State receives money for terrorism preparedness

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The federal government has awarded Missouri more than $6 million to help regions of the state better prepare for terrorist acts, Gov. Bob Holden said Tuesday.

The State Emergency Management Agency is to work with 21 Missouri communities receiving the grants to purchase equipment to improve responses to terrorist incidents. The equipment must relate to such areas as personal protection, technical rescue, communications, physical security and detection and decontamination.

The Bootheel region will receive $262,900 for equipment purchases. The grant will go to the Southeast Missouri Regional HAZMAT Team headquartered in Jackson.

About $400,000 of the federal money will go to three state agencies.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol plans to purchase a robot for the bomb team and personal protective equipment for emergency responders. The Department of Natural Resources emergency response team plans to purchase a portable chemical identification kit. The Division of Fire Safety plans to buy a portable bomb X-ray machine for the canine team.

Holden said the grants would expand the state's three-year strategy to improve its terrorism response plans.

The governor said regional response teams located in the 21 communities have agreed to respond to a terrorist incident in a 50-mile radius of their communities. All but seven of the communities receiving grants Tuesday have received previous grants from the federal government.

The Bootheel region will receive $262,900 for equipment purchases. The grant will go to the Southeast Missouri Regional HAZMAT Team headquartered in Jackson.