Posted on 10/01/2003 7:39:28 PM PDT by chance33_98
DHS Announces Grants for Emergency Operations Centers and Interoperable Communications Systems
September 25 - The Department of Homeland Security announced today that almost $74 million in funds is being made available to 19 states and territories in the form of grants for improvements to and construction of emergency operations centers (EOCs) around the country. The grants, being distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), are designed to help improve emergency preparedness and management by ensuring that EOCs have the suitable capabilities that provide flexibility, sustainability, security, survivability, and interoperability when responding to emergencies.
| Press Releases |
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 25, 2003
The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is administering the Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) grant-funding program. The grants are designed to help improve emergency preparedness and management by ensuring that EOCs have the support, and telecommunications capabilities that provide flexibility, sustainability, security, survivability, and interoperability.
$81 Million to Support Emergency Operations:
The Department of Homeland Security through FEMA has made a total of $81 million available for the EOC grant program. Both the FY 2002 Supplemental Appropriation and the FY 2003 Consolidated Appropriation included grant funding for improvements to emergency operations centers throughout the country. FEMA received $56 million in the FY 2002 Supplemental Appropriation and $25 million in the FY 2003 Consolidated Appropriation to administer the grants.
FEMA, under DHS has used a phased approach to implement the EOC grant funding. In December 2002, the initial allocation of $2.8 million was a fixed amount of funding, providing each state $50,000 with no cost share. The money was provided to the states for conducting an initial assessment of the hazards, vulnerabilities, and risks to state and local existing EOCs.
In addition to funding the initial assessments, $4.3 million was awarded to the states to accommodate secure communications. States were invited to submit applications for up to $150,000 in federal funding for the necessary physical modifications to accommodate secure communications. Initially the grants required a 50 percent non-Federal cost share, however, the FY 2003 Consolidated Appropriation reduced the state's cost share requirement to 25 percent.
After the initial assessment allocations and the accommodations for secure communications, DHS through FEMA is awarding the remaining $73.9 million for the improvements to state and local EOCs. These funds being distributed are available to address the most immediate EOC deficiencies nationwide. States submitted competitive grant applications that addressed the deficiencies noted in their self-assessments, reflected statewide needs, and were consistent with national priorities and characteristics associated with a fully functioning EOC. The grants require a 25 percent non-federal cost share by the states.
Review Panel for Awards:
In June 2003, FEMA convened a national review panel to evaluate the EOC competitive grant applications that total $410 million in requests. The evaluation panel consisted of staff from FEMA as well as other federal agencies that reviewed each application for technical merit using the national priorities previously identified (and listed below). Points were awarded to each application based on the severity and impact of the identified deficiencies and the proposed solution, such as structural integrity and physical security of the facility. Additionally, other factors, such as the degree to which the application was tied to an assessment, thoroughness of the application, operational impact, and population were taken into account.
The proposed EOC projects were evaluated based on the following national priorities:
States Receiving Awards for EOC Improvements:
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.