Board approves two emergency-management grant agreements for communications and equipment

Corey Pedron, director of Emergency Management, asked the board on Feb. 12 to approve two grant agreements that fund communications and equipment upgrades for county emergency response.

Pedron presented the 2024 State Homeland Security grant (grant number 24218), a $40,260 award with no local match. He said the grant includes funding for a digital display processor for the emergency operations center, about $5,000 for video cameras requested by small communities, approximately $8,000 toward a fuel-resiliency plan (e.g., small fuel-storage capacity to support county vehicles) and $11,000 to buy Starlink mobile units for communities beyond cellular or VHF coverage. Pedron said the Starlink units pay first-year service and that jurisdictions using them would absorb ongoing monthly fees if they choose to continue service.

Pedron also reported an amendment to a fiscal-year-2022 UASI grant that provides $20,795 to acquire a deployable public-works variable-mesh communications trailer. He said the trailer will be assigned to CERT for disaster response while public works will maintain and use it for non-disaster activities. Pedron noted a May 1 purchase deadline for the trailer procurement.

The board moved to approve contract C18-2025 (state grant) and contract C42-2023-1 (UASI agreement amendment) and authorized the chair to sign both. The motions were seconded and passed by voice vote.

Ending: Pedron said he expects to return with additional grant applications and thanked staff and partners for their work to secure the funding.