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FEMA has announced the selectees for the 2016–2018 Youth Preparedness Council. Created in 2012, the council brings together youth leaders from across the country who are interested in advocating on behalf of preparedness and making a difference in their communities by completing preparedness projects. The council supports FEMA’s commitment to involve youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides an avenue to engage youth by taking into account their perspectives, feedback and opinions. Council members meet with FEMA staff throughout their term to provide input on strategies, initiatives and projects.
FEMA selected the ten new members of the council based on their dedication to public service, community involvement and potential to expand their impact as national advocates for youth preparedness.
The members selected in 2016 are:
• Kristen Lavoie (FEMA Region I, New Hampshire)
• Ahjeetha Shankar (FEMA Region I, Connecticut)
• Aahna Ghosh (FEMA Region II, New Jersey)
• Sam Kleinberg (FEMA Region II, New Jersey)
• David Bedard (FEMA Region III, Virginia)
• Preston Buszka (FEMA Region V, Michigan)
• Chandler Villa (FEMA Region VI, Texas)
• James Hirsch (FEMA Region VII, Missouri)
• Jerome Dinakar (FEMA Region VIII, Colorado)
• Alexander Sun (FEMA Region VIII, Utah)
The returning council members are:
• Kiahna Lee Espia, Council Co-Chairperson (FEMA Region IX, Guam)
• Divakar Saini, Council Co-Chairperson (FEMA Region IX, California)
• Angelo DeGraff (FEMA Region III, Maryland)
• Hailey Starr (FEMA Region X, Washington)
• Megan Stutzman (FEMA Region X, Oregon)
Each council member will participate in the Youth Preparedness Council Summit, July 19–20, 2016, in Washington, D.C. The summit gives members the opportunity to share their ideas and questions with national organizations; plan their legacy project; and meet with FEMA community preparedness staff, who serve as their ongoing support and mentors. To learn more about the FEMA Youth Preparedness Council, please visit: http://www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness-council.
In a Presidential Proclamation, President Obama designated this week as National Hurricane Preparedness Week, and called upon government agencies, private organizations, schools, media, and residents in the areas of our nation vulnerable to hurricanes to share information about preparedness and response to help save lives and protect their communities. Click here to read the full Presidential Proclamation.
The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1. Hurricanes
not only affect coastal communities, but also can have significant
impacts hundreds of miles inland. It only takes one to change your life
and your community. Protecting yourself today means having sources for information, preparing your home and workplace, developing an emergency communication plan, and knowing what to do when a hurricane is approaching your community. Visit ready.gov/prepare for resources on developing a family emergency communication plan and download the FEMA app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips.
National Building Safety Month continues this week with the theme of “Learn from the Past, Build for Tomorrow.” FEMA promotes various programs, such as Great ShakeOut, America's PrepareAthon!, and QuakeSmart, to help the nation practice and prepare for disaster.
Great ShakeOut earthquake drills are an annual opportunity for individuals and organizations to practice what to do during an earthquake. America’s PrepareAthon! is a grassroots campaign for action to increase community preparedness and resilience. QuakeSmart is a FEMA National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program initiative to help businesses implement mitigation efforts. The QuakeSmart toolkit is available online.
To read more about public and private sector efforts to increase community resilience through building codes and standards, visit whitehouse.gov
FEMA’s
Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC) hosted a quarterly
meeting of the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and
Individuals with Disabilities (ICC) on April 14, 2016.
Established in 2005
under Executive Order 13347, the ICC coordinates the efforts of 25 Agencies and
Departments in the area of disability-inclusive emergency preparedness. Priorities of the ICC include: educating stakeholders on grant funding to support
people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs in
connection with all phases of emergency management; sharing information about interagency
participation in national exercises; and offering technical assistance in
international disasters in collaboration with the U.S. Agency for International Development.
At this quarterly meeting, Alex Amparo, FEMA’s Acting
Assistant Administrator, Field Operations Directorate, provided an agency
update. He emphasized FEMA’s progress
under its strategic plan in becoming a disaster survivor-centric and expeditionary organization,
capable of responding to a catastrophic disaster, and focused on
disaster risk reduction. Mr. Amparo also
highlighted the implementation of the National Disaster Recovery Framework.
Attendees at the April meeting also heard presentations on:
• The ICC's 2010-2013 Report to the President, a reporting requirement under Executive Order 13347.
• The ODIC
cadre’s current deployments to disasters in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
• Inclusive emergency response efforts in Mississippi, in
particular providing effective communication and program access at
Disaster Recovery Centers.
• The water emergency
in Flint, Michigan, and the need
to identify and overcome barriers to access.
Comment Period for Public Assistance Required Minimum Standards Closes May 23
FEMA posted draft replacement language for the Public Assistance
Program and Policy Guide on Public Assistance Program Minimum Standards
to the Federal Register for public comment. When using Public Assistance
funds to repair, replace or construct buildings located in hazard-prone
areas, applicants would use, at a minimum, the hazard-resistant
standards reflected or referenced in the International Building Code
(IBC).
Costs
associated with meeting these standards would be eligible. The minimum
standards will be used for all buildings in tornado, wind, seismic, and
flood-prone areas identified in the IBC, regardless of the type of
incident that caused the damage. As FEMA works to implement the new
standard for its Public Assistance program, it is requesting input on
the draft language from the public and emergency management community.
The draft language is posted to the Federal Register, and will be available for comment until May 23, 2016.
Federal Mitigation Investment Strategy National Engagement Period Ends June 7
On May 10,
the federal government launched a 30-day, national engagement period to
receive stakeholder input on designing and implementing a new Federal
Mitigation Investment Strategy (FMIS). The purpose of FMIS is to
identify, prioritize and guide federal investments in disaster
resilience and hazard mitigation-related activities, and to make
recommendations to the President and Congress on how the nation should
prioritize future disaster resilience investments. The national
engagement period will conclude June 7, 2016 at 5:00 pm EDT.
In
response to Hurricane Sandy, the federal government found that no
coordinated federal investment strategy exists for resilience and
mitigation. FMIS provides an opportunity to be more intentional about
setting resilience and mitigation investment priorities. It will
increase the ability of federal departments and agencies to plan and
justify budgets and resources. Learn more about the FMIS effort, the MitFLG and the National Mitigation Framework by visiting http://www.fema.gov/national-mitigation-framework/. To provide input and influence FMIS design and implementation, submit the FMIS Stakeholder Input Template to FEMA-FMIS@fema.dhs.gov by June 7, 2016.
Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Application Information
FEMA announced the Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for the FY 2016 Pre-Disaster Mitigation and Flood Mitigation Assistance
grant programs. 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. The NOFO for each program is posted on Grants.gov and contains the key program priorities and application requirements. Applications are due by 3:00 p.m. EDT on June 15, 2016.
FEMA Tribal Consultation Period on Hazard Mitigation Planning Continues Until July 8
FEMA is updating
its policy that guides how Agency officials interpret regulatory
requirements in their review and approval of tribal mitigation plans.
FEMA is seeking feedback from tribal
governments regarding this updated policy, “Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide.” Tribal officials’ suggestions and comments will inform
further development of the Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide.
Tribal officials can submit comments on the Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide: Key Concepts document until July 8, 2016, either by e-mail to tribalconsultation@fema.dhs.gov
or by mail to ATTN: Tyler Corson-Rikert, Federal Insurance and
Mitigation Administration (FIMA), DHS/FEMA, 400 C Street SW, Suite 313,
Washington, DC 20472-3020. Visit FEMA’s Tribal Affairs web page for more information on the tribal consultation period for this policy.
Integrated Emergency Management Course Simulates Emergency Operation Centers
EMI is offering its Integrated
Emergency Management Course (IEMC),
which provides both lecture and
exercise-based training focused on response and recovery operations. This four-and-a-half-day training
simulated realistic, crisis situations that Emergency Operation Center personnel may encounter during disasters. IEMC
courses help increase the skills of participating officials and provide
a forum to evaluate the effectiveness of their specific emergency
policies, plans and procedures that protect life and property.
Classes are either delivered in the field or held at EMI's Emmitsburg, Maryland, campus. Questions should be directed to FEMA-EMI-IEMB@fema.dhs.gov.
If your jurisdiction is interested in applying for the program, and
obtaining information on the application process and its timeline,
please visit the EMI website.
National Emergency Management Advanced Academy Applications
EMI is accepting applications for the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy (NEMAA). This program consists of four resident courses and addresses program management and oversight, effective communication, integrated collaboration, and strategic thinking skills. The target audience is mid-level managers who have a minimum of three years of experience in an emergency management position to include government, non-profit, voluntary organization, and private sector leaders who are responsible for emergency management or homeland security. The application deadline is May 31, 2016.
Master Exercise Practitioner Program Application Period Opens
The Master Exercise Practitioner Program
(MEPP) application period is open until July 1, 2016. All classes are held at EMI in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Participants in the program are assigned to an exercise
planning team where they are challenged to: demonstrate their expertise
at all levels of exercise design and conduct; apply best practices and
lessons learned from their organizations and experience; and use the
concepts from the MEPP curriculum for their exercise planning team
assignments. Contact fema-emi-iemb@fema.dhs.gov for more information.
For additional information, visit EMI's Emergency Management Training, Virtual Tabletop Exercises and Course Schedule.
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