By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – Nearly $5 million in homeland security funding has arrived in Erie County.
Officials in the Giambra administration say the funds will be used by the county to build on its capacity to prevent, respond to and recover from acts of terrorism. They say the funds arrived in a timely manner. Deputy County Executive Carl Calabrese admits that was not the case last year when the county was forced to wait many month.
"I said at the time that I understood (the delay). I believed that in the next grant year, 2004, it would go much more smoothly," Calabrese said. "We were told we'd get this year's grant within 60 days of the 2003 money. Sure enough, it came."
Nearly $2 million of the homeland security funding will be used to install a new countywide communications system, replacing what Calabrese describes as 1950s-era technology. He says the county's capability to respond to attacks involving weapons of mass destruction will be improved.
"Our emergency services department will be getting money to buy personal protective equipment," Calabrese said. "We'll also purchase a response vehicle for any types of incidents involving weapons of mass destruction."
Calabrese said the Sheriff's Department will receive funding for a new SWAT Response Vehicle and other equipment.
He said Erie County is one of the nation's top 50 most strategic areas for homeland security.