People in our region can sleep a little more soundly knowing that emergency responders have an additional $1.4 million to pay for equipment and training.

Schuylkill County commissioners recently approved a Homeland Security grant agreement for the South Central Task Force.

The money will be used for planning, training, preparedness and response to acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events, said county Emergency Management Agency Director John Blickley.

Besides Schuylkill, the task force includes Dauphin, Cumberland, York, Lancaster, Lebanon and Perry counties, with York serving as the fiscal agent.

The nine-county Task Force was formed in the late 1990s under the state Counter Terrorism Planning, Preparedness and Response Act.

It includes public safety, nongovernmental, and private sector organizations and is funded by the federal government.

So, what does it do in emergencies? It provides mass notification and wireless alerts, and shares law enforcement information and a decision support platform across the member counties.

The Task Force also plans, coordinates and delivers training programs and full-scale exercises.

Its responsibilities include responses to fire, incident/emergency management, search and rescue, response to hazardous materials, and criminal justice/law enforcement duties, including school safety.