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FEMA and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are continuing their
partnership to increase public awareness of the hazards posed by hurricanes. In
the wake of a devastating 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, FEMA and NOAA want to
ensure that the American public takes steps to be better prepared. May 6
through 12 is National Hurricane Preparedness Week in preparation for the Atlantic
hurricane season beginning on June 1.
Hurricanes not
only affect coastal communities, but also can have significant impacts hundreds
of miles inland. It only takes one to change your life and your community. As
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria remind us, it is not just major hurricanes
(Category 3 or higher) that we need to worry about. All hurricanes could
potentially cause significant damage.
FEMA and NOAA
are asking for your help to increase awareness and to motivate individuals,
families, businesses and communities to know their risk, get prepared and stay
informed before hurricane season. We have a 2018
Hurricane Seasonal Preparedness Digital Toolkit
that includes resources to aid in spreading the word.
What can you do to get ready? Prepare financially, know
your risk, get prepared and stay informed. Learn how you can develop a plan, receive
emergency alerts, and how and where to evacuate. Visit www.ready.gov/hurricanes to learn
hurricane terms and more ways to prepare.
Strengthening the nation’s
ability to withstand disasters with limited loss reduces our risk. Building a
culture of preparedness, including expanding mitigation actions – the most
effective way to improve resiliency – is a primary goal of the 2018-2022 FEMA Strategic Plan.
After the release of a
2016 Government Accountability Office report identifying the need for a
coordinated, government-wide investment strategy for resilience and mitigation,
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tasked the Federal Mitigation Framework
Leadership Group (MitFLG) to develop a National Mitigation Investment Strategy
(NMIS). The intent of the NMIS is to improve coordination and awareness of
natural hazard mitigation products and resources in order to reduce the
nation’s exposure to risk.
The Draft
National Mitigation Investment Strategy includes a series of
recommendations to make the nation less vulnerable and better equipped to
respond to natural hazards. The MitFLG engaged with all levels of government
and invited the public to comment on the draft. Feedback was received from
January 11, 2018 through March 11, 2018, and came from several key stakeholders
including, private businesses, citizens, vulnerable and at-risk populations,
critical infrastructure sectors, non-profit, academic, and philanthropic
organizations.
The group accepted input
and involvement from all national stakeholders involved in disaster resilience,
including federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and private
organizations, and the general public, and heard many perspectives on
mitigation with specific feedback on the investment strategy. Several common
themes emerged, including making mitigation less complex and more easily understood;
expanding funding for mitigation; better integrating mitigation into disaster
preparedness and recovery; and improving infrastructure resilience.
The MitFLG will
revise the draft and anticipates providing a final NMIS in December 2018. While
public comments are still being reviewed in detail and a final NMIS will be
released by the MitFLG in the fall of 2018, the Draft
National Mitigation Investment Strategy can be viewed online.
For more information about NMIS and the importance of investing in mitigation,
read a FEMA blog
post written by Dr. Daniel Kaniewski.
 May 2018 is National Building
Safety Month. This year’s theme is "Building Codes Save
Lives." Each week of National Building Safety Month highlights a different component of
building safety; week two focuses on “Advancing Resilient Communities Through
Science and Technology.”
Flooding is the most
common and costly natural disaster, which is why it’s critical for community
leaders to be equipped with the information, tools and skills needed to take
mitigation action and build resiliency. To help educate community leaders about
the value of being prepared for the worst, FEMA created a virtual reality
experience about flood and resilience called IMMERSED.
Using technology to place
users at the center of a flood crisis, IMMERSED allows them to assess damage in
a community and see the benefits of mitigation first-hand. By working through
simple tasks, users experience a major flood event in a realistic manner. After
experiencing IMMERSED, users are encouraged to explore additional information
about mitigation actions and are provided details on grants and other available
programs to support communities.
FEMA’s Building Science Branch creates
guidance and materials to develop the most up-to-date and technologically
advanced building codes for new construction and the repair of existing
buildings. It converts research into practice through its Mitigation
Assessment Teams and through the publication of technical manuals
that optimize technology and aid in the development of safe and secure
structures.
Science and technology are
leading the way for designing and constructing safe, efficient and resilient
homes and buildings. If you are considering renovating, remodeling, or building
from the ground up, look for the latest technology and ensure it is based on
the codes and standards that put safety and efficiency first.
For more information
visit the International Code Council’s Building Safety
Month webpage. And to learn more about the IMMERSED experience,
subscribe to the FEMA Podcast on iTunes,
which features the virtual reality program in the next edition tomorrow, May 9,
2018.
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FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Virtual Tabletop
Exercise (VTTX) Program will offer three sessions, July 17, 18, and
19, on the effects
of a major dam failure on a community.
Content is the same each day and participants would attend only
one session. The VTTX occurs 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. EDT.
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. The application
deadline is June 29, 2018. Additional information is available at https://training.fema.gov/programs/emivttx.aspx.
The VTTX is designed to:
- Prepare participants for a
potential dam failure that could impact power production, require
emergency evacuations, open use of
emergency spillways and recovery from a catastrophic loss.
- Enable participants to better coordinate their operations with counterparts from federal, state, local,
tribal, and territorial governments; private sector
organizations; and non-governmental agencies.
- Provide a virtual forum to review emergency plans and contingency
resources.
Each month, EMI conducts a VTTX series using a Video
Teleconference (VTC) platform to reach community-based training audiences
around the country by providing a virtual forum for interactive disaster
training. The VTTX is designed for a group of seven or more
representatives from state, local, tribal, territorial emergency management and
private/public corporate structures. It provides a unique opportunity for
responders across the Nation to simultaneously participate in a
hazard-specific, facilitated discussion. Participants will need to connect via
a site equipped with the appropriate VTC capability (not Adobe Connect or
FaceTime-based), but alternate ways to participate are also available upon
request.
FEMA is hosting a webinar
on programs, services, and resources stakeholders may use to bolster their
cyber resilience. These include cyber exercises, phishing email exercises,
cyber resilience reviews, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing and
infrastructure assessments. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions
and learn about best practices.
Title: U.S. Department of Homeland Security's
Resources for Building Cyber Security Resilience, Capacity, and Capability
Date: Monday, May 14, 2018
Time: 12 – 1 p.m. EDT
How to Join the Webinar:
- Please register for the
event using the Adobe
Connect registration web link.
- Be sure to test
your Adobe Connect connection before the meeting.
- This webinar offers
captioning.
For more information,
please contact FEMA-Prepare@fema.dhs.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center for
Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, U.S. Department of Justice, Office
of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Administration and FEMA are hosting a webinar on
Tuesday, May 15, 2018, from 1-2 p.m. EDT.
In support of Mental Health Month,
the "Supporting the Emotional Wellbeing of First Responders, Emergency
Managers & Disaster Relief Personnel" webinar will provide
information and resources on how to respond to the emotional well-being of first
responders, emergency managers, and disaster relief personnel who support
communities impacted by disasters. Although this webinar should not be taken as
professional medical advice, it will provide information,
resources, and considerations to support mental health and emotional well-being
during the response and recovery phase of a disaster.
Title: Supporting
the Emotional Wellbeing of First Responders, Emergency Managers & Disaster
Relief Personnel
Date: Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Time: 1 – 2 p.m. EDT
How to Join the Webinar:
- Please register for the event using the Adobe
Connect registration web link.
- Be sure to test
your Adobe Connect connection prior to the meeting.
- This webinar will offer captioning.
For more information, please contact FEMA-Prepare@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMA Seeks Feedback on National Incident Management System Resource Management Documents
FEMA’s National
Integration Center released for public feedback a number of National Incident
Management System Resource Management component documents
that will enhance interoperability and the effectiveness of mutual aid. This
National Engagement Period will conclude at 5 p.m. EDT on May 9, 2018.
The National Engagement Period provides an opportunity for interested parties
to comment on newly developed supplemental guidance.
Apply for National Emergency Management Advanced and Executive Academies
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is accepting applications until May 15, 2018 for the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy and the National Emergency Management Executive Academy.
For more information and to apply for the Advanced Academy, go to https://training.fema.gov/empp/applytoadvancedacademy.aspx or contact fema-empp-advanced-academy@fema.dhs.gov. For the Executive Academy, go to https://training.fema.gov/empp/applytoexecutiveacademy.aspx or contact fema-empp-executive-academy@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMA Seeks Comments on Individual Assistance Policy and Program Guide
FEMA
posted the draft Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide (IAPPG)
for public comment. The IAPPG will provide a single comprehensive
reference document for all FEMA Individual Assistance (IA) programs. The comment period will close on June 7, 2018. FEMA
will then adjudicate comments and finalize the document. Once finalized, the
IAPPG will replace the Individuals and Households Program Unified Guidance
(IHPUG) from September 2016, and all stand-alone IA policies.
Please visit www.fema.gov/individual-assistance-program-and-policy-guide to
review and provide comments on the draft IAPPG.
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