FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE??????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ???????????????? AG
AUGUST 17, 2001??????????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ???????????
202/616-2777
http://www.usdoj.gov/??????????? ??????????? ??????????? ??????????? ??????????? ??????????? ??? ????????????????????????TDD 202/514-1888
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS OHIO $1.8 MILLION FOR
DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM
DAYTON, OHIO ? Following? a major domestic preparedness exercise,
Attorney General John Ashcroft today announced that the Justice Department is
awarding the state of Ohio more than $1.8 million to assess the state?s first
responder needs and capabilities and to develop a comprehensive domestic preparedness
strategy.? ????????
"The threat of
terrorism is a serious and growing challenge for our nation.? These funds will allow Ohio to create
effective responses to these grave incidents," said Attorney General
Ashcroft.?
?The award will help Ohio to assess domestic
terrorism threats and the state?s capability in responding to them.? The information collected through these
assessments will provide the state?s governor with a threat and vulnerability
profile, identifying the specific needs and capabilities of first responders?
equipment, training, exercise support, and technical assistance.?
The Ohio Emergency
Management Agency (EMA) will use the federal funds to gather information on
potential terrorist threats, Ohio?s infrastructure and public health capabilities,
and the equipment of the Ohio?s first responder agencies.? The state will give local jurisdictions
specialized training equipment to administer the assessment, using contracts
established with the EMA, the Ohio Fire Chiefs? Association, and the Buckeye
Sheriffs? Association.?? The federal
funds are provided through the Justice Department?s Office for State and Local
Domestic Preparedness Support?s Equipment Grant Program.
Before announcing
the grant today, Attorney General Ashcroft observed a major exercise in Dayton
designed to assess the city?s ability to respond to a chemical weapon terrorist
incident. The Attorney General said, "I?m pleased to have this opportunity
to see Dayton?s first responders at work in preparing for a terrorist biological
incident.? Exercises like this are
critically important to ensure that our nation is fully prepared to respond to
terrorism here at home."
The exercise,
conducted at the University of Dayton, provided training for Ohio?s first
responders to terrorist incidents involving weapons of mass destruction, and it
helped prepare local emergency personnel to respond to chemical terrorism
incidents.? Local, state and federal
officials, as well as social and medical professionals, participated in today?s
exercise.
The Dayton exercise
is part of the Office of Justice Programs? Nunn‑Lugar‑Domenici
Domestic Preparedness program (NLD‑DPP).
The goal of the NLD‑DPP is to enhance the capability of state and
local emergency agencies responding to domestic terrorism incidents involving
radiological, biological and chemical agents.
To learn more about
the Office of Justice Programs and its domestic preparedness efforts,? visit the Website at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/.? Media should contact OJP?s Office of
Congressional and Public Affairs at 202/307‑0703.
###
01-412
After hours contact: Christopher Rizzuto at
888/860‑0732 (pager)