Changes in DHS grants
Department of Homeland Security grants will no longer be allocated to states, and in turn to localities, based on a base amount with an adjustment for population. Instead, grants are now a competitive process among the states. In order to fulfill the National Terrorism Strategic Goal in Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8, the DHS has developed the National Infrastructure Protection Plan and a list of 37 Target Capabilities, among other documents. DHS has also determined that 2006 grant funding will go toward the NIPP and 11 of the Target Capabilities specifically. Each state must submit a plan for grant funds that demonstrates both need and potential impact. DHS will approve plans in consideration of a terrorism risk factor, which is determined by DHS and varies among the states. Grant funds will then be allocated to each state according to their submitted plan. States are still required to give 80 percent of the funding to localities. The allocation to localities is yet to be determined and is based on the state’s allocation amount and approved projects. VDEM scheduled stakeholders’ meetings on Jan. 17-18, where more than 200 local and state partners from all emergency and first responder disciplines took part in determining priorities and discussing options that Virginia will pursue for the 2006 Homeland Security Grant Programs. Contact Julian Gilman for more information.

2005 year in review
Despite a record-breaking hurricane season, Virginia did not experience any hurricane activity first-hand. The destruction of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, however, prompted Gov. Mark R. Warner to declare a state of emergency to facilitate the Commonwealth’s ability to help those in the Gulf States. Virginia sent more than 1,100 state and local personnel to the region through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. Gov. Warner appointed Jane Woods, secretary of Health and Human Services, to lead the state’s efforts in assisting the more than 15,000 evacuees who came to Virginia. Through the efforts of many state agencies, a temporary shelter and resource center to serve more than 1,000 evacuees was established at Ft. Pickett, near Blackstone, Va., although the Federal Emergency Management Agency did not transfer any to Virginia. Nearly 5,700 evacuees remain in Virginia.

EM Training. Emergency Management Training educated more than 4,200 students, an increase of more than 28 percent over last year. The EM Training program also developed and published the Incident Command System Job Aid, useful in the teaching and application of ICS. Virginia residents completed 39,410 Independent Study courses.

EM Training also developed and conducted two discussion- and two operations-based Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program events. The Virginia Emergency Response Team Exercise included 33 public and private departments, agencies and organizations. More than 350 personnel were trained on the program’s exercise development concepts and methodology, and 164 personnel were trained as HSEEP evaluators.

Search and Rescue. The VDEM SAR program responded to 176 requests for assistance, consisting of 107 aircraft-related incidents and non-distress emergency beacons and 69 lost or missing person incidents. The two more notable missions for 2005 include deployments to the 9th Ward of New Orleans to assist with recovery operations, and assistance to the multi-jurisdictional Taylor Behl Task Force. In addition, 380 personnel received SAR training, including 124 Virginia State Police officers, an increase of nearly 35 percent over last year's training numbers.

Technological Hazards. The total number of hazmat notifications dropped from 2,188 to 2,078. The notifications included 635 Coast Guard and 1,443 other types of calls. VDEM hazardous materials officers assisted at 139 on-scene responses. The majority of the calls were related to chemical spills or petroleum releases, and a small percentage of the calls were suspicious activity.

Emergency Operations Center. The Virginia Emergency Operations Center moved from a converted 1950s nuclear shelter into a new state-of-the-art center for managing emergencies and disasters for the Commonwealth on Jan. 17. This past year has seen a concerted effort to plan for and implement plans for that new center while dodging hurricanes, responding to events in the Gulf States and conducting numerous exercises.

VDEM tracks General Assembly
VDEM is tracking bills that are important to the emergency response community as they make their way through the 2006 General Assembly, set to end in March. Information will be updated as the session progresses.

Deputy Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness
Steve Mondul, a former VDEM special projects planner, has been appointed by Governor-elect Timothy M. Kaine to serve as the deputy assistant to the governor for Commonwealth Preparedness. Mondul formerly served as the state director of security and emergency management at the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Dogs bring HOPE to relief workers
Teams of therapy dogs and their handlers from Richmond and northern Virginia visited relief workers in Baton Rouge, La. during the December holidays. The nonprofit Eastern U.S. HOPE Crisis Response teams are part of Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster. The HOPE teams visited with individuals in Disaster Recovery Centers, attended holiday events for Hurricane Katrina survivors and supported the mental health and recovery efforts of other voluntary agencies. HOPE teams have provided therapy for a broad range of cases, from individuals suffering a personal loss, to emergency responders working at the World Trade Center terrorist attack site. Contact HOPE Eastern Region Coordinator Jill Cucaz for more information.

Produced by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management
10501 Trade Court, Richmond, Virginia 23236