The Department of Homeland Security is seeking applications for its Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project to fund demonstration projects addressing the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) implementation gaps and rural medical communications, which supports the DHS Strategic Plan goal to strengthen preparedness and resilience and the CISA Strategic Plan goal to reduce risk and strengthen resilience.
Donor Name: Department of Homeland Security
State: All States
County: All Counties
U.S. Territories: American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/28/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $2,000,000
Grant Duration: 24 months
Details:
The Presidential Policy Directive–8 emphasizes national preparedness as a shared responsibility of the whole community, requiring greater involvement across multiple jurisdictions and disciplines to prepare for the threats that pose the greatest risk to the security of the nation, including acts of terrorism, cyber attacks, pandemics, and catastrophic natural disasters. The NECP recognizes this evolving landscape with the involvement of new stakeholders and rapid changes in technologies and policies impacting emergency communications. Response agencies are becoming more connected to additional sources of information during emergencies, such as medical personnel, public health professionals, critical infrastructure operators, and private citizens. Collaboration with whole community representatives is key to support a broad set of NECP activities, including rural emergency medical care and other needs (e.g., cybersecurity solutions, patient tracking, alerting systems, and social media guidance).
To implement the NECP, CISA must continue to improve its understanding of communications among emergency responders and medical personnel, especially in rural communities. Thus, CISA is reestablishing the Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project (REMCDP).
Objectives
All applicants should clearly state how the following objectives would be addressed in the proposed project:
- Use of or enhancements to a current statewide or regional emergency communications system to address NECP implementation gaps and deliver rural medical care and services;
- Development of trainings and exercises to ensure that first responders and personnel can use emergency medical communications systems and equipment effectively;
- Collaboration with state leaders to address the adoption of broadband communications (e.g., First Responder Network Authority’s public safety broadband network) to supplement current land mobile radio and statewide or regional emergency communications systems;
- Collaboration with whole community representatives to support a broad set of NECP activities, including rural emergency medical care and other needs (e.g., cybersecurity solutions, patient tracking, alerting and social media guidance);
- Experimentation with innovative solutions designed to ensure that emergency responders and medical practitioners can communicate in various geographies (e.g., rural), operating conditions, and scenarios, as needed and when authorized; and
- Identification, documentation, and sharing of lessons learned and best practices of the demonstration project, which in turn could be shared with other stakeholders to address NECP implementation activities.
Priorities
Through demonstration projects with up to two recipients, REMCDP’s priority is to examine communications barriers and identify solutions that enhance existing emergency communications infrastructure to improve the delivery of rural medical care and address NECP implementation gaps. This priority aligns with CISA’s efforts to support and promote communications capabilities used by emergency responders and government officials to keep America safe, secure, and resilient. In turn, REMCDP supports the NECP goals and objectives.
Funding Information
- Available Funding for the NOFO: $4,000,000.00 (Up to $2,000,000 per award)
- Period of Performance: 24 months
Eligible Applicants
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, states, U.S. territories, local governments (e.g., county, city, or township), or Federally-recognized Tribal governments.
Applicant Eligibility Criteria
The entity applying for REMCDP must operate or have access to an existing statewide or regional emergency communications system that is leveraged to address rural health disparities such as mortality rates and cardiovascular diseases. The applicant must also either operate a medical facility that provides rural emergency medical care or have partnered with a medical facility or organization that provides rural emergency medical care. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) government agencies must provide a letter of intent from the cooperating medical facility or organization to demonstrate commitment to partner in project execution.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
