Missouri Receives $642,205 Communications Planning Grant

Gov. Matt Blunt today announced Missouri will receive a $642,205 Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program (IECGP) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to fund five interoperable communications planning projects. Over $450,000 will be used for interoperable communications planning and training.

"I am pleased this planning grant will enhance Missouri's future interoperable communications program. The completed project will ensure all levels of first responders and governments can communicate with each other during a disaster," Gov. Blunt said.

The approved projects include:

• Hire an Interoperability Program Manager to manage planning activities associated with outreach and education and to enhance coordination among regional and State interoperability activities.
• Develop and implement plans to reallocate governance responsibilities and authorities, and document implementation of the Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP).
• The Kansas City Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) will develop training materials to provide quality, standardized training for first responders and telecommunications on the regional communications system, and develop a maintenance cost model for agencies that join the regional system.
• The Kansas City Urban Area Security Initiative will develop a plan and method for existing VHF-user equipment to be reprogrammed to the new Regional Area-wide Multi-Band Interoperable Communications System (RAMBIS) VHF frequencies.

Under Gov. Blunt, the office of homeland security was redesigned and transformed to better protect our citizens. This action elevated the responsibility to the Department of Public Safety with the dedicated resources of the department including National Guard, Highway Patrol, Fire Marshal's office, and State Emergency Management Agency to accomplish the Homeland Security mission.

Since the merger, the department has lead the effort in preparing for and responding to disasters, created Missouri's first ever information analysis center (MIAC), drafted an Interoperability communication plan to ensure law enforcement and first responders can communicate during a disaster, implemented a new distribution formula for local government to receive homeland security grant funding, and employed regional homeland security committees across the state to encourage input from homeland security stakeholders.

With the governor's direction Missouri's homeland security effort is coordinated among federal, state and local communities and covers a multi-hazard, multi-threat spectrum of possible scenarios. The state's unique geological features, such as the Missouri River, Mississippi River and New Madrid seismic fault, along with the state's various military bases are identified as distinctive areas covered by the homeland security plan.