DHS: DHS Announces Nearly $970 Million in Preparedness Grant Final Allocations

HERITAGE FOUNDATION: An Analysis of Federal, State, and Local Homeland Security Budgets

POST-GAZETTE: FEMA to review city fire equipment contract

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will ask the city of Pittsburgh for documents explaining its $977,550 purchase of a firehouse ventilation system from an Ohio company with federal money and without a competitive process, agency officials said today.

The city is buying the system, made by Sweden-based Nederman Inc., from Toledo-area firm Clean Air Systems Inc. Two other vendors have complained that they were not given the opportunity to submit their own proposals, though FEMA -- which is paying $716,760 of the cost under an Assistance to Firefighters Grant -- demands "full and open competition" on all purchases made with its grants.

FEMA regularly reviews grants, and in this case will conduct "a full desk review," said Lisa Lewis, director of the agency's grants management division. "With the concerns [expressed by competing vendors] we'll take a closer look at it" than normal.

VICTORIA ADVOCATE: Hurricane could wipe out emergency center

Victoria County could get an emergency operation center capable of withstanding 170 mph winds if its grant application for $1 million is successful.

The commissioner court gave its backing to the project Tuesday and hopes to hear within a couple of months whether it will get the U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant.

DELMARVANOW.COM: Federal grant money withdrawn from OV

OCEAN VIEW -- Grant money allocated to the town for special public safety equipment has been withdrawn in light of the Citizens' Auxiliary Patrol's resignation.

BAYONNE NOW: Hudson gets $1M grant to complete its Office of Emergency Management

Hudson County has been awarded a $1 million grant to help complete its Office of Emergency Management command center, a $16 million emergency operations center slated to open next year in Kearny.

The center will be paid for with a combination of grants and county funds.

"It's a facility where everybody, police, fire, EMS, public works - anybody who has something to do with a disaster would meet and coordinate what is going on out in the field," said Jack Burns, the county's emergency management coordinator.

Read more in today's Jersey Journal.

BRANSON DAILY NEWS: County pursues emergency center

KIMBERLING CITY — The Kimberling City Board of Aldermen received a request Tuesday night for a letter of support for an emergency operations center in Stone County.

Kimberling City Emergency Management Director Gary Lewis told aldermen that federal grant money is available from the Department of Homeland Security to fund the project.

On Tuesday morning, Stone County commissioners voted unanimously for the county’s emergency management director, Tom Martin, to pursue the grant funding.

FIREHOUSE: Round 17 of 2008 AFG Awards Announced

On Friday, $16.4 million in Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG) was awarded to 191 fire departments within the United States.

GREENWOOD COMMONWEALTH: County applying for $1M grant

T.W. Cooper hopes a long shot at a $1 million federal grant for a new emergency management center hits the mark.

Cooper, Leflore County’s emergency management director, said the new building would replace two small offices in the courthouse basement.

DHS Announces $34 Million in FY 2009 Emergency Operations Center Grants

EOC applications must be submitted via www.grants.gov no later than Feb. 27, 2009.