FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Contact: Margaret Wicker
March 2 , 2007	(202)224-6414

WASHINGTON, DC – Federal funding totaling nearly $63 million has been awarded for emergency preparedness and recovery, U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Trent Lott announced today.  The grants, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), are awarded to the State of Mississippi to aid in the purchase of electrical generators and the installation of more than 2,200 shelters statewide.

“Considering the tragic storms that devastated our neighbors in Southeast Alabama and Southwest Georgia yesterday, I am especially pleased to see the Federal Emergency Management Agency release funding for emergency shelters and electrical generators,” Senator Cochran said.  “Our state’s position in tornado alley and along the Gulf Coast makes it a prime target for weather-related emergencies, and our citizens deserve the best facilities and equipment to aid in softening the impact of these inevitable disasters.”          

Senator Lott said, “These are important initiatives which will better prepare our state for emergencies by helping to offset the impact of inevitable natural disasters.  As we were reminded yesterday with the deadly storms that swept across parts of Mississippi and our neighboring states, our region is susceptible to a wide variety of natural threats. Mississippians must always seek to improve our preparedness for tornados, hurricanes, floods and anything that can threaten people and property.”                           

Details on today’s awards are as follows:

·        $31,968,000 – Statewide Generator Initiative for Critical Facilities - The Mississippi Statewide Generator Project will be conducted in three phases: Phase I will include the purchase of 16 trailers mounted 140KW generators that will be housed and maintained by the MEMA at the State EOC and at 9 regional sites. These generators will be used for 1st responder missions to critical facilities state-wide.  Phase II will provide generators to critical facilities located in Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River, Stone, George, Lamar, Forest, and Jones Counties.  These counties are heavily involved in evacuation and sheltering missions.  Each county will receive funding to purchase up to 8 generators for critical facilities required to accomplish their evacuation and sheltering missions.  Phase III will provide generators to critical facilities in the remainder of the counties in the state.  Priority will be given to (1) first priority, (2) general population, and special needs shelters, (3) water and sewer systems, (4) general healthcare.  The total cost of the project is $31,968,000, in which the non-Federal Share is matched through other projects under Global Match.

·        $30,984,000 - Saferoom/Storm Shelter Initiative – The State of Mississippi has an ongoing Statewide HMGP Saferoom/Storm Shelter Initiative by which over 2,200 individual, community, and group shelters have been installed and funded.  The positive response by the citizens of the State to this initiative has been overwhelming.  The State requested and received an additional $19 million grant to continue this life saving program.  Based upon the preliminary figures, the total federal funds awarded in support of this initiative is nearly $36 million.