|
If a property owner doesn’t know their flood risk, they cannot know their premium rate or what mitigation actions to consider.
As FEMA rolled out the National Flood Insurance Program’s new rating system, Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action, the agency has heard questions from policyholders and industry partners such as, “How does FEMA calculate my rate?” and “How can I reduce my flood risk and pay less?"
To provide answers to these important questions, FEMA has published new materials to the Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action resource webpage on FloodSmart.gov.
These user-friendly educational tools are a part of the agency’s commitment to increasing transparency and communication. The materials provide in-depth explanations on topics ranging from flood risk variables and individualized policy pricing to discounts and other options available to policyholders.
This collection is updated regularly and insurance providers are encouraged to use and share these resources to help their clients protect lives and to help close the flood insurance gap.
With the HURREVAC Storm Simulator, emergency managers can create customizable tropical cyclone scenarios in minutes.
HURREVAC users enter criteria that generate a storm track, associated forecasts and downstream products. Once a storm simulation is created, users can view forecast products, advance through time and forecast advisories and interact with the simulation using the same HURREVAC functionality as real storms.
Simulated storm scenarios can test a range of responses by adjusting the size of the storm, time of arrival or variability in the forecast. Users can share storm simulations with others to support training or exercise needs.
In previous years, customizing simulations for hurricane planning would take weeks to months. Now, through the HURREVAC Storm Simulator, emergency managers have the power to create tailored storms to test their hurricane readiness and evacuation capabilities.
The HURREVAC Storm Simulator was released to emergency management users before the 2021 hurricane season, HURREVAC users have already created more than 500 scenarios using the storm simulator. Users can quickly create custom hurricane scenarios to support planning, training and exercises.
For developing the storm simulator, FEMA’s National Hurricane Program received the National Hurricane Conference Outstanding Achievement Award in April. The National Hurricane Conference recognized the Program and its technical team Sea Island Software and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Labs.
 ORLANDO - 2022 National Hurricane Conference Vice Chair Ken Graham presented the conference's outstanding achievement award to FEMA's National Hurricane Program Manager Christina Finch, Sea Island Software President Karen Townsend and MIT Lincoln Labs Research Scientist Bob Hallowell.
Last month, the new Unique Entity ID generated in SAM.gov became the official, government-wide identifier used for federal awards. This replaces the Dun & Bradstreet numbers used to uniquely identify entities registered in SAM.gov and affects FEMA Grants users.
To continue to help users during the transition, there will be an automatic, 30-day extension for any existing SAM.gov entity registrations needing to be renewed with an expiration date ranging between April 29, 2022 and April 28, 2023. No action is required on the part of entity registrants.
The new expiration dates will be included in the SAM.gov entity management extracts and available through web services after the records are extended.
Go to the Integrated Award Environment systems webpage to learn more. Visit FSD.gov or SAM.gov for additional information about the new Unique Entity ID. For questions about FEMA Grants Outcomes, email FEMAGO@fema.dhs.gov.
A signed presidential proclamation was issued to mark May as the annual Building Safety Month. The initiative is led by International Code Council and supported by FEMA and the theme for the 42nd annual event is “Safety for All: Building Codes in Action.”
Each week has been assigned a theme. This year’s themes are:
This year the theme aligns with the vision of FEMA’s Building Codes Strategy, “A resilient nation with superior building performance in disasters.”
To date, 25% of communities have formally adopted the latest or next level hazard-resistant building codes. FEMA encourages robust code enforcement and provides multiple comprehensive materials to help convey the value of building codes.
For additional information on Building Safety Month and to find out how you can get involved with building safety in your community, visit 2022 Building Safety Month webpage.
FEMA employees across the agency work every day to make the buildings in our country safe. These efforts include the creation of the FEMA Building Codes Strategy. Read FEMA’s blog about five building science experts who are helping shape the future.
FEMA Extends Deadline for Emergency Management Exchange Program
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced the agency is accepting nominations for a new emergency management exchange program. The staff exchange program will allow state, local, tribal and territorial government officials to work with FEMA leadership to develop and implement emergency management policies and programs.
Program participants will work alongside FEMA leadership and staff from FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery or Resilience. These stakeholders will contribute to federal emergency management and see the impact of their contributions from a different governmental perspective.
A total of four participants will be selected for this three to six month assignment at FEMA from July through December 2022. A future session is planned from January to June 2023.
Nominations should include:
- A letter of nomination from the leadership of the candidate's governmental program or organization. The letter should explain why the candidate is nominated for the exchange and should also contain the nominator’s contact information – including phone number and an email address.
- The nominee’s resume - including name, phone number and email address.
The nominating office point of contact should be either the nominee’s supervisor or someone in a higher-level leadership position.
FEMA will reimburse the participant’s home organization for the cost of the participant’s salary plus benefits, for the duration of the assignment.
Nominations are due by May 27. To submit a nomination, email FEMA-EMX-Nominations@fema.dhs.gov.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
FEMA Accepts Video Submissions for 2022 Partnership Month
This July, FEMA will host a virtual exhibitor hall to celebrate Voluntary Agency Coordination Partnership Month. This event celebrates strong partnerships that make emergency management possible.
Your organization is invited to create a short video to be featured as part of the gallery.
Video file specifications
- Length: 1 minute or less.
- Resolution: 1080p.
- Format: .MP4.
- Size: 100MB or less.
- Accessibility: Provide closed captioning by including a script of the dialogue as well as an .SRT file.
For questions and video submissions, email fema-r8hostedpartnershipmonth@fema.dhs.gov To view last year’s videos, visit the partnership month website. Submit a completed version of the video no later than 5 p.m. ET on June 1.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
FEMA Hosts Nonprofit Security Grant Webinars
Gain insight how the fiscal year 2022 Nonprofit Security Grant Program can help your faith-based, community or nonprofit organizations by joining one of the upcoming webinars.
Each webinar will last approximately 90 minutes and will be followed by a Q & A session. Each session will present the same content. Preregistration is required for the webinars.
Click on a link below for your preferred time:
If you have any questions regarding these webinars or require special accommodations, please send an email to FEMA-NSGP@fema.dhs.gov.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
FEMA Provides Over $400M to Emergency Managers
FEMA released the funding notice for the Emergency Management Performance Grant program, making $405.1 million available to assist state, local, tribal and territorial governments to develop their emergency management capabilities and for all-hazards preparedness activities. The program focuses on planning, operations, equipment acquisitions, training, exercises, construction and renovation. This application period closes at 5 p.m. ET on June 13.
Eligible applicants must submit an initial application by June 6, FEMA will notify eligible applicants to proceed with submitting their complete application package in the Non-Disaster (ND) Grants System by the application deadline. FEMA anticipates that all awards will be made no later than Sept. 30.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
FEMA Hosts HURREVAC Webinar Series
From June 6 – 10, FEMA's National Hurricane Program will host a five-day HURREVAC training for emergency managers. Each day, sessions will start at 2 p.m. ET and run 60–90 minutes.
Webinar topics include:
- Introduction to HURREVAC and Overview of the National Hurricane Program: June 6.
- Wind Forecast Features: June 7.
- Evacuation Timing Features: June 8.
- Storm Surge and Other Water Hazards: June 9.
- Exercise Tools and Applying HURREVAC: June 10.
HURREVAC is a free web-based decision-support tool that assists emergency managers by providing information and tools to inform hurricane response decisions in advance of a threatening storm. Interested emergency managers can register now for this annual HURREVAC webinar series.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
FEMA Accepts Earthquake Grant Applications
On May 2, FEMA opened the application period for the Fiscal Year 2022 National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Grant Program, including Individual State Earthquake Assistance and the Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance grants. The notification is available on www.grants.gov.
In addition to detailing eligibility and submission requirements, these notifications provide a program overview, such as objectives, priorities and allowable activities. The application period for both funding opportunities will end at 5 p.m. ET on June 1.
For additional information on these funding opportunities and the FEMA National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, visit FEMA.gov or send an email to FEMA-NEHRP@fema.dhs.gov.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
|
