Homeland Security Funds for Public Schools
About $1.78 billion was the amount allocated to the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) for 2010 to provide training and materials for all emergency security purposes, with school safety absorbing 10 percent to 25 percent of the funds. As schools gather a large number of children during the day, protection against natural catastrophes or human threats is a top priority for the government. The school safety plan is extensive, covering all possible scenarios, but also costly for the Department of Homeland Security.
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Amount of Homeland Security Funds
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The funds are provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is an agency of the Department of Homeland Security. Of the $1.78 billion for 2010, $842 million was allocated to the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP); $832.5 million to the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI); $60 million to Operation Stonegarden (OPSG); $39.36 million to the Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS); and $12.48 million to the Citizen Corps Program (CCP).
How Funds are Used
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The millions of dollars provided by FEMA are used to fund training programs and exercises, as well as equipment testing. These programs include multi-hazard emergency planning for schools, the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training (NCBRT) courses and the National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP). Furthermore, the Safe School Initiative (SSI) and School Transportation Security Awareness are targeted to internal hazards.
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Who is Trained
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The plan's training programs are designed for firefighters, law enforcement officers, medical personnel, but also school employees, from teachers to janitors. In addition, courses include the training of children themselves, from kindergarteners to high school students, on how to respond in an organized and responsible way, in the event of fire, earthquake or other emergency situation. Apart from response drills, prevention courses also take place to educate personnel and students on how to prevent dangerous events.
Importance of Homeland Security Funds
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School facilities and buses are susceptible to natural disasters, such as earthquakes and extreme snowfall, accidents (fire or school bus crash), as well as terrorist attacks and threats by individuals bearing arms. There have been a number of events, such as the Columbine High School incident in 1999, that have raised the question of school safety. Especially since children and teenagers are the likely victims of such accidents or attacks, the number of schools applying for inclusion in the safety programs is ever-growing.
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