IAFF State Presidents:

We are pleased to inform you about a unique opportunity for fire departments that have not received funding under the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) to apply for specialized equipment from the Department of Homeland Security.  Please feel free to share this information with Locals in your state that may be eligible to participate.

The Department of Homeland Security is now accepting applications for the Fiscal Year 2006 Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP).  The application period ends on Friday, September 22, 2006.   

CEDAP is designed to provide smaller communities with technology and equipment to help enhance first responder capabilities nationwide.  For Fiscal Year 2006, applicants will be able to request personal protective equipment; rescue tools; thermal imaging, night vision and video surveillance tools; chemical and biological detection tools; information technology and risk management tools; and interoperable communications gateways.  Prospective applicants can view the specific product offerings online at www.rkb.mipt.org

Please note that CEDAP is not a grant program.  Rather, CEDAP transfers technologies directly to successful applicants.  

Eligible applicants include fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and other emergency responders that are NOT located in an Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) jurisdiction.  Even large jurisdictions are eligible for CEDAP equipment if they did not receive funding under the UASI program.  Applicants must demonstrate in their application that the equipment will be used to improve their ability and capacity to respond to a major critical incident or improve their ability to work with other first responders.  Non-UASI jurisdictions must also demonstrate that previous funding was not available to meet their technology requirements. 

More than $32 million in equipment is available in Fiscal Year 2006.  Prospective applicants may seek guidance or ask questions at the Centralized Information and Scheduling Desk at 1-800-368-6498. 

To submit an application, applicants should visit www.rkb.mipt.org