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(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman announced the distribution of more than $21 million in federal funds as part of the 2006 Homeland Security grant program. As in previous years, much of the allocation was used to support expansion of communications projects. Funding was also directed to support planning, exercising and training efforts across the state.
“In awarding this funding, we’ve remained focused addressing the challenge of integrating communication among our rural, urban and suburban areas,” Gov. Heineman said. “Without this stream of federal funding that became available following 9/11, these efforts to work toward a statewide communications system would have taken decades, not years, to complete because of the enormous cost. Interoperable communication was identified early on as our top priority when it comes to emergency preparedness, and I am very pleased with the progress that’s been made during the past five years.”
The Governor was joined by Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy, Nebraska’s homeland security director, in announcing the grants. Nebraska received more than $13 million, which will be awarded to 69 counties in the coming days. The remaining $8.3 million in funding was directed to the Tri-County Urban Area Security Initiative, made up of Douglas, Washington and Sarpy Counties, to help address the strategic needs of urban areas in responding terrorism, natural disasters and other wide-scale emergencies.
Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy said, “Nebraska has seen significant progress in local and regional interoperability in recent years. Our goal with this year’s funding is to move the counties in the beginning stages of developing their communications networks to the intermediate stage, the intermediate counties to a more advanced stage, the most advanced counties toward completion of their networks by the end of this funding cycle, and begin expanding the State Patrol’s communications system to support the connection of these regional networks in the years to come.”
Many areas are moving forward with plans to achieve regional interoperability, building on prior success in connecting with neighboring local jurisdictions. Requests for 2006 Homeland Security grant funding totaled $36.7 million for both state and local projects. The following are some of major projects for the 2006 grant cycle:
Lancaster county will receive $687,000 for planning, training and the purchase of interoperable communications equipment. Additional funding will help begin the next phase of integration and regional connectivity throughout the Southeast Region.
The Southeast Region includes Cass, Fillmore, Jefferson, Johnson, Lancaster, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, Saline, Seward, Thayer, and York counties, which will receive more than $1.8 million to continue upgrades to communications capabilities. After using 2005 funding to install communications systems, the region will now connect individual county systems to a comprehensive network.
Saunders county and Region 5/6 will receive funding for the purchase of communications equipment, in addition to training funds for responders in Burt, Cuming, Dodge, Saunders, and Washington counties.
The Northeast Region of Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Knox, Thurston, and Wayne counties, along with the Winnebago Tribe, will receive $735,000 to continue building a communications system to unite the six-county region and allow for interoperability with other Nebraska and South Dakota first-responders. Region 11, made up of Antelope, Madison, Pierce, and Stanton counties will receive $447,000 to expand coverage and develop interoperability both within the region and with adjacent regions.
The East Central Communications Area (ECCA) made up of Butler, Boone, Howard, and Platte Counties will receive $380,000 to upgrade and integrate with other counties in the area and nearby regions. The ECCA also includes Colfax, Merrick, Nance, and Polk counties. Platte County will move forward with substantial upgrades designed to provide support for counties in the area and work towards regional interoperability.
The Central Nebraska Regional Interoperability (CNRI) 1 group will receive $710,000 to put the finishing touches on the regional communications network launched earlier this year. The CRNI 1 group consists of Adams, Buffalo, Dawson, Frontier, Gosper, Hall, Hamilton, Harlan, Kearney, and Phelps counties and will use $578,000 to expand interoperability and integrate Clay, Franklin, Lincoln, Nuckolls, and Webster counties into the region.
The CNRI 2 group in southwestern Nebraska will continue building regional infrastructure to move to the next level of interoperability. The counties of Chase, Dundy, Furnas, Hayes, Hitchcock, Perkins, and Red Willow will receive $825,000 to expand coverage established with previous funding and coordinate with the CRNI 1 group.
Blaine, Garfield, Greeley, Loup, Sherman, Thomas, Wheeler, and Valley counties are currently part of Region 26 Emergency Management, which will receive $476,000 to enhance individual communications systems and interoperability in the region.
Region 26 is a part of the greater Sandhills Region which is the largest communications network in Nebraska includes the counties of Arthur, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Custer, Deuel Grant, Holt, Hooker, Keith, Keya Paha, Logan, McPherson, and Rock.
The north central area of Boyd, Brown, and Rock counties will receive $184,000 to continue expansion of the Sandhills regional communications system and improve interoperability in the area. Cherry and Keya Paha counties will receive more than $300,000 to enhance communications and expand interoperability with neighbors in the region and South Dakota.
The Sandhills Region overall will receive more than $1.8 million dollars for communications projects. Of that, Keith county will receive more than $300,000 to upgrade and strengthen communications with adjacent counties, with additional funding dedicated to providing regional communications in the CRNI, Panhandle and Sandhills regions of the state.
Scotts Bluff county will receive $534,000 in funding, some of which will help complete the conversion from analog to digital equipment begun last year. This year’s funding will enable further coordinate with Banner and Sioux Counties, as well as the larger Panhandle Region. The remaining funding will be used for equipment purchases and training.
The western Panhandle area of Cheyenne, Kimball and Morrill counties will receive $203,000 to continue expanding communications capabilities and improve interoperability across western Nebraska and Wyoming.
Dawes and Sheridan counties will use $276,000 to upgrade first responder communications equipment and communicate with counterparts in Wyoming and South Dakota.
Approximately $1.4 million will be directed to create regional Planning, Exercising and Training (PET) programs. This initiative will involve the creation of seven programs across the state that will support local PET efforts within the respective regions. Finally, $464,660 will be used to continue funding for the state’s two Metropolitan Medical Response Systems, located in Lincoln and Omaha.
As in previous years, funding was administered through two programs that call for 80 percent of the state’s total funding to go towards local projects, with the remaining 20 percent used for state projects.
A portion of the state’s nearly $3 million in funding will be used to expand state agency connections to the Nebraska State Patrol statewide dispatch system, which will be added to the $850,000 in funding allocated as part of the mid-biennium budget earlier this year to establish a statewide communications system. Additional funding will be needed to build the system and allow for regional networks to be connected.
Communications Network Status (pdf 1298k)
2006 Grant Allocations (pdf 226k)
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