DHSES Announces $500K in Funding for Critical Infrastructure Protection

ALBANY, NY (12/14/2011)(readMedia)-- The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) today announced the availability of $500,000 in funding for Critical Infrastructure protection.

"These grants are essential to local first responders who are charged with protecting key sites within their communities," said DHSES Commissioner Jerome M. Hauer.

The Critical Infrastructure Grant Program provides funding to support local first responders to mitigate risks and gaps that are identified by using the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP) Risk Mitigation Framework. The purpose of the grant program is to provide a dedicated funding source to promote common understanding of and approaches to risk management.

Applications for the program are limited to critical infrastructure (CI) sites located in the City of New York or in the following counties: Albany, Dutchess, Erie, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Suffolk, Wayne and Westchester.

Core objectives for the Critical Infrastructure Grant Program include:

  • Selection of a key CI site within the following sectors (general aviation, mass transit and commuter rail, oil and natural gas refineries, and large public venues).
  • Development of a plan to identify risk at the selected site.
  • Identification of capability gaps.
  • Development of a risk reduction budget to address these gaps.

Critical Infrastructure protection efforts are a shared responsibility - the grant focuses on the development of regional partnerships that include first responder agencies whose discipline is law enforcement, fire, or emergency management.

Applications may be submitted for up to $100,000 and must include both a submitting partner and at least one participating partner. Eligible expenditures include planning, equipment, training and exercise costs allowable under the State Homeland Security Program.

Applications must be filed with DHSES by February 1, 2012. For more information, go to http://www.dhses.ny.gov/grants.

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