DHS awards training grants

The Homeland Security Department has announced awards of $113 million in training grants, awarded just before the start of the new fiscal year. The department said it will distribute $84 million under the fiscal year 2007 Homeland Security National Training Program. The grants will go to design and deliver training and support for federal, state, local and tribal jurisdictions and community organizations. Earlier in the year, DHS distributed $98 million under the same training grant program.Fiscal year 2008 begins today. In addition, department officials said they awarded $29 million in competitive grants to state, local and tribal governments, higher education, nonprofits and the private sector as part of the fiscal 2007 Competitive Training Grant Program. Topic areas of focus for the year included public communications; executive leadership of homeland security programs; intergovernmental coordination and planning; managing homeland security risks; and legal issues in preparation, response and recovery.Many federal IT contractors assist in providing counterrorism preparedness training, particularly in areas such as communications, information-sharing and situational awareness. IT contractors also are involved as subcontractors in putting together software to deliver the training modules.