MEMORANDUM

TO: Pete Sprague, Assembly President

Members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

THRU: Dale Bagley, Borough Mayor

Jeff Sinz, Finance Director

David Gibbs, Emergency Management Coordinator

FROM: Bonnie L. Golden, Grants Manager

DATE: March 20, 2003

SUBJECT: Ordinance No. 2002-19-36: An ordinance accepting and appropriating a grant from the Alaska Division of Homeland Security in the amount of $14,000 for developing community emergency response teams

Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, state and local government officials have increased opportunities for citizens to become part of protecting their homeland and supporting local first responders. Officials agree that the formula for ensuring a more secure and safer homeland consists of preparedness, training, and citizen involvement in supporting first responders.

Citizen Corps was created to help coordinate volunteer activities that will make our communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to any emergency situation. Under the auspices of Citizen Corps is the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. CERT helps train people to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities. When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site.

To assist local communities in developing CERT programs, federal grants were made available to provide the necessary start-up funding. The Borough applied for, and was awarded, funding in the amount of $14,000. Funds would be used to provide CERT training, which includes disaster preparedness, disaster fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, and light search and rescue operations. Initially, first responders would complete a CERT Train-the-Trainer course, then these trained instructors would teach the local CERT members.

It is the opinion of the Borough's Office of Emergency Management that having trained, local volunteers would enhance the borough's response capabilities in the event of a disaster. The Assembly's consideration of the attached ordinance appropriating the grant from Alaska Division of Homeland Security is most appreciated.

Attachments: Ordinance and Notification of award from ADHS