"I want Nebraskans to know that these grants have a direct impact on public safety," Gov. Heineman said. "This funding makes a real difference in helping first responders communicate more effectively. That ability to communicate translates into time, and those extra moments can make a life or death difference in an emergency."
The governor was joined by Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy, Nebraska's homeland security director, in announcing this year's grants. Nebraska received more than $18 million outside of greater Omaha and surrounding communities, which this year were designated as a separate metropolitan security area. Most of Nebraska's federal security funds will be awarded to 75 counties in the coming days. The collaborative efforts of many of those counties are represented in 17 major communications projects throughout the state.
In addition, Douglas, Washington and Sarpy Counties will receive a combined $5.1 million in funding as part of the Tri-County Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), which was developed to address the strategic needs of urban areas in responding to an act of terrorism, as well as natural disasters and other emergencies.
Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy said, "These communications projects will continue the important work of previous years and will significantly improve local and regional interoperability. I want to commend our homeland security planning team, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and local emergency management personnel for developing these coordinated, integrated and comprehensive projects according to the Nebraska Model."
The following fall under the umbrella of major projects for the 2005 grants:
Lancaster County will receive $1 million to provide interoperable communications equipment to Lincoln and Lancaster County first responders, including wireless data equipment that supports GIS mobile mapping. Dodge County will receive $348,000 to upgrade its communications system and integrate with Douglas, Washington and Saunders Counties.
Washington and Sarpy Counties will each receive $110,000 to expand coverage and integrate with Douglas County's communications system. Saunders County will receive $75,000 to continue expanding its coverage and integrate with Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy County systems.
The southeast Nebraska Counties of Cass, Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, and Richardson will receive $741,000 to continue upgrades to communications capabilities. Funding will also be used to link to the Douglas County and OPPD communications systems.
The northeast area of Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Knox, Thurston, and Wayne Counties will receive $1.9 million to begin building a communications system to unite this six-county region, as well as allow for interoperability with other Nebraska and South Dakota first-responders. Antelope, Madison, Pierce, and Stanton Counties will receive $841,000 to expand coverage and develop interoperability within the region and with adjacent regions. Platte County will receive $381,000 to upgrade and integrate with counties in nearby regions.
The north central area of Boyd, Brown, Holt, and Rock Counties will receive $451,000 to update and expand communications systems and improve interoperability in the Sandhills region. Cherry and Keya Paha Counties will receive $226,000 to enhance communications and expand interoperability with regional neighbors and South Dakota.
The central Nebraska region of Adams, Buffalo, Dawson, Franklin, Frontier, Gosper, Hall, Hamilton, Harlan, Kearney, Lincoln, Nuckolls, Phelps, and Webster Counties will receive $1.7 million to continue developing regional interoperability and coordinate with a greater number of counties in south-central and southwestern Nebraska. Hooker, McPherson, Thomas, Logan, Blaine, Loup, Garfield, Wheeler, Valley, Greeley, Custer and Sherman Counties will receive $693,000 to continue enhancing their communications systems and to further enhance interoperability within the region.
The southwest Nebraska area Counties of Chase, Dundy, Furnas, Hitchcock, Perkins, and Red Willow will receive $1.2 million to expand coverage and coordinate with the central Nebraska region to enhance regional interoperability across a wider area.
Arthur, Grant, Keith and Counties will receive $296,000 to upgrade and better coordinate communication with adjacent counties, significantly improving communication with the Panhandle and Sandhills parts of the state.
Scotts Bluff County will receive $351,000 to upgrade from analog to digital technology and coordinate with Banner and Sioux Counties. The western Panhandle area of Cheyenne, Deuel, Garden, Kimball, and Morrill Counties will receive $295,000 to continue expanding communications capabilities and improve interoperability across western Nebraska and Wyoming.
Box Butte, Dawes, Sheridan, and Sioux Counties will use $324,000 to upgrade first responder communications equipment and communicate with officials in Wyoming and South Dakota.
As in previous years, funding was administered through two programs that call for 80 percent local distribution and 20 percent state distribution. The state's share is $1.8 million and will be used to connect state agencies to the Nebraska State Patrol statewide dispatch system, improving law enforcement response capabilities and coordination.
Steps to upgrade the existing state communications system to link with regional systems and provide improved capabilities for state agencies also will begin this year. Of the state's total funding, $964,000 will be directed to providing training exercises for local first responders and emergency managers. Another $450,000 will help fund two emergency medical response teams.
This year's grants were based on assessments made by local jurisdictions prior to the 2004 Homeland Security grant program.
