San Diego County receives $7.7M from Dept. of Homeland Security

Posted: Dec 03, 2010 3:05 PM PST
Updated: Dec 03, 2010 3:05 PM PST

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The San Diego County Office of Emergency Services received $7.7 million from the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate local security programs and prepare for natural disasters, it was announced Friday.

The office will distribute $1 million of the federal funds to the San Diego Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center, a multi-agency task force that handles intelligence and the sharing of information.

About $317,000 will go to the Metropolitan Medical Strike Team, which coordinates training for health, law enforcement, hazardous materials crews and others in response to incidents involving weapons of mass destruction.

"These funds help local agencies prepare for the possibility of a terrorist attack," said Pam Slater-Price, who chairs the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. "We hope it never happens here, but if it does, we need the region to be ready to respond swiftly."

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