|
FEMA encourages our
partners to join us in supporting National
Dam Safety Awareness Day on Wednesday, May 31. The day serves as a
reminder of the tragic failure of the South Fork Dam in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
on May 31, 1889. The incident resulted in the loss of more than 2,200 lives,
and was the worst dam failure in the history of the United States.
Approximately 15,000 dams
in the United States are classified as high-hazard potential, meaning that
their failure could result in the loss of life. Dams could fail for a number of
reasons, including overtopping caused by floods, acts of sabotage, or
structural failure of materials used in dam construction. Recent events such as
the Oroville (California) dam spillway incident serve as an important reminder
to all Americans of the importance of dam safety, and why we should be aware of the potential risk of dam
failures in their communities.
FEMA’s National Dam Safety
Program is committed to raising public awareness of dam safety by
assisting states in establishing and maintaining dam safety programs, providing
technical training to state and federal dam safety staff, and supporting
research and the development of guidance to advance the practice of dam safety
to improve public safety.
FEMA has a wide range of Dam Safety Publications & Resources to help you become “dam safety aware” including:
- Be Aware of Potential Dam Failure in Your
Community Fact Sheet
- Living With Dams: Know Your Risk
- Catalog of FEMA Dam Safety Resources
To learn how you can
support National Dam Safety Awareness Day in your community, visit the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO).
Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center say the Atlantic could see
another above-normal hurricane season this year. For the upcoming Atlantic
hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November 30, forecasters
predict a 45 percent chance of an above-normal season, a 35 percent chance of a
near-normal season, and only a 20 percent chance of a below-normal season.
Forecasters predict a 70 percent likelihood of 11 to 17
named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 5 to 9 could become
hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 2 to 4 major hurricanes
(Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher). An average season produces 12
named storms of which six become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes. These
numbers include Tropical Storm Arlene, a rare pre-season storm that formed over
the eastern Atlantic in April.
We remind residents that they should do
their part to prepare for hurricanes by making a family emergency communication plan that includes
pets, identifying an out of town emergency contact to coordinate information
with family/friends, and keeping emergency supplies wherever you spend time:
home, car, work etc. For more information, visit www.ready.gov/hurricanes.
Summer
is right around the corner, which means it’s time for barbecues, picnics, and fun
in the sun. While summer usually means vacations, there is no vacation from
fire safety. Each year, grill fires cause about $37 million in property damage.
Most of the fires happen between May and August.
Individuals
can protect families and property by following a few grilling safety tips:
- Only use grills outdoors, away from siding
and deck railings.
- Clean grills often and remove grease or fat
build-up.
- Make sure the gas grill lid is open before
lighting.
- Have a three foot safe-zone around grills
and campfires. Keep kids and pets clear of the area.
- Dispose of coals after they have cooled in
a metal can.
- Never leave grills, fire pits, and patio
torches unattended.
For
more information on grilling and summer
fire safety, please visit USFA at www.usfa.fema.gov.
FEMA will initiate a 90-day outreach and consultation period
from June 1 to August 29, 2017, to seek input from federally recognized Indian
tribal governments on the update of the agency’s Tribal Consultation
Policy. The FEMA
Tribal Consultation Policy, first issued in 2014, acknowledges the agency’s
nation-to-nation relationship with tribal governments. The policy also guides how FEMA
engages tribal governments in regular and meaningful consultation and
collaboration on policy and actions that have tribal implications.
This consultation period aims to update the policy to reflect current
authorities and best practices, as well as follow FEMA’s new policy
document format requirements. FEMA seeks input and feedback from tribal leaders, or their designees, during the consultation period to help inform the development of an
updated policy. FEMA headquarters and regional offices will engage tribal
officials through face-to-face meetings, conferences, conference calls, and
webinars to seek input and answer questions on the current FEMA Tribal
Consultation Policy.
Visit FEMA’s Tribal Affairs
web page for more information on the tribal consultation period for this
policy.
The application period for
the 2017 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards is extended to June 6, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The
awards highlight innovative local practices and achievements by honoring
individuals, organizations, and jurisdictions that have made outstanding
contributions toward strengthening their community to prepare for, respond to,
recover from, and mitigate a disaster.
Emergency management is
most effective when the entire community is engaged and involved. Everyone,
including faith-based organizations, voluntary agencies, the private sector,
tribal organizations, youth, people with disabilities and others with access
and functional needs, and older adults make a difference in their communities
before, during, and after disasters.
To be considered for this
year’s awards, all submissions must be received by June 6, 2017, at 11:59
p.m. EDT, and must feature program activities taking place between January
1, 2016, and May 30, 2017. Applications are accessed online and should be
submitted to fema-icp-awards@fema.dhs.gov. More information
about the awards is available at www.ready.gov/preparedness-awards.
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.
FEMA Seeks Comments on Nationwide Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on the National Flood Insurance Program
On April 7, FEMA published a Federal
Register notice to seek public comment on a draft Nationwide
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (NPEIS) about the
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). As required by the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), FEMA developed this draft NPEIS to
examine the impacts of proposed improvements and modifications to the NFIP.
This draft NPEIS includes an evaluation of the potential impacts to the natural
and human environment associated with the NFIP at a programmatic level, as well
as an evaluation of impacts of alternative proposals to modify the NFIP.
The public comment
period is open for 60 days until June 6, 2017. Download a
copy of the draft NPEIS and provide
comments directly to FEMA via www.regulations.gov. Search for Docket ID FEMA-2012-0012.
In addition, public meetings
and webinars are scheduled by FEMA to allow the public an opportunity to
learn
more about the project and to provide comments on the NFIP draft NPEIS.
For a list of locations and webinar dates and times, visit www.fema.gov/programmatic-environmental-impact-statement.
FEMA Seeks Comments on Draft National Incident Management System Resource Management Guidance Documents
FEMA is committed to improving the nation’s ability to manage all
threats and hazards. As such, FEMA’s National Integration Center released a
suite
of draft National Incident Management System (NIMS) Resource Management
guidance documents that enhance the interoperability and effectiveness of mutual aid between jurisdictions and agencies. FEMA is holding a
National Engagement period to solicit feedback.
The drafts include the NIMS Guideline for the National Qualification
System (NQS), NIMS Job Titles/Position Qualifications and accompanying Position
Task Books (PTB), Resource Types, the NIMS Guideline for Mutual Aid, and an
updated NIMS Guideline for the Credentialing of Personnel. Documents are
available for review and comment through Friday, June 9, 2017.
In addition, FEMA
is hosting a series of 60-minute webinars to describe the draft documents and
answer participants’ questions about providing feedback. To review the drafts
of the NIMS Resource Management supplemental guidance and tools, and to obtain
additional webinar information, visit www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system/national-engagement. To provide
comments on the draft, complete the feedback form found on the webpage above
and submit it to FEMA-NIMS@fema.dhs.gov.
Emergency Management Institute Offers Advanced Public Information Officer Training
EMI is offering the Advanced Public Information Officer
(PIO) course, July 24-28, 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 and enhance their ability
to analyze, coordinate, process, and create information in a fast-paced,
realistic environment. Using interactive lectures
from subject matter experts and an intense functional exercise, the Advanced
PIO course teaches participants skills for use during escalating incidents,
including strategic communications and incident action planning, as it relates
to JIC operations.
Interested individuals should contact Phil Politano at Philip.Politano@fema.dhs.gov by June
9, 2017, to register for the course. For information on prerequisites and
course schedules go to http://training.femac.gov/programs/pio/.
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.
Train-the-Trainer
is devoted to course delivery strategy, logistics, demonstrations, and adult
learning methods. In addition, there are student teach-backs that summarize a
portion of the Basic Academy course subject matter, and describe activities and
exercises. Upon completion of the course, students will possess the skills
necessary to set up and facilitate an offering of the Basic Academy courses.
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, 2017
For additional information, contact Jeff Januchowski at
301-447-1356 or jeffrey.januchowski@fema.dhs.gov.
Apply for the 2018 National Emergency Management Executive Academy
FEMA’s
EMI is now accepting application packages for the 2018 National
Emergency Management Executive Academy.
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 required resident
sessions, to be conducted by EMI at the National Emergency Training Center in
Emmitsburg, Maryland, will include:
- Systems Thinking and Research Methods for Executives: February 26 – March 1, 2018
- Executive Emergency
Management Leader Core Competencies I: April 23 – 26, 2018
- Executive Emergency Management Leader Core Competencies II: June 18– 21, 2018
- Executive Emergency
Management Leaders Core Competencies III: August 27 – 30, 2018
Applications will be
accepted through August 15, 2017. 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.
|
