Ruppersberger Announces $42 Million in Grant Money for Maryland
for Emergency Preparedness
The State of Maryland Will Get $31 Million; City of Baltimore Will Get $11 Million

(Washington, D.C.)-  Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) is pleased to announce that the state of Maryland will get $42 million in grant money for emergency preparedness from the Department of Homeland Security.

The State of Maryland will get $31 million to help state and local first responders prevent a terrorist attack or respond to a terrorist incident involving the use of chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons. The funding can be used to purchase specialized equipment, run training programs, and design specialized exercises. State and local first responders can also use the money to help prevent cyber attacks on their computer systems.

The City of Baltimore will get $11 million to help protect high threat areas of the city from a terrorist attack or help respond to an attack if there is one. The money can be used to help with planning, purchasing equipment, and running training programs and exercises. The money must be used to employ a regional approach to emergency preparedness that includes nearby counties and jurisdictions in the city's plan.

"If our first responders don't have the resources necessary to protect themselves in the event of a terrorist attack, how can they be expected to protect us? In this era of shrinking local and state budgets, I am pleased that the federal government is stepping up to help out our first responders who work hard to keep our families and communities safe," said Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD).

(####)