Hawaii Homeland Security Projects Approved

Sea Technology, Sep 2008

The Senate Appropriations Committee recently approved more than $120.4 million for 23 Hawaii-related projects that include initiatives on crime prevention and disaster and hazard preparedness. They are part of two funding measures for Fiscal Year 2009, for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Energy and Homeland security, that the Senate Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to approve. The bills will now advance to the full Senate for consideration.

The funds include $5 million for the Natural Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC) in Hawaii, which is a member of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Disaster Preparedness Consortium.

NDPTC is the only member focused on natural disaster preparedness and training, according to DHS. The mission of the NDPTC is to utilize Hawaii's unique geographic and cultural assets to develop and deliver disaster preparedness training to governmental, private and nonprofit entities and to incorporate urban planning with an emphasis on community preparedness and at-risk populations, officials said.

Also, $2.5 million will be used to establish a DHS all-hazards operations coordination, training, research and development center for the Pacific Region-which covers Hawaii, Alaska, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands-to protect national interests and support national security. The Pacific region requires a centralized center to coordinate hazard responses and train responders, officials said.

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