WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley said today that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has awarded funds totaling $7,040,394 to Iowa through the fiscal 2009 Homeland Security Grant Program.
"These funds will help Iowa be properly prepared for large scale emergencies," Grassley said. "Waiting to plan until an emergency is already at hand is too late. By properly planning and preparing we can save lives when the crisis hits."
The fiscal 2009 Homeland Security Grant Program distributes funding under four separate Homeland Security Grant Program component programs: State Homeland Security program, Urban Area Security Initiative, Metropolitan Medical Response System, and the Citizen Corps program.
The Homeland Security Grant Program funds will be allocated as shown below.
· Iowa will receive $6,524,500 through the State Homeland Security program.
· Iowa will receive $321,221 through the Metropolitan Medical Response System.
· Iowa will receive $194,673 through the Citizen Corps Program
According to FEMA, the State Homeland Security program supports the implementation of State Homeland Security Strategies to address the identified planning, equipment, training, and exercise needs to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events. 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. The Metropolitan Medical Response System enables jurisdictions to further enhance and sustain a comprehensive regional mass casualty incidents response capability for response to all-hazards mass casualty incidents, including terrorism, naturally occurring events, and large-scale hazardous materials incidents. The Citizen Corps program supports activities involving citizens in emergency preparedness, planning, mitigation, response and recovery.