National Dialogue on Preparedness

Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives : Browse Popular Ideas

Which grant programs have been successful in building preparedness capabilities? Which programs can be improved? How can we effectively balance local emergency management needs with national mandates for security and resiliency?

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Support Hiring of Local Emergency Management Personnel

  Allow for State and local juridictions to use UASI and SHSGP funds to hire emergency managers. Currently, only Intelligence Analysts can be hired and paid through UASI and SHSGP funds. Emergency Managers can only be hired through EMPG, but that is a much smaller grant that not all jurisdictions receive. In an All-Hazards context, emergency managers are far more important than intelligence analysts, so it would be a great ...more »

  Allow for State and local juridictions to use UASI and SHSGP funds to hire emergency managers. Currently, only Intelligence Analysts can be hired and paid through UASI and

  SHSGP funds. Emergency Managers can only be hired through EMPG, but that is a much smaller grant that not all jurisdictions receive. In an All-Hazards context, emergency managers are far more important than intelligence analysts, so it would be a great benefit to local EM agencies if they could use UASI and SHSGP funds to hire additional personnel.

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  8 comments for Idea: Support Hiring of Local Emergency Management Personnel

  Submitted by Anthony Arakelian 2 years ago

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  30 votes

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Incentivize preparedness

  Provide an incentive for people to become better prepared. Allow them to have a tax deduction for purchasing emergency supplies or performing retrofit work on their homes.

  9 comments for Idea: Incentivize preparedness

  Submitted by Keith Perry 2 years ago

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Flexible Funding Streams

  The current funding guidance limits communities in how they can use federal funding. While some level of control is appropriate, we're also forced into unrealistic restrictions on how we can uses these funds. Each community is unique and so are their needs. Response disciplines are also unique and each has different needs. For example, many ESF-8 activities have extremely limited vehicle capabilities and see significant ...more »

  The current funding guidance limits communities in how they can use federal funding. While some level of control is appropriate, we're also forced into unrealistic restrictions on how we can uses these funds. Each community is unique and so are their needs. Response disciplines are also unique and each has different needs. For example, many ESF-8 activities have extremely limited vehicle capabilities and see significant needs for general purpose trucks and cargo trailers. Yet, we can't use federal funds to make these purchases. That should change.

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  Submitted by Daniel Simpson 2 years ago

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Mass Medical transport

  Evacuation of walking and non walking wounded from all types of disasters. In our state and most other states the EMS services are under funded and struggling to take care of thier existing daily emergencies. In disaster situations these resources are stretched even further. Assistance from out of state agencies has been addressed, drilled and organized. The problem as I see it is we need additional resources (vehicles-evacuation ...more »

  Evacuation of walking and non walking wounded from all types of disasters. In our state and most other states the EMS services are under funded and struggling to take care of thier existing daily emergencies. In disaster situations these resources are stretched even further. Assistance from out of state agencies has been addressed, drilled and organized. The problem as I see it is we need additional resources (vehicles-evacuation buses) that can address immediate transport needs that are needed in the first hours of a disaster emergency. Our state has a regional response program with trailers scattered throughout the state but that does nothing to address the overwhelming transport needs. FEMA and Homeland security need to look at directing funding assistance to develop evacuation and treatment vehicles.

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  4 comments for Idea: Mass Medical transport

  Submitted by Richard Miller 2 years ago

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Evacuation Assistance for the Elderly and Special Needs Communities

  This includes assisted-living, residential care homes, board and cares, adult residential and other special needs facilities. I have put a Disaster Prepardeness Task Force in place in San Diego County to represent such communities...so in the event of an evacuation, they will receive the assistance to relocate from one facility to another - with the collaborative efforts of the local, city and county emergency services. ...more »

  This includes assisted-living, residential care homes, board and cares, adult residential and other special needs facilities. I have put a Disaster Prepardeness Task Force in place in San Diego County to represent such communities...so in the event of an evacuation, they will receive the assistance to relocate from one facility to another - with the collaborative efforts of the local, city and county emergency services. I have been working on this project since April 2010, voluntary...speaking at events, attending meetings for providers and administrators - to raise Disaster Preparedness Awareness - and help them become proactive and self-reliant at the same time - as they are responsible for the direct, quality care of the elderly and special needs they oversee in their facilties. It would be nice if there are grants out there for projects like this...so I can take this model to other cities, counties and states. I enjoy doing this and very passionate about it...a Disaster Preparedenss Evacuation system is NEEDED for our Elderly and Special Needs communities!

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  1 comment for Idea: Evacuation Assistance for the Elderly and Special Needs Communities

  Submitted by Joyce Ballesteros 2 years ago

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  7 votes

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Vulnerable Pop planning - funding for human svc organizations

  FEMA should divert some grant funding to state's human services agencies for planning for vulnerable populations. The already have the relationships and lines of communication with many in these populations. They also have access to many services and providers needed in an emergency - wheel chair transportation, access to nursing facility beds, knowledge of people with behavioral issues/ dementia, etc.

  1 comment for Idea: Vulnerable Pop planning - funding for human svc organizations

  Submitted by Tina Kitchin 2 years ago

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  7 votes

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Preparedness Staff

  Offer funding that is DEDICATED to hiring and maintaining preparedness staff (or modify/expand existing funding). Otherwise, if new initatives are added without removing other projects, great ideas will be lost on an already overtaxed and underpaid staff.

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  Submitted by Joe Legee 2 years ago

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  5 votes

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Multi-Year Grant Funding and Cloud-based Solutions

  Ability for UASI and other grants to fund technology projects beyond just the grant year allowing for off-premise, cloud-based or other SaaS-type offerings. Currently most customers want to buy premise-based solutions with large, upfront costs because they fear their grants will run out and they can not afford long-term, lower monthly fees. This puts an undue burden on customers to purchase hardware, maintenance, IT ...more »

  Ability for UASI and other grants to fund technology projects beyond just the grant year allowing for off-premise, cloud-based or other SaaS-type offerings. Currently most customers want to buy premise-based solutions with large, upfront costs because they fear their grants will run out and they can not afford long-term, lower monthly fees. This puts an undue burden on customers to purchase hardware, maintenance, IT and other related expenses.

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  1 comment for Idea: Multi-Year Grant Funding and Cloud-based Solutions

  Submitted by Robert Wolf 2 years ago

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Veterans for CERT and Civil defence,CFR.

  Fire Inspector and former Crash Fire Rescueman, I would like to have training on aircraft emergencies and disasters for the major cities and communities . Train veterans for this duties to inculde medics and ambulances persons. This would be injuction with civil defence and CERT. I would like to do this. I would like to organize this, pay a show up milage and monthly stipen.

  1 comment for Idea: Veterans for CERT and Civil defence,CFR.

  Submitted by D'Andrea Adams 2 years ago

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  4 votes

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Create Strategic Policy for Urban v. Rural Areas

  In funding and when writing policy, consider the different challenges faced by rural and urban states, differences in geography, and state size. Most Homeland Security funding targets population centers (ie. UASI, the formula for HSGP), however, incidents do not necessarily only effect those proximal to the event. It is important to use not only a risk based approach but an impact based approach and think beyond local ...more »

  In funding and when writing policy, consider the different challenges faced by rural and urban states, differences in geography, and state size. Most Homeland Security funding targets population centers (ie. UASI, the formula for HSGP), however, incidents do not necessarily only effect those proximal to the event. It is important to use not only a risk based approach but an impact based approach and think beyond local population. (Consider the number of population centers fueled or fed by other areas.)

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  Submitted by Heather Foster 2 years ago

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Funding to local EMS/Rescue Providers

  Please provide funding to local EMS providers whether they volunteer with a local agency or through a funded State or Federal Team. Medical, rescue and fire personnel have to pay for alot of their own training along with purchasing of the equipment that they use. It's one thing to be willing to provide our expertise and knowledge when a large scale event occurs, however, to see the MONEY allocated and being spent in beaurocratic ...more »

  Please provide funding to local EMS providers whether they volunteer with a local agency or through a funded State or Federal Team. Medical, rescue and fire personnel have to pay for alot of their own training along with purchasing of the equipment that they use. It's one thing to be willing to provide our expertise and knowledge when a large scale event occurs, however, to see the MONEY allocated and being spent in beaurocratic black holes that suck up the funding grates on the nerves of the people on the street. In our own town, there is always money being spent to update, remodel or improve communications and the buildings that house such, however you rarely see funding to allow training and equipment to the individuals that respond to the critical event.

  Phillip Kirkland, MSPAS, EMT-P, PA-C

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  1 comment for Idea: Funding to local EMS/Rescue Providers

  Submitted by Phillip Kirkland 2 years ago

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  3 votes

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Use of Grant Funding for Personnel Costs

  The use of grant funding for training and backfill needs to be reevaluated. Current federal funding guidelines do not permit for the use of grant dollars to pay for wages for those attending mandated training (such as hazardous materials and/or decontamination training in healthcare facilities) nor will it pay for those that are backfilling the positions left unfilled while others are in training. In today's economy, ...more »

  The use of grant funding for training and backfill needs to be reevaluated. Current federal funding guidelines do not permit for the use of grant dollars to pay for wages for those attending mandated training (such as hazardous materials and/or decontamination training in healthcare facilities) nor will it pay for those that are backfilling the positions left unfilled while others are in training. In today's economy, where healthcare organizations are already having trouble with funding, an unnecessary burden is being placed on organizations to deliver mandatory training without being able to pay the staff attending the training (because in my case, union contracts require it), and without being able to pay the staff to fill for those at the training. While I believe that some regulation of grant funds is necessary, I believe that as long as the funding meets the "purpose" of the grant, then it should be allowed. The federal government seriously needs to reconsider the use of funding for personnel compensation.

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  Submitted by George Snyder 2 years ago

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Shift Resources

  Shift resources from low frequency/high impact events to high frequency/moderate & high impact event prevention & mitigation.

  Hijackings are rare, but other crimes and infrastructure failures happen every day.

  1 comment for Idea: Shift Resources

  Submitted by Jeffrey Froman 2 years ago

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  2 votes

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  Preparedness Grant Programs and Incentives »

  Elderly Preparedness Training & Disaster Kits Grant

  I would strongly suggest and support a grant program that would assist the elderly and special needs community with providing disaster preparedness training along with providing them with a disaster kit that suits their needs. This type of training can be conducted in their homes at their request and would help the local communities with identifying those who will require assistance during a disaster.

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  Submitted by Craig Mercier, CHS-III 2 years ago

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  Streamline applicaitons/management for smaller tribes

  Smaller tribal governments (populations less than 5,000) are frustrated with the grant application and management process. Most of them do not have the infrastructure or management experience to successfully apply for, and continually manage many grants in this program. A streamlined grant application/reporting structure for these situations would be warranted. Steven Matles OHST, CHSP, CHEP Deputy Director Indian ...more »

  Smaller tribal governments (populations less than 5,000) are frustrated with the grant application and management process. Most of them do not have the infrastructure or management experience to successfully apply for, and continually manage many grants in this program.

  A streamlined grant application/reporting structure for these situations would be warranted.

  Steven Matles OHST, CHSP, CHEP

  Deputy Director

  Indian Health Board of Nevada

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  Submitted by Steven Matles 2 years ago

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