The Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) Grant is funded through a fee collected by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and distributed through The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Kentucky Division of Emergency Management (KYEM) is the grantee for the Commonwealth of Kentucky for this funding through PHMSA.
The purpose of this grant program is to increase State, Territorial, Tribal, and local effectiveness in safely and efficiently handling hazardous materials transportation incidents. The program aims to encourage a comprehensive approach to emergency training and planning by incorporating the unique, localized challenges of responses to transportation situations, resulting in better prepared communities.
The HMEP grant is divided into two areas for funding planning & training. KYEM contracts with Kentucky Community Technical College System (KCTCS) to provide Hazmat Training to the first responders throughout the Commonwealth. KYEM also provides scholarship to individuals to attend Hazmat Workshops which are offered at Hazmat Conferences. On the planning side KYEM provides grants to LEPC’s to conduct commodity flow surveys, table top exercises, and full scale exercises to improve their communities ability to respond to a hazardous materials incidents.
Below is the breakdown of the schedule for the HMEP Grant process:
- January - Solicit LEPC project proposals for upcoming budget year. Applications will be sent to all LEPC chairs and County EM’s.
- April – All applications for project funding due back to KYEM
- May – Selection of successful sub-grantee projects and amounts for inclusion in the HMEP Grant Application
- June – KYEM submits HMEP Grant Application to PHMSA
- September – KYEM receives HMEP Grant award notification
- October – Award sub-grantees the project funding notifications
- September 1 – The following year deadline for LEPC project completions and all paperwork completed and submitted to KYEM.