total immersion floodplain management heads west...
TRANSCRIPT
FEMA’s Higher Education Program Bits and Pieces
National Emergency Training Center, Emmitsburg, MD
12 December 2014
Higher Education Program News:
Hi Ed Symposium:
Mark your calendars for the 17th Annual Emergency Management Higher Education Symposium scheduled for June 1- 4, 2015 at the Emergency Management Institute, Emmitsburg, MD. Information posted to the symposium section of the Hi Ed website will include the symposium announcement, application, call for papers/presentations and student volunteer information.
Symposium information currently posted: http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/educonference15.asp
Symposium Background, Goals and Objectives Call for Papers/Presentations List of Associate Level session suggestions
Community Response Planning Course Development Focus Group, December 10, 2014
Contractor: McKinley GroupCourse Developer: George Bullock and Damon CoppolaTimeline: 24 months
This course will provide the pragmatic ‘how-to’ approach that communities need to carry out pre- and post- disaster recovery planning like the Hazards Risk Management course currently provides for mitigation planning. The nature of recovery has changed to a significant degree in recent years with the release of the National Disaster Recovery Framework, the National Disaster Housing Strategy, Presidential Policy Directive 8, and the new focus on the Whole Community Approach.
Topics that this course would address include:
Overview of pre- and post-disaster planning Recovery timelines Typical recovery requirements Recovery principles Recovery stakeholders Recovery coordination mechanisms and the Recovery Planning Committee Public involvement methods Recovery sectors:
o Infrastructure o Governanceo Psychosocial Recoveryo Healthcareo Environment
o Housingo Economy and Livelihoods o Business Continuity
The NDRF and the Recovery Support Functions FEMA Recovery Programs (PA, IA, HMGP, others) The role of other Federal agencies The role of VOADs, NGOs, and the private sector State, local and tribal programs Mitigation in recovery Barriers to recovery Academic research Recovery case studies
Focus Group Participants:
Damon Coppola – Bullock & Haddow, LLC George Haddow – Bullock & Haddow, LLC Danielle Jolly- McKinley Group Instructional Designer Kay Goss- McKinley Group Vice President Hazel Joanes - HMJ Consulting Irmak Renda Tanali – University of Maryland University College Lee Malany – USAID Kevin Snyder - ATCS
College and University Information:
Disaster Response and Recovery: Strategies and Tactics for Resilience
The publisher, John Wiley & Sons, is announcing the release of the second edition of Disaster Response and Recovery: Strategies and Tactics for Resilience. Order your books for Winter and Spring now. See http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118673026.html for additional information.
Western Kentucky University – Minor in Floodplain Management Program
Total Immersion Floodplain Management heads west soon.
Nine civil engineering students, along with Dr. Campbell and Jerry Barnaby of WKU Study Away, are preparing to leave for the great Western sites of floodplain management. Over Winter term, they will see both spectacular successes and extreme failures of flood control. This unique field experience is an opportunity to view massive flood control works and interact with flood professionals in Arizona, Nevada, and California.
More information about the Floodplain Management Minor at Western Kentucky University can be found at http://www.wku.edu/engineering/fpm.php.
Emergency Management/Homeland Security News:
DHS Center for Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships Weekly Report, December 8 – 12, 2014
Key Issues and Achievements for the Past Week:
DHS Center kicked-off its series of visits to each FEMA Regional office to build upon the working relationships between the DHS Center and the Voluntary Agency Liaisons (VALs); support the VALs’ partnerships with local and state Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD); and key faith-based stakeholders in each area. DHS Center met with FEMA’s regional VAL, VOADs, community and clergy groups, and state and local emergency managers in Hawaii this week.
DHS Center met with Dr. William B. Lawson, Professor and Chair Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Howard University College of Medicine and Hospital to discuss ways we can partner on human trafficking initiatives among faith and community groups to increase trauma responsive congregations.
DHS Center met with Chuck Fitzgerald, Director, Governor’s Office of Faith & Community Partnerships in Arizona and the HHS Center on developing a partnership with the Arizona Human Trafficking Task Force Outreach Committee as they prepare for Super Bowl 2015.
DHS Center, as part of its Building Resilience with Diverse Communities (BRDC) engagement process, participated in the following meetings:
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka's clergy convening to introduce our BRDC.
Mayor Baraka's faith Liaison, Rev. Louise Scott Rountree, Deputy Police Chief John Arnold and Director of Emergency Management Derrion Herrell about working together to bring preparedness and public safety opportunities into houses of worship and schools in at-risk areas.
David Jefferson and William Simpson, Office of Mayor Ras Baraka for Newark's emerging My Brother's Keeper (MBK) initiative. There are plans for a January 8th press conference to announce the City's plans and a later initial leadership summit. The City suffered 11 shooting incidents last weekend alone and is on a fast track to implement its MBK efforts.
Capital City Coalition meeting, hosted by Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson and Pastor Frederick Taylor, head of the Coalition.
Shaya Geblikian, Director, Global Security and Chabad Lubavitch, about the recent attack on students at the Chabad House in Brooklyn, NY. DHS representatives have been in close contact to assist in various ways, as appropriate.
NJ Statewide Interfaith Advisory Council--comprised of faith leaders and federal, state and local government representatives, and hosted by the NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP). The Center promoted BRDC efforts and FEMA Corps. FEMA Corps Pine 6 Team Leader Ebony Oneal-Randolph also presented. Faith leaders from Atlantic County, Newark area and Trenton continue to express interest in partnering with the Center in their communities.
NJ Interfaith Partnership in Disaster (the state Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster or VOAD) about ways the FEMA Corps team can support their efforts. Their priority is to bring diverse members to the VOAD table or to affiliate with local disaster groups in diverse areas.
Communications staff of the NJOHSP to talk about how the team can use social media to support the efforts the state and the Center are working on with faith-based and community groups.
DHS Center, with the support of FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaison Don Bonchack, hosted its first storyboarding session with the Emergency Management Institute and University of Southern California Center for Religion and Civic Culture (USC CRCC), as part of its development of the Religious Literacy and Competency in disaster. USC CRCC staff also conducted a session with key FEMA staff on geo-mapping software to identify the location of houses of worship in disaster.
Key Issues Next Week:
DHS Center will meet with Lakewood Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff's Department and various faith leaders about BDRC.
Longer Term Issues/Flags:
DHS Center is working in support of the DHS Blue Campaign to coordinate DHS components planned events and activities surrounding National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in January 2015. This includes internal and external communication (media, social media, websites, articles, blogs), speaking engagements and any other known events.
DHS Center continues to coordinate with DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties on the implementation of Executive Order 13559.
Disaster Information Outreach by Librarians, NLM/NIH – Information and News – November 2014
*Selections from over 100 e-sources**Follow NLM_DIMRC on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NLM_DIMRC*
***Webinar: EMS and Ebola: Field Experience with Transporting Patients***Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Monday, December 15th, 2:00 – 3:00 pm ET*Join By Phone:888-972-6898 (U.S. Callers)630-395-0194 (International Callers)Passcode:5076538*Join by Live Audio Web Streaming:(Listen only)http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=904387&s=1&k=03FDB410EBC7591029B2E4F85D2F0F3F Healthcare systems across the United States are actively preparing to treat patients with Ebola. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) play an important role in the identification, assessment, and transportation of suspected or confirmed patients with Ebola. As designated treatment facilities, Emory University Hospital and the University of Nebraska Medical Center have received patients with confirmed Ebola. During this COCA Call, clinicians will learn about the field experiences of EMS personnel in the two jurisdictions and discuss unique planning considerations for EMS.http://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2014/callinfo_121514.asp
***NIH and Ebola***From vaccine research to patient care, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been active in the
Ebola outbreak response efforts. Below are a few news/blog items that provide details on some of the specific roles NIH has taken on:
*President’s Visit to NIH Highlights Research on Ebola NIH Director’s BlogDecember 2, 2014On December 2nd, the NIH campus hosted President Barack Obama and provided him a tour of the facility. The President spoke to the NIH community about the US efforts in the outbreak.http://directorsblog.nih.gov/2014/12/02/presidents-visit-to-nih-highlights-research-on-ebola/ *NIAID/GSK Experimental Ebola Vaccine Appears Safe, Prompts Immune ResponseNIH NewsNovember 26, 2014This news release provides an overview of a clinical trial for an experimental vaccine to prevent Ebola virus. The vaccine, which was co-developed by the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), was tested at the NIH Clinical Center.http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2014/Pages/EbolaVaxResults.aspx
*NIH’s First Ebola Patient Recovers, Visits White HouseNIH Record, volume LXVI, No. 23This article summarizes a 20-minute press conference held with recovered NIH patient, nurse Nina Pham; NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci; NIH director Dr. Francis Collin; and others. http://nihrecord.nih.gov/newsletters/2014/11_07_2014/story1.htm
***Health Information Compilation of Ebola Materials***We are continuing to add the latest Ebola health information documents to the Disaster Lit: Resource Guide for Disaster Medicine and Public Health. In the last week we have added over 60 Ebola-related documents on a variety of topics and in various formats, including a series of guidance documents for those working in the airline industry from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.http://disasterlit.nlm.nih.gov/search/?searchTerms=ebola+OR+hemorrhagic&search.x=22&search.y=18&search=Search To send a message to all the list members, please address it to [email protected].
Did a colleague forward this message to you? For your own subscription, sign up at http://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc/dimrclistserv.html.
To unsubscribe, type SIGNOFF DISASTR-OUTREACH-LIB in the body of a message to [email protected].
The DISASTR-OUTREACH-LIB archives are available at https://list.nih.gov/archives/disastr-outreach-lib.html.
You can reach the list moderator at [email protected]. This forum is provided by the Disaster Information Management Research Center, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
IAEM Dispatch, December 11, 2014
IAEM-USA NEWS
IAEM is providing members and others the opportunity to join LegalShield IAEM Do you have an Emergency Response Plan? Likely you do for your jurisdiction or company but what about personally and for your family. A current and legally executed Will is really the most important personal Emergency Plan we can have in our lives, yet less than 30 percent of North Americans do. The brief survey done with delegates attending this year's IAEM Conference and EMEX confirmed these numbers. The main reason given for not having a Will is the cost. IAEM-USA is glad to provide you, your family and your colleagues with LegalShield's Legal Services and Identity Theft Protection Plans. For just more than $1 a day, you can have lawyer-created/executed Wills for you and your partner/spouse, have 24/7 access to legal advice, and have documents reviewed (leases, mortgage renewals, etc.), plus have all elements of your ID monitored and if ever compromised, restored back to pre-theft levels. With these supports in place, it allows you and your family to worry less and live more. To learn more and to enroll through IAEM-USA, please visit our website. If interested in protecting your LLC with a small business legal plan, please use the contact link on the webpage for pricing and details.
FEMA seeks Tribal subject matter expert for Technical Mapping Advisory Council IAEM The Technical Mapping Advisory Council (TMAC) is requesting that individuals, who have experience with tribal governments or associations and have knowledge of the National Flood Insurance Program and flood hazard mapping, submit their resumes for consideration to serve as a subject matter expert to the TMAC. Qualified applicants who have experience in floodplain management, professional flood mapping and surveying, engineering, and mitigation should submit their resumes to the TMAC at [email protected]. Resumes will be accepted until Dec. 19, 2014. Please note that the subject matter expert will not serve as a member of the TMAC and therefore will not vote on recommendations offered by council members. The TMAC will meet in person throughout the year in addition to regularly scheduled subcommittee meeting conference calls to support the development of their reports and recommendations. Subject matter experts will not be compensated by FEMA, but may be reimbursed for travel and lodging expenses when travel is required. More information on the TMAC is available here.
FEMA agrees to reforms to help Hurricane Sandy victims get benefits, lawmakers announce FierceHomelandSecurity After meeting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency over complaints about flood damage claims from homeowners affected by Hurricane Sandy, several U.S. lawmakers said agreed-to reforms should help victims resolve issues and get the benefits they need.
EM NEWS
Center for Homeland Defense and Security Association launches website IAEM The CHDS Association is now online. Alumni and other supporters of homeland security education can visit the association at www.chdsa.org. The association was established earlier this year by alumni of the Center for Homeland Defense and Security to support the advancement of the homeland security enterprise and public safety through educational and professional activities. It partners with CHDS on activities like the annual APEX workshop to promote the development of a productive alumni network for attendees of CHDS programs. The association is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization not affiliated with any government entity. Visitors can learn more about the organization's mission, make online tax deductible contributions, and order clothing and accessories with the NPS CHDS alumni logo.
Los Angeles mayor calls for mandatory earthquake retrofitting for thousands of buildings Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed the most ambitious seismic safety regulations in California history that would require owners to retrofit thousands of building most at risk of collapse during a major earthquake. Garcetti's recommendations target two of the riskiest types of buildings in LA built before 1980: concrete buildings and wooden structures built atop weak first floors, such as those on top of carports and garages and supported by slender columns.
Revised health preparedness index grades US at 7.4 out of 10 Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy The second annual edition of a national public health preparedness assessment, developed by a large coalition of groups and stocked with new and updated content, awards the United States a respectable overall grade for readiness to protect people during a health emergency or disaster. READ MORE
Evacuation effort credited with minimizing typhoon casualties in Philippines Los Angeles Times Government officials and aid workers credited a major evacuation effort for helping to avert more severe casualties as Typhoon Hagupit, now downgraded to a tropical storm, barreled through the Philippines, collapsing houses, uprooting trees and triggering landslides and flash floods. READ MORE
CSIRO: Poor planning leaves Australia exposed to climate change and massive damage bills ABC Online As Sydney and Brisbane clean up from severe storms and the planet heads towards its hottest year on record, the CSIRO is warning the damage caused by extreme weather could cost Australia more than $1 trillion. The ABC has obtained advice from the nation's premier science agency warning climate change and poor planning were leaving the nation increasingly exposed to natural disasters. READ MORE
IAEM-GLOBAL STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS
Governor's Hurricane Conference announces 2015 student conference scholarship program IAEM All students interested in emergency management in Florida are invited to apply for a student scholarship to attend the 29th Annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference, May 10-15, 2015, in Orlando, Florida. Students currently enrolled in a public or private institution of higher education, at the graduate or undergraduate level, and who have taken or are taking emergency management related courses as part of their academic program, are eligible to apply. Applications will be accepted for students outside Florida. Additional specific requirements are posted here. The program provides complimentary conference registration, but does not cover all other expenses related to conference attendance. Apply online between Jan. 19 and Feb. 27, 2015, and learn more about the scholarship program here.
Calling all IAEM student members worldwide: Have you voted on the proposed amendments to the IAEM-Global Student Council Bylaws? IAEM Only 40 IAEM Student members have voted so far on the proposed IAEM-Global Student Council (GSC) Bylaws amendments. The voting area is open to learn about the changes recommended by the IAEM GSC Board, which completed a comprehensive review of the bylaws this year. While the majority of the review has been to address issues with consistency, redundancy and clarity, the IAEM GSC Board has proposed a modification to the election of council officers (e.g., president, vice president, treasurer and secretary). Online voting began on Nov. 26, 2014, and will end on Friday, Dec.
19, 2014, at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern time. All current IAEM Student Members are eligible to vote. Enter the voting area here, and make your wishes known.
EM RESOURCES
DOE launches mobile app for energy emergencies IAEM The Department of Energy (DOE) launched a mobile app called Lantern Live to help users quickly find critical information about nearby gas stations and power outages during energy emergencies. Lantern Live allows users to report the operational status of local gas stations, find fuel, and look up power outage maps from local utilities, while also accessing useful tips and guidelines. With the launch of this app, DOE is testing the power of crowdsourcing and open data in disaster and recovery. Lantern Live's code will also be open source, allowing technology innovators and entrepreneurs to reuse the code in their own apps, explore new opportunities for other sectors and applications, and further leverage the power of open data. Lantern Live is available free for Android devices through Google Play.
CEM® UPDATE
Need to take the certification exam — plan in advance IAEM Keep in mind that certification candidates must request the exam at least 14 business days in advance, and no exam requests will be processed between Dec. 16, 2014 and Jan. 4, 2015. Request an exam now, if you want to take it in the next few weeks.
IAEM online certification application tip for everyone IAEM Candidates must pay the certification fee or recertification fee through the IAEM website prior to submitting the certification application through the online system. IAEM's system requires 24 hours to process the payment after it has been submitted. Candidates then are required to log into the online application and hit the blue "Submit Application" button to submit the application to IAEM HQ. Applications are not successfully received at IAEM Headquarters through the online system until candidates hit the blue "Submit Application" button. All candidates receive a confirmation email acknowledging receipt of the application.
NEW INSIGHTS
When disaster strikes, count on tweets and data Al Jazeera Contrary to what seems to be the norm in Hollywood movies, people don't run in circles screaming and shouting when facing an emergency situation. The immediate, widespread, and ineffective mayhem so often portrayed in disaster movies is to a large extent a plot device, not very different from typical scenes in horror films in which people irrationally split and run straight into danger. READ MORE
AROUND THE WORLD
Dutch reject MH17 relatives' request for UN-led crash inquiry Reuters The Dutch government rejected a proposal from relatives of victims of the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 to let the United Nations take charge of its criminal investigation into the disaster. A request to appoint a special U.N. envoy to take over the inquiry was sent on Friday by a law firm
representing 20 relatives, who have accused the Netherlands of failing to build a legal case to prosecute those responsible. READ MORE
Magnitude-6.6 earthquake rocks Central America AccuWeather A major earthquake struck just off Panama's coast near its border with Costa Rica. The 6.6-magnitude temblor was centered 12 miles east-southeast of Punta de Burica, Panama, the U.S. Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the region, La Prensa Panama reported on its Twitter feed, citing government officials. READ MORE
Oil spill Israel's 'biggest ecological disaster' Phys.Org A pipeline leak in southern Israel last week has caused the country's biggest environmental disaster, an energy expert said, after estimates of the size of the spillage were raised. The spill occurred just north of the Red Sea resort city of Eilat and was quickly stopped, but not before at least a million liters of oil — the equivalent of 40 tanker trucks — gushed out in an area that is a protected nature reserve. READ MORE
Study says the current California drought is the worst in 1200 years Business Insider Recent storms may have brought a much-needed dose of rain to southern California, but the region still continues to suffer under devastating drought conditions. These conditions are so bad, according to researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the University of Minnesota, that they now constitute California's worst drought in 1,200 years. READ MORE
Would you like to receive your own copy of the IAEM Dispatch? Subscribe here -- it's free!
International Disaster Conference & Expo (IDCE) – February 10-12, 2015 – New Orleans
Disaster management professionals from around the globe are invited to attend one of the industry's most substantive and important meetings of the year, the International Disaster Conference and Exposition (IDCE), February 10 - 12, 2015, at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
Registration for the 2015 event is open at www.internationaldisasterconference.com.
Great deals on lodging are available through January 15th (while availability lasts). Reserve your lodging today: http://internationaldisasterconference.com/program/hotel-travel-information/
IDCE brings together leading public and private sector professionals to address the critical areas of disaster mitigation. Content and programming is focused around the principal of public-private partnerships as the key component to planning, response and recovery efforts on a national and international scale.
Don't Miss:
*Plenary session speakers include former CIA Analyst Nada Bakos and individuals from FEMA, the Centers for Disease Control, United Nations, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and more;
*Special panels highlighting Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy and disaster response;
*Three days of networking opportunities and invaluable conference programming in the latest trends and innovations;
SPECIAL ALERT: The conference dates, February 10 - 12, dovetail into Mardi Gras events, with parades across the city, so we encourage you to make your travel plans early. Experience Mardi Gras while getting the latest on industry trends and networking with your fellow professionals.
Questions? Contact IDCE at [email protected].
We hope you will make plans to attend!
The full schedule can be viewed here: http://internationaldisasterconference.com/2015-schedule/
For information on sponsorships and exhibits, contact Will Webre, Trade Shows & Sales Manager at [email protected] or visit: http://internationaldisasterconference.com/idce-individual-exhibit-sponsorship-and-advertising-information/
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact:
Kristen ChighizolaIDCE Conference Manager(504) [email protected]
Naval Postgraduate School - Greta E. Marlatt; email: [email protected]/ , November 24, 2014 ;
New or Updated Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports: Employment Growth and Progress Toward Full Employment, CRS Insights. IN10187 What Is the Current State of the Economic Recovery?, CRS Insights. IN10188 EPA Delays Decision on 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard to 2015, CRS Insights. IN10189 "Amazon" Laws and Taxation of Internet Sales: Constitutional Analysis. R42629 U.S. Rail Transportation of Crude Oil: Background and Issues for Congress. R43390 The Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy: In Brief. R43396 The Help America Vote Act and Election Administration: Overview and Issues. RS20898 Medal of Honor Recipients: 1979-2014. RL30011 FY2015 Budget Requests to Counter Ebola and the Islamic State (IS). R43807Center for Infrastructure Protection and Homeland Security (CIP/HS) CIP Report, November 2014, v. 14, no. 4
o Education http://cip.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/CIPHS_TheCIPReport_November2014_Education.pdf
o Special Edition http://cip.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Special-Edition.pdf Congress. House. Homeland Security Committee Open Borders: The Impact of Presidential Amnesty on Border Security
http://homeland.house.gov/hearing/open-borders-impact-presidential-amnesty-border-security Congress. House. Judiciary Committee President Obama's Executive Overreach on Immigration
http://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/2014/12/hearing-president-obama-s-executive-overreach-on-immigration
Congress. House. Oversight & Government Reform Committee
Transforming Federal Spending: Implementing the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act http://oversight.house.gov/hearing/transforming-federal-spending-implementing-digital-accountability-transparency-act/
Congress. House. Science, Space and Technology Committee The Future of Nuclear Energy http://science.house.gov/hearing/energy-subcommittee-future-
nuclear-energy Overseas Development Institute (ODI) The Evolving Global Climate Finance Architecture http://www.odi.org/publications/5159-evolving-
global-climate-finance-architecture Oxfam Breaking the Standoff: Post-2020 Climate Finance in the Paris Agreement
http://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/oxfam/bitstream/10546/336230/1/bp201-breaking-standoff-climate-finance-011214-en.pdf
White House FACT SHEET: 16 U.S. Communities Recognized as Climate Action Champions for Leadership on
Climate Change http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/12/03/fact-sheet-16-us-communities-recognized-climate-action-champions-leaders
FACT SHEET: Focus, Partner, Achieve - the U.S. Commitment to Addressing HIV/AIDS http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/12/01/fact-sheet-focus-partner-achieve-us-commitment-addressing-hivaids
FACT SHEET: Strengthening Community Policing http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/12/01/fact-sheet-strengthening-community-policing
FACT SHEET: Update on the Ebola Response http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/12/02/fact-sheet-update-ebola-response
Remarks by the President After Meeting with Elected Officials, Community and Faith Leaders, and Law Enforcement Officials on How Communities and Law Enforcement Can Work Together to Build Trust to Strengthen Neighborhoods Across the Country http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/12/01/remarks-president-after-meeting-elected-officials-community-and-faith-le
Review: Federal Support for Local Law Enforcement Equipment Acquisition http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/federal_support_for_local_law_enforcement_equipment_acquisition.pdf
NYC Citizen Corps Weekly News – December 9, 2014
(Safely) Celebrate the Holidays
Hanging holiday lights and decorations can be a fun family activity and add a festive touch to your home, but they can pose a fire hazard if not properly managed. Take these extra steps to reduce the risk this season:
Inspect your holiday lights for frayed wires, gaps, or excessive wear. Use only lights that have been tested for safety (and labelled from an independent testing laboratory).
Use only nonflammable or flame-retardant decorations. If you use candles for decorations or ritual purposes, extinguish candles before leaving the room,
and never leaving burning candles unattended. In case of an emergency, remember: never use candles to light your home.
Do not overload electrical outlets. Do not block entrances or exits to your home with decorations.
If you are celebrating Christmas and have purchased a real tree, be sure to keep it well watered. Dry Christmas trees account for hundreds of house fires annually.
Turn off lights on trees and other decorations before going to bed.
Infographic: "Put a Freeze on Winter Holiday Fires" Get tips from FDNY Learn more from the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Holiday Decoration Safety Tips
OEM's Tip of the Week: Good old-fashioned 'snow how': shovel responsibly! Whether snowy weather is forecast, it's important to know how to properly remove snow from your property. Avoid covering fire hydrants, manholes, or catch basins with snow, as doing so can damage utilities, and make it more difficult for firefighters to combat fires. Read more about safety and responsibly removing snow.
NYC Citizen Corps and Other Initiatives
(New) Workshop Series on Community Planning Toolkit for Pandemic InfluenzaThe City University of New York (CUNY) School of Professional Studies (SPS) and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is conducting a series of workshops to develop a community planning toolkit for pandemic influenza. This is an opportunity for community members from a variety of different community-based, faith-based and large community service organizations to help provide a basis for the toolkit development. For more information, visit the event website here or the invitation document found here.
Commodity Distribution Point Training ProgramThe City's Commodity Distribution Point (CDP) Program distributes temporarily unavailable life-sustaining commodities such as food, water, ice, and baby formula to the public following an emergency or disaster that disrupts access to traditional supply chains. NYC OEM will be hosting monthly CDP trainings for interested volunteers. You only have to attend ONE session. Please click this link to see available training dates. The next available trainings will be held on January 28, February 25, March 25, April 29, May 27 and June 24.
Resources
(New) U.S. Ebola Treatment Centers The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that 36 identified and designated hospitals are now equipped as Ebola treatment centers. Ebola treatment centers are staffed, equipped, and have been assessed to have current capabilities, training, and resources to provide the complex treatment necessary to care for a person with Ebola while minimizing risk to health care workers. Click here for a list of 36 U.S. Ebola treatment centers.
FloodHelpNY This map allows users to find out what their flood insurance rates will be when new federal flood maps are available in 2016 and provide links to information on purchasing flood insurance. Access the map here.
Sandy Recovery
Social Resiliency & Superstorm Sandy: Lessons from NYC Community OrganizationsThe Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development (ANHD), who has been working with ten NYC neighborhood-based organizations, has released Part 1 of a two-part series to explain how local NYC neighborhood groups responded to Superstorm Sandy, and the lessons learned to inform policy makers and practitioners working to implement true "social resiliency." To download the white paper, please click here.
Stormproofing the CityIs New York City ready for future natural disasters? That's the question posed in this series by The Guardian, where experts share their knowledge of what the City is doing to prepare for natural disasters since Hurricane Sandy. The series will interview scientists, emergency practitioners, and others in an effort to paint a complete picture of the many people working to prep the Big Apple for coming storms. Click here for the series.
Getting LES Ready: Learning from Hurricane SandyLES Ready! and the Urban Justice Center's Community Development Project has released a Getting LES Ready: Learning from Hurricane Sandy to Create a Community-Based Disaster Plan for the Future report that explored the LES community's experience during and after Hurricane Sandy. The culmination of several focus groups and over 650 surveys of Lower East Side residents and local organizations, the report shared information and resources to help response and preparedness in response to Sandy and future disasters. For more information, please visit the website here. NYDIS - NYC Sandy Unmet Needs Roundtable Emergency Heat Program The Fall/Winter Emergency Heat program is designed to, on an emergency basis, fix Sandy- impacted homeowners' furnace/heating, to prevent utility shut-off and/or to secure fuel deliveries. Any current New York City homeowner who is in Superstorm Sandy Disaster Case Management (DCM) qualifies, regardless of FEMA approval or immigration status. Any DCM can call NYDIS to request assistance with an emergency-heat need, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. A contractor will be dispatched within 12 hours, with the bill to be paid that same day. DCMs will have three business days to submit the client's data and budget demonstrating Sandy-related unmet needs (budgets do not need to demonstrate sustainability for emergency assistance). For more information, email NYDIS here. To download or view poster.
Upcoming Events
January 28th - Commodity Distribution Point Training ProgramThe Commodity Distribution Point (CDP) Program is a coordinated, City-led operation to distribute temporarily unavailable life-sustaining commodities such as food, water, ice, and baby formula to the public following an emergency or disaster that disrupts access to traditional supply chains. Primary CDP sites have been identified throughout the five boroughs, one in each community district, to use as points of distribution. OEM is looking to build a team of trained individuals who may be called upon to volunteer at one of these CDP sites during an emergency response. NYC OEM will be hosting monthly CDP trainings for interested volunteers from January to June 2015. You only have to attend ONE session. Event is from 6:30pm-8:30pm. Please click this link to register.
March 3rd-4th - Integrating Access and Functional Needs into Emergency Planning
Sponsored by the Emergency Management Institute (Emmitsburg, MD), this two-day course will train emergency planners how to include disability-and functional needs--inclusive practices in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery plans. Lessons will define disabilities and access and functional needs, identify resources to assist in planning for adults and children with disabilities, and raise awareness of the importance of inclusive practices. Continuing health education credits are available. Cost and Registration: Free, register before January 6, 2015. For more information and pre-course requirements, please visit the website.
Thank you and have a nice weekend,
Barbara
Barbara L. JohnsonHigher Education Program AssistantFEMA/EMI/NETCDepartment of Homeland Security16825 S. Seton Avenue, K016Emmitsburg, MD 21727 Ph: (301) 447-1452
[email protected] http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu
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