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Governor McAuliffe announces Homeland Security grant awards

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virginia-newGovernor Terry McAuliffe announced Friday that more than $4.8 million in federal funds will be awarded to multiple local government agencies to enhance emergency preparedness throughout Virginia. The funds, administered by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, are from the fiscal year 2014 State Homeland Security Grant program.

“These critical funds, provided by our partners at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will be used immediately to help emergency planners and first responder agencies throughout Virginia get tools, equipment and other resources they need to keep Virginia communities safe,” said Governor McAuliffe.  “With this grant, Virginia joins federal and local governments in working together proactively to ensure that our residents are better protected and able to recover more quickly from possible terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.”

To allot the funds, the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security invited project proposals from local government agencies to be submitted in ten categories of special emphasis and priority for Virginia. A total of 187 project proposals valued at more than $23 million were received in these categories:

  • Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE)
  • Communications
  • Community Preparedness
  • Critical Infrastructure
  • Training and exercises in Incident Command System (ICS), National Incident Management System (NIMS)
  • Information Sharing (Fusion Centers)
  • Law Enforcement
  • Mass Care
  • Planning
  • Public Messaging & Crisis Communication

The submitted projects were evaluated and scored against five criteria by approximately 50 peer reviewers.  These individuals from across the state represented multiple professional groups, state agencies and local government officials with emergency expertise.  Peer reviewers evaluated projects that were outside of their own region.  Among the scoring criteria were the necessity of the project, how the project addresses risk, project management and the sustainment of the investment.

A total of 79 projects valued at $4.8 million met the criteria and will receive funding as shown below:

Locality Proposal Title Allocation Amount
Albemarle County Law Enforcement Equipment $                  6,745.00
Albemarle County Law Enforcement Personal Protective Equipment $                42,910.00
Alexandria City Hazmat Team Equipment $                79,600.00
Arlington County Whole Community Outreach and Citizen Corps Program $                36,100.00
Augusta County HazMat Equipment and Training $                54,393.00
Buckingham County HazMat Response Vehicle $                38,000.00
Buckingham County Law Enforcement Equipment $              151,171.00
Chesapeake City HazMat Paramedic Training Program Sustainment $                17,500.00
Chesapeake City Hampton Roads Incident Management Team (HRIMT) $                99,000.00
Chesapeake City Mobile Emergency Water Supply System $              100,000.00
Chesapeake City Virginia Communications Cache Sustainment $              139,900.00
Chesterfield County Rail Hazard and Flammable Liquid Response Equipment $              100,000.00
Chesterfield County Virginia Search and Technical Rescue/USAR Communications and Interoperability Project $                98,000.00
Chesterfield County Virginia Search and Technical Rescue Program Support $              147,000.00
Craig County EOC Upgrade $                40,000.00
Danville City HazMat Equipment $                30,187.00
Fairfax County Structural Collapse Team Equipment $                68,000.00
Fairfax County Virginia Communications Cache $              176,000.00
Fairfax County Hazardous Materials Response Team Equipment $              150,000.00
Floyd County Citizen Alerting System $                32,200.00
Galax City CERT Equipment and Training $                  6,500.00
Gloucester County Community Preparedness- Evacuation Preparedness Targeting Multi-Cultural  $                45,000.00
Gloucester County Community Preparedness- Regional Shelter Planning, Training and Exercises $              100,000.00
Greene County CERT Equipment, Training, and Exercises $                  9,000.00
Halifax County CERT Equipment and Training $                  6,682.00
Hampton City Citizen Corps Program  $                35,000.00
Hampton City Disaster Outreach Targeting Tourist Population $                27,000.00
Hampton City Regional Shelter Planning, Training, Exercise and Equipment $                53,952.00
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Strike Team Personal Protective Equipment Replacement  $              133,219.92
Hanover County Personnel Protective Gear Replacement/Upgrade $                18,100.00
Hanover County Thermal Imaging Device Replacement/Upgrade $                30,000.00
Harrisonburg City HazMat Team Equipment and Training $                52,000.00
Henrico County Hazmat Team Equipment $                18,000.00
Henrico County Community Outreach, Mass Care, and Preparedness Efforts $                26,500.00
Henrico County Regional Swiftwater and Flood Waters Training $                30,000.00
Hopewell City Hazmat Team Equipment $                27,000.00
Hopewell City Shelter Supplies and Equipment $                97,000.00
James City County Citizen Preparedness  $                11,370.00
James City County Emergency Planning  $                59,900.00
Lancaster County Citizen Corps Program $                40,500.00
Lancaster County  Law Enforcement- Data Sharing Project (LInX)  $              102,640.00
Lynchburg City CBRNE Equipment $                52,542.00
Manassas City Citizen Corps Program $                17,500.00
Middle Peninsula Planning District Program Management- Regional Emergency Planning  $              110,000.00
Middlesex County, VA CERT Equipment, Training, and Exercises $                  7,230.00
New Kent County Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) $                12,500.00
New Kent County Evacuation Incident Mini Emergency Response Vehicles (MERV)  $                40,000.00
Newport News City Law Enforcement- Mass Casualty Incident Training and Exercise $                  7,555.00
Newport News City Citizen Preparedness  $                32,228.49
Newport News City Mass Care Shelter Equipment and Training $                42,789.50
Newport News City Hazmat Team Equipment $                60,600.00
Norfolk City CERT Equipment, Training, and Exercises $                40,420.00
Norfolk City Hazmat Team Equipment, Training, and Exercises $                35,000.00
Northampton County Interoperable Communications Enhancement $              105,000.00
Page County CERT Equipment, Training, and Exercises $                  5,750.00
Petersburg City Citizen Corps Program $                  7,420.00
Poquoson City CERT Equipment, Training, and Exercises $                30,000.00
Portsmouth City Law Enforcement- Surveillance System Expansion  $                18,850.00
Portsmouth City Hazmat Team Equipment, Training, and Exercises $                27,555.00
Richmond City Citizen Corps Program $                22,000.00
Richmond City Citizen and Business Preparedness Training $                60,000.00
Richmond Regional Planning District Commission Regional Emergency Management Planning Support $              102,800.00
Roanoke City HTR/SWR Equipment $                84,635.00
Roanoke City Law Enforcement – Tactical Response Team Personal Protective Equipment $                72,000.00
Rockingham County Hazmat Team Equipment, Training, and Exercises $                39,660.00
Salem City Hazmat Team Equipment, Training, and Exercises $                62,000.00
Tazewell County CERT Equipment and Training $                96,400.00
Virginia Beach City Heavy Tactical Rescue Team Equipment and Training  $                65,547.00
Virginia Beach City Hazmat Team Equipment – Railway Incident Response  $              100,000.00
Westmoreland County Law Enforcement – License Plate Reader Integration $                 35,050.00
Williamsburg City CERT Equipment, Training and Exercises $                 39,539.00

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