Governor McDonnell Announces More Than $30 Million Awarded to Virginia in Homeland Security Grants
RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that the Commonwealth of Virginia will receive $31.8 million in federal homeland security funds from the Homeland Security Grant Program, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, and the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program for fiscal year 2010. This grant money will go directly towards training of first responders, purchasing of essential equipment and improving overall communications.
Speaking about the announcement, Governor McDonnell noted, "We are pleased to announce that through our application to the Department of Homeland Security, the Commonwealth of Virginia has been awarded $31.8 million in fiscal year 2010 preparedness grant funding. These key funds will give our first responders and homeland security professionals more tools and resources to help strengthen our state and local governments in preparedness, response, and recovery efforts to homeland security related threats and hazards."
The money was awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Governor's Office of Commonwealth Preparedness and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. The levels of funding being awarded through various DHS programs include:
- Homeland Security Grant Program - $30 million
These funds will support enhancements across the Commonwealth in several key areas, including law enforcement; critical infrastructure protection; statewide sheltering; incident management and anti-terrorism training; chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive and HAZMAT capabilities; Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program; citizen and community preparedness; interoperable communications; information sharing; and health and medical readiness.
There are four programs under the Homeland Security Grant through which Virginia is receiving awards.
- State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)- $18 million
- Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) - There are two UASI's located within Virginia:
- Hampton Roads UASI - $7.3 million
- Central Virginia UASI - $2.6 million
In addition to these two UASIs, Northern Virginia is included in the National Capital Region UASI which also contains the District of Columbia and parts of Maryland. This UASI will receive $59 million to use throughout the region.
- Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) - $1.9 million
- Citizen Corps Program (CCP) - $282, 000
Officials will announce the specific projects to be funded later this summer.
- Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program - $1.69 million
The Hampton Roads Area will receive this funding to support coordination of regional all-hazard planning for catastrophic events, including the development of integrated planning communities, plans, protocols, and procedures to manage a catastrophic event.
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