Sunday, September 10, 2006
A partial look at what Department of Homeland Security dollars brought to the Mahoning and Shenango valleys, according to data from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, Ohio Homeland Security Grants Information Sharing System and Region 13 (Pa.) Anti-Terrorism Task Force:
MAHONING COUNTY
At least $4,887,615.43.
Mobile command post: A 34-foot-long vehicle was bought 18 months ago for $150,000. This restroom-equipped vehicle, which can be used for multiple types of emergencies, has telephones, radios, computers, printers, conference areas and a retractable side awning. At standoffs, hostage negotiators can use this vehicle, which also allows authorities to have secure conversations. It has already been used at major structure fires.
Armored personnel carrier: Purchased about a year ago was a 30,000-pound personnel carrier and rescue vehicle, a regional asset. Equipped with bulletproof glass, gunports and a roof hatch, this $268,000 vehicle can carry a 12-to-14-member police squad. Some $90,000 worth of equipment has been added, including hydraulic assault and rescue ramps, ladders and platforms for second-floor access. Trumbull and Columbiana counties each contributed $50,000 toward the vehicle. "The Bear" was used to rescue Youngstown police, who came under fire in a standoff just before the arrest of a suspect in a Newton Falls double murder.
Bomb disposal truck: Purchased for the Youngstown Police Bomb Squad, which responds in a 13-county area, was a $150,000 truck with a $200,000 bomb containment vessel towed behind it.
Mass casualty trailers: Three 16-foot trailers were bought a year ago for $60,000 to $70,000 each. They are filled with medical supplies, such as backboards, bandages and splints and can be used in a multitude of emergencies, such as a plane crash, tornado or explosion scene.
Decontamination vehicle: An $80,000 vehicle based at St. Elizabeth Health Center was bought about six months ago.
All-terrain vehicle: An $8,000 vehicle with a trailer to take bomb squad or Haz-Mat team members to off-road scenes was acquired a month and a half ago.
Small ambulances: The county EMA bought two golf-cart-size ambulances 18 months ago for $11,000 each to enable emergency medical technicians to get through crowds at fairs and festivals more easily.
Mobile equipment: The county EMA bought three emergency air tank rechargers and two $35,000 mobile installations on trailers. All Haz-Mat vehicle supplies were replaced, and the county bought four electric generators and two light towers.
Personal gear: Also, $163,418 for personal protective equipment, including masks, self-contained breathing tanks, and protective suits; $19,764 for two infrared search-and-rescue cameras; $61,453 for interoperable communications, including radio installations and upgrades, a computer, cellular and satellite phones, and headsets; $47,375 for 23 gas meters and five radiation detectors; and $102,604 for five community alert sirens.
TRUMBULL COUNTY
At least $3,471,510.44.
New radios: These were provided to fire departments and a couple of police departments in 2004; cost, $229,934. In 2003, $432,000 was used to upgrade the radio towers and equipment in the county 911 center so that the high-band radios would work.
In 2005, 325 fire department pagers that use the high-band frequency were bought for $140,725.
Haz-Mat team equipment: Includes a decontamination shelter and trailer currently being stored in Hubbard Township; cost about $103,000.
Mass-casualty equipment: Includes backboards, stretchers and triage tarps (color coded to identify severity of injury) and four trailers to store the equipment, $28,940.
Rescue trailer: A confined-space and trench-rescue trailer kept at the Howland Fire Department. It is used to rescue people from a collapsed building or trench, $229,934. Another $7,000 was spent on training.
Weather monitors: In 2003, the county bought weather alert monitors for every public school and three private schools in the county; cost, $17,500. Twenty sirens for townships that had none were also purchased in 2003 and 2004 for $294,000.
Training money: A total of $906,143 made available to fire departments and agencies for training: The departments receiving money were the Trumbull County Sheriff's Department; Girard, Cortland, Greene Township, Champion Township, Gustavus Volunteer, Orangeville Volunteer, and Hartford Township Volunteer fire departments.
COLUMBIANA COUNTY
At least $1,589,367.99.
Fire departments: In 2002, seven county fire departments, which were mostly volunteer departments, received a total of $130,520 funneled through the Ohio State Fire Marshal's Office. In 2004, some 15 fire departments shared a total of $194,000 for a variety of equipment. It included air bottles and shower equipment for safety forces dealing with hazardous materials, firefighter jackets with cooling systems, an air compressor, a generator, flashlights, an exhaust fan, pagers and radios, and a thermal imager that will help firefighters determine where a fire is located inside a building.
Pagers, radios, etc.: In 2005, police and fire departments and the Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency shared an additional $240,630. Most of the money went for pagers and radios. Two more fire departments got thermal imagers. Other fire departments got air bottles, exhaust fans, generators, and a natural gas detector. The EMA got lights and a siren for a vehicle, radio equipment and a generator.
MERCER/LAWRENCE COUNTIES:
As part of the Region 13 Anti-Terrorism Task Force, Lawrence and Mercer counties get equipment bought in bulk for the 13 counties and Pittsburgh, which make up the task force. Some of the items both counties received:
Decontamination trailers and tents.
Barricade trailers.
All-terrain utility work machine called "Toolcat" with trailers to take it to the scene of any disaster. Mercer County also received a truck to be used with the Toolcat.
Urban search-and-rescue kits.
Inflatable boats.
Haz-Mat detection equipment.
Gas monitors for all fire departments received.
Personal protective equipment for all police, fire, EMS responders for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear disasters.
Communication equipment, including portable radios, Nextel and Blackberry devices, satellite phones and computer equipment.
Camera/video equipment and an accountability system that can produce identification for responders.
A Region 13 employee for every county. Funding for training.
Bomb sniffing dog and radiological detection equipment for Lawrence County.