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As we celebrate Black History Month, it's important to take a moment to reflect on the incredible contributions and achievements of Black Americans throughout history.
FEMA joins the nation in celebrating the contributions of Black and African Americans and is committed to breaking down barriers and supporting all people in their efforts toward equity. Read the full blog at FEMA.gov.
In addition, the U.S. Fire Administration celebrates Black History Month by reflecting on the successes and accomplishments of African Americans in the fire service. Read the full blog at FEMA.gov.
Last week, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visited FEMA staff in Las Vegas supporting emergency communications for Super Bowl LVIII.
During his visit, Mayorkas met with staff from FEMA and other federal agencies outside Allegiant Stadium, where the Super Bowl LVIII took place between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. He spoke with the Mobile Emergency Resource Support (MERS) team based in Bothell, Washington, among other FEMA staff.
“Super Bowl LVIII was enjoyed yesterday, without incident, by tens of thousands in attendance and millions across the country and around the world,” said Secretary Mayorkas. “385 DHS personnel were on site, and many more were on duty, to help ensure the safety and security of this special event.”
During big events, like the Super Bowl, FEMA coordinates closely with state and local governments to be prepared to respond in the event of an emergency. Last week, leading up to the Super Bowl, FEMA had a team close by to help keep fans safe by ensuring local, state and federal responders were prepared to respond to anything and keep the public informed.
For more than two decades, DHS has led federal efforts to ensure the safety and security of employees, players and fans at the Super Bowl.
 From left to right; Automotive mechanic Othmar (AL) Schneider, Telecom Specialist Evan Ray, Secretary Mayorkas, IT Specialist and MERS Coordinator Joseph Hohaia.
FEMA updated the Mitigation Action Portfolio to include new, innovative hazard mitigation project examples and case studies categorized by hazard type that could potentially be funded under one of the Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs.
The portfolio is a resource that showcases successful mitigation projects. The publication is intended to inspire new mitigation project ideas that could help applicants and sub-applicants apply for grants under the Hazard Mitigation Assistance’s grant programs.
Projects highlighted in this portfolio are meant to exemplify successful hazard mitigation that also enhances a culture of preparedness and holistic disaster resilience.
Case study additions to the 2023 portfolio updated include:
- The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Levee, Breach Facility repair, using Engineered Earth Armoring System.
- Lower Arroyo de los Montoyas Stabilization.
- Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
- Cedar Heights Hazardous Fuels Reduction.
There are also two new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities flood project examples:
- New York City Housing Authority Breukelen Houses Stormwater Protection.
- Papio WP-4 Project in Omaha, Nebraska.
Other updates include extreme temperatures added to the hazards map as well as updated status of projects highlighted in the portfolio.
Visit FEMA.gov to access the Mitigation Action Portfolio.
FEMA published a Federal Register notice requesting public comment for the “National Flood Insurance Program: Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Homeowner Flood Form," intended to reduce barriers to flood insurance adoption by simplifying the form for homeowners.
Consistent with ongoing efforts across the federal government to improve the customer experience, build policyholder trust and reduce disaster suffering, FEMA is seeking to improve the homeowner policyholder experience through a new proposed Homeowner Flood Form. The proposed form would provide homeowners with a more personalized, customizable product.
The proposed form will use simplified language in a user-friendly format to allow homeowners of one-to-four-family residences—the majority of the NFIP’s approximate 4.7 million policyholders—to consider their specific flood risk at the point-of-sale and customize their coverage. Understanding flood risk at the point-of-sale shifts policyholder risk awareness to an earlier step in the flood insurance process.
Part of creating a better customer experience for homeowner policyholders is allowing them to customize coverage to meet their needs. Along with the simplified form, FEMA is proposing to use five new endorsements.
Endorsements are changes to the insurance contract allowing policyholders to modify coverage, which would be a new approach to flood coverage offered under the NFIP. The five proposed endorsements are:
- Increased Cost of Compliance Coverage.
- Actual Cash Value Loss Settlement.
- Temporary Housing Expense Coverage.
- Basement Coverage.
- Builder’s Risk.
Prior to this form, the NFIP had only offered the Dwelling Form to serve the needs of homeowners of one-to-four family residences, landlords, renters, manufactured (mobile) homeowners, travel trailers, and condominium units. This one-size-fits-all approach diverges from other property insurance lines, which generally offer coverage specific to the type of property insured.
FEMA will use public feedback to evaluate any needed changes to the current Dwelling Form. The agency will continue to use this form to provide an insurance option for other types of policyholders like landlords, renters and owners of mobile homes, travel trailers and condominium units.
Comments can be submitted from Feb. 6 to April 8 on www.regulations.gov Docket ID: FEMA-2024-0004. Please follow the instructions on the page to submit comments and contact the Regulations.gov Help Desk if you have technical issues.
FEMA will host a series of 60-minute webinar sessions this month designed to improve your organization’s exercise process.
The webinars will focus on the relationship between the exercise cycle and continuous improvement activities. They will equip attendees with the skills to use both HSEEP (FEMA’s Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program) and NCIG (FEMA’s National Continuous Improvement Guidance) to support an ongoing culture of learning.
The webinars are designed for state, local, tribal and territorial partners, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and other entities involved in emergency management functions or engaged in continuous improvement efforts or exercise and evaluation programs.
All three offerings of this webinar will present the same information. To register for one of the webinars, click on the associated “Register Here” link below:
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Webinar Session 1: 10-11 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 14 - Register Here
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Webinar Session 2: 1-2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Feb. 20 - Register Here
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Webinar Session 3: 5-6 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 29 - Register Here
To download the National Continuous Improvement Guidance (NCIG) or read the guidance online, please visit https://preptoolkit.fema.gov/web/cip-citap/ncig.
To download the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Plan (HSEEP) doctrine, please visit https://preptoolkit.fema.gov/web/hseep-resources/policy-and-guidance.
For questions or issues in registering for a webinar, please contact FEMA-CITAP@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMA’s Grants Program Directorate invites interested organizations to attend upcoming webinars regarding the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). The program uses a competitive process to award grants for facility hardening and other security enhancements to nonprofit organizations at high risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack.
The webinars will be held on the following dates and times. Click on a webinar below to register:
- Friday, Feb. 16, at 1 p.m. ET.
- Thursday, Feb. 22, at 3 p.m. ET.
- Thursday, Feb. 29, at 1 p.m. ET.
- Friday, March 8, at 2 p.m. ET.
- Thursday, March 14, at 4 p.m. ET.
- Friday, March 22, at 2 p.m. ET.
All interested organizations are required to register in advance for the webinars. Please note that the webinars will cover the same content and will not be recorded for future viewing.
Following registration, a calendar invitation will be sent via email. The invitation will contain a link to join the webinar, which could take some time to arrive. The FEMA Grants Program Directorate recommends that registrants check their junk or spam folders in case the email is filtered.
If you have any questions regarding these webinars or require special accommodations, please contact FEMA-NSGP@fema.dhs.gov.
During each step of disaster preparedness and recovery, it’s vital to reach as many people as possible. Those in more remote areas may not have access to the resources they need to recover. FEMA is working to expand our reach so that our help is accessible for everyone. As part of these efforts, the agency recently hired Small State and Rural Advocate Patricia Pudwill.
Pudwill previously served as the Campbell, South Dakota, County Highway Superintendent, the South Dakota Emergency Management Regional Coordinator and the South Dakota FEMA Integration Team Lead.
We spoke with Pudwill about the experiences she brings to FEMA and the road ahead. Read her full interview at FEMA.gov.
FEMA is recruiting students from Minority Serving Institutions, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Tribal Universities (TCUs) for the 2024 summer internship program. The FEMA internship hires students with diverse backgrounds to work alongside highly skilled professionals at FEMA. Help us recruit the next generation of emergency managers by sharing the application information with interested students from Minority Serving Institutions, TCUs and HBCUs.
Paid summer internships are offered in Atlanta, GA (Region 4), Lakewood, CO (Region 8) and Washington, DC (FEMA HQ). The application period is open from Feb. 13 - 29. FEMA will select participants between March 5 to March 18 and the internship will start in mid-May.
For additional information and qualification requirements, visit HBCU and Minority Serving Institutions Summer Internship Program | FEMA.gov.
Last month, the summit, led by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, brought together federal, state, local and Tribal Nation leaders, alongside members of the public to highlight ways the federal government supports its partners and learn how their peers across all levels of government are addressing extreme temperatures and enhancing preparedness, one action at a time.
Watch the #WinterReady Extreme Cold Summit Video on Youtube.com.
Emergency preparedness may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Valentine's Day, but it could be the most important gift you give your loved ones this year. Disasters can happen at any time and having a starter emergency kit for the home or the road could make all the difference in an emergency.
Here are four thoughtful valentines you can give to those you hold dear.
Read the full blog at FEMA.gov.
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FEMA Seeks Volunteers for Virtual BRIC National Review Panels
FEMA seeks volunteers from state, local, tribal and territorial governments and other federal agencies to participate in the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) virtual national review panels.
The agency is accepting Expression of Interest forms through Feb. 15. These volunteers will leverage their mitigation experience and expertise to determine how sub-applications meet BRIC qualitative evaluation criteria. The virtual panels will run from April 8 to May 3 on Zoom. Panelists will serve 30 hours on one weekly panel from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, plus a three-hour training.
For more information, visit the BRIC webpage on FEMA.gov.
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Public Comment Period Open for DHS Environmental Justice Program
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) on Dec. 18, 2023, for public feedback on barriers, challenges, suggestions and ideas to help improve the agency’s Environmental Justice Program. The public comment period closes on Friday, Feb. 16.
To view translations of the RFI, visit DHS Environmental Justice Request for Information | Homeland Security. For free language services, including written translation or oral interpretation of this document, or to request this document in alternate formats such as Braille or large print, contact crcl@hq.dhs.gov.
For more information about the agency’s Environmental Justice Program, visit DHS and Environmental Justice | Homeland Security. In addition, for any questions or concerns, contact dhsenvironmentaljustice@hq.dhs.gov.
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Youth Preparedness Council Application Period Closes March 4
The FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Division is accepting applications for the Youth Preparedness Council. The online application process is open to students in grades eight through 11. Students must apply by March 4.
Students interested in applying for the Council can learn more about the process and have their questions answered in the following webinar:
If you know a teen interested in preparedness and community service, encourage them to apply.
To learn more, visit the Youth Preparedness Council webpage.
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FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System to Host In-Person Tabletop Exercise for Emergency Alerts
FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) will conduct its next in-person tabletop exercises for emergency alerts on Thursday, Feb. 29, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET at the National Harbor, Maryland.
The event will help Alert Originators practice, review and exercise their alert, warning and notification capabilities for winter weather emergencies. Registration is limited to provide an efficient exercise for all involved. Email the IPAWS Technical Support Services Facility Training and Exercise Staff to participate. Please include the following:
- Your request to participate.
- A primary point of contact for your organization or agency name.
- The number of expected participants.
For general IPAWS questions, send an email to fema-ipaws-lab@fema.dhs.gov. Learn more about IPAWS Tabletop Exercises in this FEMA video.
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Request Free FEMA Help for Mitigation Planning and Project Support by February 29
If your community or Tribal Nation lacks resources to start climate resilience or project design, FEMA provides free help with hazard mitigation planning and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) project support. The deadline to apply is Thursday, Feb. 29.
To be considered for selection, applicants do not need a previous BRIC grant sub-application, award or a FEMA-approved Hazard Mitigation Plan. Interested communities and Tribal Nations can apply to this program by submitting a BRIC Direct Technical Assistance Request Form to fema-bric-dta-submission@fema.dhs.gov for this cycle of selections. FEMA will select up to 80 communities and Tribal Nations to receive direct technical assistance, which will be announced later this summer. For FEMA’s fiscal year, 2023 BRIC Notice of Funding Opportunity, communities and Tribal Nations requesting BRIC Direct Technical Assistance must identify at least two ongoing or potential community partners in the request form.
To learn more about BRIC Direct Technical Assistance, visit FEMA.gov.
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FEMA Publishes Resources for Developing BRIC and FMA Grant Applications
On Oct. 12, 2023, FEMA announced $1.8 billion available in funding for the Fiscal Year 2023 Building Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance grant programs. The BRIC funding level will be $1 billion and the Flood Mitigation Assistance funding level will be $800 million.
The application period for both programs closes on Feb. 29.
Information about the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities and Flood Mitigation Assistance Funding Opportunities Webinar Series is available online and includes an opportunity to watch the video or download the presentation. This webinar provides an overview of and guidance on how to request Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Direct Technical Assistance in fiscal year 2023. More information about this opportunity is available on the BRIC Direct Technical Assistance webpage.
Please complete this form by Feb. 29. Once completed, email the form to fema-bric-dta-submission@fema.dhs.gov.
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Application Period Open for $211M to Fund Dam Safety Grants
FEMA will commit more than $211 million in funding to enhance dam safety efforts across the nation to ensure that communities have the critical infrastructure needed to protect against disasters and prevent flooding.
The National Dam Safety State Assistance Grant Program is available for any state or territory with an enacted dam safety program. The state administrative agency or an equivalent state agency is eligible to apply. Each eligible state or territory may submit only one grant application. The funding opportunities are open now and will close on Feb. 29. Available opportunities may be found on Grants.gov.
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Request FEMA National Exercise Support by March 1
FEMA provides exercise support to state, local, tribal and territorial jurisdictions at no cost through the agency’s National Exercise Program. Exercise support can include assistance with exercise planning, design, scenario development, conduct and evaluation.
Applications for 2024 exercise support will be accepted through March 1. Support requests are open to all state, local, tribal and territorial governments. New applicants or applicants from underserved jurisdictions are urged to apply. There is no associated cost-share for selected jurisdictions for this exercise assistance.
Visit FEMA.gov/NEP for more information, including how to request support. For any specific questions, please email the program staff at NEP@fema.dhs.gov and include “2024 Exercise Support Question” in your subject line.
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Attend the 9th Annual Tribal Nations Training Week
In November 2023, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell unveiled FEMA’s first-of-its-kind 2023 Tribal Strategy Progress Report.
She also announced the opening of registration for the ninth-annual Tribal Nations Training Week, to be held March 9-16, at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston, Alabama.
Register by March 6 to attend! To register for the 2024 Tribal Nations Training Week, email David.Hall@fema.dhs.gov.
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Apply to FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grant by March 8
There’s less than one month remaining to apply for the Fiscal Year 2023 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, which will award $324 million to enhance public and firefighters' safety against fire-related deaths and hazards nationwide.
The AFG application period will close on Friday, March 8, at 5 p.m. ET.
The funding notice for this program is available at www.grants.gov and on the FEMA website, where there are also technical assistance documents and additional information about upcoming webinars to assist applicants.
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $150 Million to Help Underserved Communities Fund Resilience Projects
FEMA announced the second funding opportunity for the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grant program to make communities safer from natural hazards. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this program provides capitalization grants to eligible applicants nationwide. Applicants then offer low-interest loans directly to local communities to reduce their vulnerability to disasters, promote equity, foster greater community resilience and reduce disaster impacts.
The Safeguarding Tomorrow funding notice is available at Grants.gov. Eligible entities must apply for funding using the Non-Disaster Grants Management System (ND Grants). Applications must be received by Tuesday, April 30, at 3 p.m. ET.
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Application Period Open for Repetitive Flood Mitigation Funding
An additional $300 million in Swift Current funding is available to help property owners across the nation become more resilient to flooding. This funding opportunity is the second time that FEMA is using funds from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Swift Current, part of the Flood Mitigation Assistance program. Swift Current makes homes safer and more resilient for National Flood Insurance Program policyholders with repetitively flooded properties. To be eligible, buildings must be insured through the National Flood Insurance Program.
FEMA will work with states, Tribes and territories to explore their participation during this cycle. Potential applicants who have questions may contact their FEMA regional office. The application period opened on Nov. 15, 2023, and the last eligible disaster declaration date is May 31. The funding opportunity is available on Grants.gov.
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