The United State Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified a number of national priorities to strengthen the preparedness of the United States to prevent and respond to threatened or actual domestic terrorists attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies, including expanded regional collaboration. Major events have a regional impact; therefore the benefit of regionalism will be most evident at the community level, when a community, as a whole, can prepare for and provide an integrated response to an incident.
The State of Michigan has been divided into seven Homeland Security Regions. The West Michigan Regional Medical Consortium is the designated fiduciary and is responsible for management and administration of the Region 6 Homeland Security Program. The Region 6 Homeland Security Planning Board consists of voting representation from the thirteen West Central counties of Clare, Ionia, Isabella, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, and Ottawa. It also consists of voting representation from the City of Ionia (small city) and the City of Grand Rapids (large city) as well as Public Health and Bio-Terrorism. Non-Voting representation includes membership from the Citizen Corps, the State of Michigan, and the West Michigan Regional Medical Consortium.
The Region 6 Board works to achieve the following goals through its four committees with funds from the Department of Homeland Security through the State Homeland Security Program and the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program
- Maximize effectiveness and achieve collaboration in planning, training, equipment purchase, and exercises
- Effectively manage and administer State and Federal funds, guidelines, and resources.
- Promote communications and information sharing in the Region.
- Achieve collaboration in professional and volunteer response and recovery.