Since fiscal year 2001, The Clermont County Emergency Management Agency has been the award recipient of Homeland Security Grant funding. A total of $ 1,858,639.26 has been awarded to Clermont County emergency responders over the past five years to assist them in preparing for a major event within the region. Of that amount, the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office has received a total of $372,753.46; much of which was used to equip each deputy with personal chemical and biological suits and masks to protect them while delivering valuable assistance to the community during an actual event.

In 2005, additional funding was requested and provided to the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office to purchase a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives (CBRNE) Transporter Unit. The unit is most commonly referred to as a CBRNE Response Transporter. The contract to build the CBRNE vehicle went to the Precision Fire Apparatus Company located in Camdenton, MO. The vehicle took nearly eight months to plan and assemble. It is built on a Ford F-650 chassis and has a gross vehicle weight of 29,000 pounds. It is designed to carry all necessary tools, equipment and supplies as well as transport up to 20 first responders during an actual emergency.

The CBRNE Transporter Unit is operated and maintained by the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, and can be activated for any chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear threat within the region. The vehicle is not limited to only those incidents involving terrorism; it may respond to any environmental or hazardous material incidents within the county, and is available to surrounding jurisdictions under mutual aid.