Council authorizes EMA director to apply for local and state cybersecurity grants

The Richmond City Council unanimously authorized the EMA director to apply for local and state cybersecurity grant programs intended to strengthen network and communications systems at the municipal DPW/EMA facility.

The EMA director (speaker 3) described the grant as a continuation of prior work to migrate services from a .com to a .gov domain and to secure the building's internet and phone infrastructure. The director said the project would upgrade internet connectivity, replace standard landline phones with voice‑over‑IP, reduce on‑site phone lines, and enable the EMA trailer to operate with the same secure connectivity when deployed. In the transcript the EMA director summarized the work as an effort "to upgrade the Internet and phones" and to make systems "a little more secure."

Councilors asked about local matching requirements. Unidentified Speaker 4 confirmed the grant is fully funded with "no match required." Following that clarification, the council approved the motion to authorize the EMA director to pursue the applications in a roll‑call vote.

The motion authorizes staff to apply for funding but does not commit local matching funds or approve contracts for equipment procurement; further procurement or implementation steps would require separate council action.