July 25, 2008

Charlotte, NC -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded a $4.8 million homeland security grant to the Charlotte region as part of its Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), a program that includes 60 metropolitan cities across the country.  Since 2004, the Charlotte UASI has received more than $23.6 million in grants to support the critical public safety programs in Charlotte-Mecklenburg as well as the nine surrounding counties that comprise the Charlotte UASI area.

"We are grateful for the valuable funding that our region receives," said Charlotte Fire Chief Jon B. Hannan, the Homeland Security Director for the City of Charlotte. "We will continue to use the funds in the most effective manner for this region."

The grant will help fund and improve public safety programs and operations such as:

• Radio and Communication Interoperability, which allows responders from the different counties and across North and South Carolina to communicate over various radio channels
• Chemical, Biological, Radiological/Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) Response Teams including Hazardous Materials Response Teams
• Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Response, SWAT Response, Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) Response teams.
• Mass Casualty Response since Charlotte is designated as a Metropolitan Medical Response System  (MMRS) city
• Command and Control Activities for Emergency Operations Centers both fixed and mobile utilizing E-Team Technology
• Information Sharing Capabilities by way of the Charlotte Regional Information Analysis Center (CRIAC)