EMA receives grant for ballistics vests

By Staff
Melissa Dozier-Cason FCT Staff Writer
The Franklin County Emergency Management Agency received a grant from Homeland Security to purchase ballistics vests for the Franklin County Special Response Team (SRT).
SRT is a team made up of law enforcement officials from the Sheriff's department, Russellville and Red Bay police departments, and the district attorney's office. SRT has been call out eight times since its formation last year, Roy Gober, Deputy EMA director, said.
All team members have completed basic SWAT training, and several members are scheduled to attend advanced SWAT training in November, Gober said.
The purchase of the vests, with grant funds, was approved by the Franklin County Commission during last weeks commission meeting.
"We will order the vests on Oct. 2, and it will take from six to eight weeks for delivery," Gober said.
The vests are designed protect officers from high-powered rifles, where the regular duty vests only protect from small handguns, Gober said.
Since its formation in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Department of Homeland Security has awarded over $500,000 to Franklin County's EMA, not counting this year's grant. However, with each passing year since 9/11, Homeland Security is giving less funding to small counties like Franklin, and are focusing more on larger metropolitan areas such as Chicago, Carol Frederick, EMA director, said.
"I feel we are going to get less and less money each year, unless something happens [another attack]," Frederick said.
In the past, the Franklin County EMA has used the money awarded to purchase much needed equipment such as ballistic helmets and laptop computers to police cruisers, Frederick said.
Homeland Security provides EMA officials with a list of items that can be purchased with grant money and an amount that is being awarded. However, firearms and ammunition are not eligible for purchase with grant money, Gober said.