LSU NCBRT/ACE Awarded $20.84 Million from FEMA for Training and Education Initiatives

Baton Rouge, LA — LSU NCBRT/ACE is proud to announce the receipt of a $20.84 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security, awarded through FEMA’s Fiscal Year 2024 National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC) appropriation. This significant funding, delivered via a cooperative agreement, will bolster LSU NCBRT/ACE’s mission to develop and deliver cutting-edge training and education programs for first responders and public safety officials across the nation.

This appropriation represents more than just an investment in LSU NCBRT/ACE—it is an investment in the safety and security of communities across the entire United States. This funding serves as a critical form of preparedness and mitigation, ensuring that states, territories, and Tribal Nations are better prepared to handle emerging threats and high-consequence events. The benefits of this training will be felt nationwide, as it helps to build a more resilient and protected society.

"We are deeply grateful to Congress for their continued support, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to the Louisiana delegation for championing this critical funding," said Jeff Mayne, Director of LSU NCBRT/ACE. "This grant underscores the importance of training as a public good—one that enhances national standards and ensures that responders in every state are equipped to protect the safety and security of our citizens."

This funding, part of a larger appropriation for the NDPC, reflects a strong commitment from federal leaders to national preparedness and resiliency. This funding enables LSU NCBRT/ACE and other NDPC members to maintain and expand training programs, contributing to a standardized approach to emergency response from which every state and community stands to gain.

LSU NCBRT/ACE would also like to express its appreciation to the members of the NDPC’s delegation for their unwavering commitment to enhancing national security through education and training. Their collective efforts have made this funding possible, and LSU NCBRT/ACE is honored to be part of such a distinguished consortium.

As LSU NCBRT/ACE moves forward with these initiatives, it remains committed to fostering a culture of preparedness and resilience, both within our state and across the globe. This grant will support ongoing efforts to innovate and expand training programs, ensuring that they remain relevant in an ever-changing world.

About LSU NCBRT/ACE:

LSU NCBRT/ACE is a nationally recognized center for emergency preparedness and response training located at Louisiana State University’s flagship campus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We provide mobile training to both the national and international emergency response community. LSU NCBRT/ACE has expertise in research, development and delivery of training in the areas of specialized law enforcement operations; biological incident response; food and agriculture safety and security; school safety; and instructional design and technique. For more information on LSU NCBRT/ACE’s courses and resources, please visit ncbrt.lsu.edu.

About the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NDPC)

The NDPC is a premier partnership of public and private organizations, recognized for its leadership in homeland security and emergency response training. The consortium comprises the following members:

• LSU National Center for Biomedical Research and Training/Academy of Counter-Terrorist Education
  Center for Domestic Preparedness
• National Nuclear Security Administration’s Nevada National Security Site
• New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology’s Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center
• Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service’s National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center
• National Center for Emergency Response in Surface Transportation at the Transportation Technology Center, Inc.
• The University of Hawaii’s National Disaster Preparedness Training Center

Together, these institutions provide the nation’s first responders with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to protect communities from all hazards, ensuring a prepared and resilient nation. More information can be found at ndpc.us.