STARRS is committed to strengthening regional collaboration and preparedness to protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure. Through targeted programs and strategic partnerships, STARRS enhances emergency response capabilities and fosters resilience across the St. Louis region.
The East-West Gateway Council of Governments (EWG) oversees the administration of multiple grant programs in the region. As the designated metropolitan agency, STARRS is tasked with planning and implementing these initiatives. STARRS staff manage the daily operations of these competitive grant programs, ensuring effective delivery of resources and impactful outcomes.
STARRS currently manages the following grants:
Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)
The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program assists high-threat, high-density urban areas in efforts to build and sustain the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism. The UASI program is intended to provide financial assistance to address the unique multidiscipline planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of these areas, as well as to assist them in building and sustaining capabilities to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from threats or acts of terrorism using the whole community approach.
Awardees must program funds to support law enforcement counterterrorism activities in the areas of prevention and protection. Further, the US Department of Homeland Security requires each state/territory to invest grant funds toward five national priority areas:
-
1. Enhancing Cybersecurity
2. Enhancing Intelligence and Information Sharing
3. Protection of Soft Targets and Crowded Places
4. Combatting Domestic Violent Extremism
5. Community Preparedness
6. Election Security
Learn more about UASI: Homeland Security Grant Program | FEMA.gov
Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP)
The HPP program aims to build resilient healthcare systems capable of responding to and recovering from emergencies. STARRS works with healthcare coalitions to improve coordination, secure medical supplies, and conduct training exercises to ensure healthcare facilities can provide critical care during disasters or public health emergencies.
Learn more about HPP: Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP)
Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP)
The RCPGP focuses on preparing for catastrophic incidents that have a significant impact on regional communities. Through this program, STARRS develops comprehensive plans, facilitates cross-jurisdictional partnerships, and provides tools and training to address large-scale emergencies that extend beyond traditional response capabilities.
Learn more about RCPGP: https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/regional-catastrophic
CCTA Program
The CCTA program is designed to enhance preparedness for complex, coordinated terrorist attacks. STARRS conducts multi-agency training, develops joint response plans, and fosters collaboration between law enforcement, emergency management, and public safety partners to ensure swift and efficient responses to evolving threats.
Learn more about CCTA: Planning Considerations: Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attacks
These programs represent STARRS’ commitment to fostering a safer, more resilient region through collaboration, innovation, and preparedness. By leveraging these initiatives, we strive to protect our communities and support our partners in building a more secure future.
Other Projects & Initiatives
National Incident Management System / Incident Command System
As outlined in FEMA’s Preparedness Grants Manual, all recipients receiving Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) funding are required to implement the National Incident Management System. In keeping with a comprehensive, regional approach to emergency preparedness and response, STARRS utilizes the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS) model as the basis of disaster planning. These systems are critical during incident response as they provide standardized, predefined management hierarchy, processes, and protocols that come into play in an emergency.
Threat Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA)
The Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) is a process that helps communities understand its natural hazard risks and estimate capability requirements. The THIRA process helps communities map their risks to the core capabilities, enabling them to determine the desired outcomes, capability targets, and the resources required to achieve their capability targets.
The results of the THIRA process can inform a variety of emergency management efforts, including emergency operations planning, mutual aid agreements, and hazard mitigation planning.
THIRA is federally mandated by Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness for grant recipients of Homeland Security Grant Program awards and is conducted annually. STARRS staff work closely with subcommittees throughout the execution of the THIRA process and beyond to help identify and close capability gaps in the region.
Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR)
The Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) is a self-assessment of the community’s current capability levels against the targets identified in their THIRA. Like the THIRA, the SPR is conducted on an annual basis. The SPR identifies capability gaps related to Planning, Organization, Equipment, Training, and Exercises (POETE), and indicates intended approaches for addressing gaps and sustainment requirements. Information gleaned from the THIRA/SPR is used to guide programmatic development of DHS/FEMA grant programs and to aid in the expansion of regional goals.