MEMORANDUM

TO: Gary Superman, Assembly President

Members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

THRU: Dale Bagley, Borough Mayor

Scott Holt, Finance Director

Bonnie L. Golden, Grants Manager

FROM: David Gibbs, Emergency Management Coordinator

DATE: May 5, 2005

SUBJECT: Ordinance No. 2004-19-53: An ordinance accepting and appropriating a grant from the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in the amount of $238,568.75 for Emergency Preparedness

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides funding to states and local governments for emergency preparedness. Their overall Homeland Security Grant Program integrates 6 other grant programs, including the State Homeland Security Program, the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, Citizen Corps Program, and the Emergency Management Performance Grants. The Borough has received grants through most of these programs.

The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) program provides funding to enhance the capability of local governments to prevent, deter, respond to, and recover from incidents and to enhance regional preparedness efforts. The priorities for this year include funding for planning, equipment, training and exercises for emergency prevention, preparedness, and response personnel which will assist local governments in meeting the requirements of the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

NIMS is intended to provide a consistent nationwide approach for federal, state, tribal, and local governments to work effectively and efficiently together to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents. According to NIMS Integration Center, implementation of and compliance with NIMS is critical to ensuring full and robust preparedness across our nation. FY05 is a start up year for NIMS implementation. In order to receive future federal Homeland Security Grant Program funding, full compliance is required by FY07.

The attached ordinance, if enacted, will accept a grant under the FY05 SHSP in the amount of $238,568.75. Funds are to be used for disaster preparedness planning, training, and exercises that incorporate the Incident Command System, a part of NIMS. Completion of the training and exercises outlined in the FY05 SHSP grant will assist the Borough in meeting the FY05 NIMS requirements, the first step in complying with NIMS.

A hearing on shortened time is requested as the borough must accept the grant by June 10, 2005. Also, a June 7 hearing date is only three days short of the 25-day waiting period required by the borough code for regular hearings.

Attachments: Ordinance; Notification of award from ADHS/EM; Obligating Award Document