Supporting Our First Responders
Release Date: June 25, 2003
Release Number: HQ-03-FirstRespondersFactSheet
Initiatives and Funding
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has made available more than $4.4 billion dollars in funding for grants since March 1, 2003, with a great deal of those funds being earmarked to support the first responder community.
- $2 Billion in Funding for Equipment, Training
Planning and Exercise
- The Domestic Preparedness Training and Technical Assistance Program,
through the Office of Domestic Preparedness at DHS, makes funds
available to work with the state and local communities in enhancing
the capabilities of our first responders.
- March 7, 2003 - $566 million was made available to the states
and cities from the FY '03 budget to assist first responders
in the form of funding for equipment, training, planning and
exercise.
- April 30, 2003 - $1.5 billion was made available to the states
and localities from the FY '03 Supplemental Budget to help state
and local law enforcement personnel pay for equipment, planning,
training and exercises and to offset costs associated with enhanced
security measures deployed during heightened threat periods.
- March 7, 2003 - $566 million was made available to the states
and cities from the FY '03 budget to assist first responders
in the form of funding for equipment, training, planning and
exercise.
- The Domestic Preparedness Training and Technical Assistance Program,
through the Office of Domestic Preparedness at DHS, makes funds
available to work with the state and local communities in enhancing
the capabilities of our first responders.
- $750 Million for Assisting Firefighters
- The Assistance to Firefighter Grants, which was made available
on March 10, 2003, will ultimately total approximately 7,000 in
grants worth $750 million in direct assistance to firefighters throughout
the U.S. The grants help local fire departments purchase firefighting
equipment, fund firefighter health and safety programs, enhance
emergency medical services programs, and conduct fire prevention
and safety programs.
- The Assistance to Firefighter Grants, which was made available
on March 10, 2003, will ultimately total approximately 7,000 in
grants worth $750 million in direct assistance to firefighters throughout
the U.S. The grants help local fire departments purchase firefighting
equipment, fund firefighter health and safety programs, enhance
emergency medical services programs, and conduct fire prevention
and safety programs.
- $165 Million to Prepare for All Hazards
- The Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) program helps
state and local governments better prepare to respond to all-hazards
preparedness activities and emergency management. The grants provide
states the flexibility to allocate funds according to risk vulnerabilities
and to address the most urgent state and local needs in disaster
mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Local emergency
managers will use these funds to plan, train, exercise and provide
the facilities needed to coordinate all emergency services in response
to disasters of all kinds.
- April 16, 2003 - $165 million was awarded from the FY '03
budget to help state and local governments plan and prepare
for all-hazards planning, training, exercising and facilities
through the EMPG program.
- April 16, 2003 - $165 million was awarded from the FY '03
budget to help state and local governments plan and prepare
for all-hazards planning, training, exercising and facilities
through the EMPG program.
- The Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) program helps
state and local governments better prepare to respond to all-hazards
preparedness activities and emergency management. The grants provide
states the flexibility to allocate funds according to risk vulnerabilities
and to address the most urgent state and local needs in disaster
mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Local emergency
managers will use these funds to plan, train, exercise and provide
the facilities needed to coordinate all emergency services in response
to disasters of all kinds.
- $800 Million in Assisting our Urban Areas
- The Urban Area Security Initiative is designed to help enhance
the local government's and first responder's ability to secure large
population areas and critical infrastructure, ports and mass transit
systems in responding to threats or incidents of terrorism.
- April 8, 2003 - $100 million was made available from the FY
'03 Budget to the New York City area, Los Angeles area, San
Francisco area, Chicago area, Seattle area, Houston area and
the National Capital Region.
- May 14, 2003 - $700 million was allocated from the FY '03
supplemental budget as part of the Urban Area Security Initiative
for 30 additional cities and their contiguous counties and mutual
aid partners.
- April 8, 2003 - $100 million was made available from the FY
'03 Budget to the New York City area, Los Angeles area, San
Francisco area, Chicago area, Seattle area, Houston area and
the National Capital Region.
- The Urban Area Security Initiative is designed to help enhance
the local government's and first responder's ability to secure large
population areas and critical infrastructure, ports and mass transit
systems in responding to threats or incidents of terrorism.
- $18.8 Million for Training Response Teams
- The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is a program
to train citizens to be better prepared to respond to emergency
situations in their communities in support of first responders.
CERT members complete 20 hours of training on disaster preparedness,
basic disaster medical operations, fire safety, light search and
rescue, and other essential topics. In the event of an emergency,
CERT members can provide immediate assistance to victims, assist
in organizing spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site and provide
critical support to first responders.
- May 29, 2003 - $18.8 million in grant funding has been allocated
to the regions for distribution to state emergency managers
to initiate, organize, train and maintain CERT nationwide. This
funding was in addition to the $17 million provided in the Supplemental
FY 2002 appropriations and awarded in December 2002.
- May 29, 2003 - $18.8 million in grant funding has been allocated
to the regions for distribution to state emergency managers
to initiate, organize, train and maintain CERT nationwide. This
funding was in addition to the $17 million provided in the Supplemental
FY 2002 appropriations and awarded in December 2002.
- The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is a program
to train citizens to be better prepared to respond to emergency
situations in their communities in support of first responders.
CERT members complete 20 hours of training on disaster preparedness,
basic disaster medical operations, fire safety, light search and
rescue, and other essential topics. In the event of an emergency,
CERT members can provide immediate assistance to victims, assist
in organizing spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site and provide
critical support to first responders.
- $79.75 Million for Interoperable Communications
Equipment
- DHS, through FEMA, has received $25 million in the FY 2003 Appropriation
and $54.7 million in the 2003 Supplemental Appropriations bringing
the total received to $79.75 million for grant funding that will
be awarded to states to facilitate communications interoperability
among public safety emergency responders at the state and local
levels.
- DHS, through FEMA, has received $25 million in the FY 2003 Appropriation
and $54.7 million in the 2003 Supplemental Appropriations bringing
the total received to $79.75 million for grant funding that will
be awarded to states to facilitate communications interoperability
among public safety emergency responders at the state and local
levels.
- $48 Million for Urban Search and Rescue Teams
- Since March 1, 2003, the National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R)
response system has issued over $17 million in supplemental funds
appropriated for FY 2002-2003 to the 28 US&R task forces. Additionally,
DHS and FEMA are in the process of issuing approximately $31 million
to the US&R task forces to maintain this capability and provide
ground transportation, baseline medical screening, and essential
communications upgrades in preparation to respond and operate in
an all-risk environment, as well as a Weapons of Mass Destruction
(WMD) event.
- Since March 1, 2003, the National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R)
response system has issued over $17 million in supplemental funds
appropriated for FY 2002-2003 to the 28 US&R task forces. Additionally,
DHS and FEMA are in the process of issuing approximately $31 million
to the US&R task forces to maintain this capability and provide
ground transportation, baseline medical screening, and essential
communications upgrades in preparation to respond and operate in
an all-risk environment, as well as a Weapons of Mass Destruction
(WMD) event.
- $21 Million for National Disaster Medical System
- DHS through FEMA has provided $10.1 million to fund 79 National
Disaster Medical System (NDMS) response teams through FY 2003. These
funds provide for supplies, equipment, maintenance, training and
other items and activities to ensure that these response teams are
operational and ready to deploy. In addition, the upcoming year's
budget will be approximately $11.7 million for 107 teams.
- DHS through FEMA has provided $10.1 million to fund 79 National
Disaster Medical System (NDMS) response teams through FY 2003. These
funds provide for supplies, equipment, maintenance, training and
other items and activities to ensure that these response teams are
operational and ready to deploy. In addition, the upcoming year's
budget will be approximately $11.7 million for 107 teams.
- First Responder Training
- The U. S. Fire Administration (USFA) and its National Fire Academy
(NFA), through data collection, public education, research and training
efforts, has helped reduce fire deaths -- making our communities
and our citizens safer. As an entity of DHS and FEMA, the mission
of the USFA is to reduce life and economic losses due to fire and
related emergencies, through leadership, advocacy, coordination
and support. In particular, USFA promotes the professional development
of the fire and the emergency response community and its allied
professionals. To supplement and support state and local fire and
emergency service training programs, the NFA and the Emergency Management
Institute (EMI) develop and deliver educational and training courses
with a local, state and national focus.
- Yearly, nearly 100,000 first responders participate in NFA-presented/State-sponsored
outreach courses each year, including residents both on and
off campus.
- In addition, course work for independent studies have attracted
over 195,000 to enroll in the classes, with a completion rate
of nearly 186,000.
- Yearly, nearly 100,000 first responders participate in NFA-presented/State-sponsored
outreach courses each year, including residents both on and
off campus.
- The U. S. Fire Administration (USFA) and its National Fire Academy
(NFA), through data collection, public education, research and training
efforts, has helped reduce fire deaths -- making our communities
and our citizens safer. As an entity of DHS and FEMA, the mission
of the USFA is to reduce life and economic losses due to fire and
related emergencies, through leadership, advocacy, coordination
and support. In particular, USFA promotes the professional development
of the fire and the emergency response community and its allied
professionals. To supplement and support state and local fire and
emergency service training programs, the NFA and the Emergency Management
Institute (EMI) develop and deliver educational and training courses
with a local, state and national focus.
- $145 Million to Assist Those Protecting our
Shores
- Recently, the President announced the purchase of up to 700 Homeland Security Response Boats to support the United States Coast Guard and its continuing mission to protect our nation's ports and waterways. The new "Defender Class" boats will replace nearly 300 non-standard shore based boats and provide a standardized platform for the Coast Guard's new Maritime Safety and Security Teams (MSST's) which were established as a result of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The total value of the contract is $145 million. Each boat will cost approximately $180,000.. Delivery of the first boat is expected in July 2003 and will continue to arrive at Coast Guard units at a minimum of two per week. The Coast Guard will purchase up to 700 boats as needed over the next seven years and represents the largest single acquisition of identical response craft ever purchased by the Coast Guard.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 25-Jun-2003 15:39:23