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As the response to Hurricane Maria continues, and the recovery begins, the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the entire federal family
remain focused on life-saving and life-sustaining measures to ensure the safety
of residents in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).
Yesterday, FEMA Administrator Brock Long met with FEMA personnel and the
governors of the USVI and Puerto Rico to get an update on the current situation,
each governor’s priorities, and assess the progress of response and recovery
efforts underway.
We are, again, reminded after witnessing Hurricane Maria’s destruction that the compassion and generosity of the American people is never more evident than during and after a disaster. It is through individuals, non-profits, faith- and community-based organizations, private sector partners, and governmental agencies working together that we will most effectively and efficiently help survivors cope with the impacts of these catastrophic storms.
The following information is provided to assist those who wish to contribute, whether through financial donation or personal volunteerism.
The fastest way to help
As with previous storms, the most effective means to support recovery of communities affected by Hurricane Maria is to donate time or money to trusted voluntary-, faith- and community-based charitable organizations. This gives these organizations the ability to purchase what survivors need right now. In addition, when these organizations purchase goods or services locally, they pump money back into the local and regional economy, helping businesses recover faster.
It is important to remember unsolicited donated goods (e.g., clothing, miscellaneous household items, mixed or perishable foodstuffs) require voluntary agencies to redirect valuable resources away from providing services to sort, package, transport, warehouse, and distribute items that may not meet the needs of disaster survivors.
Donate through a trusted organization
The National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) lists trusted organizations receiving donations, many of which are already coordinating relief and response efforts in the Caribbean. The NVOAD website has information on non-profit organizations accepting or registering individual in-kind donations here. For corporate donations connect here.
You may also make financial donations to a National VOAD member organization to help voluntary or charitable organizations continue to provide services to Hurricane Maria survivors.
Volunteering in Response to Hurricane Maria
Anyone seeking an opportunity to get involved in response and recovery operations is encouraged to volunteer with local and nationally known organizations. A list of volunteer websites is available at www.nvoad.org.
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands ask that volunteers not self-deploy, as unexpected arrival in affected communities creates additional burden for first responders. Those who wish to register to volunteer to support response efforts for Hurricane Maria can go here for Puerto Rico (https://prvoad.communityos.org/cms/irma) and here: (https://usvivoad.communityos.org/cms/irma) for the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To register as an affiliated volunteer with a voluntary or charitable organization, visit the National VOAD for a list of partners active in disaster. Alternatively, you may register your interest to volunteer here for partner organizations to reach out to you.
For more information, go to https://www.fema.gov/hurricane-maria.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a mandatory nationwide
test of the Emergency
Alert System (EAS) on Wednesday, September 27, 2017, at 2:20 p.m.
EDT.
The purpose of the nationwide
test is to ensure that the EAS remains an effective means of warning the
public about emergencies. Periodic
testing of public alert and warning systems helps to assess the
operational readiness of alerting infrastructure, and to identify any
needed technological and administrative improvements.
FEMA will administer the
nationwide test, in cooperation with the FCC and National Weather Service,
and with the participation of broadcast TV, radio, cable, satellite, wireline
video, and other service providers, known as EAS participants. After the test, EAS participants are
required to file reports with the FCC, which the agency will analyze to
determine how the test performed.
FEMA’s nationwide test
message will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages, in that the
public should receive both audio and on-screen text conveying that it is
only a test. The nationwide test message language will differ slightly
as it will say, “This is a national test of the Emergency Alert System.
This is only a test.”
The test message will be
transmitted in both English and Spanish, with EAS participants deciding
which version to use for their communities. The test is intended to last
approximately one minute.
Emergency
alerts are created and sent by authorized government agencies. EAS participants receive the alerts through
a central Internet-based system administered by FEMA or through local “over
the air” monitoring sources. EAS participants
then disseminate the emergency alerts to affected communities. The FCC prescribes technical and
procedural rules for communications providers’ participation in this
process.
Wireless Emergency Alerts
will not be part of the test.
The back-up date for the test
is October 4, 2017, in case the September 27 test is cancelled due to
widespread severe weather or other significant events.
You can also access a video, FEMA
Accessible Emergency Alert System IPAWS Test Message, in American Sign Language.
FEMA announced today the winners of the 2017 FEMA
Individual and Community Preparedness Awards, recognizing the lifesaving
efforts of individuals and organizations from across the country who are
working to prepare for emergencies. Each year, FEMA honors individuals and
organizations who excel at inspiring the public to be ready if a tornado,
hurricane, wildfire, or other disaster were to strike their community.
This year’s award
winners strengthened their community to prepare for, respond to, recover from,
and mitigate a disaster through innovative practices and programs. For example
the City of Arlington Office of Emergency Management in Texas teamed up with the
Arlington Christian Disaster Network to manage spontaneous volunteers and
assist with sheltering needs around disasters. The Blue Lake Rancheria tribal
base in California, with a population of only 203 people, transformed the Blue Lake Casino
and Event Center into an official public shelter with help from the American
Red Cross and installed backup “green” power should the regular power grid get
cut off. Another example is Rosalind “Roz” McKelvey from Germantown, Pennsylvania, who
organized a community wide drill to address the unique challenges of preparing
a community where approximately 40 percent of the residents live at or below
the poverty line.
The 11 FEMA
Individual and Community Preparedness Award recipients will be recognized in a
webinar and during local ceremonies to celebrate their achievements.
This year’s
winners of FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Awards are:
Outstanding Citizen Corps
Council: Connecticut Citizen Corps Council
Community Preparedness
Champions: Rosalind Roz McKelvey and Cindi Barker
Awareness to Action: Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies (BRACE)
Technological Innovation: SABER, the Single Automated
Business Exchange for Reporting
Outstanding Achievement in
Youth Preparedness: MyPI National (short for “My Preparedness
Initiative”)
John D. Solomon Whole
Community Preparedness: Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe of California
Outstanding Private Sector
Initiatives: William Bracken
Outstanding Community
Emergency Response Team (CERT) Initiatives: Long Beach Fire Department CERT
Outstanding Citizen Corps
Partner Program: Arlington Christian Disaster Network
Prepareathon in Action: Prep Step Campaign from Save the Children
Since its inception in 2009, FEMA’s Individual and
Community Preparedness Division has received and reviewed hundreds of
applications, awarding 90 winners and acknowledging 450 honorable mentions from
communities nationwide.
Visit https://www.ready.gov/awards for more information on the
2017 award recipients and to see the honorable mentions.
The FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Incident Support
Team and FEMA Task Forces from Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and
Pennsylvania received the 2017 Higgins and Langley Award for Outstanding
Achievement in Swift Water Rescue. They were recognized for their
heroic efforts in rescuing those who were caught up in the devastating floods
that swept through North Carolina in 2016 as a result of Hurricane Matthew. The FEMA teams, along with more than 30 other
state and federal teams, rescued 2,336 people, bringing them to safety as
Hurricane Matthew's floodwaters rose.
The Higgins and Langley Award is the premier
internationally recognized award for excellence in swift water and flood rescue. The FEMA teams joined their fellow emergency
responders at the annual conference of the International Association of Water
Rescue Professionals in South Bend, Indiana, held on September 20-23,
2017, where they received their award.
To learn more about FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue
System visit: www.fema.gov/urban-search-rescue.
Each
year, September is recognized as National Preparedness Month. The month serves
as a reminder that we all must take action to prepare, now and throughout the
year, for the types of emergencies that could affect us where we live, work,
and visit. Each week in September has a theme highlighting
specific actions you can take to prepare for an emergency.
No matter where we live, we’re all part of a community, including our
neighborhoods, jobs, campuses, community organizations, and places of worship. Active
participation in preparedness activities, and sharing resources from trusted
partners such a Ready.gov
and, Individual and
Community Preparedness Award winners, can help your family, community, and organizations be better prepared.
- You can help your neighborhood, organization, or campus prepare. Join your local Community Emergency Response Team, or find volunteer activities in your area to promote community readiness.
- Join the Weather Ready Nation.
- Volunteer with local and nationally known organizations. A list of volunteer websites is available at www.nvoad.org.
Congressional
Support for National Preparedness Month
FEMA
appreciates the support of the Members of Congress who are serving as 2017
co-sponsors for National Preparedness Month. Throughout September, the FEMA Bulletin will feature statements from these members.
Representative Lamar Smith, Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, &
Technology, Subcommittee on Research & Technology
“I
hope my fellow Texans and all Americans will take the time to create an
emergency plan. Disasters and extreme weather events sometimes arrive with
minimal warning, and having an emergency plan in place can help individuals and
families stay safe when they occur. Please join me and my colleagues in this
effort to increase preparedness, protect families, and save lives.”
Senator Gary C.
Peters,
Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs,
Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management
“In
June, heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding that devastated several
counties in mid-Michigan. I am grateful to our federal, state, and local first
responders who had protocols in place and were resilient in their response
efforts. However, this flooding served as an important reminder that disasters
can happen suddenly and without much advance warning. Having a response plan in
place before disaster strikes can mitigate costs and - most importantly -
ensure that you, your family, and neighbors are both prepared and safe. I
encourage Michiganders and all Americans to develop and practice a plan so that
you can be ready in case of emergencies.”
Representative Donald M. Payne, Jr., Ranking Member, Committee on Homeland Security,
Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications
“Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc along the East Coast five years ago, and particularly in my
home State of New Jersey. The recovery
was hard and still continues today. My
heart breaks for the people of Houston whose lives have been upended by
Hurricane Harvey, and I will do everything in my power to ensure the Federal
government does its part to help them get back on their feet. This National Preparedness Month, we must
remember that effective preparedness activities make our communities resilient. I am pleased that this year FEMA has
identified a call to action for each week of September, and I urge people of
all ages to get involved. The people of
Houston have shown that ordinary citizens can be an invaluable force multiplier
for first responders and the disaster management community, so I encourage
everyone to take this month learn how they can help protect themselves, their
neighbors, and their communities when disaster strikes.”
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FEMA Seeks Input on Fiscal Year 2018-2022 FEMA Strategic Plan
FEMA Administrator Long
strongly believes in the importance of hearing external partners’ perspectives
to help FEMA improve the way business is done. Throughout the next few months,
FEMA is inviting its stakeholders and partners from across the whole community
to help shape the Fiscal Year 2018-2022 FEMA Strategic Plan. In an
effort to reach as many stakeholders and partners as possible, FEMA is
accepting feedback via IdeaScale – an
interactive, web-based application that allows idea sharing, collaboration and
engagement.
FEMA is looking for input
and engagement on:
Simplifying Recovery
and Reducing Disaster Costs
- How can FEMA simplify
recovery programs and reduce disaster costs while ensuring accountability,
customer service, and fiscal stewardship?
Buying Down Risk
through Preparedness and Mitigation
- How should risk be calculated in awarding grants?
- What type of grants are
best suited for effectively reducing risk?
- How do we incentivize
more investment in preparedness/mitigation prior to a disaster (not only
federal investment)?
- How should the nation,
including but not limited to FEMA, train and credential a surge disaster
workforce ahead of major disasters?
- What are new ways to
think about a true culture of preparedness?
We value the input and diverse perspectives that
you bring to help inform this process, the final product, and our efforts. Our IdeaScale campaigns will be open until October 31, 2017. We look forward to your
ideas and suggestions.
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