Round 1: Grants announced November 2004

Modeling / Simulation Analysis

Murray State University in partnership with Morehead State and UK received $385,556 to simulate catastrophic events related to dam breaches and evaluate the subsequent damage and ability of emergency responders to react to such events.

Perimeter Defense

The University of Kentucky in partnership with Western Kentucky University and U of L received $654,668 to develop a high-tech surveillance and face recognition system.

Quantitative Risk Assessment

EKU received $150,000 to conduct an assessment of the private security industry.

EKU in partnership with UK received $250,000 to develop a community risk and vulnerability assessment tool.

EKU in partnership with Northern Kentucky University received $500,000 to assess and demonstrate the capability to monitor and manage an emerging public threat incident.

Situational Awareness / Common Operating Picture

U of L in partnership with the Kentucky Community and Technical System College, Hazard Community College, and Murray State received a $1,110,225 grant to develop portable command systems for use in emergency situations.

UK in partnership with WKU received $318,048 to develop rapidly deployable, high resolution immersive display visualization system for use in the field by first responders.

UK received $95,751 to determine the best way to manage and disseminate information during time-stressed situations.

The University of Louisville received $135,781 grant to develop high-tech systems for predicting disasters and providing first responders with the best routes to quickly reach disaster locations.

The University of Kentucky received $285,085 to demonstrate a 3D simulation and training system for disaster scenarios.

Enhanced Monitoring & Interpretation Systems

Eastern Kentucky University in conjunction with UK and Murray State received $894,923 to develop a testing and tracking system for beef cattle that will provide early warnings of disease.

The Challenge

The task of assuring the security of our homeland involves protecting the citizens of the United States, the nation's critical infrastructure and key assets. This is necessary to sustain the nation's vitality against terrorism and other threats. This protection must originate at the community level. It requires discovering, developing and deploying new technology that will support first responders and key decision makers in local communities.

The Mission

NIHS' mission is to discover, develop and deploy solutions that protect and preserve the critical infrastructure of the nation's communities.

The Institute

NIHS aligns projects and research objectives with the needs and requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The strategy is to manage a distributed research enterprise that effectively transitions research and development into solutions. NIHS works with DHS to determine technology needs at the community level. Then, teams are quickly assembled from multiple universities to develop solutions to the needs.

The Strategy

Through management of the Kentucky Critical Infrastructure Protections Program (KCI), the National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS) provides an ongoing, integrated program dedicated to developing new technologies and devices. NIHS works through qualified academic institutions to accomplish the technological objectives.