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When potentially life-threatening injuries occur, every
minute matters. Those nearest to the event can make an important
difference in the outcomes for the injured. You Are the Help Until Help
Arrives raises awareness of the need to step forward, and empowers
individuals to provide lifesaving care to the injured, before emergency medical
services arrive.
You Are the Help Until
Help Arrives encourages the public to take five steps when there’s an
emergency in situations where someone may have a life-threatening injury due to
trauma: Call 911, protect the injured from harm, stop bleeding, position the
injured so they can breathe, and provide comfort.
This program is the result of interagency collaboration led
by FEMA's Individual and Community Preparedness
Division (ICPD) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR),
the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), and the Uniformed Services University's (USU) National Center for Disaster Medicine
and Public Health (NCDMPH).
Original research supporting the training curriculum comes from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
To learn more about the steps people should take to help
someone with life-threatening injuries, visit www.ready.gov/untilhelparrives
for an interactive, animated video, a 25-minute online video self-guided
tutorial, and materials for a hands-on, instructor-led course that can be used
to provide in-person training in communities across the country.
As
announced on
September 27, 2016,
key changes being made to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) on April
1, 2017, include updated insurance policy premium increases conforming to the
premium rate caps established by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act
of 2012 (BW-12) and the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014
(HFIAA).
Premiums
will increase upon renewal an average of 6.3 percent beginning April 1, 2017.
Premiums do not include the HFIAA surcharge or the Federal Policy Fee (FPF),
which are not increasing.
It
is important to note that nearly 80 percent of NFIP policyholders are full-risk
rated and therefore, minimally impacted by these rate increases. If individual policyholders have questions about their
premiums, or NFIP coverage, we urge them to reach out to their insurance agent,
or visit FEMA’s website, for
more information.
More
information on NFIP program changes taking effect April 1, 2017 is available here.
This week, FEMA, through the
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), will announce program changes taking
effect on October 1, 2017. These include a reduced Federal Policy Fee (FPF) for
tenants with contents-only policies, and revised guidance for refunding the
HFIAA surcharge when some policies are canceled.
FEMA always announces program
changes and updates six months in advance of these changes taking effect so
that Write Your Own (WYO) companies and insurance agents are aware of and can
prepare for the changes. All program changes will impact individual
policyholders upon renewal of their policies. Changes are announced via WYO
Bulletin, available for public review here.
FEMA's Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is hosting a webinar emphasizing the value of increasing engagement with faith-based organizations for disaster preparedness on April 12 at 2-3:30 p.m. ET. The webinar is a
joint effort between the DHS Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood
Partnerships and FEMA’s Higher Education Program. The event will provide a forum to help to ensure emergency
managers, faith-based and community organizations are aware of academic partner
resources and engagement opportunities.
Participants can register for the webinar online and use the conference call-in (800) 320-4330; PIN: 376368#. The webinar presenters are Marcus
Coleman, Special Assistant, DHS Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood
Partnerships; Brie
Loskota, Executive Director of the Center for Religious and Civic Culture at
the University of Southern California, Los Angeles; and Jamie
Aten, Ph.D., Founder and Co-Director, Wheaton College Humanitarian Disaster
Institute.
The U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA) focus on fire safety
for March is medical oxygen fire safety. Portable medical oxygen is used by an
increasing number of people, and households that use it need to be aware of the risks. Here are some fire safety tips for medical oxygen:
- Don’t
smoke around medical oxygen, as fire needs oxygen to burn. When more oxygen is in
the air, any fire that starts will burn hotter and faster than usual. There is
no safe way to smoke in the home when medical oxygen is in use.
- Put a
“No Smoking” sign inside and outside homes where medical oxygen is used.
- Candles,
matches, wood stoves and even sparking toys, can spark and start a fire. They
should not be used in a home where medical oxygen is used.
- Keep
medical oxygen cylinders at least five (5) feet from a heat source, open flames or electrical
devices.
- Body
oil, hand lotion, and items containing oil and grease can easily catch on fire.
For more information about medical oxygen fire safety,
view this flyer from
the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
FEMA Seeks Applications for the NAC's RESPONSE Subcommittee
Recent legislation directed FEMA to
establish a subcommittee under the National Advisory Council (NAC) to provide recommendations
regarding emergency responder training with hazardous materials incidents
involving railroads. Qualified individuals who are interested
in serving on the Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational Needs,
and Safety Evaluation (RESPONSE) Subcommittee of the NAC are encouraged to
submit an application for consideration by April
3, 2017.
Applications are being accepted from
qualified individuals with technical knowledge and expertise in the following
areas: the rail industry; rail labor; those who offer oil for transportation by
rail; the communications industry; emergency response providers, including
individuals nominated by national organizations representing state and local
governments and emergency responders; emergency response training providers; representatives
from tribal organizations; vendors, developers, and manufacturers of systems,
facilities, equipment, and capabilities for emergency responder services; and other
technical experts.
Members selected to participate in the RESPONSE Subcommittee are not appointed
directly to the NAC, but may apply separately for consideration. Detailed
instructions on how to apply for the subcommittee or the NAC can be found at: RESPONSE Act NAC Subcommittee webpage.
FEMA Seeks Applications 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 grades 8 through 11 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. PT 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.
Advanced Public Information Officer Training
EMI is offering the Advanced Public Information Officer (PIO) course May 15-19 at the
National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The course provides
public information officers the opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills for
establishing, managing and working in a joint information center (JIC). The
training fosters an environment where participants can apply advanced skills
during a multi-day functional exercise designed to test ability to analyze,
coordinate, process and create information in a fast-paced, realistic
environment.
Interested individuals should contact Phil
Politano at Philip.Politano@fema.dhs.gov
by March 30, 2017, to register for the course. For information on prerequisites and course schedules go to http://training.fema.gov/programs/pio/.
FEMA Seeks Comment on Updated Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide
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.
Visit FEMA’s Tribal Affairs page for
more information on this tribal consultation. For additional information or
questions, contact your Regional
Tribal Liaison.
National
Emergency Management Advanced Academy Applications
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 until May 31, 2017, with selections in June and announcements in July.
For more information, contact fema-empp-advanced-academy@fema.dhs.gov.
Apply to Become a Trainer for the National Emergency Management Basic Academy
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: August 7-11, 2017
Location: Emergency Management Institute, National
Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, MD
Application Deadline: June 26
For additional information, contact Jeff Januchowski at
301-447-1356 or jeffrey.januchowski@fema.dhs.gov.
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