Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES—The Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee (HSOC) will review grant applications during a March 19 meeting at Meramec Regional Planning Commission.

The group selected the date for grant review during its Jan. 22 meeting after learning earlier this month that it will have an additional $16,000 to award for Homeland Security projects in the six-county region, which includes Crawford, Dent, Laclede, Maries, Phelps and Pulaski counties.

Region I HSOC Chairman Ron Smith of Rolla City Fire and Rescue reminded meeting participants that agencies not awarded grants during the HSOC’s grant round this summer or awarded partial funding for a project would need to reapply to be considered for additional funds.

Applications must be submitted online at https://dpsgrants.dps.mo.gov, and the application deadline is Feb. 27 at 5 p.m.

Questions may be directed to Lyle Thomas at 573-265-2993 or lthomas@meramecregion.org.

The committee will not meet for its regularly scheduled meeting in April, as that meeting will be combined with the grant review meeting in March.

In other business, the HSOC

• Received information regarding the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) conference in late March;
• Learned about some restructuring of duties for key personnel at Office of Homeland Security (OHS);
• Received a report from a Department of Agriculture representative about an agreement in progress between the Department of Agriculture and the Office of Administration for use of state warehouse facilities for storing medications and other supplies in the event of an outbreak of illness in animals;
• Learned about a SEMA mass care course being offered in Lebanon March 4-5; and
• Received an update from the Civil Air Patrol on the organization’s attempt to fund Forward Looking Infared (FLIR) equipment for its aircraft to aid in search and rescue operations.

The Region I HSOC Threats and Hazards Identification and Risks Assessment (THIRA) committee met following the HSOC meeting to begin the process of updating the THIRA for Region I. The completed THIRA will assist the HSOC in making grant award decisions.

In 2006, in an effort to maximize the return on investments of future homeland security grants in Missouri, then 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.

Ron Smith of City of Rolla Fire and Rescue serves as chair of the Region I HSOC. Salem District Hospital Emergency Medical Services Director Tabitha Stanfast serves as vice chair. MRPC acts as the group’s administrative entity and fiscal agent.

Three counties in the Meramec Region—Gasconade, Osage and Washington—are served through other regions. Gasconade and Osage counties are a part of Region F, which is being coordinated by the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission at Ashland while Washington County is a part of the Region 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 20, 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.