With more than $1 million of Homeland Security Grants going to Fort Bend County and area cities, county and city officials plan to improve the coordination of operation among the 13-counties that make up the Houston-Galveston Area Council. Fort Bend County’s Director of Emergency Management Jeff Braun says that after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the federal government began to assist local governments in bolstering equipment and training to help prevent terroristic acts. Several funding programs were designed to combat terrorism, but the most recognized is the State Homeland Security program, which Braun says has been around since 2002. This is the county’s second year to participate, he says.
Also, new this year is a separate grant earmarked for law enforcement terrorism prevention, he says. Full Story
