The Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) recently awarded $86,995 in federal grant funding to two local public safety agencies in the 14th District. These grants will ensure that these Departments have the equipment and training they need to keep residents safe in the event of an emergency.
The Mount Prospect Fire Department received $58,995 in grant funding for their respirator mask program, and the Prospect Heights Fire Department received $28,000 in grant funding for live fire prop rental to support aircraft rescue and fire fighting training.
These funds are available as DHSEM is a recipient of more than $2 million in federal Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Grant funding. The agency's continued participation in the UASI program provides critical resources to enhance and improve Cook County's counter-terrorism abilities. This program is designed to assist high-threat, high density urban areas in their efforts to build, sustain and the deliver the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to and recover from terrorism.
In March 2019, we notified Cook County municipalities that funding was available. In response, DHSEM received 29 applications from 10 different districts, totaling over $7 million. Eligible projects were required to have a nexus to counter-terrorism.