WASHINGTON, DC — In an effort to enhance Rhode Island’s safety and emergency preparedness, Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation today announced the state will receive over $12 million in federal funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This federal funding, which was passed in the fiscal year 2009 spending bill, will be administered by DHS’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The federal grants will help state and local agencies and non-profits prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters.
“I am pleased to have helped secure this federal funding to help equip our police and emergency responders. These federal grants will improve public safety in Providence and the surrounding area and improve the state’s emergency response capabilities,” said U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Appropriations Committee who, in 2007, helped ensure that Providence was included in the cities eligible to receive Urban Areas Security Initiative funding.
“This funding will help keep Rhode Islanders secure by ensuring our first responders have the training and tools they need in the event of a crisis or emergency,” said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Judiciary Committee and a former Attorney General and U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island. “These grants will have a real impact for Rhode Island’s cities and towns.”
“This funding is essential to ensure Rhode Island is prepared to respond to all types of emergencies, at any time,” said U.S. Representative Jim Langevin. “In these tough budget times, it is key that Rhode Island continues to have access to the appropriate resources for any scenario that may come our way.”
Rhode Island will receive the following fiscal year 2009 Homeland Security Grant funding:
State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) Funding: $6,524,500
This program helps the state equip emergency responders and train them to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from emergencies and acts of terrorism.
Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Funding Allocation: Providence Area – $4,764,300
The Urban Areas Security Initiative provides funding to select high-threat, high density urban areas to assist them in building enhanced and sustainable capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism.
Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) Funding Allocation: Providence – $321,221
This funding helps local officials plan for and respond to regional mass casualty incidents, including terrorism, naturally occurring events, and large-scale hazardous materials incidents.
Citizen Corps Program (CCP) Funding Allocation – $139,520
The Citizen Corps program supports activities involving citizens in emergency preparedness, planning, mitigation, response and recovery.
UASI Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) Funding Allocation by Urban Area: Providence Area – $366,759
The Providence Urban Area is made up of nine communities within a ten mile radius of the City of Providence that make up 60 percent of the state’s population.
Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP) Funding Allocations (Boston Area – Including 17 counties and 17 principal cities spanning most of eastern Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, and all of Rhode Island): $1,420,875
This program supports coordination of regional all-hazard planning for catastrophic events. There are eleven high-risk, high-consequence urban areas nationwide that have been pre-designated as eligible for this fiscal year 2009 funding.
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