FEMA distributes $4.7 million for haz-mat training
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has made available grant monies, under provisions of Superfund legislation, to help states train personnel in hazardous-materials response for the second year.
More than $4.7 million in federal funds will be distributed through FEMA’s ten regional offices. Region V, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, will receive the highest allocation, $913,845. Region X, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, will receive the lowest allocation, $219,330.
The amount of money given to each region was based on weighted criteria including population, the number of major chemical manufacturers within a region, and the region’s transportation systems, says Carl Suchocki, a FEMA spokesman. Those allocations were determined by a technical interagency panel, which included representatives from FEMA and the Environmental Protection Agency.
In addition to the FEMA regions, the program allocated $150,000 for Indian nations and tribes and $125,000 to the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Md.