Texas first responders are gearing up for a communication training that will address communications interoperability during emergencies. Coordinated by the East Texas Council of Governments and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Texas Division of Emergency Management, this workshop marks a collaborative effort to bolster emergency communication systems and emphasize the importance of seamless communications in crisis situations. Over three days, from May 17th to May 19th, participants from various sectors will engage in radio communication tests, workshops on technological advancements, and discussion on the future of emergency communications. The exercise will kick off at the Tyler Junior College West Campus before transitioning to operational platforms for real-world testing. Interested participants are encouraged to register for the event at www.preparingtexas.org and search for “Regional Communications” to join the collective effort to enhance public safety communication across Texas and the East Texas region.
State agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations, universities or colleges, and federally recognized Native American tribes can soon apply for FY 2025 grant funds from the Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office , State Homeland Security Grant Program and Criminal Justice division. New and continuing applicants in ETCOG’s fourteen (14) county region are invited to attend FREE grant application workshops hosted by the ETCOG Public Safety division . There will be five workshops for each grant category to be held virtually from December 14, 2023, through January 29, 2024. Grant funding will be available for the following programs: Homeland Security State Homeland Security Program – Regular Projects (SHSP-R) Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities (LETPA) Criminal Justice General Victim Assistance Direct Services Program (VOCA) Violence Against Women Justice and Training Program (VAWA) Juvenile Justice & Truancy Prevention Grant Program (SF-JJTP) Criminal Justice Program (DJ-JAG) Residential & Community-Based Services for Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE) “The goal is to improve public safety, support victims of crime, and assist jurisdictions by filling gaps in the region via funding that promotes innovative solutions to regional problems,” said ETCOG’s Public Safety Director, Stephanie Heffner. “We help applicants understand what needs to go into their grant applications and what they have to track once they receive funding from the state so we can successfully bring public safety projects to East Texas.” Workshops for Homeland Security will be held on the following dates: Thursday, 12/28/23 - 10:00 to 11:15 AM Thursday, 01/04/24 - 10:00 to 11:15 AM Thursday, 01/11/24 - 10:00 to 11:15 AM Thursday, 01/18/24 - 10:00 to 11:15 AM Thursday, 01/25/24 - 10:00 to 11:15 AM Workshops for Criminal Justice will be held on the following dates: Thursday, 12/14/23 – 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, 12/19/22 – 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, 01/10/24 – 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, 01/16/24 – 2:00 p.m. Monday 01/29/24 – 10:00 a.m. Workshops are mandatory if you plan to apply for funding. To participate in a virtual workshop for Homeland Security, visit www.pineywoods911.com/homeland-security . To participate in a virtual workshop for Criminal Justice, visit www.pineywoods911.com/criminal-justice .
