JOHNSTOWN - A Fulton County Board of Supervisors committee recently voted to allocate $81,426 in 2011 federal Homeland Security Grant funding for civil defense items.
The Public Safety Committee approved a 2012 county budget at the County Office Building to allow Civil Defense-Fire Coordinator Allan Polmateer to spend the grant money.
"Back in November 2011, the county was awarded $123,000 for homeland security," Polmateer told the committee.
He said the Civil Defense Office wishes to spend $81,426 of the total award this year, including spending $17,200 for a thermal-imager camera with echo seeker, $5,570 for two smoke generators, and $4,958 for a confined space safety kit. Polmateeer also wants to allocate $8,250 for photo software and course recording equipment for pictometry equipment in the planning department.
Other purchases would include two defibulators for $4,990 and $992 for liquid smoke.
Polmateer told the committees the two defibulators will be housed in the county's emergency medical services trailer and haz-mat trailer.
The committee Tuesday also approved a request to amend the 2012 budget and reallocate funds for an existing $37,800 grant the county received for animal sheltering equipment. The board rescinded the grant last November because because funds weren't spent, but Polmateer said he would now like to reappropriate the funds for items such as a $10,943 storage kit, $2,000 for two generators, $5,000 for training and exercises and $19,057 for miscellaneous supplies.
All New York state counties, including Fulton County, have received U.S. Homeland Security Office funding since the terrorist attacks of 2001. Funding is usually filtered down through the state.
But county Administrative Officer Jon Stead told the committee it is his understanding that homeland security money to localities will be declining.
"The day of these grants is winnowing down," Stead said.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com