The Houston Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Initiative (RCPI) and the Houston Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) hosted a planning seminar with the focus of incorporating the unique requirements of individuals with functional and access needs in all areas of emergency planning.

Bringing leaders together from emergency management and disability communities, this event focused on building partnerships, increasing resilience, and identifying Functional Needs Support Services (FNSS) best practices. The group also reviewed the Texas FNSS tool kit, a document designed to assist emergency planners in understanding the requirements related to sheltering and serving those who have access and functional needs. Attendees and speakers included local advocacy groups, non-profit organizations, and local and state emergency officials.

Read more @ houston.cbslocal.com

The Baltimore region — including Howard County — will receive about half as much federal funding from a key emergency preparedness grant program in fiscal year 2012 as it did in fiscal year 2011, according to budget figures released Feb. 17 by the Department of Homeland Security, which grants the funds.

As one of 31 cities to receive funding through the department’s Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program, Baltimore will receive about $4.1 million in 2012, compared to the $7.8 million it received in 2011.

For local emergency officials, the announcement was welcome news.

Read more @ www.baltimoresun.com

On February 17th, the Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) announced the availability of the Fiscal Year 2012 Program Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA).

Seven FY 2012 preparedness grant programs being made available representing $1,381,476,000 in FY 2012 federal assistance.

UASI grants totaled $490 million, more than many expected.

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Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced the release of FY 2012 grant guidance and application kits for seven DHS preparedness grant programs totaling over $1.3 billion to assist states, urban areas, tribal and territorial governments, non-profit agencies, and the private sector in strengthening our nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies in support of the National Preparedness Goal.

In FY 2012, DHS preparedness grants were reduced by nearly $1 billion from the FY 2011 enacted level and $1.5 billion below the President’s FY 2012 request. (more…)

The city’s biggest homeland security grant will hold steady for a third year despite a shrunken federal pot, sources told the Daily News.

Federal Urban Area Security Initiative funding has plummeted more than 40% since 2010 to $490 million, and the city’s share — roughly $151 million — has grown to over 30%.

Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., face 13% cuts from 2011.

A staffer briefed on New York’s share called the funding freeze “really great considering the cuts that Congress made.”

Read more @ www.nydailynews.com