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According to a recent press release, the Commonwealth Regional Council (CRC) has received two grants totalling $44,280 from the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP).

The grants, which were awarded to CRC on Oct. 8, will be used to conduct emergency planning activities for CRC member localities, the release highlighted. The CRC region includes the counties of Amelia, Buckingham, Charlotte, Lunenburg and Prince Edward.

SHSP, administered by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), supports a wide range of emergency preparedness and security options.

Officials stated in the release that the grant money will be used to implement two CRC projects, the first of which being the development of a regional joint information system/joint information center plan for crisis communications. The information center plan will establish the responsibilities and procedures involved in information distribution, so that localities in the CRC region, such as Lunenburg, can be better prepared to distribute and communicate vital information before, during and after disaster situations.

The second CRC project that grant money will go toward is the development of a regional family assistance center plan. The family assistance center plan will aim to provide counties like Lunenburg with help managing and understanding how to assist families that are separated or displaced due to a disaster.

The projects, developed after consultation with local VDEM staff and emergency managers, are intended to assist in emergency preparedness and address emergency needs in the CRC region, the release cited.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, the purpose of CRC is to help encourage and enact cooperation between local government and citizens in order to identify and address, on a regional basis, problems of greater than local significance. In addition to regional planning initiatives, CRC also markets the region for economic development, assists companies looking to expand business in the region, and promotes recreational, cultural, and historical tourism.

The release states that once completed and enacted, the plans will allow for the sharing of resources between localities and will facilitate cooperation between local government units, Social Services departments, and nonprofit organizations.

According to officials, CRC will have until June 30 of 2021 to complete the work for both grants.