Saturday, August 1, 2009

Congress Eliminates CEDAP Funding

The Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program has been completely cut from the FY 2010 House of Representatives and Senate budgets and also from the President's budget request. Since the program's inception in FY 2005, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has award thousands of grants to smaller jurisdictions who are not eligible for funding through the Urban Areas Security Initiative grant program. The program received $8 million in FY 2009, $17.6 million in FY 2008 and $33.7 million in FY2007.

According to FEMA, "CEDAP seeks to enhance regional response capabilities, mutual aid, and interoperable communications by providing technology and equipment, along with the training required to operate that equipment, to law enforcement and emergency responder agencies in smaller jurisdictions and certain metropolitan areas."

In the past, CEDAP grants have been used to purchase communications equipment, chemical detection sensors, thermal imaging tools and personal protective equipment.

The IACP is strongly opposed to eliminating the CEDAP program and will work with Congress and the Administration to fully restore it.

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