$3.6 million sought in Katrina aid effort

Monday, Sept. 12, 2005 | 9:22 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Division of Emergency Management is seeking $3.6 million in an emergency loan to pay for the costs of sending police, National Guardsmen and other emergency personnel and equipment to Louisiana and Mississippi.

The money will be used to support up to 10 military medical, security and logistical support teams to help in the recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

The request goes before the state Board of Examiners, headed by Gov. Kenny Guinn, on Tuesday and then before the Legislative Interim Finance Committee on Thursday.

Frank Siracusa, director of emergency management, said the state will be reimbursed for its expenses from federal money. The money will come to the Gulf States and they in turn will be responsible for paying Nevada and other states that provided relief.

The reimbursement will not come to Nevada for six months to a year or more, said Siracusa in documents provided to the Examiners Board.

As of Friday, Nevada had 228 National Guardsmen, 107 law enforcement officials and five members of the Emergency Management Division on the Gulf Coast. Siracusa said that number varies.

Nevada has used a C-130 for airlift support and helicopters to help in aerial security, search and rescue efforts.

Nevada is ready to provide up to 539 military personnel for 14 to 28 days of relief in the area.

The loan would come from the $12 million set aside in the contingency fund of the Interim Finance Committee to handle emergencies between sessions of the Legislature.

Siracusa also said the cost for those victims coming to Nevada will also be reimbursed by the federal government.

Among other requests before the Examiners Board, the state Forestry Division is asking $2.5 million from the contingency fund to pay the costs of firefighting during the summer fire seasons. There were numerous blazes in Southern and eastern Nevada.

The division said part of the money will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. But Hurricane Katrina has placed a strain on the federal agency's resources that will substantially delay reimbursement. The payback may not come before March 2006.

The state Veterans Home in Boulder City is asking for $250,227 to buy a new billing and clinical computer system.