Governor Greg Abbott today announced nearly $230,000 in State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP) funding to support local efforts aimed at the prevention of, protection against, and response to terrorist attacks in Texas. The projects selected for funding address gaps in preparedness identified through After Action Reports and assessments related to statewide Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack (CCTA) exercises held this past fall by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“As Governor, my top priority is the safety and security of all Texans,” said Governor Abbott. “It is essential that Texas has the tools and resources to prevent and confront threats of all kinds, including acts of terrorism. These grants will enhance our ability at the state and local level to respond to these threats and protect innocent lives. I thank the Department of Homeland Security for working with the state of Texas to ensure a safer future for the people of our state.”
“DPS and the FBI conducted a statewide Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack (CCTA) exercise in October with more than 65 partner organizations and 1,000 participants to test federal, state and local coordination related to homeland security operations and emergency management response,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “Real-world events and these types of exercises always highlight opportunities for enhancements, and this funding from the governor’s office will assist local partners with bolstering critical capabilities to help protect the people of Texas by preventing and responding to terrorism incidents.” Local jurisdictions receiving the awards
include:
City of Garland – $37,580.00
City of Greenville – $68,961.00
City of San Antonio – $25,114.75
Bexar County – $35,000.00
Washington County – $63,214.25
“As a result of the exercise, we were able to strengthen our working relationships with several agencies that included the FBI, Texas DPS, City of Dallas, as well as some of our private partners,” said City of Greenville Fire Chief Jeremy Powell. Bexar County Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator Scott Lampright added, “The CCTA exercise helped Bexar County identify several key gaps in our anti-terrorism response and recovery capabilities. The equipment we are requesting will fill these gaps allowing us to better protect our community.”
The Homeland Security Grants Division, a subset of the Governor’s Public Safety Office (PSO), is responsible for administering SHSP funding as part of the larger Homeland Security Grant Program from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency. Jurisdictions interested in learning more about this or other grant programs administered by the PSO should contact their regional council of governments or the PSO at 512-463-1919.
