FEMA’s Higher Education Program Bits and Pieces

National Emergency Training Center, Emmitsburg, MD

10 April 2015

Higher Education Program News:

EM Hi Ed Webinar Series:

The Higher Education Program is continuing with the webinar series started in 2013.  The webinars will be used to increase the flow of information and knowledge to the emergency management higher education community.  Knowing what is important and essential to your programs is important.  To that end, we request that you provide us topics that are of particular interest and necessary to your academic programs or your institution.  An April webinar is currently in the planning stages.  Ideas for webinar topics may be sent to Lillian Virgil at Lillian.virgil@fema.dhs.gov.

Webinar Series – Session I - FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Program

“In Emergency Response, Great Plans Are a Smart Thing: Training is Everything!”April 23, 2015 11:00 am – 2:00 pm EDT

Presenter: Bo Mitchell, President/Founder 911 Consulting

Smart plans are critical. But, if we don’t get the words off the paper and into people’s heads, we have failed. Thus, training is everything given that people can’t and won’t run to look at binders for response in a real emergency. What are the legal requirements for training? What are the current practices and obstacles on campuses regarding training? What are the proven ways to train for emergency response? How does your campus compare?

Learning Objectives:

1. What are the laws, regulations and standards that control emergency plan training?2. How will law suits affect you and your campus?3. What are –versus what should be—the overriding attitude of administrators in training employees in emergency response?4. What are the obstacles and consistent mistakes administrations make in emergency training?5. Do we need to train the Emergency Team differently than the rest of employees?6. How to protect your administration?

Conference Number(s): 800-320-4330Participant Code: 316172

To join the meeting: https://fema.connectsolutions.com/he/

For additional information: contact Lillian Virgil, Chief, Mitigation Branch, Emergency Management Institute, Lillian.Virgil@fema.dhs.gov or calling 301-447-1490----------------If you have never attended an Adobe Connect meeting before:

1

Test your connection: https://fema.connectsolutions.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Get a quick overview: http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html

Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat and Adobe Connect are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

Hi Ed Symposium

Application and pertinent information for the symposium is posted to the Hi Ed website at http://www.training.fema.gov/hiedu/educonference15.aspx. When submitting the application complete, signed and returned to the NETC Admissions office at netcadmissions@fema.dhs.gov. The applicant’s signature is the only signature required on the application. Deadline for submitting applications is May 8, 2015. Applications received after this date will not be accepted. All non-U.S. citizens attending the symposium must have a security clearance conducted and completed before they are accepted. A security clearance takes 8-12 weeks to complete. Non-U.S. applicants must submit a complete and signed application by February 13, 2015. Applications received after this date will not be accepted.

Application Information - Course Code - E0392 Annual EM Hi Ed Symposium

Everyone attending or presenting at the Emergency Management Higher Education Symposium must submit an application and be notified of acceptance. Individuals without an accepted application will not be granted admittance to the NETC.

Symposium applicants will be notified by email of their acceptance to the higher education symposium. Make sure your email address is legible on the application.

Moderators/Facilitators Needed for the Hi Ed Symposium

We are in need of moderators/facilitators for the symposium.  Moderators/facilitators are very important to the operation of the symposium.  They are responsible for keeping the breakout session to the allotted time, introduce speakers and maintain a cool and professional atmosphere for speakers and participants.   If interested please contact Shannon Cool, Shannon.Cool@associates.fema.dhs.gov or Barbara Johnson, Barbara.Johnson3@fema.dhs.gov . For more information about moderator/facilitator duties go to the Hi Ed website symposium section at http://www.training.fema.gov/hiedu/educonference15.aspx and click on the Symposium Moderators/Facilitators Information bullet. 

Student Volunteer Information

Students currently enrolled in a college/university emergency management program are needed as student volunteer interns for the 17th Annual Emergency Management Higher Education (Hi Ed) Symposium.  Students will be assigned one or more breakout session for reporting assignments and will be expect to perform general conference duties. The reports will be incorporated into the post-symposium proceedings posted to the FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Program website. 

Generally graduate students will be assigned primarily to take detailed notes during the concurrent breakout sessions and to write summaries of those breakout sessions which will be posted to the post-

2

symposium “proceedings”.  Reports will be 3-4 pages per session and will highlight the most significant aspects of the session. Graduate students will be assigned at least one breakout session to report but may be assigned up to three reports during the conference.

Generally undergraduate students are assigned various aspects of the symposium i.e., passing microphones during plenary sessions, assisting with symposium registration, passing out symposium folders, taking hard copies of presentation materials to classrooms, posting breakout session classroom assignments and various other duties.

In addition one or more students will be assigned to assist the Hi Ed Program Manager and as well as the Hi Ed Program Assistant throughout the week.

Student volunteer interns are required to attend 100% of the symposium beginning with Monday workshops and ending on Thursday afternoon with the last breakout sessions. The typical volunteer obligations comprise about 20% of the symposium. When not acting in a volunteer capacity students are free to attend breakout sessions at their leisure.

We currently have 23 students committed to volunteering at the symposium. Schools with students participating are Jackson State University, Arkansas State University Jonesboro, York University, Canada, University of Akron, Frederick Community College, University of South Florida and Park University.

If interested contact Barbara Johnson, Hi Ed Program Assistant, at Barbara.Johnson3@fema.dhs.gov or (301) 447-1452. 

College / University News and Information:

CSU Council for Emergency Management and Homeland Security (CEMHS)

The National Institute of Justice has released the grant guidelines for the FY '15 Comprehensive School Safety Initiative and we are looking to prepare and submit a proposal. We seek to develop additional partnerships between educators, researchers, and other stakeholders to support a new proposal this year. Last year, a group of CEMHS educators and school safety experts put together a strong proposal on a related topic (the proposal included Sonoma State and Fresno State in collaboration with K-12 school districts, community colleges, and other key partners). 

In addition, there are about $1.9 billion dollars in preparedness grants currently available. Our grants group will be scheduling a teleconference next week to discuss.  Let me know if you may need a meeting invite.

Thanks a bunch and hope you are having a great day!

Keith Clement, Ph.D.California State University, FresnoPlanning Director, CSU Council for Emergency Management and Homeland Security (CEMHS)www.calstate.edu/cemhshttp://cemhs.blogspot.com/

3

Pennsylvania State Intercollege Master of Professional Studies

The Pennsylvania State Intercollege Master of Professional Studies invites you to "Operationalizing the NIST Cybersecurity Framework" Webinar on Wednesday, April 15, 2015 at 7:30 PM (EDT).  

We know that our computer systems are vulnerable when connected to the Internet. From the very large corporations to the very small businesses, systems are being attack comprising millions of sensitive information or leaving thousands of customer records exposed. In this webinar, David Leigh, President Chief Operating Officer and co-Founder of Rofori Corporation, will describe how to use the NIST Cybersecurity Framework to measure cybersecurity operational effectiveness enabling executives to make informed cybersecurity risk management business decisions

Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/operationalizing-the-nist-cybersecurity-framework-webinar-tickets-16525498210. 

The meeting link and instructions will accompany your registration confirmation.  Seating is limited to 25 attendees.

Emergency Management/Homeland Security News :

Disaster Information Outreach by Librarians DISASTR-OUTREACH-LIB@LIST.NIH.GOV

New Option to Receive Updates: Coming Soon!We are enhancing our communication options by adding an announcements-only version of this listserv through GovDelivery.  This version will only include messages from the Disaster Information Management Research Center, including the bi-weekly “Information and News: Disasters”. Through GovDelivery, you can also choose to receive updates on resources added to the Disaster Lit™ database (http://disasterlit.nlm.nih.gov), daily or weekly Tweets from the @NLM_DIMRC account (https://twitter.com/nlm_dimrc), and updates and news about our emergency response tools WISER, CHEMM and REMM (http://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc/toolsnlmdimrc.html).  

You will be able to register with GovDelivery to receive announcements-only beginning Monday, April 13th. The current listserv will continue to serve as a discussion vehicle for the intersection of disaster medicine, public health, and health information.

NLM Events at the Preparedness Summit, Atlanta, Georgia, April 14-17Staff from the National Library of Medicine (NLM) will be busy at next week’s Preparedness Summit, being held in Atlanta, Georgia, http://preparednesssummit.org/.  If you are attending, please stop by booth #506 in the exhibit hall to learn more about what is happening at the Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC). For those of you unable to attend, below is a summary of NLM presentations, as well as presentations by other agencies on projects done in collaboration with NLM.  Tuesday, April 14th

10:30 am–NoonDEMO: NLM Family Reunification TechnologiesSpeakers: Mike Gill, Lister Hill Center for Biomedical Communications, NLM; Steve Peterson, Emergency Management Specialist, Office of Research Services (ORS), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

4

This hands-on learning session covers all the components of the NLM People Locator® system, including the website and search/reporting apps. 10:30 am–NoonDEMO: When All Else Fails, Amateur Radio Gets ThroughSpeakers: Victor Cid, DIMRC, NLM; Ralph Dutcher, Department of Public Health, Monroe County, NY; Andrew Roszak, National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Developing a robust and reliable system for communicating during a disaster is an expensive and challenging task. This session will explore the various ways that organizations are using amateur radio (ham radio). This session will provide an overview of the robust capabilities of amateur radio, including voice and digital (data) modes and provide an introduction into the basic organization, functioning, and licensing of amateur radio. 10:30 am–NoonDEMO: Who is TRACIE and What Can She do for Me? Introducing the ASPR Technical Resources Assistance Center and Information ExchangeSpeakers: Shayne Brannman, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Melissa Harvey, ASPR; Meghan Treber, ICF InternationalThe Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is developing a Technical Resources Assistance Center and Information Exchange (TRACIE) to promote better access to information, promising practices, and new knowledge. Attendees will be introduced to ASPR's TRACIE including the website, tool kits, and offerings in an interactive forum and provided an opportunity to provide feedback on TRACIE.In support of this project, DIMRC is providing the Disaster Lit™ database, which is the primary content for one component of the TRACIE project: the online TRACIE Technical Resources Library.  3:30–5:00 pmLEARNING SESSION: Accessing Free Authoritative Information and Literature in Disasters and Public Health Emergencies: Ebola as a Case StudySpeaker: Stacey J. Arnesen, DIMRC, NLMAuthoritative and evidence-based information is critical in disasters and public health emergencies. Experts from NLM will use the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa to demonstrate how you can get to the most important evidence-based literature and other resources quickly and for free. Wednesday, April 15th

8:30–10:00 amLEARNING SESSION: Bringing it All Together: Collaborating to Improve Access to Information on Children in Disasters and EmergenciesSpeakers: Dan Dodgen, ASPR; Anthony Gilchrest, Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC); and Stacey J. Arnesen, DIMRC, NLMSearching a myriad of sources for authoritative information about the unique needs of children in disasters and emergencies can be challenging. This session will cover why children’s needs are unique and how a robust new resource resulting from cross-organizational efforts can provide a single point of access to this information. In support of this project, DIMRC enhanced Resources on Children and Disasters in the Disaster Lit database and developed the guide, Health Resources on Children in Disasters and Emergencies. 

5

3:30–5:00 pmDEMO: ICS Training: Yet Another Tabletop Exercise or an Engaging Virtual Simulation?Speakers: Victor Cid, DIMRC, NLM; Stacey J. Arnesen, DIMRC, NLM; Erin Eckert, ICF International; and Patrick Rose, Gryphon ScientificStrengthen your Incident Command System (ICS) skills by participating in or observing a virtual ICS exercise. Several participants will be assigned an ICS role and will “play” in a virtual disaster exercise. Others will be observers/evaluators. Observers may test a single-player virtual tool and practice assignments from an ICS job action sheet.  Thursday, April 16th

1:30-3:00 pmTOWN HALL: Developing a National Rapid Disaster Research AgendaSpeakers: Diane DiEuliis, ASPR; Stephen C. Redd, CDC; Aubrey Miller, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), NIH; Nicole Lurie, ASPR; Lynn Goldman, George Washington UniversityIn 2013, Health and Human Services awarded rapid disaster research grants to support recovery in Hurricane Sandy impacted communities. Participants will learn about Health and Human Services Sandy recovery science programs and discuss developing and implementing a national rapid disaster research agenda for individual, community, responder, and health system resilience research priorities.In support of the national disaster research agenda, NLM collaborated with NIEHS on a new website: NIH Disaster Research Response Project, http://dr2.nlm.nih.gov/, and created database records for questionnaires, surveys, interview scripts and similar to help researchers quickly identify appropriate post-disaster research tools, http://dr2.nlm.nih.gov/search.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FEMA Textbook and Research projectCRITICAL ISSUES IN DISASTER SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT: A Dialogue Between Researchers and Practitioners.  FEMA

http://training.fema.gov/hiedu/docs/critical-issues-in-disaster-science-and-management.pdf

For your own subscription to Disaster Information Outreach by Librarians, sign up at http://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc/dimrclistserv.html.

The DISASTR-OUTREACH-LIB archives are available at https://list.nih.gov/archives/disastr-outreach-lib.html.                                              

IAEM Dispatch, April 9, 2015

IAEM-ASIA NEWS

Indonesia: Muhammadiyah hospitals getting ready for disaster PreventionWeb Hospitals are at the front-line of disaster response. They treat the injured, care for families and help train communities to provide basic health care for victims. But the experience of many hospitals in Indonesia is not so positive. As Pak Muhammadong, the Disaster Management Coordinator at the Health Department in Makassar states, "learning from my experiences, I find that when disaster strikes, many hospitals collapse and health services don't operate effectively. It's the biggest barrier we face during an emergency or disaster, people panic and crowd the hospital which makes the situation even worse."

6

IAEM-USA NEWS

IAEM-USA and NEMA release joint report: EMPG Grants Providing Returns on a Nation's Investment IAEM IAEM-USA and the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) have released a joint report, Emergency Management Performance Grants Providing Returns on a Nation's Investment, 2015 Edition. NEMA surveyed the state directors, IAEM-USA surveyed the local government emergency managers, and a joint report was prepared. IAEM-USA very much appreciates the 1,159 local government emergency managers who completed the survey, but notes that much more is being accomplished with EMPG funds than is noted in the report, since this number represents less than a third of the local jurisdictions estimated to be eligible for EMPG funding. IAEM-USA particularly appreciated the success stories and wished all could have been printed. This short report will be useful when local emergency managers communicate with their Members of Congress.

FEMA encourages engagement on the National Preparedness Goal refresh with webinars and comment period IAEM As part of FEMA's work with the National Preparedness Goal, FEMA is hosting a series of 60-minute engagement webinars on April 9, 10, and 13 to discuss the refresh effort. All webinars are open to the whole community, including individuals with or without disabilities, business and nonprofits, faith-based and community groups, schools, and all levels of government. FEMA is coordinating a whole community effort to refresh the first edition of the National Preparedness Goal (the Goal). As called for under Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness (PPD-8), the National Preparedness Goal sets the vision for preparedness, "a secure and resilient Nation with the capabilities required across the whole community to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk," and identifies the core capabilities necessary to achieve the Goal. FEMA requests feedback on the first edition of the National Preparedness Goal. The comment period closes Apr. 16, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. EDT. Please visit www.fema.gov/ppd8 to review proposed updates to the Goal, and download the feedback matrix. All comments should be submitted via email using the provided matrix.

Christopher Smith named FEMA Individual Assistance Division Director IAEM Christopher Smith has been named as the new FEMA Individual Assistance Division director, Office of Response and Recovery. Smith has extensive experience in emergency planning and communication, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery at the state and local level. IAEM-USA members may know him from his participation in the 2013 Annual Conference in Reno, Nevada, where he spoke to the IAEM-USA Government Affairs Committee and participated in many other events. He served in the State of Nevada's Department of Public Safety as chief of the Division of Emergency Management/Homeland Security, the lead for the State Administrative Agency and the Governor's Authorized Representative. He was appointed and served on the Nevada Commission on Homeland Security and the State Emergency Response Commission. Prior to his service with the State of Nevada, Smith served as a local emergency manager for seven years in Northern Nevada.

FEMA Region III issues pet preparedness challenge: Get 'Petpared' IAEM The likelihood that family pets will survive a disaster such as a flood or tornado depends largely on proper emergency planning. In support of America's PrepareAthon!, FEMA Region III is hosting a

7

#Petpared Challenge to prepare pets for emergencies. Take action and join in now through May 8, 2015. There are several ways to participate, such as: · Download a pet preparedness mobile application; · Build a pet emergency supply kit; · ID your pet with a collar and tag or consider micro chipping; · Determine where you would shelter-in-place with your pet; or · Create a buddy-system with a relative or friend to help each other's pets if one of you is away from home during an emergency. Once an action is complete, take a picture (or a selfie) of a #petpared pet and share it on Twitter or Instagram using hashtag #Petpared to help spread the word.

Help USDA promote safety for new bird flu impacting wild and commercial poultry IAEM Since December 2014, there have been several highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) confirmations in migratory wild birds, back yard flocks, captive wild birds, and commercial poultry in several states along the Pacific Flyway and most recently in the Mississippi Flyway. Over the past several weeks, several HPAI H5N2 confirmations were made in commercial turkey flocks in Arkansas, Minnesota and Missouri. More HPAI confirmations are expected this spring as bird migrations continue. The USDA recommends that you avoid contact with sick/dead poultry or wildlife. If contact occurs, wash your hands with soap and water, and change clothing before having any contact with domestic birds. All bird owners should continue to practice good biosecurity, prevent contact between their birds and wild birds, and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths through your state veterinarian or by calling the USDA at 1-866-536-7593. Additional information and resources on biosecurity for backyard flocks, including fact sheets, webinars and videos, can be found here. Current USDA news on avian influenza is available here.

DHS chief promises improvements after show blasts 'dysfunctional' department Government Executive The Homeland Security Department is a bloated bureaucracy, too large and disparate to effectively manage as one entity. Such was the takeaway from a report on 60 Minutes, the famed news magazine program on CBS. The report focused on a series of interviews with DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, who defended the department and the progress it has made to better coordinate its 240,000-person workforce and its array of components.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATE

Call for Speakers now open for IAEM presents EMvision Talks IAEM The IAEM Conference Committee is debuting a new session — EMvision Talks. Modeled on the well-known TED™ Talk format, IAEM presents EMvision Talks are five-minute presentations that will be on the plenary stage on Nov. 17, 2015, at the IAEM 63rd Annual Conference & EMEX. Selected speakers will be part of a live contest where the audience will vote for the top speaker, who will win a complimentary registration to the IAEM 64th Annual Conference & EMEX in Savannah, Georgia. View the Speaker Guidance for more information and get ready to be a part of this exciting new conference addition. Submit your EMvision Talk proposal today.

8

EM NEWS

Prepare for MayDay 2015 and encourage cultural institutions to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies IAEM The Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (FAIC) is participating in Heritage Preservation’s MayDay initiative by encouraging libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and preservation organizations to set aside May 1, 2015, to examine and increase their preparedness for emergencies. Any organization may participate in MayDay and local emergency management departments are urged to pass the information along to groups in their communities. Visit www.conservation-us.org/MayDay to view project ideas and to obtain the MayDay logo.

NTSB issues warning on oil train tank cars Democrat & Chronicle The National Transportation Safety Board issued "urgent recommendations" for retrofitting freight train tank cars in the wake of four oil-train derailments since mid-February, three of which resulted in fires. The recommendations apply to a newer generation of tank cars — referred to as CPC-1232 cars — in addition to the older DOT-111 tank cars that previously were the focus of safety concerns.

Study finds link between El Nino and tornado frequency in US AccuWeather via Fox News It's been known that El Niño and La Niña can influence year-to-year variability of atmospheric moisture and temperature, which in turn affects the weather that occurs in the United States. A Columbia University study, published in Nature Geoscience in March, has found that these patterns also have an impact on severe weather in Tornado and Dixie alleys.

FDA approves Anthrasil for Anthrax treatment Tech Times The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced its approval of Anthrasil, a drug intended to treat patients infected by inhalational anthrax. The drug, officially Anthrax Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human), will be used in patient treatments in combination with currently used antibacterial drugs, the FDA says.

Larger, more destructive earthquakes possible given new link between two California faults The Weather Channel Two California fault lines — the Calaveras Fault and the Hayward Fault — are actually connected, new research shows, meaning an earthquake resulting from the pair could be much more destructive than originally thought, with a potential for a magnitude 7 quake or greater. Seismologists from the University of California Berkeley used two decades of satellite data to look at "ground deformation" and "fault creep," a news release explained.

Wildfire readiness: 'The best defense is a good offense' KCNC-TV The Colorado State Forest Service is reminding landowners that there's no better time than now to prepare homes for wildfire with Colorado's snowpack at 65 percent of average. "Sometimes the best defense is a good offense," said Mike Lester, state forester and director of the Colorado State Forest Service. "Long before a fire arrives, landowners should be taking pre-emptive actions to reduce wildfire potential."

9

NASA images show how wildfire, water have changed Western landscapes More than 7-million acres have burned in Idaho wildfires since 2004, and NASA satellites have captured how some of those fires have changed the regional landscape. In 2013, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell told congressional lawmakers that wildfires are burning, on average, twice as many acres each year compared to fires that burned 40 years ago. "The last two decades have seen fires that are extraordinary in their size, intensity and impacts," he said. IAEM NEWS

Deadline for IAEM Bulletin articles on 'Social Media & Emergency Management' is Apr. 10, 2015 IAEM The IAEM-Global Editorial Work Group and the IAEM-USA Emerging Technology Caucus (ETC) are partnering on the upcoming IAEM Bulletin special focus issue on the topic of "Social Media & Emergency Management." ETC members will provide a technical review focusing on accuracy and best practices included in articles that are submitted for the issue. Examples of articles could include, but are not limited to: how to reach out to businesses, schools and other groups who don't normally get involved in EM ideas and concepts; lessons learned: what marketing techniques worked for your program and what didn’t work; how and with whom you coordinated your marketing program; and methods for integrating or collaborating with stakeholders. Please read the Author's Guidelines before submitting your article by Apr. 10, 2015, to Editor Karen Thompson.

EM RESOURCES

NWS develops excellent new graphic for communicating severe weather risk The Washington Post In an evolving effort to better communicate severe weather hazards and risk, the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center is experimenting, learning by doing. Recently, it released the graphic which concisely describes the hazards associated with five increasing levels of severe weather risk.

DISASTER TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Are drones the future of medical air transport? HIT Consultant Unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs — also known as drones — have long been a topic of conversation among retailers, who hope to use the fast flying technology to deliver packages at record speed. But there are many other options for drones, and some of the most exciting potential applications come from the world of medicine.

CEM® UPDATE

Recertification reminder: Important information on new requirements IAEM As announced, the new recertification requirements were implemented in January 2015 for candidates scheduled to recertify in 2015. If you are a recertification candidate who started an online recertification application prior to Jan. 5, 2015, please note that your application is tied to the old recertification requirements. To take advantage of the new recertification, candidates should add and complete a new recertification application, which will incorporate the new sliding scale of requirements. Recertification candidates should save any information from the old recertification application and delete the old recertification application prior to beginning the new application.

10

NEW INSIGHTS

To see the birth of an Atlantic hurricane, look to Africa Wired The winter crushed the East Coast of the U.S. So let us crush your dreams of spring with a gentle reminder: Hurricane season is right around the corner. And the hurricanes that will slam into the Atlantic seaboard in just a couple of months are already glints in the eyes of storms-yet-to-be-born in Africa.

GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Grant guidance for Fiscal Year 2015 preparedness grant programs released IAEM Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced the release of Fiscal Year 2015 Notices of Funding Opportunity for DHS preparedness grant programs totaling more than $1.6 billion. The grant programs provide funding to state, local, tribal and territorial governments, as well as transportation authorities, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector, to improve the nation's readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. The FY 2015 grant guidance continues to focus on the nation's highest risk areas, including urban areas that face the most significant threats. Based on consistent feedback from state, local, tribal, and territorial partners regarding the challenges created by a two-year period of performance, the grant guidance increases the period of performance for grant awards from two years to three years for all FY 2015 grant programs, except the Assistance to Fire Fighters Grants and the Emergency Management Performance Grant. The Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) applications, announced on March 25, 2015, are due no later than Apr. 24, 2015. All other preparedness grant applications — excluding Fire Grant programs — are due no later than May 19, 2015. Links to the each grant funding opportunity announcement that provides detailed information including allocations are located on the IAEM-USA website.

EM CALENDAR

FEMA hosts family preparedness webinar on Apr. 16 IAEM FEMA's Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD) is hosting a webinar on emergency preparedness for the entire family, presented by four women who have one title in common—mother. These mothers and well-known bloggers will offer tips, actions and insights on how to get families prepared for disasters. Join the conversation via webinar on Apr. 16, 2015, at 2 p.m. EDT. The webinar, entitled "Easy Ways to Help Prepare Your Family for Disasters," will feature preparedness information from: · Shelle Wells, blogger for Preparedness Mama; · Erica Mueller, blogger for Mom Prepares; · Tanya Ferraro, blogger for Bigger than Myself; and · Shelly Lopez-Gray, blogger for Adventures of a Labor Nurse. Those interested in participating can register for the webinar online. AROUND THE WORLD

Bangladesh storm kills 41, injures hundreds Reuters via Voice of America The death toll from high winds and heavy rain lashing northern Bangladesh rose to 41 after police and officials reported 17 more deaths in storm damage, police and officials said. Most of the deaths were in the north, 19 of them in the Bogra district, 230 km (145 miles) from Dhaka, said Shafiqur Reza Biswas,

11

Bogra's chief district administrator. The main causes of death were collapsing walls, falling trees, boats capsizing, lightning and electrocution, officials said. More than 200 people were injured while thousands of mud houses were damaged.

Death toll in sinking of Russian ship rises to at least 56 The New York Times Russian emergency workers frantically plucked bodies from the freezing Sea of Okhotsk after a refrigerated trawling ship sank in Russia's Far East, killing at least 56 of a crew of 132. Helicopters and dozens of ships were mustered for a large-scale rescue operation that continued into Friday morning off the Kamchatka Peninsula, where 13 members of the crew were still missing. Sixty-three sailors were rescued from the icy waters, and the bodies of 56 crew members were recovered.

Radiation from Fukushima disaster newly detected off Canada's coast Reuters Radiation from Japan's 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster has for the first time been detected along a North American shoreline, though at levels too low to pose a significant threat to human or marine life, scientists said. Trace amounts of Cesium-134 and Cesium-137 were detected in samples collected off the coast of Ucluelet, a small town on Vancouver Island in Canada's British Columbia, said Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scientist Ken Buesseler.

5 things you should know about California's water crisis National Geographic California Governor Jerry Brown announced his state's first-ever mandatory water restrictions, in an effort to cope with four years of the worst drought in the state's history. The restrictions, under which cities and towns in the state were told to cut water use by 25 percent, could be the first step in what many researchers and analysts say is a fundamental change in the way California uses its diminishing water supplies.

Flooding in Louisville prompts more than 100 water rescues CBS News Authorities in Louisville, Kentucky, made more than 100 water rescues as area storms flooded roads and prompted at least one evacuation. Louisville MetroSafe spokeswoman Jody Duncan says 116 water rescues had been made. There was also a mandatory evacuation for the first floor of an apartment building, Duncan said. Elsewhere, a mudslide had blocked a road and dozens of others were barricaded due to high water.

Did someone forward this edition to you? Subscribe here -- it's free!

Naval Postgraduate School - Greta E. Marlatt; email: gmarlatt@nps.edu/ , April 7, 2015

New or Updated Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports: Domestic Drones and Privacy: A Primer. R43965 The Debt Limit Since 2011. R43389 Cyberwarfare and Cyberterrorism: In Brief. R43955 Reaching the Debt Limit: Background and Potential Effects on Government Operations. R41633Brennan Center for Justice Requiring Government Contractors to Disclose Political Spending

http://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/analysis/Government Contractors_Report_2015.pdf Center for Excellence in Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DMHA) Liaison, 2015, v. 7 https://www.cfe-dmha.org/Portals/0/liaison/liaison-2015-vol07.pdf

12

o JMSDF & NGOs:  A Review of the Great East Japan Earthquakeo Partnerships & Planning In Migration Crisiso Taking Team Rubicon Global:  Creating an International Veteran Service Organization for

Disaster Responseo The Importance of Partnerships in Humanitarian Disaster Responseo Interview with Lt. Gen. Robert Taking Team Blackman

DARPA Breakthrough Technologies for National Security

http://www.darpa.mil/NewsEvents/Releases/2015/03/26.aspx Government Accountability Office (GAO) Federal Protective Service: More Effective Management Needed in Delegating Security Authority to

Agencies. GAO-15-271 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-15-271 Homeland Security: Action Needed to Better Assess Cost-Effectiveness of Security Enhancements

at Federal Facilities. GAO-15-444 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-15-444 Library of Congress: Strong Leadership Needed to Address Serious Information Technology

Management Weaknesses. GAO-15-315 http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-15-315 National Academies Press Affordability of National Flood Insurance Program Premiums

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/21709/affordability-of-national-flood-insurance-program-premiums-report-1

Developing a Framework for Measuring Community Resilience:   Summary of a Workshop http://www.nap.edu/catalog/20672/developing-a-framework-for-measuring-community-resilience-summary-of-a

National Public Safety Telecommunications Council/ Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group Barriers, Opportunities, and Solutions for Border Area Emergency Responders

http://www.npstc.org/download.jsp?tableId=37&column=217&id=3360&file=CrossBorder_Communications_FINAL_20150311.pdf

White House Cyberterrorism

o Executive Order -- "Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities" https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/04/01/executive-order-blocking-property-certain-persons-engaging-significant-m

o FACT SHEET: Executive Order Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/04/01/fact-sheet-executive-order-blocking-property-certain-persons-engaging-si

o Letter -- "Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities" https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/04/01/letter-blocking-property-certain-persons-engaging-significant-malicious-

o On-the-Record Press Call on the President’s Executive Order, “Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities” https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/04/01/record-press-call-president-s-executive-order-blocking-property-certain-

o Statement by the President on Executive Order “Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities” https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/04/01/statement-president-executive-order-blocking-property-certain-persons-en

13

New York Citizen Corps Communications Network, April 8, 2015

"Healthiest Nation 2030" - National Public Health Week  National Public Health Week, a health awareness event by the American Public Health Association (APHA), is an annual opportunity to educate the public about health issues impacting daily living in order to help Americans live longer lives. On average, Americans spend more on health care but live shorter lives and suffer from more health problems than peers in other high-income countries. National Public Health Week (NPHW) hopes to raise awareness of the social and environmental factors that affect everyone's health and expand opportunities for people to make healthy choices with the ultimate goal to make the United States the "Healthiest Nation in One Generation".

For more information about NPHW, you can sign APHA's pledge to create the healthiest nation in one generation, visit the National Public Health Week website for tips, tools and resources, and/or follow the NPHW Twitter.

Upcoming Events

April 9th - Looking at Power Issues from 2 Perspectives: a Utility and the American Red Cross  The ADA National Network hosts a webinar beginning at 2:30pm. Loss of power remains an acute and complex emergency threat for those people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs whose margin of resilience is dependent on power and thus are disproportionately impacted. This webinar covers existing, new and emerging protective practices, misconceptions, ongoing challenges and preparedness issues from two perspectives: a public utility and the American Red Cross.For more information or to register, please visit  http://adapresentations.org/registration.php

April 13th - Webinar: The U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit This free webinar examines National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) climate resilience toolkit, which provides resources and a framework for understanding climate issues. Topics include coastal flood risk, ecosystem vulnerability, food resilience, water resources, and increased risk of infectious disease. To register, please click here.

April 16th - Easy Ways to Help Prepare Your Family for Disasters This America's PrepareAthon! Family Prepareness webinar will feature four mothers and well-known bloggers offering tips, actions and insights on how to get your family prepared for disasters. The event will start at 2:00pm EST. To register, please click here.

May 11-14th - National VOAD Annual Conference    The 2015 National VOAD Conference in New Orleans, LA will be the 23rd annual gathering of representatives from national organization members, state and territory VOADs, private sector partners and emergency management representatives. The conference will include disaster-related trainings, over 30 educational workshops, and valuable collaboration and networking opportunities for over 500 participants. For more information, please click here.

June 22nd - Engaging Faith Communities in Disasters: Increasing Religious Competency & LiteracyThis one-day training course will prepare government, non-profit and religious leaders best practices in working with faith communities in crisis settings, religious competency and literacy, as well as an

14

overview of current resources and how to databank local faith communities. Tuition is $95 (includes breakfast, lunch and materials). For more information and registration, please click here.

June 23th and 24th - Disaster Chaplain Training CourseThe Metropolitan College of New York, Emergency & Disaster Management Program, through a training partnership with the National Disaster Interfaiths Network, invites religious leaders, spiritual caregivers of all faiths to take this two-day Disaster Chaplain Training. Emergency managers and disaster mental health professionals may take this course to develop their knowledge of disaster spiritual care best practices. This training is being co-sponsored by NYDIS (New York Disaster Interfaith Services). New York City area participants who complete this certification can volunteer as disaster chaplains with NYDIS. NDIN can also assist unaffiliated volunteers in finding disaster spiritual care volunteer opportunities in local communities across the United States. For more information or to register, please click here.

Thank you and have a sublime weekend,

Barbara

Barbara L. JohnsonHigher Education Program AssistantFEMA/EMI/NETCDepartment of Homeland Security16825 S. Seton Avenue, K016Emmitsburg, MD 21727 Ph: (301) 447-1452Barbara.Johnson3@fema.dhs.gov http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu

“FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.”

FEMA and the EMI Higher Education Program do not endorse any non-government Web sites, companies or applications.

15