Welcome to the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security
The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security carries out multiple missions mandated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as well as the Kentucky General Assembly. For example:
Counterterrorism -- threat and vulnerability assessments; suspicious activity intelligence gathering and analysis; classified information sharing with law-enforcement sources; awareness of anarchist and other groups engaged in unlawful practices; and preventive or mitigative guidance to both the public and private sectors against potential attacks. The key is foreseeability rather than reaction.
Community safety and security -- first responder training; seminars about personal safety; Neighborhood Watch support, management of Eyes & Ears on Kentucky; assistance to Citizen Emergency Response Teams; and guidance against violence for business and industry.
Administrative oversight of the Kentucky Intelligence Fusion Center -- primarily ensuring multi-agency collaboration ranging from KOHS and Kentucky State Police intelligence analysts with GIS capabilities to the Missing and Exploited Child Center to providing secure work areas for various federal, state and local law-enforcement agencies as needed. Additionally, the Center is a 24/7 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet resource for major highway monitoring plus coordination of circumstances regarding acts of nature affecting traffic flow and safety.
The Kentucky e-Warrant program -- innovative technology facilitating and expediting law enforcement's issuances of warrants.
Federal-grant administration -- aiding cities, counties and state agencies in acquiring interoperable communications equipment, victim rescue gear, DHS-approved fire department and EMS equipment and devices essential in helping thwart attacks on infrastructure vital to the security and economic stability of Kentucky and the United States.
Managing the Law Enforcement Protection Program -- providing needed funds for body armor, primary firearms and electronic-control weapons for local police and sheriff's departments in dire financial distress. Money source: Confiscated illegal weapon auctions by KSP only to licensed federal weapons dealers.
Critical infrastructure and buffer zone protection -- Kentucky has targets highly attractive to terrorists bent on destruction or other types of interference. KOHS organizes and directs vulnerability assessments of critical infrastructure while lending guidance in countermeasures against volatility. Although particular sites are governmental, often this is a private-public sector venture featuring mutual cooperation.
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Recent News |
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National Preparedness Month 2010
What is National Preparedness Month?
September is National Preparedness Month! This awareness month is sponsored by the Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and the Ad Council. NPM is designed to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities.
In the past we have had as many as 3,200 NPM Coalition Members who worked to create a culture of preparedness in the United States. We hope your organization will join us in spreading this emergency preparedness message in 2010!
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Multiple emergency disciplines took part in a functional exercise on Aug. 24 to review, examine and evaluate a revised emergency management and recovery guide for Trigg County Public Schools. The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security, Kentucky Division of Emergency Management Region 1, and KCTCS/Kentucky Fire Commission hosted the event at Lake Barkley State Resort Park.
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2010 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response
Grants Application Period Opens
Kentucky’s fire departments have between now and Sept. 17 to apply for FY 2010 SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grants through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
SAFER grants are administered by the DHS Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate.
In 2010, Congress appropriated $420 million to carry out SAFER grant activities. The goal is to enhance local fire departments’ abilities in complying with staffing, response, and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).
“This potential assistance can aid fire departments in the Commonwealth through the hiring of firefighters and by recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters,” said Tom Preston, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. “This will benefit and enhance protection of communities during fire and fire-related events as well as man-made and natural disasters.”
The Program Guidance document for the FY 2010 SAFER Grants is posted on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program website, www.firegrantsupport.com.
Additional information is available through an applicant tutorial from the AFG Program website at www.firegrantsupport.com. It offers valuable grant information and walks applicants through the preparation and submittal of competitive applications. In addition, the applicant tutorial provides an overview of the funding priorities and evaluation criteria.
Applicants who have questions regarding the SAFER Grants opportunity should contact the help desk at 1-866-274-0960 or e-mail firegrants@dhs.gov. During the application period, the help desk will operate Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.
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Suspicious Activity Awareness Video What's in Store: Ordinary People | Extraordinary Events
Designed to raise the level of awareness for retail and shopping center employees by highlighting the indicators of suspicious activity, this video provides information to help employees identify and report suspicious activities and threats in a timely manner.
To view the video, click here. 
The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security's Eyes & Ears on Kentucky program offers tips and advice for reporting suspicious activity/items.
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Homeland Security Information Network |
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The Homeland Security Information Network was created to interface with existing information-sharing networks to support the diverse Communities of Interest engaged in preventing, protecting from, responding to, and recovering from all threats, hazards, and incidents under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security.
HSIN is uniquely qualifed to meet the missions of DHS and its information-sharing partners because of its ability to support and enhance collaboration among COIs that represent all levels of government including federal, state and local offices.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov/HSIN.
Interested parties can contact Shelby Lawson, Deputy Executive Director of Operations at the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security, about becoming a member of the HSIN law-enforcement community. He can be reached at shelby.lawson@ky.gov.
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Mission Statement |
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"Lead the Commonwealth's coordination and collaboration efforts with public and private preparedness partners to ensure a Ready and Prepared Kentucky."
Click the following link to download our Mission Statement
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