PreparednessDHS unveils more Than $1.8 billion in FY 2010 preparedness grants

DHS secretary Janet Napolitano last week announced more than $1.8 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) preparedness grants designed to help states, urban areas, tribal governments, and non-profit organizations enhance their protection, prevention, response, and recovery capabilities for risks associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.

“The grants being announced today will help our partners in state, local and tribal governments and non-profit organizations across the country better prepare for, respond to and recover from all threats and hazards,” said Napolitano. “This funding pays for training for fire fighters, medics and police officers, supports the purchase of equipment that is essential to our first responders, and improves our ability to communicate during disasters. These investments have a direct impact on communities across our country as we work together to build, sustain and improve the resilience of our families, businesses and neighborhoods.”

The Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) is the department’s primary funding mechanism for building and sustaining national preparedness capabilities to help strengthen the nation against the risks associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.

Additionally, 80 percent of Operation Stonegarden funding — intended to support state and local law enforcement along the border — will go to Southwest border states. DHS also increased tribal funding from $1.8 million in FY 2009 to $10 million in FY 2010.

Preparedness Grant Program Allocations for Fiscal Year 2010 Include:

• Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)—$1.78 billion total:
• State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) — $842 million will support the implementation of state homeland security strategies to build and strengthen preparedness capabilities at all levels through planning, equipment and readiness activities.
• Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) — $832.5 million will enhance regional preparedness capabilities in 64 high-threat, high-density areas. The 10 highest risk areas (Tier 1) were eligible for more than $524.4 million, while the remaining 54 urban areas, designated Tier II were eligible for more than $308 million.
• Operation Stonegarden (OPSG) — $60 million will enhance cooperation and coordination among federal, state, territorial, tribal and local law enforcement agencies to secure the United States land and water borders.
• Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) Program — $39.3 million, divided evenly among 124 MMRS jurisdictions, will improve regional mass casualty incident preparedness and response capabilities in metropolitan areas across the country.
• Citizen Corps Program (CCP) — $12.4 million to engage citizens in community preparedness, response and recovery activities.
• Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) — $10 million will be provided directly to select eligible tribal applicants to implement preparedness initiatives to guard against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.
• Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) — $19 million will support target-hardening activities at non-profit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack and are located within one of the UASI-eligible urban areas.
• Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP) — more than $33.6 million will enhance catastrophic incident preparedness in selected high-risk urban areas and their surrounding regions. RCPGP supports coordination of regional all-hazards planning, including the development of protocols and procedures to manage regional planning for catastrophic events.