SEPTA to Receive Additional Security Funding

PHILADELPHIA – SEPTA has received about $1 million in federal homeland security funds to be used to increase security on the commuter rail system.

“The safety and security of our customers and our employees is our top priority,” SEPTA General Manager Faye Moore said. “We appreciate Governor (Edward G.) Rendell’s support of our efforts to enhance security over our very large transportation infrastructure.”

This latest investment of security funding will be devoted to systems and programs dedicated to providing the best security possible for SEPTA’s customers and infrastructure. SEPTA has previously received $6.4 million in federal security funding.

Rendell has announced his plans to disburse more than $110 million in federal homeland security funds awarded to the Commonwealth under the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP), the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP) and the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), including the $1 million to SEPTA.

“While federal funding has provided us an opportunity to build a base level of capability in emergency responder disciplines across the state, we now need to focus on building capability in those regions of the Commonwealth where the risk is the greatest,” Rendell said. “This funding will enable us to enhance our capacity to prevent terrorist attacks involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive devices, as well as improve the ability of emergency personnel to respond to such incidents if they do occur.”

The homeland security grant money will be disbursed through the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) to each of the Commonwealth’s nine regional counter-terrorism task forces and to various state agencies and transportation entities. Governor Rendell designated PEMA as the State Administrative Agency (SAA) charged with administering fund distribution.

“Our emergency responders and law enforcement personnel, through the nine regional counterterrorism task forces, play a critical role in our efforts to protect the safety and security of all Pennsylvanians, our number one priority,” Rendell said.

“There is always room for improvement as we meet our priorities of preventing and responding to terrorist attacks,” the Governor said. “The Department of Homeland Security has expanded its programs to allow for a greater range of preparedness activities that focus on preventing terrorist acts.”

SEPTA is the sixth largest public transit system in the United States, providing public transportation services in the five-county Philadelphia area:

  • 1,000,000 daily transit trips
  • 15,000 bus stops
  • 2,300 buses, trolleys, train cars
  • 1,868 route miles
  • Subway-elevated, railroad, trolley stations

Railfanning.org News Wire Editor Todd DeFeo and PRNewswire contributed to this report.

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