September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), serving as a reminder that we all should take action to prepare,
now and throughout the year for the types of emergencies that could affect us
where we live, work, and also where we visit.
This year's theme is
“Don’t Wait, Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today," with an
emphasis on preparedness for youth, older adults, and people with disabilities
and others with access and functional needs. For more information, including a
social media toolkit, visit www.ready.gov/september.
Congressional Support for National Preparedness Month
FEMA appreciates the support of the Members of Congress who are serving as 2016 co-sponsors for National Preparedness Month. Throughout September, the FEMA Bulletin will feature statements from these members.
“As a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I am pleased to serve as a congressional co-chair for National Preparedness Month and join FEMA in promoting a national effort to ensure that every American family is prepared for a natural disaster or other tragic weather events. While government plays an important role in this process, we all can make a difference in preparing for emergencies, and there is no substitute for individual preparation and awareness. I urge my fellow Ohioans and all Americans to join us in this effort and to keep their families safe and sound though effective planning and preparation.”
Senator Rob Portman, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
“Emergency preparedness saves lives, reduces injuries, and minimizes infrastructure damage. September marks National Preparedness Month, a reminder that we must all take action to prepare for natural disasters, like earthquakes, wildfires, and hurricanes that can wreak havoc on our communities. No community is immune to natural disasters and these disasters can often occur with very little to no warning. It is critical that communities come together to develop a strategy to better protect and prepare for emergencies. During this month, I encourage everyone to take the time to learn what you can do now to help protect yourself and your loved ones in case a natural disaster ever strikes your community.”
Representative Peter A. DeFazio, Ranking Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
“I am pleased to join with FEMA to promote individual and community preparedness for the 2016 National Preparedness Month. I invite all Americans to join with their neighbors to ensure everyone has a family emergency communications plan, take steps to prepare for a disaster today and register local preparedness events at www.ready.gov/prepare. The nature of disasters and our awareness of preparedness have changed significantly since the tragic events of September 11. We can honor those who were lost on that day 15 years ago by ensuring that we are better prepared to handle any number of disasters. Regardless of the size of the disaster or emergency, preparedness can help reduce the impacts. I hope citizens from North Dakota and across this great country join us in recognizing National Preparedness Month.”
Senator John Hoeven, Chairman, Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Homeland Security
“Disaster
can strike at a moment’s notice, which is why it is so critical that
communities across the country are prepared in the event of an emergency. We
have seen the devastation caused by natural and man-made disasters that leave
families and businesses struggling to recover years later. We must play an
active role in emergency planning to mitigate the effects of the next disaster
at every level, including state and local governments, homeowners, and
businesses. In Congress, I am working with my colleagues to ensure we provide
the support needed to help our constituents financially prepare for disaster.
Through our work on the Financial Services Committee, we are preparing to
reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which offers flood insurance to homeowners, renters, and
business owners. As Ranking Member, I am committed to ensuring a strong
and sustainable NFIP that provides affordable protection against flood risk.”
Representative Maxine Waters, Ranking Member, Committee
on Financial Services
The Department of Homeland
Security’s Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, a Center of
the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and FEMA’s
Individual and Community Preparedness Division invites
you to a webinar on Thursday, September 8 from 2-3 p.m. EDT that
will feature information on disaster preparedness resources available for a
successful National Preparedness Month and brief presentations on the FEMA
Non-Profit Security Grant and Building Resilience with Diverse Communities.
How to Join the Webinar:
• Register for the
event using the Adobe
Connect.
• Be sure to test your
Adobe Connect connection prior to the meeting.
• This webinar will offer
closed captioning.
FEMA, in coordination with
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a mandatory nationwide
test of the Emergency
Alert System (EAS) on Wednesday, September 28, at 2:20 p.m. EDT to verify
the delivery and broadcast, and assess the readiness for distribution of the
national level test message.
The EAS test is made
available to radio, television, cable, and direct broadcast satellite systems
and is scheduled to last approximately one minute. The message of the test will
be similar to the regular monthly test message of EAS, normally heard and seen
by the public: “This is a national test
of the Emergency Alert System. This is only a test.”
Significant coordination
and regional testing has been conducted with the broadcast community and
emergency managers in coordination and preparation for this EAS national test.
The test is intended to ensure public safety officials have the methods and
systems that will deliver urgent alerts and warnings to the public in times of
an emergency or disaster. Periodic testing of public alert and warning systems
is also a way to assess the operational readiness of the infrastructure
required for the distribution of a national message and determine what
technological improvements need to be addressed.
Receiving preparedness
tips and timely information about weather conditions or other emergency events
can make all the difference in knowing when to take action to be safe. FEMA and
partners are working to ensure you can receive alerts and warnings quickly
through several different technologies no matter where you are–at home, at
school, at work, or in the community. The FEMA App, which can be downloaded on
both Android and Apple devices, is one way to ensure you receive both
preparedness tips and weather alerts of your choice. Download the FEMA App today.
More information on the
Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and Wireless Emergency
Alerts (WEA) is available at www.ready.gov/alerts.
Graduates of the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy
FEMA congratulates 19
students who graduated from the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy
on August 26, 2016, at Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Graduates
represented emergency management professionals from across the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth of
Virginia is the first state/commonwealth to host the Advanced Academy program
at their “home” location. This allows the host to select the audience
consisting of students with at least three years of experience in an emergency
management position from across various jurisdictions, agencies and offices.
Until now, the Advanced Academy program was solely delivered by the Emergency
Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This Virginia-based delivery
demonstrates the opportunity and flexibility other states, commonwealths,
tribes and territories have at their disposal to deliver the Advanced Academy
program at their site.
FEMA’s National Emergency
Management Advanced Academy is designed for mid-level managers seeking to
advance their skills through strategic level training and education. The
training provided is essential for emergency management professionals to
effectively design and lead cutting-edge programs. Students learn skills
critical to performing mid-manager responsibilities such as program management
and oversight, effective communication, integrated collaboration, and strategic
thinking. The Advanced Academy provides students the opportunity to demonstrate
their critical thinking ability through a guided research project.
Congratulations graduates!
Interested emergency management professionals should visit www.training.fema.gov/empp for more
information about which academy best suits their needs.
FEMA’s Emergency
Management Institute is offering the Advanced
Public Information Officer (PIO) course November 28 – December 2, 2016. The course,
held at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland,
provides participants with the skills to establish, manage, and work in a joint
information center (JIC).
Students will practice
developing strategic messaging in support of incident action plans and manage a
JIC. Individuals who took the course prior to 2011 are eligible to retake the
training, as much has changed in this course during the past two years.
The PIO training program
is enhanced by its partnerships with states teaching basic courses
that prepare new PIOs for handling daily challenges of safeguarding and
informing their communities during emergencies.
The Advanced PIO course improves
skills of the participants through interactive lectures from subject
matter experts and functional exercises, including strategic communications and
incident action planning as it relates to JIC operations.
The application deadline
is: October 14, 2016. If interested, contact Phil Politano,
Training Specialist - Course Manager, at Philip.Politano.fema.dhs.gov or (301)
447-1343. For information on prerequisites and course schedules, go to http://training.fema.gov/programs/pio/.
Higher Education Webinar in Emergency Management Education
FEMA’s Emergency
Management Institute Higher Education Program is hosting a webinar, "The
Role of Research in Emergency Management Education: Current Status and Future
Directions," September 28, 2016 from 3 - 4 p.m. EDT. The webinar
highlights research issues in emergency management higher education programs.
Presenters include:
• Deborah J. Persell, Ph.D.,
RN, APN, Director, Regional Center for Disaster Preparedness Education College
of Nursing and Health Professions Arkansas State University
• Jessica Jensen, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Management Co-Director, Center for
Emergency Management Education and Research, North Dakota State University
Register using the event
registration link. Contact Wendy Walsh at wendy.walsh@fema.dhs.gov for
more information.
Seeking Public Comments for Federal Flood Risk Management Guide
FEMA is
seeking comments from all stakeholders regarding the Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking and supplementary Policy 078-3,
“Guidance for Implementing the Federal Flood Risk Management
Standard (FFRMS).” The proposed rule would amend the definition of a
floodplain, incorporate various approaches to establish a higher vertical
elevation, and expand corresponding horizontal floodplain for FEMA federally
funded projects. Where possible, it would direct natural systems,
ecosystem processes, and nature-based approaches to be used when developing
alternatives to locating Federal actions in the floodplain.
When FEMA federally funded
projects involve more than one federal agency, FEMA would use the Unified
Federal Review (UFR) to
coordinate application of the FFRMS to those projects. The UFR Process also
recognizes the important role of federal agencies, localities, states, tribes,
and the general public in environmental and historic preservation reviews.
The major provisions of
this rule would affect FEMA-funded new construction and substantial repair
projects for individuals and communities, including some projects done in
the aftermath of a disaster for state, local, tribal governments, private
non-profits, and stakeholders. However, this rule does not directly
affect the availability or price of flood insurance.
Comments may be submitted
through October 21, 2016 using one of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking
Portal: www.regulations.gov. Search
for the notice in Docket ID
FEMA-2015-0006. When submitting comments, indicate the section and reasoning
for each comment.
• Mail/Hand
Delivery/Courier: Regulatory
Affairs Division, Office of Chief Counsel, Federal Emergency Management Agency,
8NE-1604, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472-3100
• Viewing
comments and documents: For access to the docket to read
background documents or comments received, go to the Federal e-Rulemaking
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
• Background documents and
submitted comments may also be inspected at the Office of Chief Counsel,
Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., 8NE, Washington, DC
20472-3100.
All submissions will be
posted to the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov and will
include any personal information provided. Individuals who submit comments
should read the Privacy
Act.
FEMA Begins Tribal Consultation to Update Tribal Policy
FEMA is updating its
Tribal Policy that guides how the agency implements a framework for
nation-to-nation relations with federally recognized tribal governments,
recognizing tribal sovereignty, self-governance, and our trust responsibility
consistent with applicable authorities. This updated policy will supersede the current
FEMA
Tribal Policy, issued in 2013, which expires on December 30, 2016. The goal
is to update the policy to reflect current authorities, address key policy
questions, and improve the Agency’s nation-to-nation relationship with tribal
governments to ensure we work together to build, sustain, and improve every
tribal governments’ capacity to prepare for, protect against, respond to,
recover from, and mitigate against all hazards.
This consultation period
will facilitate tribal leaders’ or their designee’s feedback during the policy
update process. FEMA will engage officials through face-to-face meetings, national
and regional association conferences, conference calls, and webinars to seek
input on questions highlighted in the FEMA
Tribal Policy: Key Concepts document. Tribal officials’
suggestions and comments will inform further development and refinement of
FEMA’s Tribal Policy.
Tribal officials can
submit comments on the FEMA
Tribal Policy until October 28, 2016, through:
• E-mail to tribalconsultation@fema.dhs.gov, or
• Mail to ATTN: Margeau
Valteau, Office of External Affairs (OEA), DHS/FEMA, 500 C Street SW,
Washington, DC 20472-3605.
Visit FEMA’s Tribal
Affairs web page for more information on the tribal consultation period
for this policy and to view the Key Concepts document.
Draft Disaster Resilience Indicators Concept Deadline Extended
The deadline has been
extended until December 15, 2016, to submit inputs and feedback to the
Mitigation Federal Leadership Group (MitFLG) Disaster Resilience Indicators
Subcommittee’s “Draft
Interagency Concept for Community Resilience Indicators and National-Level
Progress Measures." Stakeholders can submit comments and feedback to FEMA-CommunityResilience@fema.dhs.gov.
In response to broad
public interest in identifying key factors of community resilience nationwide,
FEMA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and federal
partners in the MitFLG Disaster Resilience Indicators Subcommittee released the
draft white paper in June 2016. This white paper is intended to start a
broad conversation among public- and private-sector stakeholders on ways to
best define and track improvements in community resilience capacity across 28
key indicator categories.
The document is the
result of a year-long effort to identify potential indicators of community
resilience capacity building that align with the Mitigation and Recovery Core
Capabilities under the National Preparedness Goal. Learn more details
about this initiative through FEMA and NOAA partnership here.
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