Nevada to receive $11.5 million in federal homeland security grants

CARSON CITY — Nevada will receive $11.5 million in federal homeland security grants to guard against possible terrorism and natural disasters, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid said Wednesday.

Included in the funding is $2.96 million in the Urban Area Security Initiative grant program that will go to Las Vegas to continue training, equipping and enhancing law enforcement’s terrorism prevention and response activities.

“Nevada is a worldwide destination with more than 50 million visitors every year, and we must give law enforcement and first responders the tools they need to plan for and prevent emergencies,” the Senate minority leader said in a statement.

The Nevada grants include $3.7 million to implement homeland security strategies and nearly $4.5 million for statewide emergency preparedness.

The funding from the Department of Homeland Security is for the 2016 federal fiscal year that began Oct. 1.