WASHINGTON — Honolulu may get a share of $765 million in federal grants slated for "high-threat urban areas" by the Homeland Security Department.

The city and a 10-mile-wide buffer zone around it were among 95 cities with populations of 100,000 or more deemed eligible to apply for grants this year. The formula for selection is designed to build greater regional capabilities across a geographic area.

City spokesman Bill Brennan said Honolulu will submit a grant application in March, seeking money to beef up the capabilities of the city's emergency services, police and firefighters, ambulance service and paramedics.

"Included in these homeland-security grants is not only terrorism response but funding to protect our city from pandemic influenza, hurricanes and other natural disasters such as tsunamis," Brennan said.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said yesterday that the agency is investing the money in communities facing the greatest risk and demonstrating the greatest need.

"Our nation's preparedness and the support of our emergency responders on the front lines of the war against terrorism must be a shared effort," Chertoff said. "We continue to champion funding on the basis of risk and need."

The agency will use a number of factors to decide who gets the grants, including population density, vulnerability and proximity to national borders.

Learn more: Department of Homeland Security www.dhs.gov/dhspublic

Reach Dennis Camire at dcamire@gns.gannett.com.