Governor McAuliffe Announces Homeland Security Grant Awards

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Official Seal Websafe Colors (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dozens of projects across Virginia will receive federal funding

Richmond, Va. – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that more than $4.8 million in federal funds will be awarded to multiple local government agencies to enhance emergency preparedness throughout Virginia. The funds, administered by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, are from the fiscal year 2014 State Homeland Security Grant program.

“These critical funds, provided by our partners at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will be used immediately to help emergency planners and first responder agencies throughout Virginia get tools, equipment and other resources they need to keep Virginia communities safe,” said Governor McAuliffe.  “With this grant, Virginia joins federal and local governments in working together proactively to ensure that our residents are better protected and able to recover more quickly from possible terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.”

To allot the funds, the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security invited project proposals from local government agencies to be submitted in ten categories of special emphasis and priority for Virginia. A total of 187 project proposals valued at more than $23 million were received in these categories:

·       Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE)

·       Communications

·       Community Preparedness

·       Critical Infrastructure

·       Training and exercises in Incident Command System (ICS), National Incident Management System (NIMS)

·       Information Sharing (Fusion Centers)

·       Law Enforcement

·       Mass Care

·       Planning

·       Public Messaging & Crisis Communication

The submitted projects were evaluated and scored against five criteria by approximately 50 peer reviewers.  These individuals from across the state represented multiple professional groups, state agencies and local government officials with emergency expertise.  Peer reviewers evaluated projects that were outside of their own region.  Among the scoring criteria were the necessity of the project, how the project addresses risk, project management and the sustainment of the investment.

A total of 79 projects valued at $4.8 million met the criteria and will receive funding as shown below:

Locality	Proposal Title	Allocation Amount
Albemarle County	Law Enforcement Equipment	$                  6,745.00
Albemarle County	Law Enforcement Personal Protective Equipment	$                42,910.00
Alexandria City	Hazmat Team Equipment	$                79,600.00
Arlington County	Whole Community Outreach and Citizen Corps Program	$                36,100.00
Augusta County	HazMat Equipment and Training	$                54,393.00
Buckingham County	HazMat Response Vehicle	$                38,000.00
Buckingham County	Law Enforcement Equipment	$              151,171.00
Chesapeake City	HazMat Paramedic Training Program Sustainment	$                17,500.00
Chesapeake City	Hampton Roads Incident Management Team (HRIMT)	$                99,000.00
Chesapeake City	Mobile Emergency Water Supply System	$              100,000.00
Chesapeake City	Virginia Communications Cache Sustainment	$              139,900.00
Chesterfield County	Rail Hazard and Flammable Liquid Response Equipment	$              100,000.00
Chesterfield County	Virginia Search and Technical Rescue/USAR Communications and Interoperability Project	$                98,000.00
Chesterfield County	Virginia Search and Technical Rescue Program Support	$              147,000.00
Craig County	EOC Upgrade	$                40,000.00
Danville City	HazMat Equipment	$                30,187.00
Fairfax County	Structural Collapse Team Equipment	$                68,000.00
Fairfax County	Virginia Communications Cache	$              176,000.00
Fairfax County	Hazardous Materials Response Team Equipment	$              150,000.00
Floyd County	Citizen Alerting System	$                32,200.00
Galax City	CERT Equipment and Training	$                  6,500.00
Gloucester County	Community Preparedness- Evacuation Preparedness Targeting Multi-Cultural	$                45,000.00
Gloucester County	Community Preparedness- Regional Shelter Planning, Training and Exercises	$              100,000.00
Greene County	CERT Equipment, Training, and Exercises	$                  9,000.00
Halifax County	CERT Equipment and Training	$                  6,682.00
Hampton City	Citizen Corps Program	$                35,000.00
Hampton City	Disaster Outreach Targeting Tourist Population	$                27,000.00
Hampton City	Regional Shelter Planning, Training, Exercise and Equipment	$                53,952.00
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission	Hampton Roads Metropolitan Medical Strike Team Personal Protective Equipment Replacement	$              133,219.92
Hanover County	Personnel Protective Gear Replacement/Upgrade	$                18,100.00
Hanover County	Thermal Imaging Device Replacement/Upgrade	$                30,000.00
Harrisonburg City	HazMat Team Equipment and Training	$                52,000.00
Henrico County	Hazmat Team Equipment	$                18,000.00
Henrico County	Community Outreach, Mass Care, and Preparedness Efforts	$                26,500.00
Henrico County	Regional Swiftwater and Flood Waters Training	$                30,000.00
Hopewell City	Hazmat Team Equipment	$                27,000.00
Hopewell City	Shelter Supplies and Equipment	$                97,000.00
James City County	Citizen Preparedness	$                11,370.00
James City County	Emergency Planning	$                59,900.00
Lancaster County	Citizen Corps Program	$                40,500.00
Lancaster County	Law Enforcement- Data Sharing Project (LInX)	$              102,640.00
Lynchburg City	CBRNE Equipment	$                52,542.00
Manassas City	Citizen Corps Program	$                17,500.00
Middle Peninsula Planning District	Program Management- Regional Emergency Planning	$              110,000.00
Middlesex County, VA	CERT Equipment, Training, and Exercises	$                  7,230.00
New Kent County	Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA)	$                12,500.00
New Kent County	Evacuation Incident Mini Emergency Response Vehicles (MERV)	$                40,000.00
Newport News City	Law Enforcement- Mass Casualty Incident Training and Exercise	$                  7,555.00
Newport News City	Citizen Preparedness	$                32,228.49
Newport News City	Mass Care Shelter Equipment and Training	$                42,789.50
Newport News City	Hazmat Team Equipment	$                60,600.00
Norfolk City	CERT Equipment, Training, and Exercises	$                40,420.00
Norfolk City	Hazmat Team Equipment, Training, and Exercises	$                35,000.00
Northampton County	Interoperable Communications Enhancement	$              105,000.00
Page County	CERT Equipment, Training, and Exercises	$                  5,750.00
Petersburg City	Citizen Corps Program	$                  7,420.00
Poquoson City	CERT Equipment, Training, and Exercises	$                30,000.00
Portsmouth City	Law Enforcement- Surveillance System Expansion	$                18,850.00
Portsmouth City	Hazmat Team Equipment, Training, and Exercises	$                27,555.00
Richmond City	Citizen Corps Program	$                22,000.00
Richmond City	Citizen and Business Preparedness Training	$                60,000.00
Richmond Regional Planning District Commission	Regional Emergency Management Planning Support	$              102,800.00
Roanoke City	HTR/SWR Equipment	$                84,635.00
Roanoke City	Law Enforcement – Tactical Response Team Personal Protective Equipment	$                72,000.00
Rockingham County	Hazmat Team Equipment, Training, and Exercises	$                39,660.00
Salem City	Hazmat Team Equipment, Training, and Exercises	$                62,000.00
Tazewell County	CERT Equipment and Training	$                96,400.00
Virginia Beach City	Heavy Tactical Rescue Team Equipment and Training	$                65,547.00
Virginia Beach City	Hazmat Team Equipment – Railway Incident Response	$              100,000.00
Westmoreland County	Law Enforcement – License Plate Reader Integration	$                 35,050.00
Williamsburg City	CERT Equipment, Training and Exercises	$                 39,539.00
Winchester City	Hazmat Team Equipment, Training and Exercises	$                55,500.00
Wise County	Citizen Alerting System	$                14,957.00
York County	Citizen Preparedness	$                 39,620.00
Fusion Center – VSP on behalf of Local Governments in Region II	Fusion Center Analysts	$             137,415.00
Fusion Center – VSP on behalf of Local Governments in Region III	Fusion Center Analysts	$             142,595.00
Fusion Center – VSP on behalf of Local Governments in Region VI	Fusion Center Analysts	$              150,000.00
Fusion Center – VSP on behalf of Local Governments in Region IV	Fusion Center Analysts	$              150,000.00
Fusion Center – VSP on behalf of Local Governments in Region I	Fusion Center Analysts	$               150,000.00

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McAuliffe Administration to Local Divisions of Social Services: Same-Sex Spouses can now Legally Adopt

World map highlighting those countries where polygamy is legal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is This A Violation Of The State Constitution?

Today, at the direction of Governor Terry McAuliffe, the Virginia Department of Social Services released a bulletin informing local social services divisions that adoption between same-sex spouses is now legal across the Commonwealth.

“Now that same-sex marriage in Virginia is officially legal, we owe it to all Virginians to ensure that every couple is treated equally under all of our laws, no matter whom they love,” said Governor McAuliffe. “This historic decision opened the door to marriage equality, and now it is my sincerest hope that it will also open more doors for Virginia children who need loving families.

“By formally recognizing that same-sex couples can now legally adopt, we are more fully complying with the ruling in this important case, and sending the message once again that Virginia is open and welcoming to everyone.”

Virginia law states that a “married couple or an unmarried individualshall be eligible to receive placement of a child for purposes of adoption.”

Below is the bulletin that was sent to local divisions of social services today:

DATE:   October 10, 2014

TO:   Local Departments of Social Services Directors

Adoption Supervisors and Staff

Foster Care Supervisors and Staff

Resource Specialists

FROM: Margaret Ross Schultze, Commissioner

SUBJECT: Impact of Same-Sex Court Ruling on Adoption and Foster Care

CONTACT: Carl E. Ayers, Director of Family Services –carl.e.ayers@dss.virginia.gov or

804-726-7597

On October 6, 2014, the Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal related to Virginia’s statutory and constitutional bans on same-sex marriage.  As a result of that decision, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decision determining those bans to be unconstitutional became effective.  In other words, Virginia now recognizes and allows same-sex marriage.

We take this opportunity to let you know how the court decision impacts the approval of foster and adoptive homes.  When determining the appropriateness of a foster or adoptive home, Virginia, in response to the Fourth Circuit ruling, now recognizes any legally-performed marriage (same-sex or opposite-sex), whether performed in Virginia or another state.  This ruling does not confer legal status to civil unions or domestic partnerships.  Any married couple is a married couple for purposes of adoptive placements in accordance with Virginia Code § 63.2-1225.

We are in the process of reviewing all applicable statutes and regulations to determine what amendments need to be made.  Additional information will be shared as it becomes available.

Cc:        Regional Directors

(What is civil rights and what is morality? These are now questions that must be asked as well as what is law and what is now legal and illegal. Every aspect of American Society has now been full,y violated and full anarchism is now at reign. We will soon be exploring these issues.)

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