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Nov. 30 marks the official end to the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which produced 21 named storms, making it the third-most active Atlantic hurricane season on record. As a result of climate change, the novelty of breaking records has lost its weight; we’ve become desensitized to it, because we’re doing it every year.
Hurricanes are occurring before and after the traditional seasons in the Atlantic and Pacific; fire seasons in the West are now considered fire years, and floods are impacting communities not previously prone to flooding. As climate change induces more frequent and farther-reaching weather events, it’s more important than ever to prepare.
The 2020 FEMA National Household Survey found that only 48% of American households have disaster preparedness plans. This statistic underscores a common belief by many; that their families and homes are immune from the impacts of a disaster, and so they fail to make plans until it is too late. However, the fact is that every community, every neighborhood is vulnerable to experiencing severe weather. So ultimately, how well you prepare for a disaster today can significantly influence your ability to recover tomorrow.
This past year, I traveled around the country and observed flooded streets and extensive debris in places like LaFourche, Terrebonne and St. Charles Parish, listened to heartbreaking stories of families who lost everything to wildfires, and saw the remnants of homes torn apart by tornadoes that touched down in New Jersey as Hurricane Ida approached. I was pained to see the devastation and it strengthened my resolve that emergency preparedness cannot only be seasonal and must be a year-round activity.
These changes in weather patterns require changes in our behavior. Waiting until moments before a disaster strikes is too late, as evidenced by long lines at gas stations, empty shelves at supermarkets, and miles of congested traffic before a storm. Preparations do not have to be expensive or time consuming, and small efforts can save lives. I urge you to consider taking these small steps:
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Make a Plan –Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.
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Know Your Evacuation Route – Get accustomed to alternate routes and other means of transportation out of your area.
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Follow Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) –These are short emergency messages from alerting authorities delivered to your mobile device. Check your mobile device settings to ensure that you are receiving emergency alert messages.
Ready.gov has a suite of tools and educational resources to help you build a disaster kit, create a family communication plan, and learn about other steps you can take to prepare. The time for action is now while you have time and clarity-of-mind to gather the necessary information, resources, and supplies.
Individual preparedness is only one part of being ready for a disaster. FEMA will continue partnering with communities and state agencies to support mitigation activities and to ensure communities are strengthened to better withstand future catastrophic weather events. We will also continue to partner with local communities to set up shelters; broadcast communications that account for individuals who are blind, deaf, or hard of hearing; translate emergency lifesaving information into languages that are accessible by all Americans; and provide individual and public assistance to those who need help after a disaster.
Our world is evolving. Weather events that were unfathomable 20 years ago are the new normal and an unprecedented global pandemic has changed every aspect of our lives. Messages of preparedness and protection are everywhere, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed by all that we need to do.
So, my ask of you is this: do one small thing today. Take one action that contributes to your readiness and encourage others to do the same.
Disasters Don’t Wait. Make Your Plan Today.
Deanne Criswell
FEMA Administrator
In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3 proclaimed the annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
This year’s theme is “Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world.” This theme asks us to consider what the post-COVID-19 world looks like for persons with disabilities.
At FEMA, this begins with a commitment to focus on delivering programs and services in an equitable manner, so that people with disabilities can receive and benefit from the programs and services that help people before, during and after disasters.
This includes engaging with disability stakeholders to better understand the issues and concerns faced by people with disabilities who are impacted by disaster.
FEMA includes people with disabilities in training, exercises and community-level preparedness activities. This way, the agency ensures that we’re delivering programs and services in an effective and accessible way to facilitate better preparedness, response and recovery.
The observance of International Day of Persons with Disabilities includes discussions and cultural events to raise awareness and promote the rights and perspectives of persons with disabilities around the world.
Discover more and see a calendar of events at un.org. To learn more about how FEMA helps people with disabilities before, during and after disasters, visit the FEMA blog and FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination webpage.
FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security released an interactive, web-based version of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPWAS) Program Planning Toolkit. The new free online tool will assist new and existing alerting authorities across the country to create and support an effective program for alerts, warnings and notifications.
IPAWS is FEMA’s national system for local alerting that provides authenticated emergency and life-saving information to the public through mobile phones using Wireless Emergency Alerts, to radio and television via the Emergency Alert System and on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Radio. More than 1,600 state, local, tribal and territorial authorities can send alerts using IPAWS.
FEMA and DHS worked to identify gaps in existing IPAWS alerting resources available to alerting authorities.
The new toolkit was produced based on recent innovative changes to technology and was derived from the collection of successful practices and lessons learned from hundreds of data points, including more than 200 emergency managers, public information officers, alerting originators and administrators and alerting experts.
Whether they face tornados or a pandemic, floods or winter weather, childcare providers must keep the kids they care for safe during emergencies. The newly revised FEMA independent study course, "Preparedness for Child Care Providers" (IS-36), can help.
This online course covers multiple hazards and risks that may affect child-care providers. These include fires, criminal activity and child abduction, severe weather, hazardous materials, illness outbreaks and geological events like earthquakes. The comprehensive course can support safety and planning not just at child-care centers and preschools, but also at before- and after-school programs, summer youth programs and at-home childcare facilities.
Preparedness for childcare providers also includes a variety of tools for students such as procedures for sheltering in place, emergency site closings, reunification with parents and guardians and more. Students will learn how to create an emergency plan tailored to their needs, including actions like how to identify staff responsibilities when an emergency happens. A companion toolkit includes helpful hazard checklists, sample forms like emergency contact sheets and checklists for emergency drills.
Students can complete this free, web-based course online in about two hours.
If you care for young kids, be sure to take a look at the course and share it with your colleagues. If you’re a parent of young kids, let their childcare center know about the course. You can find the course at FEMA - Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Course | IS-36.A: Preparedness for Child Care Providers.
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FEMA is providing newly translated materials in Spanish for its stakeholders and has released the Spanish edition of the “Building Private-Public Partnerships Guide.”
This guide provides recommendations and best practices for jurisdictions to establish and maintain a private-public partnership to help coordinate mitigation, response and recovery, planning and preparedness.
The Private-Public Partnership guide is an effort to build on the National Response Framework update. The update focuses on non-governmental capabilities to stabilize community lifelines and the continued need for aligning government efforts with the private sector.
On Sept. 9, FEMA announced its new equity definition to ensure alignment and coordinated progress across the agency. The definition is the result of initiatives on how the agency is advancing equity which is defined as: “The consistent and systematic fair, just and impartial treatment of all individuals.”
The Partnership for Public Service recently published an online report, “Government for the People,” detailing how several federal agencies are designing for equitable and trusted customer experiences.
The report described that FEMA “has examined why specific populations were not applying for disaster assistance.” This examination is part of the agency’s focus on reducing barriers and increasing opportunities so all people can get help when they need it.
“FEMA’s targeted outreach identified several real and perceived barriers to indicating disability on applications for assistance, such as lack of clarity on what constituted a qualifying disability. Addressing those barriers enabled FEMA to better understand the needs of these populations and how agency policies affected them and led to more targeted outreach to educate people on what benefits are available.”
To read the full report on services across the federal government, including a customer experience profile on FEMA and its disaster relief services, visit ourpublicservice.org.
Visit FEMA’s Equity webpage to learn more about the agency’s equity definition and initiatives.
FEMA published a notice in the Federal Register extending the public comment on the National Flood Insurance Program’s minimum floodplain management standards by 45 days from Dec. 13, 2021 to Jan. 27, 2022, In addition, FEMA scheduled a third public meeting at 3 p.m. ET on Dec. 15.
The additional 90-minute virtual public meeting will also gather verbal public feedback on the Request for Information. The meeting is open to the public and will present the same information provided at two previous public meetings held in November. The transcripts of meeting is available in English and Spanish on this webpage.
Anyone may register for the Dec. 15 meeting by visiting this Webex webpage, advance registration is required.
Registrants can indicate if they have an interest in providing a 3-minute verbal comment during a meeting. Participants will be confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis to provide a verbal comment. Spanish language services will be provided for this meeting. Please follow the instructions on the webpage for submitting comments and contact the Regulations Help Desk if you have technical issues.
Written comments can be submitted to the Federal eRulemaking Portal, Docket ID: FEMA-2021-0024. With the extension of the comment period, the new closing date for comments is Jan.27, 2022.
FEMA has released six documents to aid organizations applying for $414 million in funding available through the Fiscal Year 2021 Assistance to Firefighters Grants. The application period will close at 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 17.
The documents include the funding notice, application checklist and frequently asked questions. They will assist eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations and state fire training academies apply for funding to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards.
Additional information on the grant program is available online at Assistance to Firefighters Grants | FEMA.gov. For questions, contact the Fire Grants Help Desk via email at firegrants@fema.dhs.gov.
On Nov. 15, FEMA held a virtual roundtable discussion with national law enforcement and public safety executive directors and subject matter experts. The purpose of the roundtable was to strengthen FEMA’s Office of Law Enforcement Engagement and Integration relationship with its law enforcement and public safety partners to mitigate climate impacts and build resilience.
The discussions discussed climate impacts on response and recovery operations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provided subject matter expertise on unprecedented climate trends and resources.
Attendees represented the diversity of fields within law enforcement and public safety.
Participants for the event include:
- The International Association of Chiefs of Police.
- International Organization of Airport and Seaport Police.
- International Association of Campus of Law Enforcement Administrators.
- National Association of Attorneys General.
- National Association of School Resource Officers.
- American Correctional Association.
- National Animal Care & Control Association.
- Small & Rural Law Enforcement Executives, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.
- Historically Black Colleges & Universities Law Enforcement Association.
- Broward County Sheriff’s Office.
- Women in Federal Law Enforcement.
- Major Cities Chiefs Association.
- National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives.
- Hispanic American Police Commanders Association.
- Utah Police Officers Association.
- Washington DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
FEMA attendees included:
- The Center for Domestic Preparedness.
- US Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy.
- Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation.
- DHS Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships.
- Office of Disability Integration and Coordination.
- Office of External Affairs.
DHS attendees included leadership from the Office of State and Local Law Enforcement.
FEMA will host a larger roundtable with law enforcement, public safety executives and emergency management leadership in spring 2022 to further the discussion of closing national capability gaps and continuous improvement in the delivery of services.
FEMA Releases Architect Documents
FEMA is seeking public feedback on architect resource typing definition documents. This 30-day national engagement period will conclude at 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 17.
To provide comments on the draft document, complete the feedback form and submit the form to FEMA-NIMS@fema.dhs.gov.
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FEMA Opens Applications for Assistance to Firefighters Grants
On Nov. 8, FEMA opened the application period for $414 million in funding available through the Fiscal Year 2021 Assistance to Firefighters Grants. The application period will close at 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 17.
To support the fire community in the application process, FEMA is offering webinars throughout November, including some specifically for tribal nations. Information on the webinars, including sessions for tribal nations, is available at FEMA.gov.
Additional information on the grant program is available online at Assistance to Firefighters Grants | FEMA.gov. For questions, contact the Fire Grants Help Desk via email at firegrants@fema.dhs.gov.
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FEMA Seeks Public Feedback on Position Documents
FEMA is seeking public feedback on 24 fire management and suppression documents. This 30-day national engagement period will conclude at 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 3, 2021.
To provide comments on the draft documents, complete the feedback form and submit the form to FEMA-NIMS@fema.dhs.gov.
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