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FEMA is pleased to announce the release of the 2016 Annual
Report of the Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate (OFIA). This report is
being publicly released to further OFIA’s goal of transparency, and is
available on OFIA’s
webpage and clicking on the Annual Report.
OFIA identified six primary National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP) policyholder and property owner topics in 2016 that present
opportunities for ongoing program improvement. They include: erroneous severe repetitive loss property
designations; gaps in flood insurance agent education; the need for consistency
across FEMA regions in public mapping outreach; difficulties in accessing
Increased Cost of Compliance coverage; difficulties with multiple and
conflicting flood zone determinations; and the inability to obtain a refund of
the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 surcharge when
cancelling an NFIP policy.
The issues identified in this report are based on the
observations of OFIA through the hundreds of inquiries submitted to the office
this past year. These issues represent areas of concern that have a long-term
impact to a broad population of NFIP customers. The Federal Insurance and
Mitigation Administration’s (FIMA) program areas were provided an opportunity
to respond to these findings, and the programs’ responses are included with
this report.
OFIA is an independent office within FEMA and reports to
the FIMA Deputy Associate Administrator. The Office also has direct access to
FEMA’s Administrator. OFIA’s mission is to advocate for the fair treatment of
policyholders and property owners by providing education and guidance on all
aspects of the NFIP, identifying trends affecting the public, and making
recommendations for program improvements to FEMA leadership. Policyholders may
seek assistance from the OFIA by visiting their webpage and clicking on “Ask the Advocate”.
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) will offer a
webinar that provides an overview of the use of cases in teaching emergency
management higher education programs. The webinar, the last in a series of four
webinars on the topic of Emergency Management Teaching with Cases, will focus
on: evaluating learning and participation; examining evaluation criteria for
different types of case-based learning outcomes, evaluation methods, grading
considerations and approaches; giving and receiving feedback; and, debriefing
techniques.
The presenters are Jane Kushma, Ph.D., Professor, Department
of Emergency Management, Jacksonville State University and Jean Slick, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor, Disaster and Emergency Management Program, Royal Roads
University.
Date: March 8,
2017
Time: 3:00 p.m. –
4:30 p.m. EST
To register please click here
Emergency Management Institute
Offers Hurricane Virtual Tabletop Exercise
FEMA’s EMI Virtual Tabletop Exercise (VTTX) program will
offer sessions of a hurricane scenario on April 11, 12, and 13. The VTTX
helps communities prepare for the upcoming hurricane season using historical
events and recovery actions. The application deadline to participate in
these sessions is March 14. Content is the same each day, and
participants would attend only one session. The VTTX involves key personnel
discussing simulated scenarios in an informal setting and can be used to assess
plans, policies, training, and procedures.
The VTTX will occur 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. EST on each of
the days listed above. To participate, send an email to Doug Kahn at douglas.kahn@fema.dhs.gov or call 301-447-7645. Also, send a courtesy
copy email to the Integrated Emergency Management Branch at fema-emi-iemb@fema.dhs.gov or call 301-447-1381. Additional
information is available at https://training.fema.gov/programs/emivttx.aspx.
FEMA Seeks Applications for National Advisory Council
FEMA is requesting individuals who are interested in serving
on the FEMA National
Advisory Council (NAC) to apply to be considered for appointment.
The NAC is a federal advisory committee established to ensure effective and
ongoing coordination of federal preparedness, protection, response, recovery,
and mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made
disasters. The NAC is a geographically diverse mix of officials, emergency
managers, and emergency response providers from state, local, and tribal
governments, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations who advise
the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management.
FEMA is accepting applications for open positions in the
following discipline areas:
Elected Tribal Government Executive (one representative
appointment); Non-elected Tribal Government Official (one representative
appointment); Emergency Management Field (one representative appointment);
Emergency Response Providers, which includes fire, law enforcement, hazardous
materials response, emergency medical services, and organizations representing
emergency response providers (one representative appointment); Standards Setting
and Accrediting Organizations, which includes the voluntary consensus codes and
standards development community (one representative appointment); Individuals
with Disabilities (one representative appointment); Health Scientist (one SGE
appointment); Infrastructure Protection Expert (one SGE appointment);
Administrator Selections (up to five SGE appointments)
All appointments are for three-year terms starting in
September 2017. Applications must be received by the close of business on
March 15, 2017. Qualified individuals interested in serving on the NAC are
invited to apply for appointment. More information can be found here.
FEMA Seeks Applicants for Youth Preparedness Council
FEMA is seeking applicants for its Youth Preparedness
Council. Council members are selected based on their dedication to public
service, efforts in making a difference in their communities, and potential to
expand their impact as national advocates for preparedness. Students in 8th
through 11th grade are eligible to apply.
The Youth Preparedness Council offers an opportunity for
youth leaders to serve on a distinguished national council and participate in
the Youth Preparedness Council Summit in Washington, D.C. During their two-year
term, the leaders will complete both a local and national-level project and
share their ideas regarding youth disaster preparedness with the leadership of
FEMA and national organizations.
Youth interested in applying to the Council must submit a
completed application form, two letters of recommendation, and academic
records. Information about completing and submitting the application and
attachments can be found in the application instructions. All applications and
supporting materials must be received no later than March 31, 2017, 11:59
p.m. PST to be eligible. New members will be announced in May 2017.
To access the application materials, read about the current
members, and for more general information, visit www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness-council.
National Emergency Management Advanced Academy Application Period Begins in March
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is accepting
applications for the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy.
This program 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 Advanced Academy Program consists of four resident
courses and is five days in length. Classes begin in October, November,
or December 2017 and are ideally taken sequentially through September 2018. Applications will be accepted from March 1
– May 31, 2017, with selections in June and announcements in July.
For more information, contact fema-empp-advanced-academy@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMA Seeks Comment on Updated Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is updating
its policy that guides how Agency officials interpret regulatory requirements
in their review and approval of tribal mitigation plans. The updated Tribal
Mitigation Plan Review Guide will supersede FEMA’s current Tribal Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning Guidance
issued in 2010.
Tribal officials can submit comments on the Guide by mail
to: ATTN: National Mitigation Planning Program, Federal Insurance and
Mitigation Administration (FIMA), DHS/FEMA, 400 C Street SW, Suite 313,
Washington, DC 20472-3020
Comments can also be submitted by electronic mail to tribalconsultation@fema.dhs.gov.
All comments must be submitted either by U.S. mail or e-mail no later than April
9, 2017.
In addition, a webinar to present information on the Tribal
Mitigation Plan Review Guide will be held Monday, March 13, 3:30 PM EST, to
participate click here. For audio, please call 800-320-4330,
using conference code 905506#.
Visit FEMA’s Tribal
Affairs page for more information on this tribal consultation. For
additional information or questions, contact your Regional
Tribal Liaison.
Apply to Become a Trainer for the National Emergency Management Basic Academy
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is offering a Train-the-Trainer course for the National
Emergency Management Basic Academy. To qualify to enroll in the
Train-the-Trainer course, individuals must have at least five years of
experience working in the field of emergency management and at least three
years of experience delivering emergency management instruction to adults.
The entry-point for individuals pursuing a career in
emergency management, the Basic Academy offers the tools to develop
comprehensive foundational skills. For those who are new to emergency
management, the Basic Academy also provides a unique opportunity to build
camaraderie, to establish professional contacts, and to understand the roles,
responsibilities, and legal boundaries associated with emergency
management.
Course Dates: May 1-5 and August 7-11, 2017
Location: Emergency Management Institute, National
Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, MD
Application Deadlines: March 20, and June 26,
respectively
For additional information, contact Jeff Januchowski at
301-447-1356 or jeffrey.januchowski@fema.dhs.gov.
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