Oct. 21, 2009

Congregate Household Pet Sheltering Annex template available
VDEM’s Preparedness Division has created a congregate household pet sheltering planning template for local governments. The template will help localities create a pet sheltering plan that qualifies for potential FEMA reimbursement. Although localities have a responsibility to address household pets in their emergency operations plans, there is no mandate that they must open pet shelters during emergencies. This is a decision that each jurisdiction must make during their planning process, based on the resources available and expectations of their citizens.

This template can assist localities with the planning process, which should include all stakeholders within the community; localities should review and modify all items to fit their specific needs. It suggests an overall format and examples of items that may or may not be applicable to a community.

The template is available on the VDEM Web site at http://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.

Pittsylvania County recognized for special needs preparedness
The National Council on Disability issued “Effective Emergency Management: Making Improvements for Communities and People with Disabilities,” recommendations on improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. The report recognizes the county’s work to increase the safety of people with hearing disabilities by obtaining a grant to buy radios that would vibrate pillows as a warning mechanism and providing Community Emergency Response Team training to deaf participants. The report also cites the fact that the National Organization on Disability is assessing the Pittsylvania program as a possible nationwide model.

The full report is available from the NCD Web site at http://www.ncd.gov.

New Region 7 coordinator named
Virgil Gray has been selected to serve as regional coordinator for VDEM’s Region 7. Since April 2008, Gray has served as the Region 7 Planner and Deputy Regional Coordinator, providing planning assistance, liaison and coordination support on behalf of VDEM to 10 northern Virginia localities and the National Capital Region. He assisted with project management, improvement of jurisdictional and regional plans, and assisted with operational activities. He has deployed as a part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact team in support of recovery operations in Louisiana and provided planning and liaison support for 56th Presidential Inauguration.

Before joining VDEM, Gray retired from the Army National Guard with 25 years service as a Lieutenant Colonel and served as a military advisor, subject matter expert and planner, coordinating staff training programs and computer simulation training exercises in support of Army commanders and staffs.

Regional coordinators provide hands-on support to jurisdictions within their regions and assistance across territorial boundaries in times of crisis. Gray is replacing Bruce Hopkins, who is retiring.

$5.16 million allocated to interoperability projects
Virginia has allocated $5.16 million in State Homeland Security Grant Program funds to interoperability projects in 16 jurisdictions across the Commonwealth. $300,000 will be used to fund critically needed exercises at the local and state levels, and the remaining $4.86 million used to fund the following projects, selected by the State Interoperability Executive Committee:

South Korea/VDEM joint training program continues
The Korean National Disaster Management Institute has returned to the Commonwealth for the third time for all hazards preparedness training for its emergency managers. This year's training will be an introduction to the Commonwealth's Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program. The students will travel to Frederick County to observe a full-scale exercise and attend the Coordinator's Briefing in Hampton, Va. In addition to their time in Virginia, the students will visit Los Angeles to meet with emergency management officials and Washington, D.C. to visit FEMA. Since 2007, approximately 35 South Korean emergency management officials have participated in the program along with Virginian officials in classes and a Senior Leader Seminar. The Republic of South Korea is funding the training, travel and lodging costs during their two-week visit.

Emergency preparedness education for the Latino community
A recent pilot program in Maryland has shown that the right approach can bring effective emergency preparedness information to the low-income Latino community. Over a two-month period, trained health promoters held educational sessions addressing “what is an emergency” and three steps of emergency preparedness: initiate a conversation about emergencies; develop a family emergency plan; and prepare an emergency supply kit of nine essential items.

• Participants’ feelings that their families were prepared to deal with an emergency situation rose from 8 percent to 69 percent.
• After the sessions, 100 percent of participants reported having talked with their families about emergencies and having an emergency plan (compared to 23% and 33% respectively, on the pre-test).
• Most (90 percent or more) participants reported having stored water, food, and other supplies after the sessions.

Key factors that contributed to the overall success of the sessions include using a limited number of messages, collaborating with agencies trusted by the Latino community, and ongoing support. The full report is available online: http://www.diversitypreparedness.org/Topic/Subtopic/Record-Detail/18/stateId__7746/resourceId__17574/.

Calls for service award nominations
Commonwealth Medal of Valor
The Commonwealth Medal of Valor Review Board is accepting nominations for the Medal of Valor and the Meritorious Service Medal. The Medal of Valor is the highest award for valor conferred upon a public safety officer by the Commonwealth for gallantry and intrepidity, in the face of grave danger at the risk of his or her life, above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in the action to save human life. The Meritorious Service Medal awards a public safety officer for an action that involves extraordinary heroism, clearly above and beyond the call of duty, in the protection of human life or property.

The board will consider nominees whose acts of valor occurred on or after Sept. 11, 2001 through June 30, 2009. The nomination form is available from the Virginia Public Safety Foundation Web site at http://www.vpsf.us.

Governor’s Fire Services Awards
Virginia Fire Services Board is accepting nominations for the Governor’s 2009 Fire Services Awards. There are seven award categories that recognize outstanding dedication and service in areas that range from safety education to fire department response. The nomination packet is available from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs Web site at http://www.vafire.com.

Training...

Emergency Management Assistance Compact training for public information officers
Oct. 23 online
The National Emergency Management Association will present a one-hour Webinar, “Understanding and Deploying under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact,” to public information officers and other public information professionals. During the online session, EMAC advisor Jack Jowett will discuss the background and history of EMAC, its governance and administrative structures, how public information officers are mobilized and deployed under the EMAC standard operating procedures, responsibilities and expectations attendant to an EMAC deployment, and demobilization and reimbursement issues.

More information and registration are available at http://www.emacweb.org/?2153.

Transportation Disaster Response - A Course for Emergency Responders
Nov. 17-19 in Ashburn, Va.
The National Transportation Safety Board is offering a three-day course, "Transportation Disaster Response - A Course for Emergency Responders," at the NTSB Training Center. The class will address the operational and organizational challenges encountered in responding to large-scale, high-profile transportation accidents, and the course is designed specifically for local, county, state and federal emergency responders, planners and managers and for members of organizations with accident response roles.

Topics will include the incident command system, events involving terrorism and/or hazardous materials, interaction with the news media, communicating with the local community and families of the victims, assistance to family members, forensic aspects of recovery and identification, and long-term issues facing the affected community following a major disaster.

More information and registration are available at http://www.ntsb.gov/Academy/CourseInfo/TDA402_2009.htm.

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
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