Gov. Douglas Announces $4.96 Million for Homeland Security, Majority of Funds to Local Units

Montpelier, Vt.- Governor Jim Douglas announced that Homeland Security
Secretary Tom Ridge is making a total of $4,963,000 of fiscal year 2003
grant funds available for local and state homeland security preparedness in
Vermont. The money is for domestic preparedness equipment, training and
planning.

Governor Douglas said that Vermont's Homeland Security Unit (HSU) would work
with all response organizations in the state to ensure that grant funds
reach the largest number of participants in the most effective manner.

"Over the next 30 days we will be working closely with representatives from
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to finalize the details of this
grant," Douglas said. "These additional resources will allow our local
first responders and state public safety units to be more prepared for a
variety of public safety scenarios."

The Governor said that the Homeland Security Unit would be reaching out to
all first responder departments to notify them of the availability of funds.

The allocation is part of nearly $600 million that has been made available
nationwide by the Bush administration for local homeland security efforts.

Vermont's emergency responders will receive nearly $3.5 million for
equipment. "Eighty percent of the equipment allocation must be passed
directly through to local communities. The state's twenty percent will be
used to purchase, among other things, a hazardous material response trailer
for Southern Vermont," Douglas said.

The grant also includes $ 861, 000 for exercises, $261,000 for training and
$348,000 for planning.

The Department of Public Safety, Homeland Security Unit, will manage
distribution of grant funds at the state level.

Information will also be posted on the HSU website at
www.vthomelandsecurity.org .