NCJ Number
202516
Journal
Homeland Defense Journal Volume: 1 Issue: 6 Dated: September 2003 Pages: 32-37
Date Published
September 2003
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article describes the procedures followed by officials of Weston County, WY, a largely rural and small-town jurisdiction, in applying for a grant intended to upgrade the capacity of public safety agencies to respond to a terrorist incident.
Abstract
Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, towns, counties, and cities large and small have competed to get their share of Federal funding to protect their citizens in case of a terrorist attack. In March 2003, more than $4.8 million in Federal funds was awarded to the State of Wyoming, with the intent that it should be dispersed to local counties, cities, and towns to address homeland-security needs. Another award in the neighborhood of $12.8 million is expected to be distributed to Wyoming local communities by fall. Weston County has stepped in line to receive its share of the funding by making its case through an extended application process. For employment, many residents of Weston County work at the nearby coal mines or the Wyoming Refining Company, which makes jet fuel for the U.S. Air Force. More than 6,000 county residents live on rural roads without street addresses. The dispatching system is primitive and ill-equipped to serve residents in emergencies. County officials knew that in order to receive a grant to upgrade their public safety capabilities, they would need to conduct research that would document their public safety needs. Sheriff's deputies canvassed the entire county to identify any conceivable terrorist target. They produced a color-coded map of the town to identify the risk level for various sites. Representatives of the police, fire, ambulance, and hospital staff met regularly to assess and document their needs regarding an emergency response to various terrorist attack scenarios. The outcome of the needs assessment was more than 50 pages of an application that documented and detailed the county's public-safety needs. The effort was rewarded when in late July Weston County received more than $240,000 to pay for upgraded communications equipment and for conducting exercises to prepare the community for a terrorist attack. The funding level was among the top amounts received by the State's 23 counties. This article contains a supplementary section that outlines the lessons learned by Weston County in preparing a grant application for homeland-security funds.