May 21, 2008

DHS grants Virginia infrastructure grant funds
The Department of Homeland Security has awarded grant funds to Virginia ports, transit systems and critical infrastructure sites through the Infrastructure Protection Activities grant program. IPA, formerly known as the Infrastructure Protection Program, consists of programs aimed at emergency planning for terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. Virginia received funds for projects that fall under two of the programs.

• The Port Security Grant Program supports efforts to protect seaports listed on the U.S. Coast Guard's list of critical seaports, which includes Hampton Roads. Awards are based on the port's relative risk and the relationship of each project to security priorities. Virginia will receive $7,091,000 for the Hampton Roads Port Area and $253,500 for the Jamestown-Scotland ferry.
• The Transit Security Grant Program provides grant funding to the nation's key high-threat urban areas to enhance security measures for their critical transit infrastructures, including bus, rail and ferry systems. Virginia will receive $127,149 for Hampton Roads transit systems.

Hurricane preparedness and sales tax holiday
Gov. Tim Kaine has proclaimed May 25-31 as Hurricane and Flooding Preparedness Week to encourage Virginians to prepare for the 2008 hurricane season, which begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30. The VDEM Web site offers resources to help Virginians get ready for hurricanes:

• Hurricane evacuation routes
• Types of hurricane advisories
• Storm surge maps for coastal Virginia
• Virginia's hurricane history
• Hurricane statistics
• Hurricane information for kids
• Hurricane information for businesses
• Preparedness information for people with disabilities

The site also provides outreach materials such as public service announcements, news releases, the governor's proclamation and outreach assistance. VDEM's hurricane information is available at http://www.vaemergency.com/threats/hurricane.

In addition, certain emergency supplies are exempt from state sales tax during a new tax holiday during. The General Assembly has established a new annual holiday during Hurricane and Flooding Preparedness Week, when purchases of certain items are exempt from the sales and use taxes. In addition to the specific items exempted, dealers may also elect to absorb the tax on any item during that period.

A list of tax-free items is available at http://www.vaemergency.com/threats/hurricane/2008taxholiday.cfm.

Locality Interoperable Communications Grant
Localities are encouraged to work together as a region to compete for $1.7 million dollars in 2007 Homeland Security Grant funding. The grants support the establishment of strategic radio caches (Types III, IV & V) for use as an emergency communications resource statewide. These caches will be locally or regionally owned, regionally operated, and deployable to respond to major emergencies.

Only one submission per local government will be accepted. Multiple submissions from any locality may result in all of that locality's submissions being disqualified. The VDEM Grants Office must receive applications by June 30. The State Interoperability Executive Committee will evaluate applications and make award decisions no later than July 31.

Guidelines and application are available at http://www.vaemergency.com/grants/07hs_radiocache.cfm.

WebEOC training
VDEM has WebEOC training sessions scheduled in Virginia Beach on June 16. The class is designed for local government emergency managers and planners who use the state's WebEOC system to communicate with the VEOC. Topics include: how WebEOC is used, accessing WebEOC, using WebEOC to complete a situation report, submitting an initial damage assessment, and requesting and tracking a locality's request for assistance from the state. This training will reflect the scheduled upgrade of WebEOC on June 20. VDEM has also scheduled two training sessions on July 10 and Aug. 7 at the Virginia Emergency Operations Center in Richmond.

Register using the VDEM Training Calendar at http://www.vaemergency.com/train/calendar_course.cfm?id=100.

Campus Security Conference
Gov. Tim Kaine will host a Campus Security Conference Aug. 4 at Virginia Commonwealth University's Student Commons. 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.

This year's conference will focus on preparedness for all hazards. The conference format will consist of a general session in the morning with breakout workshops in the afternoon highlighting preparedness initiatives on college campuses. Workshop topics will include campus continuity of operations planning, crisis media relations, campus health programs and other important areas.

Registration is available at http://www.ocp.virginia.gov/vhepc/sec_conf.htm. Last year, more than 600 representatives from 64 of Virginia's two- and four-year institutions shared information on campus security strategies.

2008 Homeland Security Symposium
Fostering Public-Private Partnerships
This symposium examines successful public-private homeland security partnerships at the local, regional and national levels. Keynote speakers include Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (Md.-2) and Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector Office at the Department of Homeland Security Alfonso "Al" Martinez-Fonts, Jr. The Federal Facilities Council of the National Academies and the Institute for Infrastructure and Information Assurance at James Madison University sponsor the symposium.

More information about the seminar, May 22 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C., is available at http://www.jmu.edu/iiia/2008symposium/.

2008 Community Based Emergency Response Seminars
Communicating Effectively in a Crisis
All first-responders and emergency service personnel interested in enhancing their public communication skills during a crisis should attend one of the seven scheduled CBERS workshops. This year's topics cover basic communication skills, communicating during a crisis, communicating with older adults, communicating in a school environment, breaking down cultural barriers and psychology of a crisis. Seminars will be:

• May 29 in Fredericksburg
• June 3 in Williamsburg
• June 5 in Fairfax
• June 6 in Norfolk
• June 9 in Richmond
• June 11 in Abingdon
• June 12 in Roanoke

Registration is required. To register and learn more, log onto https://va.train.org or e-mail eprtraining@vdh.virginia.gov. CBERS is a collaboration of the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Department for the Aging, the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services and VDEM.

Exercises...
Chase the White Flag
On May 21, local, state and federal emergency response personnel will participate in a VDEM-sponsored Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program training exercise hosted by Henry County. The exercise will bring together public and private partners to review and assess the current response plans, policies and procedures in a scenario that involves a terrorist attach and mass casualty/mass fatality incident at the Martinsville Speedway during a race weekend.

This tabletop exercise is the third in a series of four events that conclude with a full-scale exercise in 2009. Each exercise builds upon the previous one, incorporating lessons learned as they progress. Chase the White Flag uses lessons learned from Chase the Yellow Flag and Chase the Green Flag exercises, and all three exercises lead up to the final Chase the Checkered Flag. Chase the White Flag TTX will focus critical decisions and integration of state and federal assets necessary to save lives, protect public health and safety, and recover from a disaster during the second and fourth operational periods following an attack.

EM Update is the best way to communicate best practices and to get a heads up on issues that might affect you. Articles include case studies, cost/resource-saving local programs, examples of partnerships and regional cooperation and recognition of emergency managers who receive awards and honors in the field.

Please don't hesitate to contact the editor whenever you have a project that might benefit localities or want to highlight an important issue concerning Virginia's emergency response community. Contact Jolie Shank at (804) 897-6510 or by e-mail at pio@vdem.virginia.gov.

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