IEMA Awards $4 Million in Grants to Support Local Emergency Management Agencies

SPRINGFIELD – Grants totaling $4 million awarded by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) will help 120 city and county emergency management agencies throughout Illinois support local disaster preparedness and response efforts.

“When a natural disaster strikes, communities across Illinois must be prepared to respond immediately," Governor Pat Quinn said. "We are committed to doing everything we can to make sure communities have the tools they need to be ready to respond to natural disasters as soon as possible.”

The Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) are funded through a grant IEMA receives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  The grants, which are awarded annually, can be used for day-to-day operations of local emergency management programs. 

“Every disaster begins as a local emergency, and that’s why it’s so important to have a sound local emergency management program,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken.  “Particularly in difficult fiscal times, these grants provide needed support to ensure local emergency management agencies are prepared to respond to disasters in their communities.”

Federal EMPG funding totaling more than $6.8 million also enables IEMA to provide dozens of training courses, emergency response exercise support and emergency planning assistance to emergency management agencies statewide.

County and municipal emergency management agencies receiving the grants include: