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Governor Perdue Thanks Secretary Tom Ridge and the U. S. Department of Homeland Security For $37M To Assist Georgia's First Responder Efforts
| Wednesday, June 4, 2003 |
Contact: Office of Communications 404-651-7774
|
Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue today praised U. S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge and the Bush administration for Georgia's recent award of more than $37.5 million in first responder funds.
"Georgia will remain a vigilant and committed partner in our nation's efforts to keep our homeland secure. The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Domestic Preparedness' award to Georgia of $37,579,000 will allow us to fund equipment purchases, training and planning exercises for Georgia's first responder groups. We will also use a portion of the funds to help offset offset the costs associated with enhanced security measures deployed under the heightened threat period during the conflict in Iraq," said Governor Sonny Perdue.
Asa Hutchinson, U. S. Undersecretary for Border and Transportation Security presented the award to Bill Hitchens, Georgia's Director of Homeland Security today at a meeting in Savannah.
Georgia's most recent awards to Georgia from the U. S. Office of Homeland Security - Office for Domestic Preparedness have totaled nearly $16 million, as follows:
* $14,188,000 (awarded March 7, 2003 ) - These funds were made available to the State of Georgia from the FY '03 budget to assist first responders in the form of funding for equipment, training, planning and exercises.
* $1,781,362 (awarded May 14, 2003) - These funds were made available from the FY '03 Supplemental Budget to the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority for operational activities conducted under the heightened alert level during the conflict in Iraq, for area monitoring systems, integrated communications systems, installation of physical barricades and prevention planning, training and exercises.
A list of other grants Georgia has received from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's Office for Domestic Preparedness are listed below:
- FY 2003 State Homeland Security Grant Program (Equipment) = $ 9,956,000.00
- FY 2003 State Homeland Security Grant Program (Exercise) = $2,489,000.00
- FY 2003 State Homeland Security Grant Program (Training) = $747,000.00
- FY 2003 State Homeland Security Grant Program (Planning) = $996,000.00
- FY 2002 State Equipment Grant = $7,451,000.00
- FY 2002 State Exercise Grant = $346,000.00
- FY 2001 State Equipment Grant = $1,993,000.00
- FY 2000 State Equipment Grant = $1,868,000.00
- FY 1999 State Equipment Grant = $1,127,000.00
- FY 1999 State Planning Grant = $194,000.00
- Atlanta FY 1999 OJP Equipment Grant = $100,000.00
- Cobb County FY 1999 OJP Equipment Grant = $99,880.00
- Columbus FY 1998 OJP Equipment Grant = $113,384.00
- DeKalb County FY 1999 OJP Equipment Grant = $199,990.00
- Fulton County FY 1999 OJP Equipment Grant = $200,000.00
- Columbus NLD OJP Equipment Grant = $280,000.00
The U. S. Department of Homeland Security has made available more than $4.4 billion nationwide in funding for grants since March 1, 2003 for first responder groups and state and local governments to enhance response and preparedness capabilities.