Grant Program and Curriculum
The Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grant program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Research and Special Programs Administration. Its goals are to improve local effectiveness in handling hazardous material incidents, enhance implementation of Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), and to encourage an integrated approach to emergency planning and training.
Approximately $12 Million is raised each year by the U.S. DOT through a fee collected from hazardous material carriers. Those funds are in turn distributed to the States, Territories and Tribes as Planning grants and Training grants.
With the funds it receives from the federal government, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management annually awards planning grants to Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC) for local projects and initiatives. LEPC Chairman are contacted directly and project proposals are solicited for competitive awards. Under the Hazardous Material Transportation Act (1990), grants may be used to support the following congressionally approved activities:
- commodity flow assessments
- enhancing emergency plans
- assessing response capabilities
- hazard analysis
- drills and exercises
- maintaining information systems
- technical staff planning
- other appropriate activities
The Training grant received by Kansas is used to fund hazardous material Operations and Technician level training statewide. Courses sponsored by KDEM are open to to all first responders in the State. Course offerings are listed in the KDEM annual training schedule and newsletter.
