FEMA readies $65 million in preparedness grants

Spring is here, and opportunities for local municipalities are blooming like flowers. Consider first FEMA’s Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP), which since its inception in 2005 has awarded more than $69.7 million to law enforcement agencies, fire, and other emergency responders to purchase equipment and pay for training. As we reported at the time, the agency announced this month that it would now begin accepting applications for the $33.7 million scheduled to be handed out this year. The grants are offered in five categories: personal protective equipment; thermal imaging, night vision, and video surveillance tools; chemical and biological detection tools; information technology and risk management tools; and interoperable communications equipment.

Those ineligible for the CEDAP program may want to take a look at another FEMA program — the Competitive Training Grant Program scheduled to pay out $29.1 million this year for national preparedness training initiatives. The program is open to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as national associations, higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, and private sector businesses, and is intended to develop innovative training programs for homeland security needs. This year, FEMA is particularly interested in the following areas: public communications, executive leadership. intergovernmental cooperation, risk management, and legal issues associated with preparation and response.