(Smyrna) – The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) has received more than $3.2 million from the federal government in Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG).  The goal of the EMPG program is to assist communities in sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities.

While some funding will be used by DEMA, sub-recipients of the grant funding are the City of Wilmington, Sussex, Kent, and New Castle County Emergency Management Agencies, the Delaware Department of Education, the Delaware Geological Survey, and the University of Delaware’s Delaware Environmental Observing System (DEOS).

There are five priorities for FY17:

• Identifying and assessing risk and estimating capability requirements by maintaining the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment, and State Preparedness Report
• Building and sustaining Core Capabilities
• Continuing the implementation of the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• Maintaining or revising Emergency Operations Plans
• Developing and maintaining multi-year training and exercise plans.

DEMA conducts smaller quarterly exercises and an annual full-scale exercise as required during a 12-month period.  DEMA also offers training courses designed by FEMA that enhance individual abilities to work in emergency preparedness and response.

The funding supports efforts to strengthen state and local preparedness and the capabilities of public and private agencies to respond to emergencies.  Recipients of EMPG funding are required to provide a cost-share 50% match.  The deadline for funding use is September 30, 2018.

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