Federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) and the DHS Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) totaling over $900,000 has been awarded to the Erie County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to assist with a number of emergency and security-related programs countywide. The grants will augment programs in Emergency Management Performance, Public Safety Answering Points (“PSAP”) Operations, Hazardous Materials, Technical Rescue & Urban Search and Rescue, and Critical Infrastructure. 

“The funding provided by these grants serves to keep our community safer and stronger in many ways, helping our Erie County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services stay current in assessing and responding to risks and then broadening that response by working with community partners to ensure greater resilience countywide,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “In any emergency, whether natural or manmade, every second counts and training and preparation make a critical difference. These grants help our personnel be ready to respond when that emergency strikes.”

Grants awarded to Erie County include:

• ·         $340,602 under the FY 2019 Emergency Management Performance Grant (“EMPG”),
• ·         $209,381 under the NYS 2019-20 Public Safety Answering Points Operations Grant Program,
• ·         $172,000 in funding under the FY 2018 Hazardous Materials Grant Program,
• ·         $150,000 in federal funding under the FY 2018 Technical Rescue & Urban Search and Rescue (“USAR”) Grant Program, and
• ·         $50,000 under the FY 2018 Critical Infrastructure (“CIGP”) Grant Program.  

“The most fulfilling aspect of these grants is the collaborative partnerships required to attain the funding and ultimately execute the missions expected as deliverables.  These awards require equipping, training and planning across jurisdictional and agency specific disciplines in the hope that we are better prepared for the complex challenges facing first responders today,” said Commissioner of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Dan Neaverth, Jr. “Be they Technical Rescue components from numerous departments or Regional HAZMAT teams utilizing standardized equipment and uniform policies and procedures, the strength in our response is the coordination and utilization of highly trained individuals regardless of agency.” 

Neaverth, Jr. continued, “So to Buffalo Fire, Buffalo Police, Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Erie County HAZMAT, Niagara County HAZMAT, Hillcrest Fire, Orchard Park Fire, West Falls Fire, Seneca Hose, East Aurora Fire, Eden Fire, Gowanda Fire, Niagara Frontier Search and Rescue, W.N.Y. ALERT and Cattaraugus County we say, thank you for being a part of the team.” 

Other grants received by Erie County include $50,000 in federal funding under the FY 2018 Cyber Security Grant Program; $50,000 in federal funding under the FY 2018 Explosive Detection Canine Team Grant Program; and $100,000 in federal funding under the FY 2018 Tactical Team Grant Program. The provisions of all grants received demand that all capabilities developed through them are required to be deployable regionally and nationally per federal guidelines.  All funding is subject to both NYS and federal guidelines and regulations.

For more information:

On the Erie County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, visit

http://www2.erie.gov/emergencyservices/ 

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