External Affairs Bulletin Week of May 11, 2015

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EXTERNAL AFFAIRS BULLETIN

Week of May 11, 2015

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In this Edition:

Important Dates & Deadlines

May 12 -- Technical Mapping Advisory Council Meeting (multiple dates)

Technical Mapping Advisory Council Public Comment Period (multiple dates)

May 14 -- Teen Community Emergency Response Team Webinar

Teen Community Emergency Response Team Webinar

May 19 -- Grant Guidance For Fiscal Year 2015 Preparedness Grants

Grant Guidance For Fiscal Year 2015 Preparedness Grants

June 3 -- National Engagement Period Feedback Submission Deadline

National Engagement Period Feedback Submission Deadline

National Planning Frameworks: National Engagement Period

The National Planning Frameworks, which are part of the National Preparedness System, set the strategy and doctrine for building, sustaining, and delivering the core capabilities identified in the National Preparedness Goal. They describe the coordinating structures and alignment of key roles and responsibilities for the whole community and are integrated to ensure interoperability across all mission areas.

 

As part of a National Engagement Period, drafts of the National Planning Frameworks containing proposed updates are posted online for review and feedback. This is a draft document and FEMA feels it is important to seek stakeholder input at this critical juncture. 

 

This update of the National Planning Frameworks focuses on discrete, critical content revisions, and confirming edits as a result of comments received on the National Preparedness Goal. Additional changes in the attached draft are the result of the lessons learned from implementing the Frameworks and recent events, as well as the findings of the National Preparedness Report.

 

To ensure all feedback is properly handled, reviewers are asked to use the provided feedback submission form to submit feedback and recommendations. Please provide any comments and recommendations, using the submission form, to PPD8-Engagement@fema.dhs.gov by June 3 at 5 p.m. ET. For more information on national preparedness efforts, please visit www.fema.gov/national-preparedness.


Building Safety Month: Bounce Back from Disasters – Build to Safe Building Codes

FEMA encourages partners to join in supporting National Building Safety Month in May, a public outreach and education campaign coordinated by the International Code Council (ICC) and their thousands of members worldwide. Building Safety Month aims to increase awareness of the need for overall safety and sustainability of buildings through the adoption of model building codes and promotion of code enforcement. The campaign includes an array of community events, safety demonstrations, and educational outreach activities which are designed to promote awareness of the need for safe and sustainable structures where people live, work, and play.


This year's theme is “Resilient Communities Start with Building Codes." Each week in May will have an individual theme. The theme for May 11-17 is "Bounce Back from Disasters – Build To Code." Find out how organizations can participate in Building Safety Month by visiting ICC’s Building Safety Month page for more information.


Shinnecock Indian Nation Flag Ceremony

The Shinnecock Indian Nation formally presented its tribal flag to the FEMA Region II Office in New York City on April 2. The ceremony represented FEMA Region II's partnership and validated FEMA's continued support of the Shinnecock Indian Nation. Regional Administrator Jerome Hatfield expressed gratitude for the significant display of solidarity and partnership to Chairman Daniel Collins, Sr., for honoring the regional office with the Shinnecock tribal flag. Ceremony participants included Shinnecock Nation trustees Bryan Polite, Lucille Bosley, Brad Smith, Drummers Weyhan Smith, and Fordell Willis, and Shinnecock Nation Emergency Manager Tracey Pace.

 

The Shinnecock Indian Nation is known as the "People of the Stony Shore." The nation is along the shores of eastern Long Island, adjacent to the town of Southampton. It is among the oldest self-governing tribes of Indians in the United States and has been a self-recognized tribe for more than 200 years. On October 1, 2010, the nation became the 565th federally recognized tribe. Today, the tribe numbers more than 1,400 tribal members, with more than half residing on tribal land.

Shinnecock Indian Nation Flag Ceremony

Remember, During Extreme Weather Cell Phones Can Save Lives

With severe spring weather and the fast approaching hurricane season that begins June 1, FEMA wants to remind the public that severe weather can happen anywhere and at any time. Being aware of severe weather conditions in the area is an essential component of knowing how to prepare for the unexpected. When severe weather occurs, imminent threat weather alerts can be sent directly to your personal cell phones and can provide the public a critical window of time to find safety.


Imminent threat weather alerts are one type of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) that are sent directly to cellular devices. The National Weather Service Forecast Offices send imminent threat weather alerts for tornadoes, flash floods, extreme wind, tsunami, hurricane, typhoon and dust storms. Local public safety officials may also send WEAs for a wide range of threats to public safety. States and counties interested in information about becoming an alerting authority can visit www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws for more information.


WEA capable cell phones use a unique tone and vibration deigned to grab attention when an imminent threat is in the area. All that is needed is a wireless device that receives the 90-character, WEA messages. WEA alerts are free and do not require individuals to register to receive them. WEAs are sent from cell towers in a warning area, and resemble text messages, but they are not the same as text messages. WEAs use one-way cell broadcast technology that ensures the alerts will not get backlogged during times of emergency when networks are highly congested. The WEA is a “heads up” that there is dangerous weather or other imminent threats in the area – local radio and TV sources can provide detailed warning information about the threat.


The availability of WEA alerts will depend on a wireless carrier’s network availability and if the handset can receive WEAs. To determine if a wireless device can receive WEA alerts contact the wireless carrier for more information or visit www.ctia.org/Wea. For a list of public safety agencies using WEA visit www.fema.gov/integrated-public-alert-warning-system-authorities. State AMBER Coordinators in coordination with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children can also send WEAs for missing children. If ever an extreme national emergency were to occur, a Presidential WEA could be sent to wireless devices.


For the public to learn more about WEA Alerts, go to the FEMA website at www.ready.gov.


REMINDER: Fourth Meeting of the Technical Mapping Advisory Council

The fourth public meeting of the Technical Mapping Advisory Council (TMAC), is scheduled for May 12 – 13, 2015, in Reston, Virginia. The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Geological Survey Headquarters Main Auditorium on May 12 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. and May 13 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. ET located at 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, Virginia, 20192.


A public comment period will be held on May 12 from 5:15 – 5:45 p.m. ET and May 13 from 3:15 – 3:45 p.m. ET for those who registered with FEMA. Those not attending and who wish to submit written comments can do so in the following ways:

- Online at the Federal eRulemaking Portal

- Email to FEMA-RULES@fema.dhs.gov and cc: FEMA-TMAC@fema.dhs.gov

- Mail to Regulatory Affairs Division, Office of Chief Counsel, FEMA, 500 C St SW, Room 8NE, Washington, DC 20472-3100.


All submissions received must include the words “Federal Emergency Management Agency” and docket number, FEMA-2014-0022. Comments received will be posted without alteration at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.


REMINDER: Teen Community Emergency Response Team Webinar

FEMA and the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students, will be hosting a webinar on May 14 from 2-3 p.m. ET regarding Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and how schools may use it to engage youth in school emergency management planning and promote student preparedness. The webinar will provide an overview of FEMA’s Teen CERT program along with examples of how schools and districts are using Teen CERT to support their emergency preparedness and response efforts. The guest speakers are Dante Randazzo, program specialist at FEMA's Individual and Community Preparedness Division, and Susan Graves, safety coordinator of Oregon's Lincoln County School District.


Participants can register for the webinar online. Closed captioning will be offered.


REMINDER: Grant Guidance for Fiscal Year 2015 Preparedness Grants

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced the release of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Notices of Funding Opportunity for DHS preparedness grant programs totaling more than $1.6 billion. The grant programs provide funding to state, local, tribal and territorial governments, as well as transportation authorities, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector, to improve the nation’s readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. The grants reflect the Department’s focus on implementation of an all-of-nation, whole-community approach to the building, sustainment, and delivery of those core capabilities essential to achieving a secure and resilient nation.


All preparedness grant applications – excluding Emergency Management Performance Grant and Fire Grant programs – are due no later than May 19, 2015.  Final submissions must be made through the Non-Disaster Grants system located at https://portal.fema.gov.


More information on the 2015 grant guidance is available online. Final submissions must be made through the Non-Disaster Grants system located at https://portal.fema.gov. Further information on DHS’s preparedness grant programs is available at www.dhs.gov and www.fema.gov/grants.