Lawrence County will soon have new mobility in case of anemergency, courtesy of a $35,000 Homeland Security grant.

Mississippi Office of Homeland Security Director J.W. Ledbettersaid in a recent release that the $35,000 grant will bring a rapidresponse vehicle with new radio equipment that allows communicationwith area and state law enforcement, among other things.

“This is what this grant money is all about. At homeland security,we want to provide Mississippi’s local … agencies with the bestand latest equipment,” said Ledbetter.

Lawrence County Civil Defense Director Robert Patterson said therapid response truck will be used by his office, and will carryemergency supplies such as chainsaws and winches to help out intimes of disaster. Although it has not yet been chosen orpurchased, officials are planning a heavy duty truck with off-roadcapabilities.

“Plus we have a mobile command trailer, and our other trucks willpull it but not safely,” Patterson said. “This one will pullit.”

The truck will be equipped with the advanced radio system capableof communication with other area officials, as well as withemergency lights commensurate with a rapid response truck.

The grant comes as a part of the state homeland security grantprogram awarded each year to the state of Mississippi, Ledbettersaid. It is a portion of $6.5 million the Mississippi Office ofHomeland Security will be handing out to state, county and localagencies and programs for equipment, planning and training. Therewas no match to the grant, he said.

Patterson said he is especially glad to have it because of theversatility of the vehicle.

“If we’re going to be on a scene for days, we can put the mobilecommand up and set up there,” he said. “It’s really for a littlebit of everything, and if I go to schools take it there, what it’sthere for is to go anywhere.”

The county is also replacing old vehicles systematically, Pattersonsaid, so the new truck will be another cog in that wheel.

“We’re replacing old ones, we’ve got some that are wore out, so wetook advantage of the grant,” he said.