96-31074. Notice of Solicitation for Grant Applications; National Urban Search and Rescue Response System  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 236 (Friday, December 6, 1996)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 64744-64745]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-31074]
    
    
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    FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
    
    
    Notice of Solicitation for Grant Applications; National Urban 
    Search and Rescue Response System
    
    AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
    
    ACTION: Notice.
    
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    SUMMARY: FEMA is soliciting applications for membership in the National 
    Urban Search and Rescue Response System. This solicitation is to add 
    two heavy search and rescue task forces to the 25 urban search and 
    rescue task forces currently sponsored by the Agency. Selectees will be 
    eligible for grant funding from FEMA for urban search and rescue 
    training and equipment required to meet program standards.
    
    DATES: Interested organizations should request an application package 
    from FEMA as soon as possible. Grant applications must be submitted to 
    the appropriate FEMA Regional office before January 14, 1997. 
    Selections will be announced by March 26, 1997. Grant funds will be 
    awarded before September 30, 1997.
    
    ADDRESSES: Requests for application packages should be addressed to 
    US&R Program Manager, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street 
    SW., room 609, Washington, DC 20472, or by facsimile to (202) 646-4684.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark R. Russo, US&R Program Manager, 
    Emergency Services Branch, Operations and Planning Division, Response 
    and Recovery Directorate, (202) 646-2701.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of Solicitation is hereby given that 
    funding for Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) equipment and training will be 
    available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 
    order to augment the existing capabilities of heavy search and rescue 
    teams sponsored by local jurisdictions. The intention is to strengthen 
    local teams with existing capability in search and rescue at the heavy 
    operational level (as defined in National Fire Protection Association 
    Standard 1470) and bring these teams into the FEMA National Urban 
    Search and Rescue Response System. Currently, there are 25 US&R task 
    forces that make up the FEMA National Urban Search & Rescue Response 
    System. Two new task forces will be selected as a result of this 
    solicitation. Each new task force selected will be sponsored by a local 
    jurisdiction, endorsed by a State, and recommended by a national panel 
    of technical experts to FEMA headquarters. Following the initial 
    screening process, FEMA will sponsor on-site visits by technical 
    experts to those teams that the technical review process indicates are 
    highly qualified. Task forces selected to enter the National System 
    will be provided grants in the amount of $500,000 each during Fiscal 
    Year 1997, for equipment and training necessary to meet program 
    standards. Funds will be provided through amendment of the State's 
    Performance Partnership Agreement with its respective FEMA Region, and 
    then sub-allocated by the State to the sponsoring jurisdiction. Further 
    details on grant procedures will be provided after task force 
    selections have been made. All applications for this program must be 
    submitted to and endorsed by the State emergency management agency of 
    the sponsoring organization.
        A technical review panel selected by FEMA and consisting of 
    individuals with expertise and experience in the urban search and 
    rescue field will review and assess, among other items, each local 
    jurisdiction's personnel qualifications and on-hand equipment
    
    [[Page 64745]]
    
    against criteria contained in a solicitation package that will be 
    provided to applicants by FEMA upon request.
        Personnel qualifications are to address one or several staff in the 
    following positions: Task Force Leader, Safety Officer, Planning 
    Officer, Search Team Manager, Canine Search Specialist, Technical 
    Search Specialist, Rescue Team Manager, Rescue Squad Officer, Rescue 
    Specialist, Medical Team Manager, Medical Specialist, Technical Team 
    Manager, Structures Specialist, Hazardous Materials Specialist, Heavy 
    Rigging Specialist, Technical Information Specialist, Communications 
    Specialist, and Logistics Specialist.
        Equipment lists contained in the solicitation package address the 
    following types of equipment: Rescue, medical, technical, 
    communications, and logistical support. In addition to reviewing the 
    capabilities of the local jurisdiction against the listed criteria, 
    FEMA will also consider the geographical location of the applicants to 
    ensure a capability broadly distributed across the United States.
        Local capabilities will be evaluated on how well they currently 
    meet the required criteria of the 25 FEMA recognized US&R task forces 
    in the National US&R Response System. Evaluation for acceptance into 
    the National US&R Response System will be based on, but not limited to, 
    the following factors:
        1. Is there a local and/or regional need for a US&R task force?
        2. Is there State or local sponsorship for a task force?
        3. Is there a financial commitment on the part of State and local 
    government sponsors to fund local training and administrative costs 
    associated with a US&R task force?
        4. Is there local administrative/finance infrastructure in place 
    which will allow for development and maintenance of a US&R task force?
        5. Are there sufficient management level personnel within the 
    sponsoring organization with experience in managing large, complex 
    operations who will be involved in the management of the task force?
        6. Are there adequate local personnel resources to staff a US&R 
    task force fully (62 positions with three personnel rostered for each 
    position), including such specialized positions as structural 
    engineers, canine handlers, and emergency medicine board certified 
    physicians, without adversely affecting the ability of the sponsoring 
    organization to respond to local emergencies?
        7. Do personnel in the sponsoring organization have experience in 
    collapsed structures and search and rescue operations, i.e., search, 
    rescue, medical and technical operations?
        8. Does the sponsoring organization have the financial commitment 
    to develop and maintain an extensive, dedicated, equipment cache which 
    includes specialized communications, medical care, search, safety, 
    rescue, technical operations, and logistics equipment? Are there 
    currently adequate, secure facilities for storage and maintenance of 
    the equipment cache?
        9. Does the sponsoring organization have the capability to be self-
    sufficient, both personnel and equipment, for 72 hours to sustain a 10-
    day operation?
        10. Is there an ongoing training/exercise certification program in 
    structural collapse search and rescue operations?
        11. Are adequate US&R training facilities available?
        12. Does the sponsoring organization have access to an appropriate 
    airlift facility that will accommodate wide-body military aircraft?
        In addition to the review for technical merit by a panel of 
    national experts, FEMA will consider the following geographic factors 
    in the final selections for funding: A balanced geographic distribution 
    of task forces throughout the nation; seismic hazard, including the 
    historic occurrence of damaging earthquakes, as well as probable 
    seismic activity; hurricane potential, including the historic 
    occurrence of damaging hurricanes; total population and major urban 
    concentrations exposed to such risks; and other factors including the 
    loss, damage, or disruption of which by man-made or natural means would 
    have serious national impacts upon national security, such as 
    industrial concentrations, concentrations or occurrences of natural 
    resources, financial/economic centers and national defense facilities.
        The project for which the grant application is made is for the 
    augmentation of training and equipment needed by the applicant, as 
    determined by comparing their existing resources and capabilities with 
    the criteria of current FEMA US&R task forces. Federal funds made 
    available through this program to organizations sponsoring task forces 
    selected to become part of the National Urban Search and Rescue 
    Response System must be directed at a specific list of objectives 
    intended to eliminate the shortfall of equipment and training and 
    provide a direct benefit to the capability of the task force.
        Grant application packages must be submitted by the endorsing State 
    emergency management agency to the appropriate FEMA Regional Office, 
    Attention: Regional Director.
    James L. Witt,
    Director.
    [FR Doc. 96-31074 Filed 12-5-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6718-02-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
12/06/1996
Department:
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice.
Document Number:
96-31074
Dates:
Interested organizations should request an application package from FEMA as soon as possible. Grant applications must be submitted to the appropriate FEMA Regional office before January 14, 1997. Selections will be announced by March 26, 1997. Grant funds will be awarded before September 30, 1997.
Pages:
64744-64745 (2 pages)
PDF File:
96-31074.pdf