Vermont H 935: An act relating to emergency management

Bill Text

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No. 162. An act relating to emergency management.
(H.935)
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
* * * Ready Response Grant Program * * *
Sec. 1. 20 V.S.A. § 52 is added to read:
§ 52. READY RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM
(a) As used in this section, “ready response” means the provision of short-
term food and bottled water resources, including logistical support and
transportation, to individuals in Vermont who do not have adequate access to
food and water at agreed upon times when the Division of Emergency
Management seeks resource assistance from a grantee or responds to an all-
hazards event or state of emergency.
(b) There is created the Ready Response Grant Program to be managed and
administered by the Division of Emergency Management. The Division shall
award an annual grant to an eligible food bank to source, store, and distribute
shelf-stable, ready-to-eat foods and bottled water at times and in types and
quantities per a written memorandum of agreement with the Division.
(c) The grant shall be in an amount sufficient to compensate the grantee for
all costs incurred to procure and stage food and water in agreed upon quantities
and locations, the costs of cycling the food and water at agreed-upon intervals,
the value of distribution center storage capacity, the value of operational
capacity to stage materials in anticipation of need, and the costs of distribution

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whenever the Division seeks resource assistance from the grantee or responds
to an all-hazards event or state of emergency. As used in this subsection, the
“value of operational capacity” includes leased storage space, delivery
vehicles, drivers, warehouse selectors, and other operational costs.
(d) Food and water supplies subject to a grant and under the grantee’s
control shall be rotated and replenished according to established industry
guidelines and best practices. Rotated food and water shall be redistributed in
an equitable manner by the grantee through Vermont’s charitable food system
to Vermont nonprofit organizations qualifying under 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) that
provide food to individuals in Vermont.
(e) To the extent that the Division requests services from the grantee that
are not covered by the Grant Program, a separate agreement shall be reached
between the Division and the grantee.
* * * Technical Rescue Grant Program * * *
Sec. 2. 20 V.S.A. § 53 is added to read:
§ 53. TECHNICAL RESCUE GRANT PROGRAM
(a) Creation of Program. There is created the Technical Rescue Grant
Program to assist Vermont fire departments, emergency medical services
agencies, and technical rescue agencies with the improvement of operational
readiness and investment in specialized equipment, personal protective gear,
and training. The Program shall be administered by the Urban Search and
Rescue (USAR) Team program manager.

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(b) Duties of USAR Team program manager. The USAR Team program
manager, in addition to other duties described elsewhere in law, shall review
grant applications, award grants, and otherwise administer the Program.
(c) Eligibility. Fire departments, emergency medical services agencies, and
technical rescue agencies operating within Vermont shall be eligible for
Program grants. Grant applicants shall demonstrate their use, planned use, or
need for technical rescue operations within their service area. All grant
applicants shall submit their application on a form adopted by the USAR Team
program manager. The USAR Team program manager shall prioritize grant
awards for applicants that:
(1) maintain a memorandum of understanding with the Division of
Emergency Management for swiftwater rescue; or
(2) function as regional technical rescue teams providing services in
multiple jurisdictions.
(d) Grant award limitations. The maximum award to any applicant in a
given fiscal year shall be not more than $5,000.00. The Program shall not
award more than $25,000.00 in total grants in a given fiscal year.
(e) Application review and scoring. The USAR Team program manager
shall adopt procedures governing application submission, forms, review,
scoring, and recommendation of awards. The procedures for application
scoring shall include alignment with the Program priorities in subsection (a) of
this section, operational need, geographic service area, feasibility of the

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proposed project, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of the applicant’s
services.
(f) Grant recipient reporting; report. Each grant recipient shall submit to
the USAR Team program manager a final expenditure report, proof of
purchase or training completion, and a narrative description of how the grant
improved the recipient’s technical rescue capacity. Annually on or before
November 15, the USAR Team program manager shall submit a written report
to the House Committee on Government Operat