Dec. 19, 2007
The Virginia Department of Transportation has finished the second phase of installing an additional 298 hurricane evacuation gates along the entry and exit ramps of interstates 64 and 664 to allow lanes to be reversed during an evacuation declaration by the governor. The gates are part of a phased evacuation plan and lane reversal for Hampton Roads and Southeastern Virginia. The additional gates will reduce the personnel needed at each ramp during an evacuation.
Last year, the Commonwealth installed 128 gates along eastbound I-64 and I-664 from the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel to I-295 in Richmond. The first phase of the gate installation allowed eastbound lanes on I-64 to be closed and used for westbound traffic. In May, VDOT, VDEM, the Virginia State Police and the Virginia National Guard conducted a successful test of command and control communications and operational closures of the gates. Another test is scheduled for next spring.
More information about evacuation gates is available on VDOT's Web site at http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/hurricane_gates.asp.
2008 hurricane forecast issued
Colorado State University has issued their extended-range forecast for the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. The forecast calls for an above-average season with 13 named storms, seven hurricanes and three intense hurricanes. The forecast uses a statistical prediction scheme that utilizes 58 years of past data and an analysis of each CSU extended-range forecast issued for the last 16 years (1992-2007).
The tropical meteorology research group from CSU's Department of Atmospheric Science issues seasonal hurricane forecasts in early December, April, June, August, September and October.
Read the full text of the forecast: http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts.
DCJS Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program
The Department of Criminal Justice Services is offering federal grant funds through the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. The program supports new initiatives in the following categories:
- School and Campus Safety Projects
- School Resource Officers
- Crisis Intervention Team Pilot Projects
- Assessing the Impact of and Responding to the Mentally Ill in the Criminal/Juvenile Justice Systems
- Crime & Delinquency Prevention in Minority/Immigrant Communities
- Recruiting and Retention of Criminal Justice Professionals
- Criminal Justice System Improvements.
Successful applicants will receive funding for 12 months, starting July 1, 2008.
Grant guidelines and instructions for preparing and submitting grant applications are available at the DCJS Web site: http://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/forms/grants/byrne/P-Guide-08Final.pdf.
If you are unable to access the information or download the documents, contact Virginia Sneed at (804) 786-5491 or virginia.sneed@dcjs.virginia.gov to obtain copies of the grant guidelines and application forms.
Completed grant applications for these funds must be received at DCJS no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 29.
New Commonwealth Interoperability Coordinator
Gov. Tim Kaine has appointed Constance McGeorge to serve as the Commonwealth Interoperability Coordinator within the Governor's Office of Commonwealth Preparedness. She succeeds Chris Essid, who has resigned to become Director of the Office of Emergency Communications within the U. S. Department of Homeland Security.
Interoperability is the ability of emergency responders, using different communications systems, to speak to one another and share information during emergencies and disasters.
McGeorge has served in the Governor’s Office of Commonwealth Preparedness since 2002, most recently as Statewide Critical Infrastructure Coordinator, and has chaired the National Capital Region's Critical Infrastructure Working Group. She has also been a member of the State Interoperability Executive Committee since its creation. She is also a volunteer with the Goochland County Fire and Rescue Department.
Exercises...
Flood 2007 Recovery Exercise
On Tuesday, Dec.4, VDEM, Albemarle County, Charlottesville and the University of Virginia conducted a day of training and a tabletop exercise that simulated flood and tornado recovery efforts. This was the Commonwealth's first exercise to focus on natural disaster recovery efforts under HSEEP guidelines. The training component, conducted by VDEM, included presentations on public assistance, debris management, and recovery and mitigation.
The 77 participants and guests included representatives from the Rivanna Water Service Authority, American Red Cross, Martha Jefferson Hospital, the Virginia departments of Health and Transportation, a representative from FEMA Region 3, town of Scottsville and the Virginia Tech Interim Director of Emergency Management.
Produced
by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management
10501 Trade Court, Richmond, Virginia 23236