EMBARGOED UNTIL 5:40 PM ET FEMA Bulletin Week of October 22, 2018

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FEMA BULLETIN

October 22, 2018

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In this Edition:

Important Dates & Deadlines 

October 26

2018 Assistance to Firefighter Grants Program Applications Due 

Peter Gaynor to Serve as FEMA's Deputy Administrator

Today, Peter T. Gaynor was sworn in as Deputy Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Gaynor is the former director of Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency. He joins FEMA Administrator Brock Long in his vision to build a stronger agency and to help implement the 2018-2022 Strategic plan to unify and further professionalize emergency management across the country.

As Director, he oversaw coordination of federal disaster and non-disaster grants for Rhode Island, worked as the policy advisor to the Governor on emergency management matters, and served as the liaison between FEMA and all local emergency management offices throughout the State. Also, he was the Chair of the State Interoperable Communications Committee, the State Emergency Response Commission, and was Vice Chair of the State Emergency Management Advisory Committee. He also served as a Commissioner and a member for the Program Review Committee for the Emergency Management Accreditation Program, which fosters excellence and accountability in emergency management and homeland security programs across the nation.


Gaynor Photo
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen swears in Peter Gaynor as FEMA's Deputy Administrator.

FEMA Seeks Public Feedback on Senior Leader Toolkit

FEMA released a draft Senior Leader Toolkit, which provides easy-to-edit tools to help emergency managers prepare senior leaders and policy-makers to fulfill their incident responsibilities. These documents will be available for public comment until November 16 at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Senior leaders and policy-makers play critical roles in incident management, consistent with local laws and authorities. While stakeholders have asked for assistance developing materials for their senior leaders, FEMA understands local personnel best understand specific roles and responsibilities within their jurisdiction. FEMA, therefore, releases these documents as customizable templates, so that local emergency managers can revise them according to their local authorities and procedures.

The templates in the toolkit include Elected Officials/Senior Executives Quick Reference Guide, a Department Head Quick Reference Guide, and a National Incident Management System (NIMS) Senior Leader Briefing Template.

FEMA will host three webinars to discuss the proposed Senior Leader Toolkit and will answer related questions. Get more information on the webinars and review the draft Senior Leader Toolkit. To provide comments on the draft, complete the feedback form and submit it to FEMA-NIMS@fema.dhs.gov.


October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. October 22-26 focuses on awareness about protecting the Nation’s critical infrastructure.

There are 16 critical infrastructure sectors that are important for the safety and security of the United States. These sectors rely on the Internet, and we all play a role in keeping the sectors safe. This week of National Cybersecurity Month focuses on awareness of these sectors and provides a look-ahead to November’s Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month.

DHS encourages everyone to Stop.Think.Connect. when using the Internet. To get tips and resources to be safer online, visit https://www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect.

DHS Cyber Security Month graphic

Core Capability Development Sheets Updated

FEMA released a new set of 48 Core Capability Development Sheets updated with standardized capability targets and newly released resource types.

First released in June 2017, each Core Capability Development Sheet provides the core capability definition and tasks, relevant trainings, example capability targets, typed resources, critical planning partners, validation techniques, and additional organizations that support the development of the specific core capability. By using this information, jurisdictions can improve their capabilities and close gaps identified in the Stakeholder Preparedness Review or other assessments.

The FEMA Core Capability Development Sheets are posted on the FEMA Technical Assistance Program website and on MAX.gov in the password-protected Unified Reporting Tool that state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions use to develop their Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment.

Send questions and feedback on the updated sheets to FEMA-TArequest@fema.dhs.gov.


Reminder of Upcoming Deadlines

FEMA to Host National Response Framework Update Webinars

As part of FEMA’s renewed effort to build a national culture of preparedness, the agency is updating the National Response Framework (NRF) to incorporate lessons learned from the 2017 hurricane and wildfire season.

 

The updated NRF will be scalable, flexible and adaptable, using core capabilities identified in the National Preparedness Goal and will continue to focus on the capabilities necessary to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs during disasters.

 

FEMA is hosting a series of one-hour engagement webinars to describe the update and answer participants’ questions. These webinars are intended for the whole community, including individuals and communities, private and nonprofit sectors, faith-based organizations, and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners.

 

The schedule and remaining webinar details are below. All times listed are Eastern Time:

Webinar: Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 10 a.m.

https://fema.connectsolutions.com/nrf-webinar3/event/registration.html

 

Webinar: Friday, Oct. 26. at 3 p.m. 

https://fema.connectsolutions.com/nrf-webinar4/event/registration.html

 

Advance registration is required and on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, request assistive accommodations, or for more information, contact: NRF@fema.dhs.gov.



Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Application Period Closes Friday

 

The annual funding opportunity for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) closes this Friday, Oct. 26. at 5 p.m. Eastern

 

The FY 2018 AFG program will award $315 million to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters against fire-related deaths and hazards.


FEMA awards AFG funding to fire departments, non-affiliated EMS organizations and state fire- training academies. FEMA also awards funding to nonprofit organizations with experience and expertise in fire prevention, fire safety programs and activities, or firefighter research and development programs.

 

Since 2002, FEMA awarded $7.4 billion in fire grants. Historically, 84 percent of awards go towards purchasing personal protective equipment, vehicles and other operational equipment.

 

Applicant tools, including the Notice of Funding Opportunity, and information about application webinars are available at the Assistance to Firefighters Grant website.

The AFG Notice of Funding Opportunity is available at www.grants.gov.