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Committee forwards $1.43M DHS grant for emergency preparedness, including one reassigned position
Summary
The subcommittee approved acceptance of a $1,434,644 Department of Homeland Security grant to the Department of Emergency Management to fund preparedness planning, training, equipment and a grant‑funded position; staff said there is no local match and some equipment purchases will temporarily use commercial wireless until BayWeb is operational.
The Budget & Finance Subcommittee forwarded an ordinance authorizing the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) to retroactively accept and expend a $1,434,644 fiscal year 2011 Homeland Security grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (via the California Emergency Management Agency).
Ami Alden of DEM described the grant as a recurring operational grant that funds planning, equipment, training, exercises and some medical planning. Alden said there is no local match requirement and that the grant will fund, among other items, wireless data cards for the Police Department to provide commercial wireless broadband communication until the BayWeb public safety network is operational. Alden also said the grant funds a shift of an existing manager position (a manager 3 level) from GSA into DEM to work on long‑term post‑disaster recovery planning.
A public speaker, Douglas Yap, said he supported the ordinance and urged vigilance. Chair Carmen Chu asked staff to follow up offline on potential federal cutbacks affecting tsunami and flood funding and shoreline impacts; DEM staff agreed to follow up. The item was sent forward with recommendation without recorded opposition at the subcommittee.
