The Homeland Security Technical Assistance Program (HSTAP) is established to build State, local, tribal and territorial capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from major events, including threats or acts of terrorism.

This programmatic goal of building state and local

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capabilities will be achieved through means and methods aimed at achieving the National Preparedness Goal and furthering our collective efforts to remain a safe and secure nation.

Specific program activities anticipated for achieving this goal will include:
• production and dissemination of written products relating to emerging homeland security issues and established or model state homeland security efforts; • providing educational seminars for apprising newly appointed Governor’s Homeland Security Advisors of federal homeland security doctrine, best-practices and established principles; • facilitating calls, meetings, or discussions amongst representatives from key stakeholder groups on a regular basis which serve to share information, knowledge, experiences, and practices relating to current and emerging homeland security issues; and, • convening trainings, workshops, and other meeting opportunities designed to bring together in a common forum nationwide HSAs, state, local and tribal Emergency Management Directors, as well as other professional organizations in the public and private sectors and to inform partners on the impacts of federal homeland security legislation, regulations and policies on the states.

Each recipient will conduct these activities to support either State Emergency Management Directors, Homeland Security Advisors to further build State, local, tribal and territorial capabilities.

Additionally, HSTAP also furthers the building of a national system of emergency management capabilities that can effectively and efficiently utilize the full measure of the Nation's resources to respond to catastrophic incidents, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made emergencies or events.

HSTAP recipients will conduct activities that bring together the collective perspectives of state and local elected officials and the private sector to provide a broad-based sounding board on homeland security issues for all national stakeholders.

The program will serve to establish, provide, and maintain a forum for organizations to exchange ideas, conduct targeted discussions, as well as to provide technical assistance to governors’ offices, associations and organizations on all relevant homeland security policy areas.

HSTAP will engage the recipient organizations which can work closely with FEMA to develop, transfer, and institutionalize pertinent knowledge at the State and local level for addressing current public policy challenges facing State EM Directors, HSAs and other state and local emergency management officials.

HSTAP recipients, through collaboration with FEMA and other national, regional, state and local entities, will facilitate focused and enhanced communication and coordination among all disciplines and levels of government to address the complex challenges of developing and implementing homeland security policies and practices including:
intelligence sharing; State homeland security organization, structure and governance; communications interoperability; critical infrastructure protection; and all hazards disaster prevention, protection, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery to include areas of emergency management, homeland security, fire, law enforcement, Emergency Management Services, agriculture, National Guard, emergency communications, and public works.

In addition to building state and local capabilities, the activities conducted under the HSTAP are structured to address the full spectrum of mission areas, national priorities, and core capabilities outlined in the National Preparedness System and are critical to achieving the National Preparedness Goal.