FEMA Bulletin Week of December 10, 2024

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FEMA BULLETIN

Week of December 10, 2024

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In this Edition:

Important Deadlines & Reminders


Dec. 11

Attend Civil Rights Training for FEMA Grant Recipients from noon-3 p.m. ET.


Dec. 17

Attend FEMA Webinar on Preventing and Addressing Disability Discrimination from 10:30 a.m.-noon ET.


Dec. 20

Assistance to Firefighters Grants Application Period Closes at 5 p.m. ET.


Jan. 24

Nonprofit Security Grant Program Application Period Closes for Faith-based and Nonprofit Organizations at 5 p.m. ET.


Register for FEMA’s #WinterReady Extreme Cold Summit, Dec. 13

#WinterReady

 

Register today for FEMA’s #WinterReady Extreme Cold Summit from 1-2 p.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 13. Learn best practices and success stories of communities taking action to mitigate the impacts of extreme cold.

 

The summit is a pivotal component of FEMA's #WinterReady campaign, which aims to raise awareness about extreme cold risks, promote preparedness among the public and offer valuable resources for government stakeholders, emergency managers, non-profits and the media to effectively communicate these risks and foster resilient communities.

 

This webinar will be recorded with captioning and ASL interpretation provided. A transcript of the full webinar will be made available after the event.

 

To register, visit #WinterReady Extreme Cold Summit | FEMA.gov.

 


FEMA Provides $200M in Additional Funding to Strengthen Communities Against Floods

 

On Dec. 5, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced additional funding through President Joseph R. Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for a program making communities more resilient to flooding.

 

FEMA is making an additional $200 million in funding available through Flood Mitigation Assistance’s FY 2024 Swift Current opportunity for states recently affected by flooding events. The agency previously announced $300 million in May, the third round of annual funding.

 

This announcement brings the new amount available for this funding cycle to $500 million. Sixteen states and one territory have set-aside funding for most of the amount announced in May. These funding set-asides can be viewed on FEMA.gov.

 

The additional funding reflects FEMA’s commitment to addressing the urgent needs of disaster survivors in the areas hardest hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton, such as Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. This funding ensures that these places can recover faster. States may receive set-asides in Swift Current funding for every flood-related presidential disaster declaration, which means states may receive multiple set-asides.

 

Swift Current aims to speed up Flood Mitigation Assistance funding awards to states, territories, the District of Columbia and federally recognized Tribal Nations to reduce the damage-repair cycle of repetitively or substantially flood-damaged properties. Rather than through the annual Flood Mitigation Assistance grant cycle, Swift Current provides resiliency dollars after a major disaster declaration following a flood-related disaster event to reduce risk against future flood damage.

 

This opportunity complements other resilience funding available after a presidential disaster declaration, including the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The grant program is available to develop hazard mitigation plans and rebuild in ways that reduce future disaster losses in communities.

 

Examples of projects eligible for this funding include property acquisition and demolition, elevation and relocation. To be eligible, buildings must be insured through the National Flood Insurance Program and have a history of repetitive or substantial damage from flooding.

 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $3.5 billion in Flood Mitigation Assistance grants, including those for Swift Current funding opportunities, over five years through fiscal year 2026. FEMA will work with states, territories, the District of Columbia and federally recognized Tribal Nations to explore their participation during this cycle. Potential applicants who have questions may contact their FEMA regional office

 

The application window opened on June 1, 2024, and the last eligible disaster declaration date is May 31, 2025. The updated funding opportunity is available on Grants.gov.

 

All applications must be submitted in FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The applicant will be provided with the application deadline date. Applications received by FEMA after the deadline will not be considered for funding. Interested National Flood Insurance Program policyholders should contact their state or territory hazard mitigation officer for more information.

 


Hurricane Helene and Milton Individual Assistance Deadline Extended to Jan. 7 for Most States

Application

 

Homeowners and renters in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton can apply for federal disaster assistance until 11:59 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. 

 

FEMA provides financial assistance for displacement, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other uninsured or underinsured disaster-caused expenses. You can check to see if you are eligible for disaster assistance by visiting your state below:

 

Homeowners and renters are encouraged to apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by using the FEMA App. You may also apply by phone at 800-621-3362. Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance, go to FEMA Accessible: Applying for Individual Assistance - YouTube.

 

If you had damage from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, you will need to apply separately for both disasters and provide the dates of your damage for each. 

 


Attend FEMA’s Webinar on Conducting Interviews for Incident After-Action Reviews

Interview

 

FEMA is hosting a webinar on using interviews to collect data for real-world incident after-action reviews. The webinar is from 4-5 p.m. ET, Monday, Dec. 16, and will focus on this common data collection method as outlined in FEMA’s National Continuous Improvement Guidance.

 

During this webinar, FEMA 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 impacts 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 FEMA's 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.

 

You can 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.  

 


FEMA, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Partner to Increase Post-Disaster Housing Capabilities

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Summit

 

FEMA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) held a summit on Nov. 19-20 to launch their second cohort of the Pre-Disaster Housing Initiative, which helps states develop plans to boost their post-disaster housing capabilities. During an eight-month period, both agencies will provide technical assistance and guidance to Kentucky, Michigan and Missouri state officials and emergency managers to minimize potential housing shortfalls in communities when disasters strike. 

 

These states were chosen to provide a wide cross section of perspectives on the challenges of planning and executing post-disaster housing missions. Considerations included geographic diversity, frequency of major disaster declarations and the types of disasters they are most likely to face. Each state will set their priorities and expected outcomes and engage with their local and community partners to develop a disaster housing strategy that can be executed when needed. 

 

FEMA and HUD’s efforts will help build local capacity and ensure states adopt a proactive approach to housing recovery. The initiative was created to address potential housing issues when disasters did not actively affect the states and to help ensure individuals, families and communities can recover effectively. This type of planning also helps disaster-stricken states move from short-term sheltering programs to more sustainable housing solutions.

 

In 2023, FEMA and HUD concluded efforts for the first cohort of the joint housing initiative for Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey and Washington. This inaugural initiative focused on the importance of identifying and addressing housing recovery challenges in a non-disaster environment, highlighting the benefits of information sharing among states and the value of tailoring federal support and resources to meet each state's unique needs and challenges.  

 

To learn more about the 2023 Pre-Disaster Housing Initiative, visit Planning Guides.

 


FEMA Blog: Stay One Step Ahead of the Cold – Be Prepared for Winter’s Worst

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Winter Ready

 

As the holiday season approaches and winter takes hold, it is important to be prepared for extreme cold and unpredictable weather. FEMA encourages individuals and communities to embrace winter weather safety with the same care and attention they give to their seasonal celebrations.

 

To help ensure a safe and memorable holiday season, read the full blog on FEMA.gov to stay winter-ready and protect yourself, your family and your home from the winter elements.

 


Important Deadlines and Reminders

 

New Campaign Features Civil Rights Training for FEMA Grant Recipients

Earlier this year, FEMA launched the Recipients’ Awareness Campaign to educate and inform FEMA grant recipients and sub-recipients about compliance with civil rights laws and their responsibilities to administer programs and activities without discrimination. The campaign training webinars are designed to help recipients and their communities develop effective, efficient, inclusive disaster preparedness and recovery strategies.

 

The next training session will be held from noon to 3 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Dec. 11. For more information and to register for this webinar, visit FEMA Recipients’ Awareness Campaign: Civil Rights Training | FEMA.gov.

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Join FEMA's Webinar on Preventing and Addressing Disability Discrimination

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 10:30 a.m. ET on Dec. 17. To attend, register in advance at FEMA.gov.

 

When registering, you will have the option to submit questions to the panelists. This event will have Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART), American Sign Language and Puerto Rican 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.  

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FEMA Taking Applications for $291.6M in Assistance to Firefighters Grants

The application period is underway for Fiscal Year 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), which will award $291.6 million to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters nationwide against fire-related deaths and hazards. This year’s AFG Notice of Funding Opportunity was released on Nov. 6. The application period will close at 5 p.m. ET, Friday, Dec. 20.

 

The AFG funding notice and technical assistance documents are available at Grants.gov and on FEMA.gov. Additional information about upcoming webinars to assist applicants is available on FEMA.gov.

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$210M in Additional Funds Available to Protect Faith-based and Nonprofit Organizations

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through FEMA, is accepting applications for $210 million in Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funds as the second tranche of additional funding that the Biden-Harris Administration secured to protect faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations against targeted attacks. 

 

The Notice of Funding Opportunity was published on Oct. 28. Completed applications must be submitted in the FEMA GO system no later than 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 24, 2025.

 

Supporting materials for stakeholders are available on Nonprofit Security Grant Program | FEMA.gov. All application materials are also posted on Grants.gov. Eligible applicants should submit their application through FEMA GO. Applicants needing technical support with the FEMA GO system should contact FEMAGO@fema.dhs.gov or (877) 585-3242, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET.

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