For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
September 30, 2004

The Department of Homeland Security today awarded more than $46 million in Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) grants for Fiscal Year 2004. The 110 grants reach 114 MMRS jurisdictions throughout the United States.  

“The MMRS grants provide the awardees with major funding to further enhance and maintain integrated, systematic preparedness for local response to weapons of mass destruction high-casualty events until significant external assistance arrives, ” said Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge.  “This funding permits jurisdictions to focus on being prepared for terrorist events that involve radiological, nuclear, chemical, biological or explosive agents as well as epidemic disease outbreaks, large scale hazardous materials accidents and major natural disasters.”

The MMRS program originated in the Department of Health and Human Services in 1996 and transferred to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in March 2003.  As part of Homeland Security’s “one-stop-shop” grant coordination, Homeland Security’s Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (SLGCP) will assume responsibility for MMRS in October 2004.

The awards committee noted that the grant applications, in addition to incorporating MMRS program goals and objectives, reflected progress in addressing National Incident Management System compliance, interoperable communications, enhanced mutual aid and regional expansion.  The 16 selected Special Project applications represent a variety of innovative and exportable initiatives.    

 MMRS FY04 grants are awarded in three categories:

• Capability Focus Areas ($250,000/jurisdiction).   Prepares localities to respond to new threats posed by WMD events such as the detonation of a dirty bomb.  All MMRS jurisdictions are eligible to receive Capability Focus Grants if they applied for them.
  
• Sustainment (additional $150,000/jurisdiction).  Covers the planning, training and equipment needed to maintain a locality’s capability to respond to the human health needs of community members impacted by a mass casualty incident.  MMRS jurisdictions that completed the program’s baseline capabilities are eligible to receive Sustainment Grants if they applied for them.
  
• Special Project Awards (funding amounts from $25,000 - $640,000).  Recognizes jurisdictions that develop innovative solutions to local problems and publicize their applicability to localities across the nation.  
  

Attached to this release is the list of the localities awarded and the award amounts received from the FY 2004 MMRS grant program.  

Additional MMRS program information is available at http://mmrs.fema.gov.

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