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On Sept. 18, President Joseph R. Biden approved an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico. This action allowed FEMA to make federal emergency aid available to the Government of Puerto Rico to supplement the local government’s response efforts to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Fiona.
The president's action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to support the Government of Puerto Rico and provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures to save lives, protect property and public health, safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of this event in all 78 municipalities in Puerto Rico.
FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Direct federal assistance provides support for eligible emergency work when a state, tribal or territorial government has exhausted its own capabilities to provide those services.
To learn more about how FEMA is helping people before, during and after disasters, visit FEMA.gov.
This week is the third week of National Preparedness Month and National Historically Black Colleges and Universities week.
Earlier this month, FEMA visited Howard University to kick off this year’s National Preparedness Month and premiere this year’s theme, “A Lasting Legacy,” which features a call-to-action for the Black and African American communities. While there, FEMA collaborated with Howard University students to create a public service announcement featuring students giving advice on how to prepare for a disaster.
To encourage preparedness for all, the messaging is focused on how individuals can prepare for disasters when they have less resources available to them. While many are facing the strain of higher prices, there are some low-cost/no-cost ways to prepare and preserve your legacy this National Preparedness Month:
- Start by gathering supplies around your home for an emergency supply kit, such as an old backpack or canned goods already in your pantry.
- Sign up for emergency alertsin your area to receive life-saving information from your state and local municipality.
- Visit Low and No Cost Preparedness | Ready.govfor more free and low-cost tips and information on things you can do to lessen the impact of disasters and emergencies for you and your family.
To learn more about National Preparedness Month, visit Ready.gov.
Congressional Support for National Preparedness Month
Nine members of Congress are serving as the 2022 co-sponsors for this year’s National Preparedness Month.
Chairwoman Val Demings (D-FL), Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery; House Committee on Homeland Security
“This National Preparedness Month, I encourage everyone to make sure you and your family are safe and ready when a disaster hits. In Florida, we know that smart planning for disasters means increased safety during storms and greater community resilience. I will continue my work in Congress to make sure that state and local emergency managers, FEMA staff, and first responders have the tools, training, and expertise that they need to keep us safe. Let’s work together to be prepared.”
Kat Cammack (R-FL), Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery; House Committee on Homeland Security
“As the lead Republican on the Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Subcommittee, it is an honor to serve as a Congressional co-chair for National Preparedness Month. No stranger to natural disasters, we in Florida understand the importance of emergency preparation. I am proud to work with my colleagues on the committee and in Congress to ensure all Americans are equipped for any situation.”
On Sept. 21, join the FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination at 2 p.m. ET for a stakeholder engagement event. The event will focus on answering common questions during the FEMA registration process, including self-identifying, demographic and disability-related intake questions.
Please register in advance for this meeting. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. To ensure a timely start, we advise dialing in ten to fifteen minutes before the meeting begins.
Speakers for the event include:
- FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Director Sherman Gillums, Jr.
- FEMA Individual Assistance Program Management Coordinator Pamela Miller.
Captioning and sign language interpreters will be provided for this event.
On Sept. 21, the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency will host a webinar in support of National Preparedness Month and the Protecting Places of Worship National Week of Action.
This webinar will provide participants with an actionable framework to enhance security in places of worship in a manner that sustains an open and welcoming environment for patrons to peacefully worship.
The webinar will be held at 2 p.m. ET on Sept. 21. Register in advance. Closed captioning and American Sign Language interpretation will be available.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity grant program especially for state, local and territorial governments across the country. These grants will help state, local and territorial governments address cybersecurity risks and help them strengthen their cybersecurity posture to ensure resiliency in the current threat environment.
On Sept. 13, DHS released a funding notice and opened the application period for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program and makes $185 million available. Over the next 60 days, states and territories will have the time to finalize their cybersecurity planning committees and draft their cybersecurity plans for approval by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Entities may also submit a request to extend the time necessary to prepare their cybersecurity plans.
DHS will implement the grant program through CISA with the assistance of FEMA. CISA will serve as subject-matter experts in reviewing and approving cybersecurity plans and investments for funding, while FEMA will provide grant administration and oversight for appropriated funds.
For more information and helpful resources on the new program, visit CISA.gov. A version of this grant program specifically for Tribal governments will be announced later this year.
FEMA seeks feedback on the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Information and Communications Technology Functional Guidance. The comment period will conclude on Oct. 20.
The guidance provides instruction on integrating communication, information and cybersecurity into the Incident Command System structure while adhering to the concepts and principles of the NIMS doctrine.
The engagement period provides an opportunity for interested parties to comment on the draft documents to ensure they are relevant to all implementing partners.
To provide feedback on the documents, complete the form located at FEMA.gov and email a completed form to FEMA-NIMS@fema.dhs.gov no later than 5 p.m. ET on Oct. 20.
FEMA Hosts Hazard Mitigation Assistance Summer Engagement Series
On Sept. 22, FEMA is hosting the next webinar in the Hazard Mitigation Assistance 2022 Summer Engagement Series. The webinar will provide an overview of the fiscal year 2022 Notice of Funding Opportunity for BRIC and FMA and is designed for regional leaders and key stakeholders in states, local communities, tribes and territories and other interested individuals.
The Hazard Mitigation Assistance Summer Engagement Series kicked-off in early August and runs until Oct. 4. It features experts and special guests who will provide information and insights on the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance programs.
To register, visit Hazard Mitigation Assistance 2022 Summer Engagement Series and find the webinar best suited for your jurisdiction. For special accommodations, contact fema-hmacomms@fema.dhs.gov.
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FEMA Seeks Feedback on Emergency Incident Response Documents
FEMA seeks feedback on two National Incident Management System positions related to emergency incident response.
The Canine Detection Team for Explosives is responsible for conducting screening and searches to detect explosives and explosives-related substances and assist in bomb crime scene investigations. The Canine Handler for Explosives is an individual who has successfully completed canine handling in the explosives detection discipline and is part of a canine explosives detection team.
This 30-day national engagement provides an opportunity for interested parties to comment on the draft documents to ensure they are relevant to all implementing partners. To provide comments on the listed draft documents, complete the feedback form and submit the form to FEMA-NIMS@fema.dhs.gov no later than 5 p.m. ET on Sept. 23.
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FEMA Seeks Public Comments on Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance
FEMA published a notice in the Federal Register seeking public comment on updates to its "Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide."
The updated guide provides helpful information for state, local, tribal and territorial governments seeking to successfully navigate the application and grant lifecycle processes. FEMA’s hazard mitigation assistance grant programs provide funding for actions that address risks to and reduce disaster suffering from events like wildfires, drought, extreme heat, hurricanes, earthquakes and flooding.
FEMA posted the updated guide the Federal Register under Docket ID Number FEMA-2022-0023. The public comment period will run through Sept. 23.
Comments can be submitted at regulations.gov and will become publicly available. Please follow the instructions on the page for submitting comments and contact the Regulations.gov help desk if you have any issues.
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FEMA Hosts Continuity in Action Webinar
On Sept. 22, FEMA will host “Continuity in Action Fall 2022.” The webinar will highlight how the agency will implement continuity strategies during disasters and the continuity of cyber capabilities during interruptions of services.
Join the webinar at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 22 for a one-hour discussion on continuity strategies and implementation. The webinar will include a speaker panel and a question-and-answer period. A backup date for the webinar is 1:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 6.
To attend, register in advance on Eventbrite. The webinar will be recorded for future viewing. However, we encourage your live attendance to maximize the time for questions and answers with the presenters.
Visit the Continuity Resource Toolkit for additional information and resources for continuity. Contact the Policy and Plans Branch at fema-continuity-policy@fema.dhs.gov with questions regarding the webinar. Captioning services will be provided for the webinar.
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FEMA Seeks Feedback on Private-Public Partnerships
FEMA seeks input from whole community partners on the draft “Restoration and Recovery Guide for Private-Public Partnerships.” The open comment period will conclude on Oct. 13.
This guide is for local government, private sector, non-governmental organizations, community planners and whole community stakeholders with authorities to manage or provide resources for restoration and recovery.
To download the document, visit FEMA.gov. Please submit feedback to NPD-Planning@fema.dhs.gov no later than Oct. 13.
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FEMA Updates Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool
The Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool (RAPT) is an award winning, free, online webmap. RAPT gives open access to powerful data and GIS mapping to understand resilience across the nation. The latest update of RAPT includes new resilience indicators, the latest data from the U.S Census Bureau and improved analysis tools.
Register for a webinar to learn more.
Visit www.fema.gov/rapt to start using RAPT today. Access the RAPT Resource Center to learn how to do even more to understand and improve resilience in your community.
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