ICMA's Center for Public Safety Management has developed relationships with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in order to help members deal with crises that occur in their communities. An important part of crisis leadership is preparation; it often is the deciding factor of how a community will deal with the emergency and recover.

As part of DHS’s ongoing efforts to support state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced final allocations for seven FY 2013 DHS preparedness grant programs, including the Homeland Security Grant Program. These allocations total more than $1.5 billion to assist states, urban areas, tribal and territorial governments, nonprofit agencies, and the private sector. Together with previous grant funding awarded since 2002, DHS has awarded over $38 billion to these partners. Preparedness grants strengthen our nation’s ability to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies in support of the National Preparedness Goal and the National Preparedness System.

The FY 2013 grants focus on the nation’s highest risk areas, including urban areas that continue to face the most significant threats. Consistent with previous grant guidance, dedicated funding is provided for law enforcement and terrorism prevention activities throughout the country to prepare for, prevent, and respond to pre-operational activity and other crimes that are precursors or indicators of terrorist activity. In FY 2013, DHS preparedness grants were subject to mandatory sequestration reductions, totaling $74 million.

Preparedness Grant Program Allocations for Fiscal Year 2013:

Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) provides more than $968 million for states and urban areas to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other threats.

• State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) provides more than $354 million to support the      implementation of state homeland security strategies to build and strengthen preparedness capabilities at all levels. The 9/11 Act requires states to dedicate 25 percent of SHSP funds to law enforcement terrorism      prevention activities.
• Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) provides nearly $559 million to enhance regional      preparedness and capabilities in 25 high-threat, high-density areas. The 9/11 Act requires states to dedicate 25 percent of UASI funds to law enforcement terrorism prevention activities.  
• Operation Stonegarden (OPSG) provides $55 million to enhance cooperation and coordination among local, tribal, territorial, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to jointly enhance security along the U.S. land and water borders. 

Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) Program provides more than $332 million to assist local, tribal, territorial, and state governments in enhancing and sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities. 

Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) provides $10 million to eligible tribal nations to implement preparedness initiatives to help strengthen the nation against risk associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides $10 million to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack and located within one of the 25 FY 2013 UASI-eligible urban areas.

Intercity Passenger Rail - Amtrak (IPR) Program provides more than $9 million to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and increase the resilience of the Amtrak rail system.

Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) provides more than $93 million to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, improve port-wide maritime security risk management, and maintain or reestablish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities.

Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) provides more than $83 million to owners and operators of transit systems to protect critical surface transportation and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.

Preparedness Grants In Action 

Since 2001, more than $36.5 billion in grants has been awarded to state, territorial, tribal, and local jurisdictions and other preparedness stakeholders across the country. The positive impact of these grant programs can be seen in neighborhoods across the country. 

Moore, Oklahoma Tornado – May 2013:  FEMA funded Oklahoma Task Force One, a state resource comprised of two elements that can be deployed independently or merged to form one urban search and rescue team. These teams conducted search and rescue operations at two schools, as well as businesses and homes, and used standardized equipment and training that allowed them to work together seamlessly to save lives.  FEMA preparedness funding also was used to purchase a statewide 800 MHz trunked communications system, which is used by public safety agencies throughout Oklahoma, including during the multiagency response to the May 2013 tornado.   

Boston Marathon Bombing – April 2013:  HSGP funding was used to purchase Forward Looking Infrared Imaging for Massachusetts State Police. This camera captured images of the Boston Marathon bombing suspect as he was lying inside a boat. FEMA preparedness funding also supported full-scale, regional exercises that better prepared the Boston Metropolitan Homeland Security Region (MBHSR) first responders to mitigate the results of the Boston Marathon Bombing.

Hurricane Sandy – October 2012:  FEMA preparedness funding supported the development and training of the New York City Fire Department’s Incident Management Team, which was activated to support Hurricane Sandy operations on October 28. Their varied missions included managing homebound evacuations, providing for fire and life safety, managing tree removal and dewatering operations.  

Further information on DHS’ preparedness grant programs is available at www.dhs.gov and http://www.fema.gov/grants.