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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

MCC’s Homeland Security Management Institute Awarded $450,000 for Preparedness Training for Special Populations


U.S. Rep. John R. “Randy” Kuhl has secured $425,000 for Monroe Community College’s Homeland Security Management Institute (HSMI) for emergency preparedness training aimed at special needs populations, particularly senior citizens, individuals residing in assisted living communities and the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

“I am grateful to Congressman Kuhl for recognizing the critical needs of our community in a post-Sept. 11, post-Katrina environment, and for acting decisively to meet those challenges head-on,” said Monroe Community College President R. Thomas Flynn. “This funding allows our Homeland Security Management Institute to expand preparedness training to populations who need it the most, especially the elderly.”

The federal funding addresses a challenge many communities are facing in the wake of last year’s deadly hurricanes and the Global War on Terrorism – how to ensure our most vulnerable populations survive in the event emergency response workers cannot reach them during the initial phases of disaster response operations.

“Hurricane Katrina spotlighted weaknesses in the way special needs populations receive assistance in emergencies. Evacuation procedures tend to underserve these populations, and emergency information is often not accessible to them,” Flynn said. “We hope this grant will take us closer as a community to the ultimate state of preparedness, where all our citizens are ready for emergencies of any size, however they manifest themselves.”

Mark Sommer
College and Community Relations
06/19/2006