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FEMA is working together with state, Tribal Nation and federal partners actively supporting Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts. People should be aware of ongoing post-storm hazards that can be life-threatening. Everyone in affected areas should continue to follow instructions from local officials to stay safe.
FEMA has more than 1,000 deployed staff supporting states affected by the hurricane. Our distribution centers are fully stocked and ready to provide commodities and equipment to any impacted state as requested. FEMA is coordinating a federal force of more than 3,500 personnel, each contributing their expertise and manpower to this mission. Across the impacted states, FEMA has shipped over 1.9 million Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), more than 1 million liters of water, 30 generators and over 95,000 tarps.
The Biden-Harris Administration declared Major Disaster declarations for areas of Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, allowing disaster survivors to begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA.
To stay up to date on the Hurricane Helene response, visit Press Releases | FEMA.gov.
Valdosta, Ga. (Sept. 29) - Georgia Rep. Austin Scott and FEMA Administrator Criswell survey damage from Hurricane Helene.
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Asheville, N.C. (Sept. 30) - North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, FEMA Administrator Criswell, FEMA Region 4 Regional Administrator Samaan, and U.S. Army coordinate response to Hurricane Helene.
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Steinhatchee, Fla. (Sept. 30) - FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams help survivors of Hurricane Helene.
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Stadiums and venues provide a central and accessible location to help communities respond to extreme weather crises, providing safe storage and shelter in times of need. With these events becoming more frequent, severe and expensive, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier announced that FEMA and the NFL are launching a new strategy to build resilience in communities through a program that will designate NFL stadiums and fields as mission-capable venues that can be used during response and recovery missions.
Through Mission Ready Venues, a public-private partnership, NFL stadiums are recognized for their capabilities to better sustain public safety and be a source of support for the communities they serve. The designation identifies the ways a stadium or venue could be used for response and recovery activities during declared emergencies or disasters.
Mission Ready Venue designations are for five-year increments with a yearly check-in to ensure continued readiness. Redesignation will be necessary every five years and designation does not supersede any agreements with state, local or private sector entities.
To learn more about this partnership, visit FEMA.gov.
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FEMA and the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships released “Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Planning Considerations for Emergency Managers." This document, originally released in 2018, outlines best practices for engaging faith-based and community organizations before, during and after disasters to help residents in these areas improve their resilience and emergency management capabilities.
Once engaged, these organizations become an influential force, particularly in reaching high-risk and historically underserved community members. Lessons learned from real-world events and updates to FEMA programs have resulted in additional considerations and resources for faith-based and community organizations.
FEMA will host several 60-minute webinar sessions to provide an overview of the guide. Ongoing outreach efforts from the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will also be highlighted. To access the guide and register for a webinar, visit FEMA Planning Guides | FEMA.gov.
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FEMA is committed to equity and is focused on the fair, just and impartial treatment of all individuals, including people from underserved communities. In support of this commitment, FEMA will host a webinar on Preventing and Addressing Disability Discrimination. The webinar will focus on technical assistance on disability access and information about compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The webinar will be held at 11:30 a.m. ET on Oct. 17. To attend, register in advance at Preventing and Addressing Disability Discrimination | FEMA.gov.
Section 504 prohibits discrimination in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance because of a disability. To be successful, recipients of FEMA funding must be equipped with the knowledge, tools and resources to ensure compliance with Section 504.
Hosted by FEMA’s Office of Civil Rights, the webinar will cover:
- Best practices for ensuring accessibility while providing FEMA-led programs and services to disaster survivors and members of the public.
- Practical tools and resources to respond to requests for reasonable modifications to FEMA-conducted programs so they will be accessible to people with disabilities.
- Strategies for preventing and addressing disability discrimination in FEMA-conducted programs.
When registering, you will have the option to submit questions to the panelists. This event will have Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) and American Sign Language interpretation. Please indicate on the registration form if you require alternative formats or other reasonable accommodations. For questions or more information, contact FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov.
Translated content in Spanish.
Únase a nosotros en un importante seminario en línea enfocado en la Sección 504 de la Ley de Rehabilitación de 1973, que prohíbe la discriminación contra personas con discapacidades. FEMA se compromete a asegurar igualdad de acceso para personas con discapacidades. Esta sesión les proporcionará a FEMA y destinatarios de financiamiento de FEMA los conocimientos, herramientas y recursos para no solo asegurar el cumplimiento de la Sección 504, sino que también para evitar y abordar la discriminación por discapacidad en la entrega de servicios y beneficios. Aprenda las mejores prácticas para crear programas inclusivos y equitativos que sirvan a todas las personas de manera justa.
Para asistir al seminario web, Evitar y abordar la discriminación por discapacidad | FEMA.gov.
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October is National Community Planning Month. FEMA is celebrating the importance of hazard mitigation plans, partnerships, programs and policies that reduce the impacts of natural disasters in recognition of this Community Planning Month.
Understanding how natural hazard risk is impacting people, businesses and communities is the essential first step in helping state, local, Tribal Nations and territorial governments in creating mitigation plans. Long-term hazard mitigation planning and projects enable communities to adapt to changes in weather patterns and other natural hazards. Acting on changing risks breaks the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction and repeated loss.
FEMA works with partners across different sectors to build long-term, risk-informed mitigation plans. The most effective plans integrate land use, various types of planning, economic development, building standards and capital improvements.
FEMA’s mitigation planning policies support consistent review and approval of hazard mitigation plans to promote risk-informed decision making. Currently, FEMA is updating its Tribal Mitigation Planning Policy.
As of June 30, 2024, nearly 84.6% of the nation’s population lives in communities with current mitigation plans including all 50 states, the District of Columbia, five U.S. territories, 24,800 local governments and 230 Tribal Nations.
Read your state, local or Tribal Nation mitigation plan to learn how your community is reducing the impacts of future natural hazard events. Visit FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Plan Status webpage to see if your community has a plan and how to access it.
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Status as of June 30, 2024.
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FEMA's Continuous Improvement Technical Assistance Program (CITAP) is hosting a webinar on using interviews to collect data for real-world incident after-action reviews. The webinar is from 1-2 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 9, and will focus on this common data collection method as outlined in FEMA’s National Continuous Improvement Guidance.
During this webinar, CITAP will equip participants with an understanding of how to conduct interviews, document responses and validate data during or following a real-world incident. When developing after-action reviews, emergency managers should strive to build a deep understanding of the strengths, challenges and associated effects experienced throughout an incident. Interviews are one data collection method that supports the development of observed strengths, potential best practices and areas of improvement. The webinar will also review data collection-related resources available on the CITAP’s website on the FEMA Preparedness Toolkit.
The webinar is designed to support the development of state, local, Tribal Nation and territorial partners, non-governmental organizations and private sector organizations with continuous improvement capabilities in emergency management.
Register in advance by visiting the webinar’s event page on FEMA.gov and clicking the "Register" button. If an issue arises while registering or logging in, please contact the FEMA CITAP Team at FEMA-CITAP@fema.dhs.gov.
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FEMA’s National Integration Center is seeking public feedback on the draft National Incident Management System (NIMS) Intelligence and Investigations Function Guidance. Revisions are necessary to ensure guidance relates to the current version of NIMS and various law enforcement principles. There is a 30-day public engagement period that will end on Nov. 1 for those interested in providing feedback.
NIMS is a key component of the national incident management capabilities and enables organizations from across the nation to work together during incidents of all kinds and sizes. Implementing NIMS nationwide is a fundamental part of building our national preparedness.
The NIMS Intelligence and Investigations Function Guidance is used to support emergency response and recovery operations by providing procedures for gathering, analyzing and sharing information, including public engagement feedback to ensure guidance is relevant to implementing partners.
To provide comments on the current draft, complete the feedback form at the NIMS webpage and submit it to fema-nims@fema.dhs.gov no later than Nov. 1.
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During September’s Women in Fire International Conference, U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell was honored with a lifetime achievement award for her work in fire service research, data and leadership of the U.S. Fire Service. Women in Fire Vice President Rachael Staebell presented the award at the annual meeting in front of 550 female firefighters from across the globe.
Women in Fire is an organization dedicated to championing female leadership and participation within the fire and emergency services.
Attend FEMA Webinars on the New National Resilience Guidance
FEMA is proud to announce the release of the National Resilience Guidance. The guidance offers a unifying vision of resilience and the principles and steps all communities and organizations can take to increase their resilience in every sector and discipline.
FEMA will host a webinar at 3 p.m. ET on Oct. 9 to discuss the National Resilience Guidance and additional resources available to help new and experienced resilience practitioners improve their communities’ resilience.
If you require assistive accommodations to participate in these sessions, please email us at national-resilience@fema.dhs.gov. To view the document and learn more about the webinar sessions, please visit the FEMA website at National Resilience Guidance | FEMA.gov.
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Register for the Great ShakeOut!
Earthquakes can happen anywhere with little to no warning. Do you know how to keep your family, employees or stakeholders safe? Knowing what to do before a big earthquake can determine how well you survive and recover. Join FEMA in the world's largest earthquake drill on Oct. 17!
Register today so that you or your organization will:
- Be counted in the largest-ever earthquake drill in the world!
- Be listed with other participants in your area, if desired.
- Set an example that motivates others to participate and prepare.
- Get updates with ShakeOut news and preparedness tips.
- Have peace of mind that you, your family, your co-workers and millions of others will be better prepared to survive and recover quickly from the next big earthquake!
Get ready to DROP, COVER and HOLD ON. Spread the word! Please ask friends and family to text SHAKEOUT to 43362. Visit Earthquakes | Ready.gov to learn more about how to stay safe before, during and after an earthquake.
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Deadline Extended for Input on FEMA’s Disaster Case Management Program
FEMA published a Request for Information notice on SAM.gov, seeking input from post-trauma case management and emergency management professionals to help remove barriers, identify best practices and find innovative solutions related to its Disaster Case Management program. The deadline to submit public comment has been extended to Friday, Oct. 25.
FEMA encourages all professionals in post-trauma case management and emergency management to provide feedback. To participate, please visit the Request for Information notice on SAM.gov and submit your comments by Friday, Oct. 25. Please note that responses to these notices are not offers and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract.
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FEMA Risk Map Systems Plans Outage for Infrastructure Improvement, Oct. 24-27
Nearly 40 FEMA Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (MAP) applications will be unavailable from midnight on Thursday, Oct. 24 through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27. The full list of applications affected can be viewed on this FEMA webpage.
Applications will be offline for four days as FEMA upgrades system infrastructure to improve capacity, security and reliability, enabling better service for Risk MAP customers.
During this period, users of these applications and services will be unable to access flood risk data, historic and effective flood mapping products, view flood maps, submit data to revise existing Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and access key applications with other capabilities.
FEMA encourages users to plan accordingly and seek alternative methods for obtaining necessary information before the outage. Common users of Risk MAP data include emergency managers, flood plain managers, prospective homebuyers, real estate agents and insurance professionals.
The agency is making every effort to minimize the length of the outage. The vast volume of Risk MAP flood data and the extensive network of applications requires this length of outage. Anyone who has questions or needs assistance should contact FEMA support at fema-riskmap-outreach@fema.dhs.gov. Visit FEMA.gov for more information on its Risk MAP products.
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FEMA Announces Nearly $715M to Help Communities Across the Nation Build Resilience to Flooding Disasters
FEMA announced approximately $715 million in new project selections to eliminate or reduce flood damage. The funding, which comes through FEMA’s Flood Mitigation Assistance program, will help communities across the nation enhance resilience to extreme weather events.
Through this program, FEMA provides funding to states, local communities, Tribal Nations and territories to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program.
The selections complement a July announcement of $1 billion through FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program and a recent $300 million in funding through Flood Mitigation Assistance’s Swift Current opportunity to make the nation more resilient to natural hazards. Both programs provide climate resilience funding to help address increased demand for federal funds to address the climate crisis. For more information and a list of selections, visit FEMA.gov.
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DHS Announces $279.9 million in Grant Funding for the Fiscal Year 2024 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program
The Department of Homeland Security announced the availability of $279.9 million in grant funding for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Now in its third year, this program provides funding to state, local and territorial governments to help reduce cyber risk and build resilience against evolving cybersecurity threats. Established by the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, and part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the grant program provides approximately $1 billion in funding over four years to support state, local and territorial governments as they develop capabilities to detect, protect against and respond to cyber threats.
Award recipients may use funding for a wide range of cybersecurity improvements and capabilities, including cybersecurity planning and exercising, hiring cyber personnel and improving the services that citizens rely on daily.
Eligible entities have from Sept. 23 until Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET to apply for funds via FEMA GO. For more information and helpful resources on the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, visit CISA’s webpage: cisa.gov/cybergrants.
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FEMA Updates its National Disaster Recovery Framework to Enhance Disaster Recovery
FEMA is requesting public comments on updates to its National Disaster Recovery Framework, which provides a flexible structure that enables disaster recovery practitioners to operate in a unified and collaborative manner. The 30-day public comment period is open through Oct. 23, 2024.
States, local governments, Tribal Nations and territories, as well as nonprofits and the emergency management community, are encouraged to visit fema.gov to review FEMA’s updates to its National Disaster Recovery Framework.
The 30-day public comment period opened, Sep. 24, and written comments may be submitted via fema.gov through Oct. 23. Any remarks received during the comment period will be reviewed and considered for the final version of the Framework.
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