Clarion County will split federal emergency funds with four other counties in the case of terrorism or natural disaster.
The news came out of Thursday’s Clarion County commissioners meeting.
The agreement between the Clarion County Emergency Services, the state Emergency Management Agency and Northwest Central Pennsylvania Emergency Response Group aims to split a $286,004 grant between five counties.
The counties that will split the grant money include Clarion, Clearfield, Cameron, Jefferson and McKean.
The grant amount is down from previous years nearly 80 percent, said Randall Stahlman, emergency management coordinator, attributing the decline in funding to to federal cut-backs.
“This is our first line of defense,” said Stahlman.
The funds will be available to the Office of Emergency Services at the beginning of next month. The agreement goes into effect Sept. 1.
The money is a subsidy from the federal government and is earmarked for terrorism prevention, said Stahlman. It will be used to help response teams in large man-made or natural disasters.
Although the money is spread out over five counties, Stalhman said that, “the equipment we may need is only a phone call away.”
He estimated that in case of an emergency the needed equipment could be in Clarion county in no more than four hours.
“Severe weather for example, I could have everything we need in four hours,” said Stahlman.
In the past, the funding has gone toward the purchase of barricades, radios, light tower generators and other regional projects.
“There is a lot of planning involved in this grant, but we have been working really well together,” said Stahlman.
Other business
– Veterans Memorial Park, the courthouse side parking lot and the sidewalks on either side of Main Street have been approved for use during the Autumn Leaf Festival. The nine-day festival runs from Sept. 24 to Oct. 2.
– Additional parking spaces will be added to the area surrounding the Human Services building in Clarion. About 20 additional spaces will be added to the existing parking areas.
– A permanent change was made to one polling area in the county. The polling station at Clarion First Church of God will move to Clarion Area High School.