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In June, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced this year’s theme: preparing older adults and their caregivers ahead of disasters.
By emphasizing, “Take Control in 1, 2, 3,” Ready.gov encourages everyone, especially older adults, to become more prepared in three simple steps:
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Assess your needs. Everyone has unique needs. There are several factors that can affect the steps you need to take to prepare yourself and those in your care. Whether you care for pets, have children, have a medical condition or a disability, it is important to know what your family will need to stay safe.
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Make a plan. Once you’ve assessed your needs, you can plan for what you’d do, where you’d go and what to bring if a disaster strikes. Your emergency supply kit should include items that meet your individual needs.
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Engage your support network. Get to know your neighbors because they, along with your family and friends, can be a support network before, during and after a disaster by providing emotional and practical support.
FEMA urges our partners, emergency managers and all those who work with and support older adult communities to access the new webpage available in English and Spanish languages at Ready.gov/older-adults and Ready.gov/es/adultos-mayores, we’ve also created a toolkit in Espanol and English.
Congressional Support for National Preparedness Month
U.S. Rep. Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA), Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology
“With natural disasters increasing in frequency and intensity, investments we make today in readiness and resilience will determine the outcome of our response tomorrow. In New Orleans, we have experience with extreme weather events and what I have learned from my time on the ground is that we must instill a culture of preparedness at all levels of government – while also ensuring that our response and recovery to disasters is equitable. I am proud to serve as a Co-Chair of the 2023 National Preparedness Month and look forward to working with FEMA to promote equitable disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.”
Know Your Evacuation Zone
It's important to know your evacuation zone because any type of storm surge can pose major risks, causing damage to property and endangering lives. Visit your state or local emergency management office to learn your zone and always follow the instructions from local officials for the latest recommendations based on your community's risk.
Download the FEMA app for a list of open shelters during an active disaster in your local area.
FEMA is announced eight recipients selected to receive a combined $50 million in capitalization grants to help communities reduce vulnerability to natural hazards and disasters.
These capitalization grants, provided through the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program, made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, will enable states, territories, tribes and the District of Columbia to administer revolving loan funds that will help local governments carry out hazard mitigation projects that build community climate resilience.
Local governments may use capitalization grant funding to make structures more resilient to natural hazards. This includes improving flood control, implementing changes in zoning and land-use planning needed to adapt to a changing climate and enforcing adoption of resilient building codes. Local governments may also apply the funding to satisfy their cost-share requirement for FEMA hazard mitigation assistance grants, lessening their financial burden to implement climate resilience activities.
As these loans are paid back to the states, the funding can be used to finance additional mitigation projects, providing a sustainable local source of financing for protecting communities.
The Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program complements FEMA’s hazard mitigation grant portfolio to support mitigation projects at the local government level and increase the nation’s resilience to natural hazards and climate change.
FEMA encourages applicants to develop revolving loan funds that target low-income geographic areas and underserved communities. Entities selected for awards will use funding based on their unique needs and priorities to become more resilient to natural hazards.
These funding announcements were made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides $500 million to fund the Safeguarding Tomorrow program through 2026.
FEMA selected the following eight applications for the first year of funding:
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District of Columbia: $6.1 million.
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Louisiana $6.9 million.
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Maryland: $6.5 million.
- Michigan $5.1 million.
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New Jersey: $6.4 million.
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New York: $6.2 million.
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South Carolina: $6.4 million.
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Virginia: $6.1 million.
FEMA will offer technical assistance through webinars, office hours, website updates and program support materials to help existing and future participants and make use of this innovative program.
This first year of the program will inform future funding opportunities and ensure long-term viability and success of the program at all levels. The agency anticipates releasing the next funding opportunity later this fall.
FEMA’s National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) made 26 selections to receive $3.2 million in grant program funding for Fiscal Year 2023.
Among these, five organizations were selected for the Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance competitive grant program, while 21 states and territories were allocated funding for the Individual State Earthquake Assistance non-competitive grant program. The agency awards competitive grants to non-profits and institutions of higher education with the skills necessary to develop and implement state and national earthquake risk mitigation activities.
FEMA allocated more than $1.1 million to support Fiscal Year 2023 competitive grant awards. The agency awards competitive grants to non-profit organizations and institutions of higher education possessing essential skills necessary for the development and implementation of multi-state and national earthquake risk mitigation activities.
The recipients of the Multi-State and National Earthquake Assistance grants include Cascadia Region Earthquake Workshop, Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Federal Alliance for Safe Homes and the University of Southern California /Southern California Earthquake Center.
In addition, more than $2.1 million was allocated to support non-competitive grants, which FEMA awards to eligible states and territories facing high to very-high seismic risks. The grants support the establishment of earthquake hazard reduction programming and the implementation of earthquake safety, mitigation and resilience activities at the state and local levels.
During the next two months, FEMA will conduct several kick-off meetings and a semi-annual call to all program participants to communicate updates.
For additional information or any questions, non-competitive grant recipients may contact their FEMA Regional Earthquake Program Manager. All competitive grant recipients may contract their FEMA Headquarters Earthquake Program Manager.
For more information, visit FEMA.gov.
FEMA released a comprehensive guide to enhance information sharing within Private-Public Partnerships, commonly referred as P3. P3's are any cooperative arrangement between two or more entities of private industry and public sector organizations for their mutual benefit designed to help ensure the life safety, economic security and resilience of communities.
The “Information Sharing Guide for Private-Public Partnerships” is a valuable resource that offers recommendations and a variety of tools to assist P3's in developing, conducting and improving the capability to share information for resilience and all response and recovery. The members of a P3 typically share information through the human and technical systems of a partnership network, a community resilience hub, or a business emergency operations center.
For those interested in accessing the guide, it is available for download on FEMA.gov, providing an invaluable resource for P3s seeking to strengthen their information sharing practices.
In partnership between FEMA and the Smithsonian Institution, a training opportunity is open to emergency managers to increase their knowledge of the concerns and priorities of cultural stewards to preserve cultural heritage and artifacts. The Heritage Emergency and Response Training (HEART) is offered and delivered by the Heritage Emergency National Task Force.
This week-long course is designed to prepare emergency managers and cultural stewards to work together to address emergencies and disasters that affect cultural institutions and historic sites. HEART trains emergency managers and cultural stewards to gain the skills and hands-on experience needed to protect, evacuate and salvage the irreplaceable objects that bring meaning and understanding to their community.
This training will be held at the Smithsonian Institution from December 4-8. Participants will be selected from cultural heritage organizations and first responder and emergency management agencies from all states, District of Columbia, territories or federally recognized tribes. FEMA and Smithsonian Institution staff are ineligible to apply. The four-day training is free to all participants.
National Preparedness Month reminds us to keep food safety in our emergency preparedness plans. Having a strategy to keep food safe can help you have resources and peace of mind if or when these events occur.
Take proactive measures to have safe food and water available by storing emergency supplies, practicing proper hygiene and sanitation and following appropriate food handling and preparation techniques.
To read the full blog on food safety, visit Food Safety: A Recipe for National Preparedness | FEMA.gov.
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Attend Protecting Places of Worship National Weeks of Action Webinars in September
In support of September’s National Preparedness Month, the Department of Homeland Security dedicates national weeks of action, encouraging faith-based and community organizations to safeguard people and places through partnerships with local emergency managers and first responders. The 2023 weeks of action will include virtual workshops for the faith community and private sector.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Active Shooter Preparedness provides an actionable framework to enhance security in places of worship that sustains an open and welcoming environment for the community to worship peaceably.
CISA's Introduction to Bomb Threat Management provides an overview of bomb threats, emergency planning and instruction regarding how to evaluate and respond to both bomb threats and suspicious items.
Mass Casualty / Active Shooter Impact & Recovery Seminar Series: Negotiating Mid to Long Term Recovery is for private sector members interested in enhancing their organizational preparedness before a mass casualty or active shooter incident.
CISA's Tabletop Exercise Package Workshop on Faith-Based Situation Manuals will focus on a faith-based CISA Tabletop Exercise Package in support of the Protecting Places of Worship Weeks of Action.
CISA's Response to Suspicious Behaviors and Items introduces the faith-based community to recognizing and responding to suspicious behaviors and activities related to terrorist or criminal activities.
If You See Something, Say Something® #SeeSayDay
For questions or additional information, contact partnerships@fema.dhs.gov.
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Join FEMA’s Reservists, Earn a Bonus and Make a Difference
FEMA is seeking skilled reservists to join their team as they recognize the vital role reservists play in their mission to assist communities before, during and after disasters. That’s why FEMA is offering a signing bonus when fulfilling a contracted term from now through April 2024, ranging between $500 - $2,500, depending on when reservists are onboarded.
Thanks to the recent passage of the CREW Act, reservists can serve their country and secure their careers simultaneously. Those employed elsewhere can enjoy USERRA legal protections that help them keep their job when returning from a FEMA deployment.
Visit Reservists (On-Call) | FEMA.gov to learn more about being a FEMA reservist and open reservist positions. Let’s build a stronger FEMA and a safer future together. Join FEMA’s reservist workforces today!
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FEMA and FCC Plan Nationwide Emergency Alert Test Oct. 4
FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on Oct. 4.
The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
The WEA portion of the test will be directed to all consumer cell phones and will be the third nationwide test, but the second test to all cellular devices. The test message will display in either English or Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset. The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions. This will be the seventh nationwide EAS test.
The WEA portion of the test will be initiated using FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), a centralized internet-based system administered by FEMA that enables authorities to send authenticated emergency messages to the public through multiple communications networks. The WEA test will be administered via a code sent to cell phones.
FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with EAS participants, wireless providers, emergency managers and other stakeholders in preparation for this national test to minimize confusion and to maximize the public safety value of the test.
The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the backup testing date is Oct. 11.
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DHS Announces Additional $374.9M in Funding to Boost State and Local Cybersecurity
DHS announced the availability of $374.9 million in grant funding for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Award recipients may use the funding for a wide range of cybersecurity improvements and capabilities, including cybersecurity planning and exercising, hiring cyber personnel and improving their services that citizens rely on daily.
The program is jointly administered by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and FEMA. CISA provides expertise and guidance on cybersecurity issues while FEMA manages the grant award and allocation process.
State and local governments have until Oct. 6 to apply for this FY23 grant opportunity. For more information and helpful resources on the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, visit FEMA's webpage: State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program | FEMA.gov.
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Comment Period Open for Fire Management Assistance Grant Program Data Collection
The recent wildfires across the nation underscore the importance of FEMA’s Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program, which aims to help mitigate, manage and control fires in public or private forests or grasslands that could potentially cause a level of damage that would lead to a major disaster. FMAG application forms are now available online to streamline processes for states, local and tribal governments in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
FEMA is requesting public comment on the updated FMAG application forms by Oct. 10. Comments are requested to evaluate the necessity of the proposed data collection, assess the accuracy of the agency’s estimated burden of the proposed information collection, enhance the quality of the information and minimize the burden of the data collection for those who are to respond. All comments must only be submitted at regulations.gov under Docket ID FEMA-2023-0019 and will be posted publicly without change, including any personal information that is provided.
Please send any inquiries on the FMAG comment period to Antonio Jones, FMAG Program Manager, at (540) 326–1928 or fema-recovery-pa-policy@fema.dhs.gov.
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