Partners in Preparedness News You Can Use: September Edition
Virginia Department of Emergency Management sent this bulletin at 09/05/2023 04:20 PM EDT
September 2023
An Update on Hurricane Season
An update on hurricane season from our Hurricane Program Manager Bruce Sterling --
As we have entered the busy period of this year’s hurricane season, 2023 serves as an anniversary for two of Virginia’s more notable hurricanes. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the Chesapeake Potomac Hurricane in 1933 (hurricanes were not named during that era), which formed off of Africa and made its way across the Atlantic Ocean, reaching peak winds of 140 mph (based on ship reports) on its way, then making landfall on August 23, 1933 in the Outer Banks near Nags head as a Category 2 hurricane with 90 mph sustained winds. The hurricane then tracked northwest directly over Norfolk, before moving up the Chesapeake Bay where it weakened to a tropical storm over Northern Virginia. The storm surge from this hurricane recorded a water level of 8.02 feet above Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) at the Sewells Point tide gauge, which is the datum used by the National Weather Service. Norfolk experienced 5 feet of flooding in the downtown area. This tide height is currently the record for tidal flooding in Virginia, although there are documented higher levels of tidal flooding prior to 1851, when records began to be kept. Another Category 2 hurricane approached the Outer Banks in September, but curved out to sea just prior to making landfall. The 1933 hurricane season is also notable for being a very active season, and held the record for number of named storms at 20 until it was broken in 2005. Eleven of those storms were hurricanes, including 2 Category 5 storms. The 1933 hurricane season still holds the record for Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE), which is a measurement of tropical activity for a season.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Isabel, which impacted Virginia in September 2003. Similar to the 1933 hurricane, Isabel originated in the eastern Atlantic and made its way across the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane Isabel peaked as a Category 5 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, as it tracked across the ocean. Isabel made landfall near New Bern, NC as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph and tracked northwest where it entered Virginia near Emporia, where it was a minimal hurricane at 75 mph. Isabel’s tropical storm wind fields were large, about 500 miles in diameter, and resulted in the largest power outage in Virginia’s history. It’s important to note that almost all of this damage was a result of tropical storm force winds. Hurricane Isabel’s storm surge ranks second, just behind the 1933 hurricane, at 7.89 feet above MLLW. This storm resulted in a federal disaster declaration which included 99 localities in Virginia.
These two storms, while they were significant events, were a low-end hurricane and a tropical storm, but still brought major impacts. A hurricane in 2023 will be vastly different from the 1933 hurricane. The growth in population and infrastructure increases our vulnerability, and complacency complicates the problem even further. We all need to be prepared for the day to come where we are faced with a hurricane that has a bullseye on Virginia. The Big Bend area of Florida had not had a hurricane stronger than a Category 1 since 1935 until last week. It can happen here too.
As we enter National Preparedness Month, the Ready Campaign’s 2023 initiative is focusing on preparing older adults for disaster, specifically older adults that are disproportionally impacted by the all-hazard events, which continue to threaten the nation.
“With the Atlantic hurricane season now underway, it is imperative that we advocate for the well-being of our nation’s older adults and champion them as valued, honored, and respected members of our communities,” said Administrator Criswell. “We know older adults can face greater risks when it comes to the multitude of extreme weather events and emergencies we now face, especially if they are living alone, are low-income, have a disability, or live in rural areas. Through our Ready Campaign, FEMA is evolving the way we engage with communities to be more inclusive and impactful than ever before, which includes meeting older adults where they are and getting them the preparedness resources, they need and deserve.”
According to the American Red Cross, there are several factors that make older adults more vulnerable after disasters, including, but not limited to:
a greater likelihood to suffer from chronic conditions and the need for associated medications;
a greater reliance on assistive devices such as walkers or glasses, as well as support from caregivers and others; and
an increased likelihood of social isolation.
Criswell urged FEMA’s critical 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 for initial messaging, graphics and resources. As FEMA works throughout the summer months to help ready all communities for disaster, with a particular focus on those older adults, the agency will continue its work with communities and the Ad Council on the ad creative and additional preparedness materials that will be released in September for National Preparedness Month. Additional resources will be posted on Ready.gov/older-adults in the coming weeks.
All communities have access to the general readiness information available through the dynamic information available on Ready.Gov and Listo.Gov, which includes other messaging campaigns designed for specific populations. Last year, as part of FEMA’s ongoing approach to advance accessibility and cultural competency in boosting the nation’s preparedness, FEMA and the Ad Council created new PSAs developed specifically to reach Black and African American communities. The year prior to that, the theme was “Prepare to Protect” and was designed to resonate with Latino communities.
Invite us to speak about preparedness at your next meeting or event!
Do you have a meeting or event that you'd like VDEM to be at? Invite us to give a presentation about being prepared BEFORE the next disaster, or invite us to have a booth at your next event. We have plenty of helpful handouts that will show you how easy it can be to start planning for you and your family, and fun giveaways -- we'd love to be there! Have a specific audience or group that you'd like catered to? Maybe a nursing or assisted living home, or a group in need of materials in different languages? A school? We've got you covered! Email PIO@vdem.virginia.gov and we'll figure out how we can best serve you.
September 11th, 2001- Day of Remembrance and Service
September 11th, 2001, a day forever etched in the history books, stands as a day of remembrance and service, honoring the lives lost in the tragic events that unfolded that morning. The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon shook the world, leaving a resonating mark on the minds of millions across the globe. In the aftermath of this tragedy, the resilience and unity displayed by individuals, communities, and nations alike gave rise to a tradition of commemorating 9/11 not only as a day of mourning, but also as a day of service.
One of the lasting impacts of 9/11 has been the transformation of emergency management strategies. The unprecedented scale of the attacks highlighted the need for a more robust and coordinated approach to disaster response. In the following years, strategic shifts were made in emergency management frameworks, emphasizing interagency collaboration, streamlined communication, and disaster preparedness. It also led to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the implementation of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) aimed to enhance coordination among various agencies, ensuring a more effective and efficient response to future crises.
As we commemorate 9/11 each year, the spirit of service comes to the forefront. People around the world engage in acts of kindness, volunteerism, and community support as a tribute to the victims and heroes of that tragic day. This annual day of service not only honors the memory of those we lost, but also showcases the resilience of humanity in the face of adversity. By intertwining remembrance with action, this day serves as a reminder that even in our darkest moments, we can find hope and strength through unity. So, as we remember the lives lost and the heroes who emerged on that fateful day, let us also embrace the opportunity to serve our communities and build a future marked by compassion and service.
Behind the Lenses: Paul Luke Reflects on how 9/11 Changed the Way FEMA Documents Disasters
“It was six months into the recovery, I was standing in what was left of Tower two. I looked across and there was a group of guys huddled together by what was left of Tower 1… I couldn’t really tell what they were doing but when I got back that night and I looked at my video, I could see that they were performing last rights. Six months after the event and they were still treating every recovery with dignity and respect. It was very humbling to witness that.”
— Paul Luke, FEMA Broadcast Operations Manager who was a videographer for the response and recovery efforts following the attacks.
FEMA Broadcast Operations Manager Paul Luke had been working in broadcast television for 25 years when the terrorist attacks of September 11 changed the nation- and his life.
At the time, Luke was working as a senior photographer for the NBC affiliate in Memphis. In the days following the attacks, he recorded local reaction stories and travel issues at the Memphis airport. He was then sent to the Pentagon to document teams that were responding there.
It was 9/11, Luke says, that led him to start looking for other opportunities that combined his media and emergency management background. In December of 2001, he was hired to operate FEMA’s TV studio and to travel to various disasters to document FEMA’s activities. Just three days after being hired, he was assigned to photograph and shoot video showing FEMA’s response and recovery efforts at ground zero. When new areas were uncovered, he would travel to New York to document the efforts.
“Each time I would go up and photograph the rescue workers and the engineers going through new areas,” said Luke. “This went on throughout the recovery process, so literally my first 5 months with the agency was going back and forth to New York to record these events and make these visuals available to the national news media.”
The site was off limits to the news media, so FEMA photographers and videographers were the only people able to record what was happening. Luke says that up until that point in its history, FEMA external affairs efforts had primarily focused on press releases.
“It professionalized us in a lot of ways, as far as our ability to interact with the news media from a visual perspective,” Luke said. “It was such a visual event, especially in the early days- the visuals were everything.”
When the site was closed during the clean-up, broadcast networks relied on FEMA footage to show behind the scenes activity of what was going on. Luke made a compilation reel of all of the footage that had been captured by all the early photographers. It consisted of footage from day 3 all the way to the closing of the site. The 60-minute reel compiled all different aspects of the recovery process, it highlighted the efforts of Search and Rescue dogs and other activities.
“It transformed the way that FEMA documented and showcased what we do,” Said Luke. “I think it was the first real opportunity for FEMA to show what we do on a physical basis. It showed FEMA in the true light of what its function is from a response and recovery aspect.”
Luke says there were two moments in particular that stand out to him. One moment was after they had excavated most of the buildings and gotten down into an area below ground that they called the “bathtub.” When the garage caved in, the walls had no support. The Hudson river was pushing the walls in, the pressure from the river was starting to seep water into the “bathtub.” Luke was amazed by the large engineering effort it took to hold up the walls, so that hundreds of workers weren’t killed.
Another moment he remembers vividly was when he was recording some of the response efforts six months into the recovery.
“I was standing in what was left of Tower two,” he said. “I looked across and there was a group of guys huddled together by what was left of Tower 1. When you see a lot of guys in a circle you knew that they had found something. I couldn’t really tell what they were doing but when I got back that night and I looked at my video, I could see that they were performing last rights. Six months after the event and they were still treating every recovery with dignity and respect. It was very humbling to witness that.”
Twenty years later, Luke has covered over 2,500 disasters, witnessing FEMA’s response efforts to some of the biggest moments in the country’s recent history, from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina.
“I’ve seen a lot of the major events that shaped what the agency has become over its existence,” he said. His time covering 9/11 though, was a particularly impactful moment in his career.
“It was kind of surreal being there, being literally that close to the front line of history,” he said. “Going to ground zero and experiencing everything that went on there was impactful. To be in the center of everything and to be a part of that, I would consider that to be the highlight of my career.”
Important headlines from FEMA
FEMA Awards $50 million in BRIC Grants to Fund Resiliency Projects in PA and VA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is announcing more than $50 million in funding for two flood mitigation projects - one in Philadelphia and one in Virginia Beach. This funding comes from the Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities (BRIC) grant program and was awarded to the Commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia on Monday.
In Virginia Beach, over $25M will fund the Eastern Shore Drive Drainage Improvement Project. The mitigation grant will be used to improve infrastructure in the City of Virginia Beach and along Shore Drive that is being challenged by sea level rise, high tides, and stormwater runoff that results in regular roadway floodway during normal rain events. FEMA BRIC funding will pay for 70% of the $35.9M total project cost. This project will include construction of two large stormwater pump stations, an automated tide gate, water collection systems, a rain garden, and the deepening of a canal to alleviate flooding in Lynnhaven.
The Eastern Shore Drive Drainage Improvement Project will provide protection up to the 1%-annual-chance-flood (100-year flood) and reduce flooding on major transportation corridors that serve as community lifelines. It will improve drainage for 614 buildings and mitigate the impacts of flooding on 11 properties that have sustained repeated losses. Additionally, the project will incorporate nature-based solutions, including a rain garden, meadow plantings and stream bank restoration. Signage will explain the initiative and engage residents in the importance and value of flood mitigation.
“Philadelphia and Virginia Beach are clearly demonstrating how sustained, long-term planning can result in holistic projects that reduce flooding and provide other benefits for many people. The threat from climate change cannot be overstated and we are proud to partner with Pennsylvania and Virginia to fund these resiliency projects through our Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities program,” said FEMA Region 3 Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. “Congratulations to these two cities! We encourage other communities to work with their state hazard mitigation partners to apply for mitigation funding.”
Funding for these projects is provided through the FY21 Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities grant program. FEMA provides the funding to the Commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia and then the Commonwealths will manage the disbursement of the funds to local communities. Since 2021, President Biden has provided additional funding to FEMA’s annual resilience grant programs, increasing them from $700 million to $1.16 in 2021 and more than tripled funding in 2022 to more than $3 billion. FEMA anticipates announcements about projects selected for further review under FY22 funding later this summer.
State, local, tribal or territorial officials, as well as community leaders, interested in making the connection between equity and hazard mitigation are encouraged to contact us at FEMA-ExpandingMitigation@fema.dhs.gov.
Tribal Update- Sovereign Nations of Virginia Conference
Attention tribal communities and partner agencies!
The Sovereign Nations of Virginia are hosting a conference to further the establishment of cooperative relationships between Virginia’s Tribal Nations and state agencies. This conference will be focused on addressing green economic development on tribal lands. The event will take place on Thursday, September 14th at Virginia Crossings Hotel & Conference Center. For more information on the event and registration, please visit the following link: https://sovereignnationsva.org/.
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Don't get caught without a plan! Check out these planning resources that will help you kickstart your emergency preparedness and guide you along the way as you make your full plan. "My Emergency Plan" is now available in 6 other languages. Download it and get started now at Make a Plan | VDEM (vaemergency.gov).
News from your VDEM Regional Offices
VDEM Region 1:
It’s exercise season in VDEM Region 1! In the past month Region 1 staff supported Exercise Guardian Ram, a full-scale active threat exercise at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Safe Schools, an active threat exercise at Amelia County High School. Staff also participated in an Elections Table-Top Exercise.
Staff enjoyed participating in a Family Assistance Center Workshop held by the National Transportation Safety Board and several other classes related to disaster preparedness. Staff also coordinated a Subject Matter Expert Panel to review regional applications for the 2023 State Homeland Security Grant Program.
Summer storms impacted the region in the past month and staff held several conference calls with regional partners to keep them appraised of the latest forecast and to learn of any local or tribal needs. Since we are in the middle of hurricane season, we’ll keep the coordination calls going when there’s a threat of potential hurricane activity.
VDEM Region 2:
Recovery and Mitigation Specialist Victoria Steele is departing the VDEM Region 2 team to pursue other endeavors. We wish her the best of luck and will greatly miss her. All Hazard Planner interviews have been completed this month. Region 2 staff is looking forward to onboarding soon. VDEM Region 2 staff facilitated Subject Matter Expert reviews for SHSP Grants and thank all that participated.
VDEM Region 3:
Largest in Commonwealth’s History FEMA Basic Academy Foundations course held in Region 3
CRC Gene Stewart, DRRO Lucy Carter Smith, and AHP Peter Homan provided instruction for the FEMA Basic Academy held on the campus of Liberty University in the City of Lynchburg during the week of August 14th through the 18th. Attendees included individuals from local jurisdictions, institutions of higher education, fire and law enforcement service agencies. Subsequent courses required for completion of the FEMA Basic Academy to be held in the area are completely full with an established waitlist. Without a doubt it is exciting to witness the increase in interest in the FEMA Basic Academy as a valued credential within the profession of Emergency Management. In an effort to meet the demand for basic training the VDEM Region 3 team is working with the VDEM Training and Exercise Division (TEED) to provide additional opportunities in the near future to those desiring completion of the FEMA Basic Academy.
Region 3 Team adds new staff members
During the month of August, the VDEM Region 3 team welcomed Jason Curtis as the Regional Hazmat Officer and Jennifer Dillion as the Administrative Assistant. Both team members come equipped with years of experience in the emergency response field and “hit the ground running” with tasks as they are presented.
VDEM Chief Regional Coordinator attends meeting in Roanoke
Gene Stewart, CRC for VDEM Region 3, attended the VDEM CRC meeting in Roanoke. This meeting provides an opportunity for the CRCs to discuss regional events, share upcoming events and concerns and brainstorm about future opportunities for providing services to stakeholders.
Region 3 developing plans to conduct a Regional Coordination Center exercise
Plans continue in the development process for a Region 3 Coordination Center (RCC) exercise. The purpose of this exercise is to offer localities and Institutions of Higher Education opportunities to participate in an activity designed to practice RCC and local Emergency Operations Center (EOC) operations.
Region 3 team members strive to enhance cyber security knowledge
In coordination with members of the VDEM TEED staff the VDEM Region 3 team will lead the conduct of a regional exercise for the City of Lynchburg and surrounding areas in late September. The purpose of this exercise is to test plans for response to a regional cyber security incident. With the increase in cyber incidents experienced by local government agencies there has been a high level of interest in enhancing response and recovery plans for emergencies in the technology environment. In preparation for the exercise VDEM TEED coordinated two courses provided by TEEX related to cyber security. Both were held in the City of Lynchburg’s Department of Information Technology facility and were well attended by professionals from the City of Lynchburg, neighboring jurisdictions, and institutions of higher education. CRC Gene Stewart and DRRO Lucy Carter Smith enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the courses. The feedback from each course (AWR 421 & MGT 465) was positive and participants expressed the opinion that the experience within the classroom was invaluable. It is exciting to note that many shared the desire for additional opportunities for training related to cyber security offerings.
VDEM Region 4:
On August 8th, Region 4 staff taught the G557 Rapid Needs Assessment class in Wytheville.
VDEM Region 5:
VDEM Region 6:
VDEM Region 7:
Staff participated in the Dulles International Airport Tabletop Exercise to review the roles and responsibilities as specified in Dulles ’Airport Emergency Plan.
The City of Alexandra conducted a functional shelter exercise to familiarize staff with roles and responsibilities and evaluate the effectiveness of the Shelter Plan.
Region 7 staff have supported local response and recovery efforts to multiple severe storm incidents that have resulted in widespread, prolonged outages and storm debris impacting transportation infrastructure.
As former FEMA Corps themselves, two of our staff members visited with current FEMA Corps representatives in the City of Alexandria to discuss the FEMA Corps experience and share information about local and state emergency management operations.
We continue to get Daniel Edwards, our new region 7 RAMS onboarded and ready assist our localities with recovery.
We're expanding our network!
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Important Contacts 📇
•Katie Carter Partners in Preparedness Katie.Carter@vdem.virginia.gov
•VDEM Public Information Inbox pio@vdem.virginia.gov
•Region 1 Contact Donna Pletch Donna.Pletch.vdem.virginia.gov
September 12-16 Patrick County Agricultural Fair, Patrick
September 16 Denbigh Day Parade & Festival, Newport News
September 22 - October 1, Virginia State Fair, Hanover
September 26 - October 1 Neptune Festival 49th Annual Boardwalk Weekend, Virginia Beach
September 30 Town of Louisa's 150th Anniversary Celebration, Louisa
Thank you for reading Preparedness News You Can Use! 😊 We hope you found it worth your time. The Preparedness News You Can Use editors welcome all content suggestions. If you have a suggestion for the next issue, please email Katie Carter at katie.carter@vdem.virginia.gov.
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