Published in the High Desert Advocate in the August 30th, 2018 Edition
On August 29th, the State of Nevada Department of Public Safety’s Division of Emergency Management/Homeland Security (DEM) received grant allocation announcement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The State of Nevada has been awarded $13.5 million in federal homeland security and dollars for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2018.
The funding is distributed under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Relative Risk Profile formula, which ranks the risk of a terror threat in the nation’s 100 most populous urban areas, also known as metropolitan statistical areas.
The FFY 2018 grant funds will continue to focus on the nation’s highest-risk areas, including urban areas that face the most significant threats. For FFY 2018, the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) will enhance regional preparedness and capabilities by funding state and local security efforts in 29 high-threat, high-density urban areas.
DHS distributes funds to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and through the UASI the money is allocated to cities across the nation according to a risk-based ranking. Las Vegas ranked 17 in 2018, receiving $5 million to be designated to the Las Vegas, Henderson- Paradise area, an increase of $2.8 million the region received last year.
The State of Nevada’s funding under the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), which consists of grant funds dedicated for use throughout the 17 counties in the state totals $3.9 million for 2018, a $228,000 increase from 2017. The SHSP provides financial support for the implementation of the National Preparedness System to address planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events.
The Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program allocates funds to enable the state to develop a system of emergency preparedness to protect life and property from hazards. EMPG funds support the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities essential to achieving the goal of a secure and resilient state. Nevada received a total of $4.5 million, an increase of $22,499 from 2017.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides funding support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attack. The NSGP also promotes emergency preparedness coordination and collaboration activities between public and private community representatives as well as state and local government agencies. Nevada received a total of $13,750, a new funding stream for the state.
The DHS grant program allocates grant funding that enhances the ability of states, as well as local, tribal and territorial jurisdictions and other regional authorities in the preparation, prevention, and response to terrorist attacks and other disasters. Localities can use grants for planning, equipment, training and exercise needs. These funds are used to support the following top-five priorities determined for the state by the Nevada Commission on Homeland Security:
1. Intelligence and Information Sharing (Mission area: Prevention/Protection)
2. Cybersecurity (Mission area: Protection)
3. Operational Coordination (Mission area: All)
4. Public Information and Warning (Mission area: All)
5. Operational
