FEMA Bulletin Week of Feb. 4, 2019

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FEMA BULLETIN

February 4, 2019

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In this Edition:

Important Dates & Deadlines

February 11

National Exercise Program Webinar

FEMA Releases State-Led Public Assistance Guide

This week, FEMA released the “State-Led Public Assistance Guide", providing additional resources for recipients to lead some or all aspects of Public Assistance operations for smaller disasters.

 

State-led Public Assistance maximizes specialized features of the Public Assistance delivery process to enhance the capacity of recipients to achieve local communities’ immediate and long-term recovery goals. Aligning with FEMA 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, state-led Public Assistance operations preserves federal resources for catastrophic disasters and strengthen the emergency management enterprise to one that is federally supported, state-managed, and locally executed.

 

The benefits of State-led Public Assistance programs include:

 

•  Allowing recipients to provide tailored customer service for sub-recipients.

•  Providing opportunities for recipients to enhance or build capabilities to support disaster recovery.

•  Enhancing the recipient role in shaping and achieving desired recovery outcomes.

•  Encouraging recipients to build upon existing relationships and familiarity with their applicant base to increase efficiency throughout grant lifecycle.

 

Public Assistance provides disaster grant assistance to recipients and sub-recipients to help communities quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies. FEMA authorized recipients to lead PA delivery for small, federally declared disasters since 2001, which has resulted in several recipients demonstrating ability to lead Public Assistance operations with varying levels of federal oversight.


Update: NFIP 2019 Reinsurance Placement

For a third year, FEMA continued its traditional reinsurance placement for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for the 2019 hurricane season. Effective on Jan.1, FEMA secured $1.32 billion in reinsurance to cover qualifying flood losses occurring this calendar year. This placement complements the NFIP’s existing capital markets placement, and it continues FEMA’s risk management practice against future catastrophic flood loss.

 

FEMA paid $186 million for premium coverage, with 28 reinsurance companies agreeing to indemnify FEMA for flood losses for flood events between $4 - $10 billion.

 

As a result, for incidents where NFIP claims exceed $5 billion threshold, FEMA will receive payment through these reinsurance agreements.

 

Congress granted FEMA authority to secure reinsurance from the private reinsurance and capital markets through the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 and the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014.

 

For additional information about this traditional reinsurance placement, you can read Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and other details about this reinsurance placement, available at https://www.fema.gov/nfip-reinsurance-program.


Participate in the National Exercise Program

Exercises assist whole community partners to be better prepared for disasters and emergencies. As part of FEMA 2017-2022 Strategic Plan, "Goal #1, Build a Culture of Preparedness", FEMA is committed to providing partners with exercise design and delivery assistance, tools and resources, enhanced coordination, and the ability to directly influence and inform policy, resource allocation, and preparedness programs.

 

To learn more information about available exercise design assistance and the benefits of participating in the National Exercise Program, FEMA is hosting 60-minute webinars:

 

•  Monday, Feb. 11 - 10 a.m. EST

•  Wednesday, Feb. 13 - 1:30 p.m. EST

 

Via FEMA Teleconference: 1-800-320-4330, Participant passcode: 559550

Via Adobe Connect: https://fema.connectsolutions.com/nepoverview/ Sign in as a “Guest” and mute your line if not speaking.

 

The National Exercise Program is a two-year cycle of nation-wide exercises to examine and validate capabilities in all preparedness mission areas: protection, prevention, mitigation, response, and recovery. It is the primary exercise mechanism for measuring preparedness, evaluating national readiness, and providing support to exercises that align with the following nine challenges (2019-2020 Principals’ Strategic Priorities):

 

•  Operational Coordination and Communications

•  Cyber Security

•  Stabilization and Restoration of Critical Lifelines

•  National Security Emergencies

•  Public Health Emergencies

•  Community Recovery and Economic Resilience

•  Mass Care and Housing

•  Continuity

•  School Safety and Security

 

For more information or to nominate your exercise to be a part of the upcoming NEP Cycle, visit FEMA's National Exercise Program website or send an email to nep@fema.dhs.gov.


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