Secretary Ridge Announces $24 Million For West Virginia's First Responders

Release Date: 11/03/03 00:00:00

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 3, 2003

Today, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge traveled to Charleston, West Virginia to announce the allocation of $24,852,000 million dollars in grant funding from the Office for Domestic Preparedness to West Virginia, demonstrating the Administration's commitment to enhance the abilities of the first responders to prevent, respond and recover from potential acts of terrorism. For the first time, West Virginia can apply online for DHS grants using one form that will serve as an application for three different programs that benefit first responders and will provide additional resources to state and local government counterterrorism efforts.

"No longer will our state and local partners have to go to different places within the department to apply for terrorism-related funding.  It ensures that nationwide, Homeland Security officials have one place where they can tap into the resources as well as the information they need," said Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge. "State and local communication and coordination, after all, reflects the very nature of homeland security, the federal government working with the home towns of America to keep our country safe and free."  

The $24,852,000 million dollars allocated to West Virginia from the FY '04 Budget will be dispersed as part of three programs that provide significant resources to the state and local governments in different areas. These three programs are the State Homeland Security Program, the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program and Citizen Corps.  

As part of the $24,852,000 allocated to West Virginia:

• $18,863,000 will be available under the State Homeland Security program to help state and local public safety and law enforcement personnel pay for planning, training, equipment and exercises and other costs associated with enhancing the capabilities on a state and local level to prevent, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks.  
• $5,597,000 will be available under the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program to provide law enforcement communities with enhanced capabilities for detecting, deterring, disrupting and preventing acts of terrorism with a specific focus on the prevention of a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) incident.
• $392,000 will be available to support Citizen Corps Councils with planning, outreach, and management of Citizen Corps programs and activities within the state.  

Under the new system, the State Administrative Agencies apply with one application form online as part of the Homeland Security Grant Program, streamlining the process with which DHS distributes the funds through the state governments. In addition to the single application, DHS is launching an interagency grants and training website on the DHS website at www.dhs.gov/grants.  The website provides information on homeland security and public safety grant opportunities offered by the Department of Homeland Security and other federal Departments and Agencies including HHS, DOJ and the EPA and a link to the Compendium of Federal Terrorism Training for State and Local Audiences, an interagency site for training opportunities available to state and local emergency personnel.  

Since March 1, DHS has awarded almost $4 billion dollars in grant funding for first responders from the FY '03 Budget and the Supplemental to help first responders across the country enhance their capabilities and provide additional resources for state and local governments to protect their citizens and critical infrastructure.  

 

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