The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently approved a five-year award of $12,944,147 in grant funding for the Fire Department from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) International Search and Rescue Operations Cooperative Agreement. Additional funding will be made based on emergency deployment activity and funding will be increased in the form of agreement modifications.
The USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) plans and implements international disaster relief, rehabilitation, preparedness, mitigation, prevention and early warning programs, and coordinates the U.S. Government’s foreign disaster assistance program. To ensure that Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) capabilities are available when a disaster occurs, USAID has long implemented a policy of partnering with county and municipal agencies capable of providing the needed USAR operational support in a timely manner. The Department’s USAR Task Force has been selected to continue to serve as part of the Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) composed of disaster management and response specialists, and supporting equipment, in responding to international disasters.
The USAID International Search and Rescue Operations Cooperative Agreement allows the Department’s USAR Task Force to take part in international search and rescue operations and program activities. Award funds will be used to provide appropriate training and cover related costs for emergency preparedness and maintenance of the USAR Task Force. This five-year award is a continuation of previous agreements between USAID and the Fire Department dating back to 2003 for international search and rescue operations, and program activities.
The approval of this grant is consistent with the County’s Strategic Plan Goal 1, Operational Effectiveness/Fiscal Sustainability, through emergency preparedness and response efforts.
Photo: Canine Handler Fire Captain Bill Monahan and Hunter participate in a USAR demonstration. Photo by CSR Carmen Mackey.
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