Vermont To Get $2.7 Million More
To Guard Against Terrorist Attacks

(Tues., Sept. 17) – The Vermont Department of Public Safety will receive $2,772,000 to help prepare against terrorist attacks, Sen. Patrick Leahy announced Tuesday.

The funds, administered by the Justice Department’s Office of Domestic Preparedness, were authorized under a state grant program written by Leahy, which included a small-state minimum provision guaranteeing each state a minimum of .75 percent to the total program funding.  Leahy included the Domestic Preparedness Grant Program authorization in the anti-terrorism package (The USA PATRIOT Act) that became law a year ago this October.

The Vermont Public Safety Department plans to use the funds to purchase emergency responder equipment, for planning-related costs, to conduct and evaluate exercises on weapons of mass destruction, and for administrative costs to implement the state’s strategy.  A state-wide assessment was conducted to determine the needs and capabilities for emergency responder equipment, training, exercise support, and technical assistance requirements.  The state’s domestic preparedness strategy outlines how Vermont will use federal funds, determined by the assessment. 

“Good preparedness takes skilled response teams, and our teams deserve thorough training and the right equipment,” said Leahy.   

Leahy chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee and headed Senate negotiations that produced the USA PATRIOT Act.  He is also a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and of two of its subcommittees that oversaw the writing of budget bills that included most of these funds – the Defense Subcommittee, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary.  The grant announced Tuesday brings to more than $3.5 million the total to date announced by Leahy in anti-terrorism preparedness grants to Vermont under his program.

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Contact:   Jim Walton, Commissioner, Vermont Department of Public Safety, 244-8718