanying federal forms electronically as well. It doesnt matter which government makes the mandate because both can get the benefit."

Among the states with penalties for non-compliance, New York is assessing a $50 per return fine on practitioners who fail to file electronically this tax season, unless their clients opt out of e-filing.

For more information, click on the headline to this NEEDA NEWSLETTER story.