Today, FEMA announced the members of the 2015-2016 National Youth Preparedness
Council (Council). Created in 2012, the Council
brings together youth leaders from across the country that are interested in
advocating on behalf of preparedness and making a difference in their
communities. The Council supports FEMA’s commitment to involving youth in
preparedness-related activities. It also provides an avenue to engage youth by
taking into account their perspectives, feedback and opinions. Council
members will meet with FEMA staff members throughout their term to provide
input on strategies, initiatives and projects.
Preparedness education empowers
youth to keep themselves and others safe in an emergency; encourages them to
share preparedness information with their families, schools and communities;
and reduces anxiety about potential disasters.
The six new members of the
Council were selected based on their dedication to public service, community
involvement and potential to expand their impact as national advocates for
youth preparedness. The members selected for new terms in 2015 are:
- FEMA Region III: Angelo DeGraff
(Maryland)
- FEMA
Region VI: Ty Zaunbrecher (Louisiana)
- FEMA
Region IX: Kiahna Lee Espia (Guam)
- FEMA
Region IX: Divakar Saini (California)
- FEMA
Region X: Hailey Starr (Washington)
- FEMA
Region X: Megan Stutzman (Oregon)
The returning Council members
are:
- Council Chairperson: Obie Jones
(FEMA Region VI, Texas)
- Vice
Chairperson: Weston Lee (FEMA Region
VIII, Utah)
- FEMA
Region I: Bridget Smith (Connecticut)
- FEMA
Region II: James Collins (New
Jersey)
- FEMA
Region III: Sahara Duncan (Pennsylvania)
- FEMA
Region IV: Matthew Mayfield (Alabama)
- FEMA
Region IV: Jonathan Salazar (Florida)
- FEMA
Region V: Isaiah Garcia (Michigan)
- FEMA
Region VII: Austin Witt (Iowa)
Each Council member will participate
in the Youth Preparedness Council Summit, where they will:
- Share
their ideas, opinions and questions about youth disaster preparedness with the
leadership of national organizations working on this critical priority;
- Determine
their legacy project; and
- Meet
with FEMA Community Preparedness staff, who will be their ongoing support
contacts and mentors.
To learn more about the FEMA Youth
Preparedness Council, please visit: http://www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness-council.
The Ready Campaign and
America's PrepareAthon! created an online toolkit that collects tips, how to's,
and images for using social media tools as a way to promote National
Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 24-30. Components of the toolkit can be used throughout
hurricane season as well.
With hurricane season starting June 1, it's important to talk to employees about their role in continuity planning. Continuity of Operations ensures
agencies can continue to perform its essential functions during an emergency
situation. FEMA's Emergency Management Institute (EMI) offers an online course, "IS-546.a Continuity of Operations Awareness Course." Although this course directly
addresses continuity requirements for federal executive branch organizations,
the course is also useful to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments.
More information about Continuity of Operations is available at www.fema.gov/continuity-operations.
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 18-24 is "Water Safe, Water Smart –
Build To Code." As families move outdoors to enjoy nice weather this spring
and summer, special steps should be taken to ensure outdoor areas are safe from
potential hazards. Swimming pools, barbecue grills, gardening tools, fertilizers, and lawn toys all pose risks to children and adults alike. More information is available in ICC's online brochures, including 10 Important Tips for Backyard Safety and Prevent Accidents,
Save Lives: Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Safety.
Find out how
organizations can participate in Building Safety Month by visiting ICC’s Building Safety Month page for more
information.
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 11:59 p.m. EDT, TODAY, 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.
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.
FEMA is hosting a series of 60-minute engagement webinars on May 20, 27, and 28 to discuss the update effort. Each 60-minute event will discuss the update of the National Planning Frameworks. All webinars are open to the whole community, which encompasses individuals (including those with disabilities and others with access and functional needs), businesses and nonprofits, faith-based and community groups, schools, and all levels of government.
Each engagement webinar will cover the same information. Advance registration is required due to space limitations. Registration is on a first come, first serve basis and can be done online. If accommodations are required to participate in these events, please provide details in the Disability Related Accommodations field on the registration page or contact PPD8-Engagement@fema.dhs.gov.
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.
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