Homeland Security awards grants to localities for communications systems

The Homeland Security Department on Thursday announced it will make nearly $80 million in grants to help communities to develop communications systems that can talk to each other.

The grants will be awarded on Sept. 30 through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Homeland Security also announced nearly $74 million in grants through FEMA to 19 states and territories for the improvement of emergence operations centers.

Also on Thursday, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that the 93 anti-terrorism task forces around the country would be reconstituted as Anti-Terrorism Advisory Councils. The councils will coordinate anti-terrorism initiatives, start training programs, and facilitate information sharing with states and localities. The councils also will work more closely with the existing 66 Joint Terrorism Task Forces that collect intelligence and conduct law enforcement.