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Leadership Message
FEMA Team - Monday marked one-month since the President’s national emergency declaration for the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The March 13 declaration triggered the Whole-of-America response effort that required White House and federal agencies to work closely together and also fostered coordination across state, local, tribal, territorial, private sector, and community-based organizations. While this comprehensive response tests incident management operations, it also strengthens our commitment as a nation to remain vigilant in the fight to contain this persistent virus.
These response efforts demonstrate unprecedented coordination with our partners at all levels within the public and private sectors. Since the announcement of the national declaration, FEMA employees have earnestly pursued our fundamental mission to help the nation prepare for, respond to, and recover from this historic emergency.
Significant efforts have been made in the last 30 days to slow the spread of COVID-19; bring needed resources to bear for state-managed, locally executed response operations; and shape the nation’s recovery. Specific achievements include, but are not limited to, the following:
- As of today, 50 states, the District of Columbia, five territories, and 33 tribes are working directly with FEMA under the nationwide emergency declaration.
- 55 states, territories and the District of Columbia have received major disaster declarations, which is the first time in the history of our nation.
- As of April 12, FEMA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provided or shipped approximately 11,000 ventilators from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and the Defense Department to impacted states.
- FEMA, working through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, facilitated design and construction of alternate care locations in 25 states and one tribal nation.
- $100 million has been awarded to support HHS services to address screening and testing needs, acquire medical supplies and boost telehealth capacity.
- FEMA Operation Air Bridge continues to expedite and move critical supplies from the global market to medical distributors in various locations across the U.S. As of today, 45 flights have landed and an additional 57 flights are scheduled over the coming weeks.
FEMA acquired additional space near its Headquarters to train and expand our incident management workforce to support current and anticipated disasters in the months ahead.
You continue to have the full support and admiration of the White House, the Department, and this Agency, as addressed in DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf Message about our historic response to this crisis.
I cannot reiterate enough how proud I am to work alongside a team that demonstrates our core values of integrity, fairness, compassion and respect as evidenced in this response. You are making a positive difference to protecting and saving American lives.
Thank you for all you are doing.
We are FEMA.
Pete Gaynor
FEMA Administrator
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Every individual who has a disability has their own unique needs, even some life-sustaining needs, and making sure these needs are met is essential. As the Director of FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination, every day I work closely with our state, local, tribal and territorial governments and other nonprofit partners, supporting their efforts, leveraging resources and coming up with creative solutions that help people with disabilities and their families be prepared for disasters and emergencies.
Currently, in the face of COVID-19, here at headquarters and throughout our 10 regional offices, we are providing information about the Whole-of-America response efforts and distributing resources as they pertain to people with disabilities. We host daily coordination calls with our 10 regional disability integration specialists sharing information, best practices, tools and resources that they share with their state and local stakeholders. And, we have disability integration advisors who are working with state, local, tribal and territorial partners advising on strategies to support the disability community. Each week, we participate in calls with the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We also recently participated on a call with two members of Congress to share information about COVID response and people with disabilities. Together we are helping to meet the true needs of people with disabilities during this pandemic.
If you come across situations during the course of your work where you know that people with disabilities are in need of assistance, please reach out to headquarters staff or a regional disability integration specialist who can help to get you the right resources for the situation.
Also, please use and distribute these accessible CDC videos relating to COVID-19. Each has an American Sign Language interpreter:
Linda Mastandrea
Director, Office of Disability Integration and Coordination
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Program News
 FEMA remains focused on protecting the workforce and continuing to reinforce the coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Homeland Security. It is important to follow social distancing guidelines, wash hands, wear face coverings and stay home when sick.
In order to protect the workforce, the following persons are instructed not to enter FEMA facilities:
- Any person who has tested positive for COVID-19 OR who has a household member who has tested positive for COVID-19, until cleared to return to work;
- Any person who has been tested for COVID-19 and is awaiting results OR has a household member who has been tested and is awaiting results;
- Any person directed by a building safety official to stay home for a certain period of time, until that period of time has passed;
- Any person who has experienced cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms OR who has a household member who has experienced symptoms within the last 14 days;
- Any person who has been instructed to quarantine by federal, state or local authority/order; or
- Any person who has been in close contact within the past 14 days with someone who has been instructed to self-isolate or quarantine.
FEMA employees who fail to follow this instruction may be subject to discipline, up to and including removal from the federal service, and the revocation of access to FEMA facilities. If you have any questions, please contact FEMA-HC-ServiceDesk@fema.dhs.gov or FEMA-Environmental-Safety-and-Health@fema.dhs.gov
As FEMA responds to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, remember that employees cannot use their job for their own personal gain, or for the personal benefit of friends, relatives or other people with whom the employee is associated.
Employees must avoid:
- Using their government positions to suggest that FEMA or the federal government’s executive branch endorses any organization (including a nonprofit); product; service; or person.
- This means that employees can’t say or imply that FEMA prefers one product or service over another, or prefers one organization over another.
- Engaging in financial transactions using nonpublic information or allowing the improper use of nonpublic information for personal benefit.
- “Nonpublic information” is information an employee gains on the job that isn’t available to the public and isn’t authorized to be made public.
- Misusing government property or official time.
- Employees must use their FEMA laptops, phones, and other equipment only for work-related purposes.
For questions, contact the FEMA Ethics Office.
News You Can Use
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use of cloth face coverings as an additional public health measure to prevent and mitigate the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) to those around them. Recent data about how COVID-19 spreads before people show symptoms (pre-symptomatic) or people without symptoms (asymptomatic).
Employees can stay informed by visiting coronavirus.gov and the FEMA Coronavirus Employee Resources page.
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When you have a strong Wi-Fi connection, please update your iPhone and iPad to iOS 13.4 by following these step-by-step instructions. You must update all of your FEMA applications before updating your device to iOS 13.4. The iOS update must be performed prior to Friday, April 17, to prevent interruption of service.
Every employee has a responsibility to maintain their assigned devices, including installing updates to comply with DHS 4300A: Sensitive Systems Handbook.
For more information, instructions and technical aids, go to Updating Apps and iOS. You can also call the FEMA Enterprise Service Desk at 1-888-457-3362 for assistance.
 The 2019 Administrator's Awards Ceremony has been postponed to July 30. Further details will be announced when they become available.
FEMA now has a limited number of Zoom licenses to enable audio/visual collaboration with non-FEMA partners. Zoom licenses will be distributed to designated points of contact in each directorate, office and regional office. Only users with licenses can initiate Zoom sessions. Users engaging in FEMA internal communication and collaboration should continue to use Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business.
For information on approved collaboration capabilities and tools, go to the IT “How To” Guides.
The tax filing deadline for all 2019 individual returns, trusts and corporations has been extended from April 15 to July 15. This relief is automatic and taxpayers do not need to file additional forms or call the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to qualify. However, the IRS urges taxpayers who are owed a refund to file as quickly as possible.
Individual taxpayers who need to file their taxes beyond the July 15 deadline should request an extension by filing Form 4868 through their tax professional, tax software or using Free File on IRS.gov.
Penalties and interest will begin to accrue on any remaining unpaid balances as of July 16. To avoid interest and penalties, pay your taxes by July 15.
State Tax Returns
The relief applies only to federal income returns and tax payments normally due April 15. It does not apply to state tax payments or deposits or payments of any other type of federal tax. State (and Washington, D.C.) filing and payment deadlines vary and are not always the same as the federal filing deadline. Check with your state tax agencies for details.
Who is eligible for the economic impact payment?
Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for either 2019 or 2018 will automatically receive an economic impact payment based on a sliding scale and according to adjusted gross income. If you filed your 2019 tax return, the IRS will use this information to calculate the payment amount. If you have not yet filed your tax return for 2019, the IRS will use your 2018 tax filing to calculate the payment. The economic impact payment will be deposited directly into the same banking account provided on your return.
Due to the large amount of speculation regarding the COVID-19 federal response, FEMA launched a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Rumor Control page on its website. The page contains information from official sources.
You can sign up for updates and see localized information and rumor control from your local and state officials.
Find the latest updates from federal agencies on the federal Coronavirus.gov.
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 The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employee Resources page has the most up-to-date resources and guidelines to keep you informed and healthy.
Reservist Connection
Dear RABy is a question and answer feature the Reservist Advisory Board (RAB) uses to address questions from reservist employees. Do you have a question for the Reservist Advisory Board? Send it to FEMA-RAB@fema.dhs.gov and it may be featured in an upcoming FEMA Weekly.
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I received the recent email on COVID-19 Pandemic: Workforce Availability, but I still have a question. If I request PANA during the March 20 - May 20 time period, will this “extra PANA” preclude me from being called out in the future? Will it count against me?
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Reservists concerned about COVID-19 can request and use additional pre-approved non-availability (PANA) between March 20, 2020, and May 20, 2020. The additional PANA request will not count against their allotted 90 days per year, nor will it affect the reservists’ place in the deployment order.
Once PANA is submitted, it will still require cadre management approval. The process to request PANA will still be completed through the Deployment Tracking System.
If you have additional cadre-specific questions, contact your Cadre Management Team. Questions on PANA may be directed to FEMA-DTS-Deployment@fema.dhs.gov.
For more information on COVID-19, visit Coronavirus Employee Resources.
A cadre coordinator oversees all aspects of day-to-day cadre management including staffing, equipping, training, qualifying and performance of the cadre and its members. Visit the FEMA intranet home page for a list of FEMA cadre coordinators.
Your Professional Development
Toastmasters helps people learn the arts of speaking, listening and thinking. These skills enhance your leadership potential, foster human understanding and uphold FEMA’s core values of compassion, fairness, integrity and respect. Members learn valuable skills that benefit their personal and professional lives in a supportive and positive learning environment.
FEMA Toastmasters and Friends meets every first and third Thursday of the month. The next virtual meeting will be at noon ET on April 17 using Zoom Video Communications.
The meetings are run through the Federal Aviation Administration's ZoomGov. To join, visit ZoomGov. If prompted, accept the Zoom application as instructed. A camera enabled PC or laptop with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge is needed.
For more information, contact Lionel.Green@fema.dhs.gov or Marvin.Scott@fema.dhs.gov.
USA Jobs
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Rotations
Leadership Development Opportunities
Department Training Opportunities
DHS Leader Development Competency Cafés
Detail & Rotation Opportunities
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Open Until Filled
About FEMA Weekly
The Office of External Affairs publishes FEMA Weekly each Wednesday. Questions or comments about FEMA Weekly can be emailed directly to the Office of External Affairs.
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All FEMA employees are encouraged to submit stories, upcoming events and announcements; particularly stories about our values, guiding principles and mission in action. Articles should be 200 words or less. Submissions are due by close of business the Wednesday prior to the edition. Articles submitted after that date and time will be considered for the following edition. |
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