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Grants help Valley to be prepared
By christine Keeling
Local emergency-management leaders say a natural disaster — not terrorism — is more likely to affect residents in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys.
After Sept. 11, 2001, Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana counties received more than $8.8 million in Homeland Security grants for emergency planning. The money purchased equipment and training and made first responders more prepared for any emergency.
“Mahoning County is not a prime target-area for international terrorists,” said Clark Jones, director of the Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency.
He said representatives from law-enforcement and fire departments looked to bolster a first-responder’s ability to act in any situation, with priority given to Mahoning County’s HazMat team and bomb squad.
Decisions were based on what benefited the entire county, not just one agency, Jones added.
Mahoning received almost $4 million in State Homeland Security Program from 2002 to 2010. The grant program was designed to help build and strengthen preparedness at all levels.
The 911 Act required that states designate 25 percent of those funds from 2008-10 for law-enforcement terrorism prevention through planning, organization, exercises and equipment activities.
County purchases included three mass-response trailers, interoperable communications system, mobile command post, three mass casualty trailers, mobile air units, lighting trailers and an all-terrain vehicle. National Incident Management Strategy Training was provided for more than 2,600 police, fire, and emergency medical personnel.
“In Northeast Ohio, the most prominent enemy is weather,” said Clark. “As needed, this equipment can be used to mitigate this circumstance.”
An armored personnel carrier and rescue vehicle — “the BEAR” — was purchased with money from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, and the Youngstown Bomb Squad’s vehicle and mobile detonation unit serves a 13-county area.
One purchase the county made benefits fairgoers.
Clark said two ambulance carts were purchased for the Canfield Fire Department so injured people can be transported through large crowds during the Canfield Fair and other fairground activities.
In Trumbull County, a lot of money went to communication, said Linda Beil, director of the county’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
“In every disaster, communication always seems to be a problem,” she said. “It was our priority.”
Severe thunderstorms and tornados also were a No. 1 concern, Beil said.
Trumbull received $3,159,865 in SHSP grants. Its purchases included 20 tornado sirens, portable radios, upgrades to 911 emergency equipment and towers, pagers and a Doppler radar system.
Darrin Dodson, Columbiana County emergency management agency director, said he believed the period after 9/11 helped engage the public.
“I don’t think the message has changed in 10 years,” said Dodson. “People need to be prepared for the unexpected.”
Natural disaster, he thought, would be the most likely culprit of an emergency situation.
“Mother Nature is very tough to contend with,” Dodson said.
Columbiana received $1,745,415 in SHSP grants.
The county’s initial focus was to purchase equipment for first responders such as pager upgrades and mobile-air units for firefighters, but later, Dodson said, its attention switched.
“We would like to think we are better prepared,” Dodson added. “With the funding, we were able to provide a better level of protection for infrastructure.”
David “Chip” Comstock, president of the Mahoning County Fire Chief’s Association, said firefighters received improved training since 9/11 and are more aware of things like agricultural and biological terrorism.