NIST has FEMA's back in homeland defense

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has signed an agreement to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency in its homeland security efforts, NIST announced April 1.

The memorandum of understanding, which top officials from the two agencies signed, is to strengthen the collaborative bonds between the agencies to support the federal government's capabilities to reduce national disaster losses and enhance homeland security.

Under the memorandum , the NIST Building and Fire Research Laboratory and FEMA's Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration will work together to aid development of technology and methods to evaluate equipment for use by police, fire and emergency medical personnel, known as first responders.

President Bush's proposed fiscal 2003 budget includes $3.5 billion for first responders, and the money would be distributed by FEMA through grants to state and local governments.

The memorandum also states that NIST and FEMA agree to:

*Develop and implement a coordinated annual process to select and fund projects for fire, disaster prevention and homeland security as well as projects to evaluate equipment for fire, rescue, civil defense services and other first responders;

*Establish a protocol for a quick deployment mechanism that may be activated when agency officials determine a need for a NIST response to extreme events;

*Cooperate or participate with other agencies, industries and university experts in these efforts;

*Meet annually to review progress and provide policy direction in implementing this agreement.

NIST, which is part of the Commerce Department, develops and promotes measurements, standards and technology to enhance national productivity, facilitate trade and improve the American quality of life.

FEMA is an independent agency whose mission is to reduce loss of life and property and protect the nation's critical infrastructure from all types of hazards through a comprehensive, risk-based emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.