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Nov. 1, 2007 For more information, contact: $305,000 IN REGION I HOMELAND SECURITY GRANTS
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ST. JAMES—The Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee is now accepting homeland security grant requests from local jurisdictions. Some $305,123 is available to local jurisdictions, including law enforcement, fire, ambulance, local governments, health departments, in the counties of Crawford, Dent, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Laclede counties.
Funding categories for the 2007 grant cycle include Agriculture Risk Management, Mass Shelter, Volunteer and Donations, Interoperable Communications, Medical Surge for mobile module units, patient and victim tracking and 911 Public Service Answering Points and Interoperable Communications as it relates to 911.
MRPC, in partnership with the State Emergency Management Agency, is coordinating the effort. MRPC will act as the group's administrative entity and fiscal agent.
Application information and forms are available on-line at www. meramecregion.org. Jurisdictions needing additional information may contact the Meramec Regional Planning Commission at 573-265-2993.
Deadline for applications is Nov. 26, 2007. The committee will meet Dec. 11 to review and rate requests and tentatively earmark funds. MRPC will then combine all the approved requests into one application, to be approved by the committee and then forward to SEMA.
Meeting on Oct. 18, the committee rotated members and Paul Reuff of St. James became its chairman, after serving a year as vice chairman. Reuff represents volunteers on the committee. Outgoing chairman Bob Hutson, emergency management director for the city of Bourbon, will continue to represent EMDs. Most other positions did not rotate because incoming members were not present.
In other business, the committee met Paula Woodsmall, newly hired special needs population liaison with the Department of Health and Human Services, and Jim Lundstedt, newly appointed state chief interoperability officer, who will be working to create a state interoperability plan for communications across disciplines.
Committee members also learned that most of the purchases for the approved 2006 grants have been made. The purchase of interoperable equipment is on hold until the interoperability subcommittee can make some recommendations on standards.
Nearly, two years ago, in an effort to maximize the return on investments of future homeland security grants in Missouri, Gov. Matt Blunt authorized the State Homeland Security Advisory Council and the State Emergency Management Agency to organize emergency response agencies, local governments, volunteer groups and utilities through regional planning commissions and empower them to provide input into how homeland security dollars will be spent. Based on Highway Patrol Troop Area geographic boundaries, nine Regional Homeland Security Oversight Committees were created across the state to assist with this process. As one body, these regional committees will make recommendations to the Homeland Security Advisory Council for program and equipment priorities.
Within Region I, 14 core disciplines are represented on the Oversight Committee, including emergency management, police, sheriff, fire, EMS, county, city, schools, public works, 9-1-1 coordinators, Homeland Security Resource Team, volunteer organizations, public utilities/private industry, and county health. The Oversight Committee is also comprised of ex-officio representatives from various state agencies, including Missouri State Emergency Management Agency Area Coordinator, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Missouri Division of Fire Safety, Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Water Patrol, Meramec Regional Planning Commission, Fort Leonard Wood, University of Missouri Rolla, Mark Twain National Forest, United States Geological Survey, National Park Service and United States Department of Agriculture.
Three counties in the Meramec Region—Gasconade, Osage and Washington—are served through other regions. Gasconade and Osage counties are a part of Troop F, which is being coordinated by the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission at Ashland while Washington County is a part of the Troop C, which is coordinated by the Boonslick Regional Planning Commission at Warrenton.
Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 25, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.