|
FEMA established a five-year voluntary agreement that enhances coordination and cooperation with private sector manufacturers, distributors and industry representatives. The voluntary agreement, made under Defense Production Act authorities, helps to provide critical health and medical resources to respond to COVID-19 and future pandemics.
Federal departments and agencies can engage with private sector partners to develop sector-specific plans of action for improved information sharing and coordination within supply chain networks. It will better allow the federal government to plan for response activities with private sector partners and acquire and use real-time data to make important decisions. Participants of the agreement are granted relief from antitrust laws for specific actions taken under the agreement.
In May, FEMA held a public meeting with private sector representatives to seek feedback on the agreement. A transcript of the meeting can be found here. For more information on the agreement, visit the Federal Register, where it was published on Aug. 17, the Fact Sheet or Q&As. Companies and organizations that wish to participate in this agreement can send an email to FEMA.
The first round of funding for FEMA’s Fiscal Year 2019 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants has been announced. So far, $260 million has been awarded to help protect firefighters and other emergency responders as well as the public from fire and fire response related hazards, including coronavirus (COVID-19) exposure.
On Aug. 21, 105 SAFER grants were announced, totaling $41.3 million. SAFER funding goes directly to fire departments and volunteer support groups to expand the number of firefighters available. Additionally, nearly $42.4 million was awarded in FY 19 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) on Aug. 21.
The latest round of FY 20 AFG-COVID-19 Supplemental funding awarded more than $3 million, pushing total announced allocations to nearly $46 million for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) and related supplies for our nation’s first responders.
Allocations for all three grant programs will continue throughout the summer, along with awards for this year's Fire Prevention and Safety Grants.
Additionally, a second AFG-S application period will open this fall, providing another opportunity for volunteer and combination fire departments to apply for COVID-19 related PPE funds.
FEMA Offers Webinars for Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants
FEMA is offering informational webinars for Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant applicants. The webinars will provide an overview of the grant programs and details about the agency’s funding priorities and review process.
Any prospective state, tribal or territorial applicant can attend. Sessions include:
-
Webinar for all applicants at 2 p.m. on Aug. 25.
-
Webinar for tribal applicants at 2 p.m. ET on Aug. 27.
-
Webinars on "Avoiding Application Pitfalls" at 2 p.m. on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2.
Each webinar topic will be recorded and available online at a future time. For additional updates or more information, visit FEMA.gov.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
FEMA Hosts Webinar Series on Effective Accessible Communications
FEMA will host a webinar on accessible communications and how to effectively create them throughout the disaster cycle. The webinar will provide useful resources for print, TV and radio communication strategies, as well as offer specific tools to help you write for your audience.
The webinar will be held at noon on Aug. 27. Register on FEMA Adobe Connect. Subject matter experts from FEMA and the community will offer invaluable insights and information to assist participants in building a more inclusive environment in the field of emergency management.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
FEMA Announces Public Comment Period for Debris Monitoring Guide
FEMA is releasing an interim "Debris Monitoring Guide." The guidance is now open for public comment. It includes several changes that incorporate updated requirements to comply with the "Procurement Disaster Assistance Team 2019 Field Manual."
The interim guide and accompanying comments matrix are available on the FEMA website. FEMA will accept public comments submitted using the accompanying comments matrix until Sept. 17. For questions or suggestions about the guide, send an email to FEMA-Recovery-Pa-Policy@fema.dhs.gov.
|
