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Homeland Security asks for grant-management software, disaster unit staffing and fire academy support as disasters and federal reimbursements rise
Summary
Homeland Security and Emergency Management asked lawmakers for grant-management software, five disaster-unit positions and funding for public-safety radio services and the fire training system; agency leaders said staffing and financial systems must be strengthened to manage multiple presidential disasters and large federal reimbursements.
Homeland Security and Emergency Management told the House appropriations subcommittee it needs additional staff and technology to manage a growing number of disasters, large federal reimbursements and the tens of millions in grants that flow through the agency.
Deputy Cabinet Secretary Ali Rai and Acting Secretary Miguel Aguilar said the agency has been managing recovery from multiple presidential disasters — Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon, the Ruidoso fires and Roswell flooding — and that the cumulative grant workload and federal drawdown process require expanded institutional capacity.
"This agency has been honestly, woefully understaffed to do the work that it needs to do to manage the millions of dollars that come into the state," a senior official said. The executive recommendation includes funding for a grants-management software package estimated at about $325,000 and for a five-person disaster unit (about half funded with federal dollars) to reduce reliance on outside contractors and to create state-employed rapid-response capacity.
The Department of Homeland Security also pays for statewide public-safety radio services administered through DoIT; DFA said the executive recommendation restores that cost in the agency budget (about $300,000 year) so the service is covered in-state. LFC recommended a smaller increase and focused on audit and compliance costs.
State Fire Marshal Randy So outlined fire service budget priorities including distributions to local departments, volunteer retirement support and continuing operations at the Socorro burn facility and the statewide training academy. Lawmakers pressed for detail on a proposed new Santa Fe training center while the marshal clarified that live-burn facilities must remain in Socorro for environmental reasons; Santa Fe rooms would host classroom instruction and an auditorium.
The subcommittee approved the LFC recommendation after a motion; the committee flagged an expansion that would add five FTEs for follow-up with appropriations leadership before finalizing those positions.
Ending: Members asked DHS EM to return with implementation plans, clearer grant-drawdown schedules and a timeline for the proposed grant-management software and disaster-unit staffing.
