Last year, FEMA began to
re-evaluate aspects of its Public Assistance (PA) policy and guidance on
insurance. After consulting with internal and external stakeholders and subject
matter experts, FEMA recognized the need to develop an improved and
comprehensive policy to more effectively implement the statutes and regulations
that require PA grant Applicants to obtain and maintain insurance as a
condition of grant assistance. The resulting policy addresses insurance issues
and key policy questions that were unclear in previous policy and guidance, and
often resulted in inconsistent implementation.
The
new Public
Assistance Policy on Insurance posted to the Federal
Register on June 29, 2015. This new policy makes several changes including
clarifying key terms, the scope of insurance needed, and the difference between
flood and non-flood events. The policy also provides options to self-insure,
modify the insurance requirement with FEMA and sets standards for a State
Insurance Commissioner certification.
The policy takes effect immediately for disasters
declared on or after June 29, 2015. FEMA is developing electronic calculation
and tracking worksheets to support consistent and accurate implementation of
insurance requirements and reductions. Moving forward FEMA will work to ensure
ongoing communication with stakeholders to solicit input on key deliverables
and the implementation approach.
FEMA will offer webinars for
state and tribal partners to review the new Policy on insurance, and provide
information on implementation of the policy in the field. FEMA will announce
webinar dates and logistics in the coming weeks.
Last week, NASA heliophysicist Yari
Collado-Vega took over the FEMA Instagram
account and shared space weather photos. Her images and descriptions of solar
flares, coronal mass ejections, and sunspots were especially timely due to the
space weather currently affecting the planet. More of NASA’s photos and space
weather explanations from last week can be found by following @fema on Instagram.
Many people enjoy picnics, family, and fireworks on July
4. Fireworks are fun and beautiful, but they are also dangerous if not handled properly. In the month
of July, an average 230 people go to the emergency room each day due to
firework related accidents. Sparklers can burn at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit,
which is as hot as a blow torch. The United States Fire Administration urges everyone to stay safe this
Independence Day, and to leave the fireworks to the professionals.
Here are some safety tips for those who decide to legally
purchase and use fireworks:
- Keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby.
- Never allow young children to play with or light
fireworks.
- Don’t stand over a firework when lighting the fuse.
- Light fireworks one at a time.
- Do not try to relight a firework that isn’t working
properly.
For more information about summer
safety and fireworks, visit www.usfa.fema.gov.
FEMA announced the release of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Homeland Security National Training
Program (HSNTP) Continuing Training Grants (CTG) program with a total
$11,521,000 available for awards in four focus areas.
The HSNTP/CTG program develops and delivers innovative training programs
that are national in scope and play an important role in the implementation
of the National Preparedness System by supporting the building, sustainment,
and delivery of core capabilities essential to achieving the National
Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient nation. The FY 2015
HSNTP/CTG program focuses on the following four training areas:
Cybersecurity; Hazardous Materials; Countering Violent Extremism; and Rural
Preparedness.
This highly competitive program attracts on average 80 applicants from
state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, along with eligible
non-profit organizations to include colleges and universities. In 2014,
88 eligible organizations competed and six HSNTP/CTG awards were made.
Information on the 2014 awards can be found online.
For more information on this opportunity, and to download an application
package, visit www.grants.gov.
This NOFO can be located on the website by selecting Browse
Agencies, and then select Department of Homeland Security. In
the Basic Search Criteria, in the CFDA box, enter 97.005;
from there, select the Continuing Training Grants (CTG) Program Notice of
Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
FY 2015 HSNTP/CTG applications are due no later than August 10,
2015. Submissions must be made through www.grants.gov.
After
two years of implementation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
will continue the Public Assistance Alternative Procedures Debris Pilot for
another year starting June 28, 2015. During the last two years, FEMA used the
alternative procedures pilot to award more than $258 million in debris removal
costs across 71 disasters, which represents more than 87 percent in total
debris removal assistance FEMA has provided.
While
FEMA’s preliminary review of the data collected thus far for the Debris Pilot
indicated that several of the provisions are trending towards satisfying the
goals outlined in the law, the one-year extension will enable FEMA to continue
to collect additional data that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of
each of the alternative procedures before deciding which features to make
permanent. The disasters declared in the last two years did not yield debris removal operations of the
type needed to fully test the provisions against the goals outlined in the law.
For
example, for the two years that the pilot has been in use, the total of all
debris removal costs that FEMA documented was $296 million, this number is
significantly less than the 10 year annual average of $961 million.
The
Public Assistance Alternative Procedures Debris Pilot program for debris
removal was one of the first provisions to be implemented under the authorities
of the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act, which President Obama signed into law on
January 29, 2013. The alternative procedures were first offered during the
Oklahoma Tornadoes in May of 2013 and were then expanded to include all new
declarations on June 28, 2013.
Additional
information of the Public Assistance Alternative Procedure Debris Removal Pilot
can be found at www.fema.gov/alternative-procedures.
FEMA signed Memoranda
of Understanding with seven technology organizations on June 17 to formally launch
Tech Corps, a nationwide network of skilled technology volunteers who can help
address critical challenges experienced by state, local, tribal, and
territorial governments following a disaster. After the signing, FEMA met with Cisco
Systems, Google, Humanity Road, Information Technology Disaster Resource Center,
Intel, Joint Communications Task Force and Microsoft to begin developing a
program action plan.
Participants
were interviewed to discuss what this new program means for communities across
the country and for their organizations, including Harmony Mabrey, Manager of
Global Disaster Response Operations at Microsoft; Christine Thompson, President
of Humanity Road; Catherine Graham, Chief Operating Officer of Humanity Road;
and Kristin Buda, Tech Corps Liaison of FEMA’s national Incident Management
Assistance Team (IMAT). More about the discussion can be read on the FEMA blog.
FEMA
is currently developing a functional framework, identifying opportunities to integrate organizational volunteer capabilities, and constructing the outreach plan for the program, as they
relate to both public and private sectors. FEMA’s Chief Technology Officer
provides strategic counsel for the program, the Private Sector Division
develops strategy, policy, and program framework and three Tech Corps Liaisons focus on implementation and
operations during disasters. More
information on Tech Corps will follow and we continue to work with organizations
with existing technology volunteer programs that may be interested in becoming part of the
effort
FEMA is committed to ensuring every National
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholder who filed a claim as a result of
Hurricane Sandy receives every dollar they are due under their policy. The NFIP
established a process for Hurricane Sandy
survivors who feel they were underpaid to have their claims reviewed. Where
warranted, additional
payments will be made to those policyholders.
On
May 18, FEMA began mailing letters to approximately 142,000 NFIP policyholders
who filed claims resulting from Hurricane Sandy, offering them an opportunity
to have their files reviewed. While extensions may be granted on a case by case
basis, FEMA set a September 15, 2015 deadline for
policyholders to begin the intake process by either phoning the call center and
speaking to a claims review specialist or downloading the claims review request
form from the website and submitting it via email or by fax. In the
coming weeks, FEMA will use a number of communications channels to remind the
all 142,000 policyholders of the Fall deadline.
Establishing
this review is just one step in FEMA’s effort to improve the program. The
Sandy claims review process is intended to be simple, navigable by the
policyholder and does not require paid legal assistance. Additionally, there
are several nonprofit service providers ready to offer free advice and answer
questions policyholders may have. A list of these advocacy groups can be found
on the claims review website at
www.fema.gov/sandyclaims.
To be eligible
for the review, policyholders must have experienced flood damage between Oct.
27, 2012 and Nov. 6, 2012, as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Policyholders
can call the NFIP’s Hurricane Sandy claims center at 1-866-337-4262 or
go online to www.fema.gov/sandyclaims to download a form requesting a review. The
downloaded form may be filled out and emailed to FEMA-sandyclaimsreview@fema.dhs.gov
to start the review process.
FEMA will
request the policyholder’s claim file from their insurance company and forward
it to the NFIP review office within two business days. Files will be assigned
to a highly qualified, NFIP-certified adjuster who will serve as a caseworker
for the insured. Caseworkers will contact policyholders to guide them through
the process. The caseworker will make a recommendation after a thorough review
of the claim file and any new information provided. If the policyholder does
not agree with the recommendation, the policyholder will have the opportunity
to obtain an additional review of the file by a third party neutral. The entire
process should take less than 90 days.
For individuals
who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability using 711 or VRS,
please call 866-337-4262. For individuals using a TTY, please call
800-462-7585 to begin the review process. Before contacting the claim
center, policyholders are asked to have their flood insurance carrier name and
policy number at hand.
FEMA’s
National Continuity Program’s (NCP) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System
(IPAWS), in partnership with FEMA’s Office of Disability and Integration
Coordination (ODIC), hosted its 7th annual IPAWS/ODIC Roundtable
entitled “Organizations Improving Accessible Alerts and Warnings.” The
Roundtable, held on June 17, 2015, featured presentations and demonstrations
from the IPAWS Program Management Office (PMO), federal, and private sector
partners.
The
IPAWS PMO provided an overview of the IPAWS program and its efforts to
incorporate and adopt technologies to make alerts and warnings more accessible,
especially for those with access and functional needs. Federal and
private sector partners explored opportunities for expanded collaboration and
emerging technology to ensure that alert and warning information and
communication technology are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
David
Baquis of the Technical and Information Services Office of the U.S. Access
Board presented an overview of his organization and led an in-depth discussion
covering the proposed refresh of the Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) Standards and Guidelines. Information Communication Technology
Standards are periodically reviewed to ensure that new technologies incorporate
accessibility standards.
Edward
Czarnecki of the Digital Alert Systems Department of Monroe Electronics
demonstrated the unique capabilities of the Audio Management System that
automatically inserts Text-To-Speech emergency information into the Secondary
Audio Programming (SAP) channels of a television station to help those with
disabilities to receive emergency alerts. A tone in the main audio
channel signals viewers that an emergency audio description of an alert is
available on the SAP channel. The system was developed in response to the
Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) mandated 21st Century Communications
and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) of 2010.
The
IPAWS PMO updated the development of its symbols/icons project designed to
enhance public alerts and warnings. Alert and warning symbology is the result
of a partnership between FEMA’s IPAWS PMO, the Department of Homeland
Security’s Science and Technology and the National Alliance of Public Safety’s
Geographic Information System Foundation through an initiative to update the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) framework. The adoption of a
standardized set of symbols/icons could significantly enhance the effectiveness
of public alerts and warnings to communicate vital lifesaving information to
the whole community.
The IPAWS PMO will continue to implement
recommendations for IPAWS technology capabilities and policy needs based on
research and collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Wireless
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center and the Center for Advanced
Communications Policy. IPAWS will continue to develop and promote
standard iconography and symbology for alerts and warnings that can help to
strengthen the ability of public safety officials to incorporate symbols and
media in public alerts and warnings.
The
Emergency Management Institute’s (EMI) Virtual Table Top Exercise (VTTX)
program continues to evolve and expand to meet the demands of the emergency
management community. This new
agricultural series, developed in partnership with Louisiana State University
Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN), focuses on planning and response
needs when outbreaks of infectious disease impact livestock.
EMI conducts a monthly series of
VTTXes using a video teleconference platform to
reach community-based training audiences around the country and provide a
virtual forum for disaster training. The VTTX programs are designed for a
community-based group of at least ten or more personnel from local or state
emergency management organizations with representatives from other disciplines such
as public safety, public works, public health, health care, government,
administrative, communications, military, private sector, non-governmental, and
other whole community partners. Participants
must have an appropriate site equipped with video teleconference capability
that can access FEMA.
This
VTTX, held in June, was based on an outbreak of “glanders,” an infectious
disease that occurs primarily in horses, mules, and donkeys and also other
animals, such as dogs, cats and goats. The
bacteria that cause glanders can be transmitted to humans through contact with
body fluids or tissues of infected animals, or by inhaling dust or sprays
contaminated by infected animals. According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been no naturally
occurring cases of glanders reported in the United States since the 1940s; however,
sporadic reports of glanders do occur in other parts of the world. The high mortality rate in humans, the lack
of a vaccine, and the increased risk of exposure to infected animals through
global logistics, provides a sound platform for emergency management planning
considerations.
During
the three broadcasts, more than 250 people took part including representatives
from state departments of agriculture, state and community fair planning teams,
veterinarians and staff, state and local emergency management agencies, and
farming communities.
EMI will conduct VTTX programs between July and
September 2015 on a variety of subjects:
- July 28-30, 2015: Psychology
of Disaster: Long-term Mental Health Recovery
- August 25-27, 2015: Building
Collapse Focused
- September 1-3, 2015: Public
Health Infectious Disease (written and hosted by the CDC)
To
apply for a VTTX event, submit an email request to participate in the exercise
to Doug Kahn at douglas.kahn@fema.dhs.gov or call
301-447-7645. The deadline for applying to participate in a VTTX is four weeks
prior to the start date.
Additional
information on this VTTX can be found on the EDEN website.
Emergency Management Australia (EMA), within the Attorney-General’s
Department, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), within the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security deepened their existing relationship through a
renewed five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Cooperation on Emergency
Management 2015-2020.
The new MoU was signed on June 26 by EMA Director-General Mark Crosweller and
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate in Hawaii, during bilateral meetings on
emergency management. This re-affirmation of the relationship builds upon the success of the
2010-2015 MoU, which has served as a valuable mechanism for Australia and the
United States to share knowledge and experiences and strengthen both nations’
capacity.
This relationship is based on our shared commitment to improve the way we
prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters. Past
engagement has included a focus on preparedness through enhanced planning and
exercising for catastrophic events, strengthening community disaster
resilience, as well as improving recovery arrangements.
The new MoU will further improve existing cooperation between the Australian
and U.S. Governments in key areas including:
- crisis coordination arrangements and
capabilities across all hazards;
- policy and planning, including emerging trends
in disaster risk reduction, impact assessment, capability development,
resilience, recovery, education and community engagement;
- the administration and evaluation of national
recovery programs to deliver effective outcomes for government and the
community; and
- cooperation in multilateral fora to enhance
regional disaster management capacity.
FEMA looks forward to continuing the strong relationship between our two
nations to ensure the continuous improvement of disaster resilience across Australia
and the United States.
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is now accepting
application packages for the 2016 National Emergency Management Executive
Academy. This Academy provides a
comprehensive and cutting edge curriculum to enhance strategic leadership and
critical thinking for emergency management senior executives from all levels of
government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. Ideally, candidates will have experience as
senior executives of major emergency management organizations, served on major
commissions and task forces, or be responsible for decisions that have a
significant effect on homeland security and emergency management policies.
The four resident sessions, to be held at EMI in Emmitsburg,
Maryland will include:
- Emergency Management – A Leadership
Challenge: February 8-11, 2016
- Integrating Science into Emergency Management
Policies and Decisions: May 2-5, 2016
- Emergency Management in the 21st
Century: June 27 – July 1, 2016
- Exercising Emergency Management Executive Policy
and Decision-Making: September 12-15,
2016
Applications will be
accepted through August 15, 2015. There
are a limited number of seats and enrollment is competitive. For more information on the Executive Academy
and the application and selection process, visit www.training.fema.gov/EMPP/executive.asp.
FEMA announced $180 million
in funding available through two Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant
programs: Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM).
These two grant programs assist state, local, tribal, and territorial
governments in strengthening our nation’s ability to reduce the potential cost of natural disasters to communities
and their citizens.
Both HMA FY 2015 Funding Opportunity Announcements can be
found at www.grants.gov. Eligible applicants must apply for funding through
the Mitigation eGrants system on the FEMA Grants Portal accessible at https://portal.fema.gov. All applications must be submitted no
later than 3 p.m. EDT on August 28,
2015.
FEMA's HMA grant programs
provide states, local governments, tribes, and territories funding for eligible
mitigation activities to strengthen our nation’s ability to reduce disaster
losses and protect life and property from future disaster damages. Further
information on these grant programs is available at www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-assistance.
|