Published Wednesday | September 12, 2007
Homeland security funding to complete statewide communications system
BY MARTHA STODDARD
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINCOLN - Nebraska will use nearly half of this year's federal homeland security funding to
complete the last links in a single statewide communications system, Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy
said Wednesday.
Sheehy, who also serves as the state's homeland security coordinator, announced how
the $7.2 million to the state would be distributed.
More than $2.4 million will be divided among seven regions that are developing
communication networks. The networks would allow state and local law enforcement
authorities, medical personnel and emergency responders to communicate with one
another.
Many of the regions have completed the job of connecting all first responders in their
counties, Sheehy said. The state now is close to being able to link the regional networks
into a single statewide system.
"The funding we received this year should help us complete work on this very complex
project," he said.
Nebraska has used a large share of its homeland security funds in recent years to create
the statewide network. The effort includes new radio equipment and technology.
Along with the grants to the regions, Nebraska will put another $1.1 million of this year's
homeland security money into licensing technology for the communications network and
providing support for the network.
In addition, the state will use some of the $8.5 million from a separate federal
communications grant program to finish planning the network, said Al Berndt, assistant
director of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. The remainder of those funds
will be distributed next year, once the plan is completed.
The federal government provided $968 million for communications nationally this year.
That money is in addition to the annual homeland security funding, which this year was
redirected more toward large urban areas than to small states such as Nebraska.
Homeland security grants have sparked controversy in recent years because of disputes
over how the money was spent and how it is apportioned among rural states and large
cities.
Nebraska's $7.2 million grant is down from the $12.5 million it received last year. Omaha
also got $8.3 million last year under the Department of Homeland Security's Urban Area
Security Initiative. The city got nothing under the urban area initiative this year.
Sheehy said Wednesday that $1.6 million of this year's funding will be used to help law
enforcement in the Omaha metro area and southeast Nebraska begin a cooperative
intelligence and information sharing effort, called a fusion center.
Funding also will be used for statewide planning and training efforts, $392,000; buying
hazardous materials equipment, $250,000; community disaster preparedness, $160,000;
urban medical response, $516,000; livestock disease response, $90,000; coordination and
planning by the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, $550,000; other projects by
state agencies, $124,000.
Homeland security funding to complete statewide communications system
BY MARTHA STODDARD
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
LINCOLN - Nebraska will use nearly half of this year's federal homeland security funding to
complete the last links in a single statewide communications system, Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy
said Wednesday.
Sheehy, who also serves as the state's homeland security coordinator, announced how
the $7.2 million to the state would be distributed.
More than $2.4 million will be divided among seven regions that are developing
communication networks. The networks would allow state and local law enforcement
authorities, medical personnel and emergency responders to communicate with one
another.
Many of the regions have completed the job of connecting all first responders in their
counties, Sheehy said. The state now is close to being able to link the regional networks
into a single statewide system.
"The funding we received this year should help us complete work on this very complex
project," he said.
Nebraska has used a large share of its homeland security funds in recent years to create
the statewide network. The effort includes new radio equipment and technology.
Along with the grants to the regions, Nebraska will put another $1.1 million of this year's
homeland security money into licensing technology for the communications network and
providing support for the network.
In addition, the state will use some of the $8.5 million from a separate federal
communications grant program to finish planning the network, said Al Berndt, assistant
director of the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. The remainder of those funds
will be distributed next year, once the plan is completed.
The federal government provided $968 million for communications nationally this year.
That money is in addition to the annual homeland security funding, which this year was
redirected more toward large urban areas than to small states such as Nebraska.
Homeland security grants have sparked controversy in recent years because of disputes
over how the money was spent and how it is apportioned among rural states and large
cities.
Nebraska's $7.2 million grant is down from the $12.5 million it received last year. Omaha
also got $8.3 million last year under the Department of Homeland Security's Urban Area
Security Initiative. The city got nothing under the urban area initiative this year.
Sheehy said Wednesday that $1.6 million of this year's funding will be used to help law
enforcement in the Omaha metro area and southeast Nebraska begin a cooperative
intelligence and information sharing effort, called a fusion center.
Funding also will be used for statewide planning and training efforts, $392,000; buying
hazardous materials equipment, $250,000; community disaster preparedness, $160,000;
urban medical response, $516,000; livestock disease response, $90,000; coordination and
planning by the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, $550,000; other projects by
state agencies, $124,000.
