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Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project (REMCDP)
97.120
The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) assigns CISA with the responsibilities of promoting the ability of emergency response providers and relevant government officials to continue to communicate in the event of disasters, fostering the development of interoperable emergency communications capabilities, and promoting the development of standard operating procedures and best practices for using interoperable emergency communications capabilities for incident response. The HSA also assigns CISA with the responsibility to develop and update a National Emergency Communication Plan (NECP) to support and promote the ability of emergency response providers and relevant government officials to continue to communicate in the event of disasters. To carry out these responsibilities, CISA established the REMCDP to make cooperative agreements to non-federal entities to pursue rural emergency medical communications demonstration projects to meet various program objectives: (1) enhancing current statewide or regional emergency communications systems to address NECP implementation gaps and deliver rural medical care and services; (2) developing trainings and exercises to enable first responders and personnel to effectively use emergency medical communications system and equipment; (3) collaborating with whole community representatives to support NECP activities; (4) collaborating with state leaders to address the adoption of broadband communications to supplement current communications systems; (5) experimenting with innovative solutions to ensure emergency responders and medical practitioners can communicate in various geographies, operating conditions, and scenarios; and (6) identifying, documenting, and sharing lessons learned and best practices. The REMCDP supports Goal 5: Strengthen Preparedness and Resilience in the 2020-2024 Department of Homeland Security Strategic Plan and Goal 2: Risk Reduction and Resilience in the CISA Strategic Plan 2023-2025.
This chart shows obligations for the program by fiscal year. All data for this chart was provided by the
administering agency and sourced from SAM.gov, USASpending.gov, and Treasury.gov.
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By the end of Fiscal Year 2016, all BIDP grantees will have completed their grant activities and closed out their grant. An award for the Rural Medical Emergency Communications Demonstration Project will be made. The grant recipient, University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), began developing the First Hands Project, a training program designed to use medical education along with communications education and exercises to empower first providers giving medical care in rural communities. Accomplishments included: Began the search to hire staff such as the program manager and field support specialists, started outreach and engagement with public safety groups throughout the state regarding the First Hands training program, designed and developed First Hands Training program content and objectives, procured six vehicles to be located at Mississippi Center for Emergency Services’ operational bases to support First Hands training travel across the state, and evaluated options and solutions for capturing and evaluating participant feedback on the First Hands training program, as well as baseline comparison data on current emergency communications practices.
The FY 2016 REMCDP grant continues to be executed. As required, REMCDP reporting requiremnts continue to be submitted each quarter. The program continues to
A new award was made.
The FY 2018 REMCDP grant eriod of performance started October 1, 2018. Grant activities for the REMCDP were reported and reviewed each quarter consistent with the established program objectives. The First Hands Program trained 6,088 participants total in 333 courses, between January, 2017 and December 31, 2019. Also, the grant recipient hosted 13 First Hands refresher courses for two federal law enforcement agencies.
The FY 2018 REMCDP grant period of performance continues, and the grant was closed out March 31, 2021. Additionally, a new award was made on September 30, 2020.
Grant activities for FY 2020 REMCDP reporting requirements continue to be submitted each quarter. The program reviews the grant activities that support emergency responders and medical practitioners so they can communicate in rural, underserved communities. The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) reported on its First Hands and First Voice Programs, including the successful implementation of the online First Voice course to reach the intended telecommunicator audience in a safe manner. UMMC also reported progress toward identifying a new platform for its Mississippi Center for Emergency Services (MCES) mobile smartphone application and acquiring production equipment to create additional content for the application. UMMC submitted a budget modification, and no-cost extension through February 28, 2023, to meet the backlog of training requests that accumulated through the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown in 2020 and early 2021. DHS approved this request in January 2022.
Fiscal Year 2022: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) published the FY 2022 REMCDP Notice of Funding Opportunity on June 1, 2022. The extended application period closed on July 29, 2022, and CISA completed a merit-based review process and awarded $1,892,500 in September 2022 to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). UMMC submits quarterly financial and performance reports and communicates regularly with CISA. In addition, CISA conducted a site visit at UMMC facilities in Jackson, MS, on December 2, 2022, including discussion of programmatic monitoring, inventory of equipment purchased with REMDCP funds (e.g., radio cache, radio asset distribution vehicles, training supplies, audio/visual production, bleeding control kits), and review of FY 2022 award plans and panel feedback. As a continuation from previous awards, UMMC offered the online First Voice course and conducted in-person First Hands courses for first responders across Mississippi. UMMC completed updates to the MCES mobile smartphone application functionality and usability, as well as added content (e.g., medical videos, podcasts, “Tell Your Story” feature). UMMC plans to create a second “Enhanced First Hands” course and introduce the Virtual Patient Interactive Trainer augmented reality system from North American Rescue to supplement current training materials. UMMC is also reviewing its social media strategy, embarking on a push-to-talk over cellular demonstration, and acquiring a ruggedized vehicle to serve as an ambulance for first responders, as well as a communications center in tactical or disaster settings.
Lastly, CISA launched a new technical assistance program entitled the Rural Emergency Communications Operational Rapid Assistance Package (O-RAP) to implement REMCDP successes in rural communities across the nation. O-RAP objectives are to identify immediate needs associated with emergency communications for rural medical care; provide tools such as plans, policies, and procedures to quickly address identified needs; train jurisdictions and communities on using the provided tools; and apply and test those tools via tabletop or functional exercises. To date, CISA has engaged with 19 rural communities and tribes to conduct O-RAP and tailor REMCDP lessons learned to their unique areas, including customization to regional land mobile radio systems and talk-groups. In addition, CISA is planning to expand training to incorporate REMCDP innovative solutions, life-saving techniques (e.g., CPR, tourniquet application), and medical communications procedures to first responders and telecommunicators in rural areas.
Fiscal Year 2023: CISA previously awarded one grant totaling $1,892,500 at the end of FY 2022 that has a 2-year period of performance ending in September 2024. In FY 2023, CISA awarded three cooperative agreements totaling $4,276,023 that each have a 2-year period of performance ending in September 2025.
Fiscal Year 2024: The one grant awarded in FY 2022 is in its second and final year of the period of performance and the three cooperative agreements awarded in FY 2023 are in their first year of the period of performance. In FY 2024, CISA intends to award a single cooperative agreement near the end of the fiscal year.
Fiscal Year 2025: The three cooperative agreements awarded in FY 2023 will be in their second and final year of the period of performance. The cooperative agreement awarded in FY 2024 will be in its first year of its period of performance. CISA does not anticipate making any REMCDP cooperative agreement awards in FY 2025.
Single Audit Applies (2 CFR Part 200 Subpart F):
For additional information on single audit requirements for this program, review the current Compliance Supplement.
OMB is working with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and agency offices of inspectors general to include links to relevant oversight reports. This section will be updated once this information is made available.
