Homeland security group seeks budget hike for emergency division

The Homeland Security Commission told Emergency Management Administrator Frank Siracusa on Wednesday his request for one more employee in the division isn't enough.

Commission members praised the work Siracusa and his staff of 22 have done to prepare Nevada for terrorist or natural disasters but told him they want to ask both the governor and Legislature for up to seven new positions.

Jerry Keller, vice president for security at Wynn Resorts, said especially disturbing is the suggestion the recommendations by the federal Emergency Management Accreditation Program teams may become mandatory.

The EMAP study in Nevada recommended adding seven to the Division of Emergency Management staff.

If that becomes mandatory, Keller said, the state would no longer qualify for federal Homeland Security money until it adds those staff members.

State Sen. Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, said he would support more staff at emergency management, but that the case would be easier to sell to lawmakers if they found a revenue source to pay for it.

But Jim Spinello, representing Clark County, disagreed.

"I really prefer to try to build a case to go for general fund dollars based on priority need," he said.

He said the job would be greatly simplified if the governor will agree to put the increases in Siracusa's budget.

Keller said the justification is obvious: The amount of grant money passing through Siracusa's agency has increased 100 fold from $2 million a year to $200 million in the past six years.

Siracusa said the EMAP recommendation on staffing is not a mandate.

But, he said, his agency has been advised that is the intention in the future.

He advised the commission his two-year budget as submitted to the Director of Public Safety and governor's office is required to be no more than the current year doubled plus adjustments for inflation and other uncontrollable cost increases, pay raises and the like.

He said that allows him to hire one more person in accounting to help track the grants they have made to various local entities.

Keller said endangering federal funding for the entire Nevada Homeland Security effort by not providing the seven positions makes no sense.

Commission Chairman Dale Carrison said the commission would carry the fight to the governor and Legislature, that they understand Siracusa can't advocate for a bigger increase.

Spinello advised him to "tell the governor we are the culprits here."

He requested Siracusa provide him data on current staffing and work assignments in the agency so they can begin working out exactly what increases are needed to meet what may become a federal requirement in the next couple of years.

• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.