July 19, 2007

2007 Homeland Security grant announced
The Department of Homeland Security announced that Virginia has received $23.4 million in Homeland Security Grant Program funds, 39 percent more than the Commonwealth received in 2006. Virginia's $23.4 million does not include its share of Urban Area Security Initiative funding. The National Capital Region received $61.6 million in UASI funds. In addition, the Hampton Roads region received $8 million in UASI funds. This is the first time that the region is eligible for a UASI grant.

Interoperability grant funds announced
The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, announced that Virginia will receive $25,012,521 through the Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program. The National Capital Region will receive $11,857,972. In total, more than $968 million will be shared by public safety agencies in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands.

VDEM is responsible for obligating PSIC funds to public safety agencies whose purpose is to protect safety of life, health or property. The State Interoperability Executive Committee and Governor's Office of Commonwealth Preparedness will be releasing additional information on how localities and regions can apply for a portion of this funding. PSIC funds will assist public safety agencies in the acquisition of, deployment of, or training for the use of interoperable communications systems that utilize or can work with reallocated 700 MHz spectrum for radio communications.

For more information on the PSIC Grant Program, visit the NTIA Web site: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/psic or contact Commonwealth Interoperability Coordinator Chris Essid at (804) 225-3800.

Storm surge maps available online
Recently updated maps showing projected hurricane storm surge flooding along the Virginia coast are now available online. The data used to create the maps come from the ongoing Virginia Hurricane Evacuation Study, a joint effort by VDEM, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and coastal localities. The last study was completed in 1992. The new maps show storm surge areas at the regional and local levels according to hurricane intensity.

The maps show hurricane storm surge data for the counties of Accomack, Gloucester, Isle of Wight, Mathews, Northampton, Surry and York and the cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach.

When the study is completed in 2008, these maps will be updated to include storm surge data for the counties of Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond and Westmoreland.

Detailed information about a specific locality or an individual property is available from local emergency management offices. A directory of local offices is available at http://www.vaemergency.com/library/directories/index.cfm. View the storm surge maps at http://www.vaemergency.com/threats/hurricane/stormsurge.cfm.

Campus Security Conference
Gov. Tim Kaine will host a Campus Security Conference Aug. 13 at Virginia Commonwealth University's Stuart C. Siegel Center. Administrators, campus security, emergency management, health, counseling, information technology officials, faculty and student leaders from Virginia public and private colleges and universities have been invited. Gov. Kaine is scheduled to attend the event and provide opening remarks at 9 a.m.

Participants will share information on campus security strategies, participate in panel discussions on security issues and examine the latest products and services to improve campus security from a wide variety of vendors. Panel presentations will focus on campus emergency alert systems, preparedness training, campus and local community coordination, campus safety and security coordination, and crime prevention through environmental design and risk assessments.

Operation Titan Security 2007
On July 12, VDEM and the Roanoke Department of Public Safety conducted an exercise that simulated a multi-agency response to a school shooting/hostage situation. The exercise evaluated overall decision-making, regional involvement, communications interoperability, emergency response coordination, Incident Command System concepts and use of the National Incident Management System. The exercise had more than 70 participants, including representatives from Botetourt, Henry and Roanoke counties, the cities of Martinsville, Roanoke and Salem, the town of Vinton, the Roanoke County School System and two hospitals. Also in attendance were several federal, state and private sector organizations, including the Virginia State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Norfolk-Southern Railroad.

The Operation Titan Security exercise will be followed by a full-scale exercise in October.

NIMS tips and alerts subscription
An archive of the National Incident Management System's Integration Center "NIMS Implementation Tips of the Week" is available online at http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/compliance/tips.shtm. In addition, numerous NIMS ALERTS have been issued and are available at http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/nims_alert.shtm. E-mail fema-NIMS@dhs.gov to request a subscription for these messages.

Spanish preparedness fair
Feria de la Oportunidad, primarily a job fair presented by the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, its Foundation and Comcast, will this year feature all-hazard emergency preparedness information for Spanish speakers. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management will distribute a pictorial emergency supply list and a Spanish-language hurricane guide. The free event is July 21, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Cloverleaf Mall in Chesterfield County. To order copies of the flyer or the hurricane guide, contact the VDEM Public Affairs Office at (866) 782-3470 or pio@vdem.virginia.gov.

National Night Out 2007 registration
The 24th Annual National Night Out will be Aug. 7. NNO is a crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, a nonprofit crime prevention organization that works with 6,500 crime watch groups and law enforcement agencies throughout the country to develop crime and drug prevention programs. Last year, the cities of Galax, Herndon and Suffolk and the counties of Chesterfield, Henrico and Prince William won awards for their participation.

Communities that will participate in this year's NNO should register online at http://www.nationalnightout.org/nno/index.html. Registrants will receive the NNO 2007 Organizational Kit filled with how-to materials.

FEMA disability coordinator
Cindy Lou Daniel is the new disability coordinator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. She will provide guidance and coordination on emergency planning requirements and relief efforts for individuals with disabilities. Prior to joining FEMA, Daniel worked at the National Organization on Disability in its Emergency Preparedness Initiative. She conducted research on the effects Hurricane Katrina had on people with disabilities and created an informational help desk for emergency agencies on various disability-related subjects. In addition, Daniel worked with Fairfax County to develop a Special Medical Needs Shelter to be used in the event of a disaster. Daniel's position was created this year as part of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act. Under the law, the disability coordinator reports directly to the FEMA administrator.

Training...
Campus CERT Train-the-Trainer
The Campus CERT Train-the-Trainer Course builds upon the basic Community Emergency Response Team curriculum and includes information and guidelines for teaching and implementing CERT in the unique context of the campus community. Topics include program planning, funding sources, recruiting, training, supervision, team member retention and legal concerns, with a variety of hands-on practical exercises.

This course is for anyone who might be called upon to train or lead campus CERT teams, or who might teach CERT as a college course. Prior to attending, applicants are expected to complete IS-100, IS-1700 and Basic CERT training. Online versions of these classes are available online at http://training.fema.gov/IS/crslist.asp.

The class is July 31 – Aug. 2 at the Virginia Emergency Operations Center in Chesterfield County. Detailed information and registration is available online at http://www.vaemergency.com/train/calendar_course.cfm?id=90. The deadline for registration is July 23.

WebEOC Training for local governments
This class offers an introduction to WebEOC, how to submit a local request for assistance and how to access situation reports, initial damages assessments and shelter information. VDEM continues to refine WebEOC functionality and previous WebEOC training participants would benefit from attending this session.

Training for Region 2 is Aug. 9, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Germanna Community College in Culpepper. Directions are available online at http://www.germanna.edu/pres_office/campus.asp#gcat.

To register, please send an e-mail to Laverne McNair at Laverne.McNair@vdem.virginia.gov with the student's name and title, locality and agency, mailing address, e-mail address and the class date. Training will be scheduled for each region throughout the month of August. Contact Sue Ann Curran for more information at SueAnn.Curran@vdem.virginia.gov or (804) 371-4505.

Produced by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management
10501 Trade Court, Richmond, Virginia 23236