Feb. 11, 2009

VEM Conference offers national and local perspectives
The 2009 Virginia Emergency Management Conference, set for March 31-April 3 in Hampton, will provide professional development, skills and knowledge of current emergency management techniques, and best practices. This year’s agenda is one of the strongest programs since the conference started more than 10 years ago. Attendees will hear from:

• National and state media representatives on coverage of the 2007 Virginia Tech tragedy
• National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read on 2008’s hurricane season, the most damaging season since Katrina
• Emergency managers from northern Virginia on coordinating the most complex Presidential Inauguration ever
• A young woman who survived the 1999 Columbine High School shooting with her inspiring story

The robust agenda offers much more, including speakers from Texas and Louisiana who’ll describe response to Hurricane Ike in light of lessons learned from Katrina and Rita, as well as emergency managers from Virginia who responded to the 2007 Virginia Tech tragedy.

Online registration and brochure are available at http://www.vemaweb.org. Special rates end March 1 for hotel accommodations at the Embassy Suites Hampton.

Guidelines for College Threat Assessment Team Training
Virginia law § 23-9.2:10 mandates that each public college or university establish policies and procedures for the prevention of violence on campus, including assessment and intervention with individuals whose behavior poses a threat to the safety of the campus community. To help colleges and universities comply with the law, the Commonwealth is offering three one-day workshops that will cover the recommended guidelines for threat assessment teams, including basic principles of threat assessment, procedures for conducting threat assessments in higher education settings, suggested policies for team authority, information sharing and record keeping.

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, the Virginia Department of Health, the University of Virginia Youth Violence Project, Blue Ridge Community College, John Tyler Community College and Thomas Nelson Community College will host the free workshops.

• April 14 at Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Va.
• April 21 at John Tyler Community College in Chester, Va.
• April 28 at Thomas Nelson Community College in Hampton, Va.

Registration is available at the DCJS Web site: https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/eventRegistration/index.cfm?masterEventID=366&session=yes.

New deputy director of VDEM Technological Hazards Division
VDEM has named Wade Collins to serve as deputy director of the Technological Hazards Division and the hazardous materials field manager. Collins has served as the division’s Regional Hazardous Materials Officer in central and western Virginia since he joined VDEM in 1999. Previously, Collins was a fire captain with the Danville Fire Department and was a founding member of the Danville Hazardous Materials Team. Collins also served in the U.S. Navy’s weapons division from 1983-1987.

As the Technological Hazards division deputy director, Collins will be directly responsible for managing the division’s hazardous materials response branch, including the regional hazardous materials officers and state hazardous materials teams.

New disaster laws under consideration
Several bills that could impact emergency preparedness and response will be considered during the 30-day session of the 2009 General Assembly. Bill summaries, along with status and links to the General Assembly Web site, are available online at http://www.vaemergency.com/newsroom/09legsummary.cfm.

Updated health and wellness guide available for first responders
Heart attack, overexertion and strain cause more firefighter deaths and injuries than any other cause. In an effort to improve the overall health of the volunteer fire service, the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Volunteer Fire Council have released an updated version of the Health and Wellness Guide for the Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services. The guide provides new information about health and wellness issues and helps departments develop life-saving health and wellness programs.

The guide also provides the most current information about compliance with appropriate National Fire Protection Association Firefighter Health and Safety Standards, such as NFPA Standard 1583 - Health Related Fitness Programs for Fire Fighters.

The guide is available for download in PDF format at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/.
Training…

Training…

EMI offers new online independent study course
IS-821 Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources Support Annex.
As part of the National Response Framework, Support Annexes describe how government agencies, the private sector and volunteer organizations coordinate and process administrative tasks required during an event. In this one-hour course, students will learn:

• The relationship between the NRF and critical infrastructure and key resources preparedness, protection, response and recovery
• How the Infrastructure Liaison can coordinate CIKR tasks at all levels
• The NRF processes designed to ensure that CIKR considerations are a part of incident response efforts

The course and prerequisites are available at http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS821.asp

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.

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