On April 26,
2018, FEMA released a new version of the Public
Assistance Policy and Program Guidance (PAPPG). On February 9, 2018,
Congress passed, and the President signed, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018
(P.L. 115-123). The Act includes a provision amending the Robert T. Stafford Act in a
manner that largely codifies the changes related to houses of worship which were
made in the last version of this Guide in January 2018.
The new PAPPG updates language to match the
new law; adds houses of worship as eligible private nonprofit facilities,
distinct from community centers; clarifies that houses of worship cannot be
deemed ineligible because leadership or membership in the organization
operating the house of worship is limited to persons who share a religious
faith or practice; removes the exclusion of buildings and items used primarily
for religious purposes or instruction from the definition of eligible private
non-profit educational facilities; and makes clear that these facilities are
eligible regardless of their religious character or use for religious
instruction.
The new PAPPG
also clarifies that new construction under the Public Assistance program is
prohibited in Coastal
High Hazard Areas.
FEMA will continue to
update the guide on an annual basis, as necessary, and is always looking for
policy feedback. Please send any policy recommendations to FEMA-PAPolicy@fema.dhs.gov.
When folks hear about disaster
preparedness, regardless of the hazard, we often do not focus much on the
financial aspect or financial preparedness. This week, Allen Becker, the host
of the radio program, Retire Right Radio joins the FEMA Podcast to discuss the
importance of putting yourself in the best position to bounce back financially
from disaster.
The FEMA Podcast is a new audio program series available to anyone
interested in learning more about the Agency, hearing about innovation
in the field of emergency management, and listening to stories about
communities and individuals recovering after disasters. The FEMA Podcast is available on Apple iTunes
to stream or download. Approximately 20 to 30 minutes in length, the
podcast will be updated with a new episode on a weekly basis. By
subscribing, new episodes will automatically update on a listener's
device. For more information, visit www.fema.gov/podcast.
Week three of National Building Safety Month focuses on “Protecting Communities from
Disasters.” Although we have no control over the occurrence of natural
hazards, mitigation efforts-such as building
code adoption and code enforcement-are some of the strongest strategies jurisdictions can take to
protect a community. Mitigation increases building occupant health and safety
during a disaster, protects the local tax base, ensures continuity of essential
services, and supports faster recovery from disasters.
Building a culture of preparedness
is a key part of the FEMA 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. Disaster resilience starts with building codes,
because they enhance public safety and property protection. FEMA works directly
with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, and non-governmental
partners, and advocates for the adoption and enforcement of modern building and
property codes.
The development and adoption of
building codes are beneficial to communities because they create a regulatory
environment that holds design professionals and contractors accountable to a
set of standards. These standards are adapted by and applicable to the
jurisdictions in which they work. Most importantly, building codes help protect
your family and your community in the event of a natural disaster.
FEMA’s Building Science Branch develops and produces
guidance focused on creating disaster-resilient communities to reduce loss of
life and property. The FEMA How to Series was developed by
the Building Science Branch to help property owners and contractors
learn about construction techniques to protect their building, home, or
business from disaster. Check
out an online video about the Evolution of Mitigation to learn more about how mitigation helps protect
communities.
For more information, visit
the International Code Council’s Building Safety Month webpage.
The unprecedented number and intensity of major disaster
incidents Americans are encountering has brought heightened focus on the
importance of emergency public information. FEMA’s public information officer
(PIO) curriculum plays a key role in meeting the training needs of the
individuals tasked with critical message delivery. FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) announced
additional offerings of the Advanced
PIO course July 16-20 in Ft. Pierce, Florida and August
20-24 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Advanced PIO 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, participants learn skills they can use during
escalating incidents, including strategic communications and incident action
planning, as it relates to JIC operations.
For information on
prerequisites and course schedules, go to https://training.fema.gov/programs/pio/trainops.aspx. Contact EMI course
manager Phil Politano (Philip.politano@fema.dhs.gov) for
more information.
Due to the current terror threat
environment, and with input
from
intelligence and law enforcement partners, the Department of Homeland
Security updated and extended the National Terrorism Advisory System
(NTAS) Bulletin. This marks the
sixth iteration of the Bulletin on the terror threats, and it has been
reissued
five times since its initial release in December 2015.
To
read the new NTAS Bulletin, visit https://www.dhs.gov/national-terrorism-advisory-system.
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is
accepting applications until June 8,
2018 for the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy
and the National Emergency Management Executive Academy.
The Advanced Academy 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. The program
consists of four resident courses conducted at the National Emergency Training
Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland; each course is five days in length. Classes
begin in October, November, or December 2018 and are ideally taken sequentially
through September 2019.
The Executive Academy curriculum enhances strategic leadership and critical
thinking for emergency management senior executives from all levels of
government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. Ideally,
candidates will have experience as senior executives of major emergency
management organizations, have 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 objectives of the
Executive Academy are to engage, challenge and enhance the talents of emergency
management executives through critical thinking, visionary strategic planning,
and negotiation and conflict resolution when applied to complex real-world
problems. The Executive Academy consists of four resident sessions, distance
learning, and literature reviews.
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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