State gives grants to 51 local emergency operations centers

Logan County to receive $14,842

[January 22, 2009] SPRINGFIELD -- Noting the importance of local emergency operations centers during disasters, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich announced grant awards this week totaling nearly $670,000 in federal preparedness funds to 51 counties and municipalities to enhance communications and technology capabilities in the centers. The equipment grants were funded through Illinois' federal homeland security funds and were awarded by the Illinois Terrorism Task Force and the Illinois Emergency Services Management Association.

"During 2008, Illinois experienced a record number of disasters, ranging from historic flooding to ice storms and severe weather," Blagojevich said. "In each instance, the local emergency operations centers played a critical role in coordinating response. These grants will enhance response capabilities in several key areas of the state."

To be eligible for the grants, a local emergency management agency had to be accredited and have a fixed emergency operations center or a multiuse facility with pre-staged equipment that is identified in the jurisdiction's emergency operations plan.

The governor also encouraged local emergency management agencies to apply for a federal grant program that provides funding for construction or renovations of emergency operations centers. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency currently is accepting applications for a national share of $12.4 million in U.S. Department of Homeland Security grants through the Emergency Operations Center Grant program. The deadline to submit applications to the state agency is Feb. 6.

"Local EOCs are key to effective emergency response because they make it possible for decision-makers from various agencies to coordinate response efforts during emergencies," said Andrew Velasquez III, Illinois Emergency Management Agency director. "I encourage local emergency management agencies looking to construct a new EOC or renovate their existing facility to apply for this grant program."

Last year, LaSalle and Madison counties received more than $1.14 million through this competitive federal preparedness grant program. Additional information about the grants, including a link to the application, is available at www.ready.illinois.gov/ittf/grants/.

Velasquez said the state will continue to focus efforts on enhancing local emergency operations centers, with plans to offer an additional $4 million in grants later this year.

Dan Fulscher, Logan County 911-EMA director,  said that the $14,842 in grant funds awarded for the county emergency operations center will fulfill many varied needs. These include a security camera update for the center, six new laptop computers, a DVD recorder, an LCD monitor and the capability of forwarding weather information from normal channels into the emergency operations center. Logan County also will upgrade communications so that cell phones as an emergency backup will operate in the emergency operations center.

[Text from file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information; LDN staff]