June 3, 2009

Revised planning templates available
In response to the legislation passed by the General Assembly this year, VDEM Local Planning Assistance has revised the Local Emergency Operations Plan template and the College and University EOP template.

The revisions reflect amendments to the Code of Virginia, §23-9.2:9 and §44-146.18, that require state institutions of higher education and local governments to include a provision in their emergency operations plans that the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Virginia Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund be contacted immediately to deploy assistance when there are victims as defined in §19.2-11.01, as well as current contact information for both agencies.

The amendment will become effective July 1, 2009.

It is VDEM policy that state institutions of higher education and local governments request state resources through the local government’s emergency operations center. Therefore, to be consistent with the above code references and policy:

1. Both the institution and local government should include notification of VCICF and VDCJS in their plans.

2. Actual notification should be conducted on behalf of the institution when events involve higher education entities by the locality, and

3. The institution involved should have a process in place to verify the action was taken.

The revised templates are available on the VDEM Web site at www.vaemergency.com/library/plans/. If you have any questions or need any additional assistance, please write or call Eileen.Tarr@vdem.virginia.gov, (804) 897-6500, ext. 6529.

Citizen Corps & Citizen Preparedness Grant Program available
More than $700,000 is available to local government and Citizen Corps Councils through the FY08 Citizen Corps & Citizen Preparedness Grant Program. The grant supports state and local Citizen Corps Councils and Local Emergency Planning Committees with all-hazards planning, public education, outreach, citizen preparedness and participation, and the management of Citizen Corps Citizen Preparedness programs and activities.

This year, applicants are required to submit a program proposal form, due June 26. Selected applicants will then be required to complete a grant application, check all purchases against the allowable equipment list (www.rkb.us) and follow administrative guidelines. For more information about the application process, visit http://www.vaemergency.com/grants/fy_2008_ccp_grant_program.cfm. For more information on Virginia's Citizen Corps programs, visit http://www.vaemergency.com/citcorps/index.cfm.

Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance posted
FEMA has posted the FY10 Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance online at http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=3649. This guidance contains information on five mitigation grant-funding opportunities: the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program, the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program, the Repetitive Flood Claims Program, the Severe Repetitive Loss Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
All of these programs (except for HMGP) are funded on an annual basis, with specific grant application opening and closing dates. The FY10 opening date is June 1, 2009 and the closing date is Dec. 4, 2009 at 3 p.m. HMGP grant funding opportunities are available only after a presidentially declared event. Individuals are not eligible to apply directly for grants and must work through their localities. Localities must work with VDEM to get their projects considered for FEMA funding.

VDEM Mitigation staff are currently reviewing the newly issued guidance and will be offering grant workshops in mid-July at several locations throughout the state. These dates and locations will be published shortly on the VDEM Web site, http://www.vaemergency.com. For more information about mitigation grant programs and opportunities, please contact any of the VDEM Hazard Mitigation Project Coordinators at (804) 897-6500:

• Philip Hunt - Philip.Hunt@vdem.virginia.gov, ext. 6535
• Debbie Messmer – Debbie.Messmer@vdem.virginia.gov, ext. 6528
• Matthew Wall – Matthew.Wall@vdem.virginia.gov, ext. 6541

Changes to VDEM volunteer coordination
Linda Rubin, formerly the Community Emergency Response Team Training and Outreach Coordinator, will now serve as Citizen Corps Program Branch Chief in the Preparedness Division. In this revised position, Rubin will carry out all of her previous duties and many of the duties conducted by the former Citizen Corps Program Manager, such as lead support for all of the Commonwealth’s Citizen Corps programs. Mary Camp, a VDEM reservist who has served as the lead for ESF 17 for several weeks, will continue in that position.

VDEM welcomes student interns
VDEM has a new pilot internship program that invites university, community college or technical school students to spend three months working in the Virginia Emergency Operations Center. Interns will benefit from professional mentorship in emergency management operations, logistics, planning, and command and control. In addition, interns will:

• Learn operational emergency management systems, processes and concepts
• Participate in VEOC daily operations
• Study VDEM’s use of interoperable communications
• Have an opportunity to work in the 24-hour Watch Center, where incoming data is continually monitored and assessed

• Observe emergency management disaster operations if an emergency occurs during the program

VDEM designed the program to develop stronger partnerships between academic institutions and emergency management agencies and to provide students with a real-world experience in emergency management.

Three interns started the program in May; the program will correlate with fall, spring and summer semesters. For more information, contact Operations Officer Jason Easton via e-mail at jason.eaton@vdem.virginia.gov.

Report addresses special needs populations during evacuations

More than 40 percent of Hurricane Katrina victims who did not evacuate were either physically unable to leave or were caring for a person with a disability, according to a 2005 survey. The Transportation Research Board has released the most recent in a series of primers that report transportation management and operations advancements that can improve evacuation planning and operations. “Evacuating Populations with Special Needs” seeks to integrate more fully special needs issues into emergency planning. The primer offers best practices and tools to accommodate people with special needs in an evacuation and helps emergency managers and transportation personnel develop an evacuation plan that coordinates transportation resources to meet special needs.

The report is available for download at http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop09022/fhwahop09022.pdf.

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