The National
Preparedness Goal (the Goal) sets the vision for preparedness nationwide and
identifies the core capabilities necessary to achieve that vision across the
five mission areas: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery.
The first edition of the National Preparedness Goal, released in 2011, sets the
vision for preparedness, “a secure and resilient Nation with the capabilities
required across the whole community to prevent, protect against, mitigate,
respond to, and recover from the threats and hazards that pose the greatest
risk,” and identifies the core capabilities necessary to achieve the Goal.
Building on the work
from the past several years, FEMA is coordinating the refresh of the first
edition of the National Preparedness Goal. This refresh of the Goal focuses on
discrete, critical content revisions. The lessons learned from implementing the
Goal and recent events, as well as the findings of the National Preparedness
Report will help to inform the refresh of the Goal. Additionally, the content
of the National Preparedness Goal will be examined to identify potential edits
necessary to ensure alignment with recently released directives and policy
(e.g., PPD-21,
PPD-25, Executive Order
13636–Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity).
FEMA requests feedback
on the first edition of the National Preparedness Goal. The comment period
closes Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. EDT. Please visit www.fema.gov/ppd8 to review proposed updates
to the Goal, and download the feedback matrix. All comments should be submitted
via email to PPD8-Engagement@fema.dhs.gov using the
provided matrix.
The National
Preparedness Goal Proposed Changes (in the order in which they appear in the
document) are:
• Screening, Search, and
Detection (Prevention and Protection) – definition updated.
• Access Control and
Identify Verification (Protection) – definition updated.
• Physical Protective
Measures (Protection) – definition updated.
• Risk Management for
Protection Programs and Activities (Protection) – definition updated.
• Environmental
Response/Health and Safety – definition updated.
• Fire Management and
Suppression (Response) – new core capability.
• On-scene Security and
Protection (Response) – retitled as On-scene Security, Protection and Law
Enforcement.
• Public and Private
Services and Resources (Response) – retitled to Logistics and Supply Chain
Management; definition updated.
• Mass Care Services
(Response) – definition updated.
• Public Health and Medical
Services (Response) – retitled to Public Health, Healthcare, and Emergency
Medical Services; definition updated.
• Health and Social
Services (Recovery) – definition updated.
In the coming months,
the National Planning Frameworks and Federal Interagency Operational Plans will
also be refreshed to reflect the changes to the National Preparedness Goal. The
refresh of the Goal is scheduled to be finalized by June 2015.
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate announced the release of the FY 2015 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the
Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program. The FY 2015 EMPG Program
provides over $350 million to assist state, local, tribal, and
territorial governments in preparing for all hazards, as authorized by the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.
Delivering core capabilities requires the combined effort of the whole
community, rather than the exclusive effort of any single organization or level
of government. The FY 2015 EMPG Program supports efforts to build and
sustain core capabilities across the prevention, protection, mitigation,
response, and recovery mission areas.
Under the Stafford Act, FEMA is authorized to make grants to
bolster emergency preparedness for the protection of life and property in the
United States. The Federal government, through the EMPG Program, provides
necessary direction, coordination, guidance, and assistance so that a
comprehensive emergency preparedness system exists for all hazards and for all
levels of government.
The notice of funding opportunity can be found at www.grants.gov.
EMPG applications are due no later than April 24, 2015. Final submissions
must be made through the Non-Disaster (ND) 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.
FEMA's Emergency Management Institute
(EMI) is preparing for the 2015 National Training and Exercise (NT&E)
Symposium. The symposium, which takes place May 19-21, 2015, at EMI in
Emmitsburg, Maryland, provides federal, state, tribal, and territorial training and
exercise officials the opportunity to discuss current and future training and
exercise programs and to share case studies, lessons-learned, and smart
practices. Applications for registration must be received by April
7, 2015.
The
symposium also provides a platform to communicate changes to current
capabilities and to introduce new FEMA policy and doctrine. Each year at
the NT&E Symposium, presenters discuss current and future training and
exercise programs and initiatives which impact the federal, state, local,
tribal, territorial, and non-government sectors. The symposium provides
an instructional, participatory environment for emergency management training
and exercise officials to engage their peers from across the country, as well
as interact with FEMA leadership.
This
year, the presentations include an overview of The National Center for Campus
Public Safety and a separate panel discussion on school safety initiatives. Influenced
by the risk-driven, capabilities-based approach, these initiatives use information
and understanding of risks to build and sustain preparedness. When communities
understand the risks that are unique to them, they are better able to do identify
new ways to lessen the effects of threats and hazards.
In
response to findings in the 2014 National Preparedness Report, there will be a
presentation on using EMI's new state and local recovery courses to address
capability gaps in long-term recovery. There is a separate curriculum available for tribes. Addressing another national capability
gap, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Cyber Exercise and
Planning Program will present “Cyber Exercises 101,” explaining why and how to
plan, conduct, and evaluate cyber security exercises.
In
addition, the Symposium will highlight enhancements in EMI’s training delivery
approach, including changes to the Emergency Management Professional Program,
and a briefing on EMI’s Virtual Tabletop Exercise Series Program.
Animals
impact public health and safety during disasters. Animal issues are relevant to
all five mission areas of the National Preparedness Goal. The Department of
Agriculture’s presentation “Animals in Disaster” will provide strategies,
practices, and tools to address capability gaps in animal emergency management.
In
addition to the array of presentations, EMI will also be offering five pre-symposium courses. These
one-day courses will be taught by the members of the National Domestic
Preparedness Consortium (NDPC) and the Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium
(RDPC).
For
more information about the NT&E Symposium, visit www.training.fema.gov/nte or contact the EMI National Training Liaison
Dan Lubman at 301-447-1364 or daniel.lubman@fema.dhs.gov.
In early March 2015, FEMA announced the release of the State Mitigation Plan Review Guide (“Guide”). Starting March 6, 2016, the Guide will be FEMA’s official policy on the natural hazard mitigation planning requirements at Title 44 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 201, and FEMA’s interpretation of federal regulations for state hazard mitigation plans, inclusive of the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. The Guide is available from the FEMA library.
State, local, and tribal governments engage in the mitigation planning process to identify risks and vulnerabilities associated with natural disasters and establish a long-term strategy for protecting people and property in future hazards events. State mitigation plans are one of the conditions of eligibility for certain FEMA assistance, such as Public Assistance Categories C-G and Hazard Mitigation Assistance mitigation project grants. States are required to update the state mitigation plan every five years.
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Dr. Kathryn Sullivan will give remarks at the "Weather-Ready Nation & America's PrepareAthon!: Whole Community Approach to Building National Resilience" webinar on April 1, 2015 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. Webinar topics include how to promote seasonal safety campaigns and how to participate in America's PrepareAthon!.
Those interested in participating in the webinar can register online. For more information about America's PrepareAthon!, visit www.ready.gov/prepare.
FEMA’s Building Science Branch presents the
recently updated FEMA P-361, "Safe Rooms for Tornadoes and Hurricanes:
Guidance for Community and Residential Safe Rooms." The
publication will also be featured at this year’s National Hurricane Conference
held March 30 – April 2, 2015 in Austin, Texas. Among other activities at the conference,
FEMA will promote the use of safe rooms through a workshop discussing the
updates to the new publication.
FEMA
P-361 provides the most current, up-to-date guidance on constructing a safe
room that provides near-absolute protection from the deadly winds and windborne
debris associated with extreme-wind events for its occupants. The information presented
in FEMA P-361 is the culmination of many years of post-disaster investigations
into the performance of safe rooms and storm shelters during tornadoes and
hurricanes.
FEMA
grant programs have provided approximately $985 million in federal funds
towards the design and construction of nearly 25,000 residential and 2,000
community safe rooms in 25
states, tribes, and territories. This investment aligns with FEMA’s strategic
goal to support disaster resilience and the ability of our local communities to
withstand and recover rapidly from disasters. All safe rooms constructed
with FEMA grant funds must adhere to the FEMA recommended criteria described in
FEMA P-361 and the requirements as described in the most current edition of FEMA’s
Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Unified Guidance. To review or download the
most current HMA Unified Guidance, visit www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-assistance.
FEMA’s Building Science Branch develops guidance that
supports communities in becoming safer by reducing loss of life and property
and becoming more disaster-resilient. For more information, visit www.fema.gov/building-science.
As part of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability
Act (HFIAA) and Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (BW-12), FEMA continues to take important steps to implement changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as called upon by the 2012 and 2014 flood insurance reform legislation. These reforms slow some flood insurance rate increases and offers relief to
some policyholders who experienced steep flood insurance premium increases in
2013 and early 2014.
In
October of 2014, the NFIP’s flood insurance rate structure and business
practices were further revised to implement certain
provisions of the new reforms and take effect for new business and renewals
beginning on and after April 1, 2015.
Through the NFIP, FEMA provides the opportunity for homeowners,
renters, and business to purchase flood insurance for financial protection from
flooding. FEMA also works with communities to update and develop flood maps to
inform the community of their current flood risk. These actions allow community
members to take important steps to prepare for flooding risk in their area.
For detailed
information on program changes please see the April
1, 2015 Program Changes Fact Sheet or visit www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program/flood-insurance-reform.
FEMA recently posted three
Office of Response and Recovery Senior Executive Service opportunities on USAJobs: Director, National Disaster Recovery Planning, Office of Federal Disaster Coordination; Assistant Administrator, Response Directorate; Deputy Assistant Administrator, Recovery Directorate. To review the posting and complete an application, please visit www.usajobs.gov. The deadline to apply is April 24, 2015.
FEMA Deputy Administrator for Protection and National
Preparedness Tim Manning co-led the United States delegation to the third United
Nations (UN) World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.
The FEMA delegation also included Office of Federal Disaster
Coordination Director, Jonathan Hoyes; Office of Disability Integration and
Coordination Director, Marcie Roth; and Office of Policy and Program Analysis International
Relations Specialist, Kimberly Hayward.
The conference brought together heads of state, government officials,
non-governmental experts, and other specialists from around the world to discuss
a shared commitment to disaster risk reduction and its impact on people
affected by natural disasters.
With agreement, the participants of the conference established
the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. The world conference
incorporated explicit actions toward a disability-inclusive disaster risk
reduction framework and its implementation, organized in alignment with the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities for Social Policy and Development in
collaboration with global partners.
Members of the delegation spoke at several events throughout the conference,
including the World Meteorological Event on Multi-hazard Early Warning Systems,
the R3ADY Asia-Pacific Event, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and
Development event, a public forum sponsored by the UN Department of Economic
and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) called “Taking Action Toward
a Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DiDRR) Framework and Its
Implementation”, and a U.S. led workshop on disaster risk management
activities in the United States.
Deputy Administrator Manning also conducted official bilateral meetings
with the heads of delegations from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and Norway,
as well as side bar meetings with heads of delegation from Slovenia, Indonesia,
the United Kingdom, Sweden, Mexico, and Chinese Taipei to discuss disaster risk
reduction opportunities, successes and challenges.
Marcie Roth spoke at several events throughout the conference,
including the Disability Stakeholder Meeting, a working session on “Proactive
Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction
for All,” and the UN-DESA public forum on the DiDRR framework.
The Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants
are part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and support projects
that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and related
hazards. The FY 2014 Fire Prevention &
Safety (FP&S) application period is open until April 17, 2015 at 5 p.m. EDT.
The application period for the 2015
Individual and Community Preparedness Awards is open until April 10, 2015. The awards highlight innovative local practices and achievements by
recognizing individuals and organizations that have made outstanding
contributions toward making their communities safer, stronger, better prepared,
and more resilient.
To be considered for this year’s awards, all submissions must be received by
April 10, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. EDT and must feature program activities taking
place between January 1, 2014, and April 10, 2015. Applications should be
submitted to citizencorps@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMA and federal
partners are providing a series of listening sessions on the implementation guidelines of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS).
These sessions provide the opportunity to learn more about the Standard, ask
questions, and provide feedback on how federal agencies implement the Standard. Upcoming sessions will be held in Dallas, Texas; with additional sessions to be announced soon. Listening
session dates and locations are available online.
Due to
space constraints of the facilities, seating may be limited. To reserve a
seat in advance, please provide a request via email at least three days in
advance with the contact information of the participant (including name,
mailing address, and e-mail address), and the meeting to be attended to FEMA-FFRMS@fema.dhs.gov and include the
subject/attention line: Reservation Request for FFRMS. For
anyone attending the meetings who is hearing or visually impaired, or who
requires special assistance or accommodations, please also contact FEMA-FFRMS@fema.dhs.gov.
The deadline to comment on the
draft version of Implementing Guidelines has been extended until May 6,
2015. Questions and comments may be submitted to FEMA-FFRMS@fema.dhs.gov.
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