EM Update: August 24, 2011 Issue

Aug. 24, 2011

Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Irene forecasted to be a Category 2 hurricane as it passes near the Virginia coast on Saturday and Sunday.  The storm has the potential to bring flooding to the eastern part of the state, and winds could reach at least 39 mph west of Interstate 95 and up to 95 mph in the Hampton Roads area.

It is important for Virginians, especially those living in the Hampton Roads region, to pay close attention to the storm, find out if they are at risk for storm surge and review their evacuation and shelter plans.  A series of videos are available online to help families understand storm surge (the reason for evacuations).  The videos are available at http://www.youtube.com/vaemergency.  A list of needed emergency supplies and maps of storm surge areas and evacuation routes can be found at http://www.vaemergency.gov/.

Virginia Earthquake
At 1:51 p.m. on Aug. 23, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the east coast, emanating from Louisa County, Va.  The effects were felt as far away as New York, Michigan and Colorado.   

Both units at the North Anna Power Stations automatically shut off due to a temporary off-site power outage, causing the station to declare an Alert.  Surry Power Station declared an Unusual Event due to the earthquake.  Generators came on at both sites, and there was no danger to the public.

Virginia Disaster Relief Fund
Gov. Bob McDonnell has announced an additional $1.1 million in pledges and donations for the Virginia Disaster Relief Fund, raised through individual and corporate donors during August.  The governor also ordered that the fund be made a permanent part of the Commonwealth’s disaster relief tools, serving as a fund of last resort if other state, federal and private aid is not available to assist victims of disasters.

The governor and his staff asked for corporate and private donations to augment the fund, which will support the victims of April’s severe weather and will be used to aid Virginians impacted by future disasters. 

The governor also announced a state agency challenge contest to see which of Virginia’s 89 executive branch agencies can raise the most money for the fund. The agencies that achieve the top dollar donations, highest percent participation and highest average gift will be announced at a special ceremony, and the governor will personally award a special prize to the winners. The challenge period will last 30 days beginning todayAug. 24 through Sept. 22 and winners will be announced Sept. 29.

A website has been established to collect credit card donations ($10 minimum) at http://DisasterFund.virginia.gov.  Any amount may be donated by check.  Make checks payable to the Treasurer of Virginia with “tornado relief” noted in the memo line.  Send checks to Comptroller’s Office, P.O. Box 1971, Richmond, VA 23218-1971.  Donations are tax deductible.

2011 Coordinator’s Briefings
Open enrollment in LMS
The Coordinator’s Briefings are VDEM’s annual opportunity to provide the latest information on state and federal policy and procedure regarding activities for local government emergency management personnel.  These sessions are located across the Commonwealth within commuting distance for most local emergency management personnel. Local government and state agency personnel with emergency management responsibilities are encouraged to attend. Jurisdictions receiving EMPG funding are required to attend.

Due to the current state budget situation and recent Governor’s Executive Order directions, VDEM encourages all participants to use official vehicles for travel purposes and when possible to attend the closest Coordinator’s Briefing as a one-day commute. (VDEM is not reimbursing for meals /per diem costs but is providing morning and afternoon refreshment breaks and lunch for the attendees.)

Where necessary, VDEM will provide lodging reimbursement for each jurisdiction’s Director and Coordinator of Emergency Management (maximum of two per jurisdiction) or their designated representative(s). Additional representatives from the jurisdiction may register and attend the Coordinator’s Brief at the expense of the jurisdiction. All personnel attending the Coordinator’s Brief who need lodging are responsible for making their own arrangements directly with the designated hotel. You may lodge at another hotel of your choice; but reimbursement will be at the state per diem rates.

VDEM has reserved a block of rooms at a designated hotel for each of the briefings. You will find detailed information about each hotel in LMS when you enroll in the course. When calling to make your hotel reservations; please identify yourself as a Virginia Department of Emergency Management Coordinator’s Briefing attendee. Personnel authorized by VDEM will be reimbursed for lodging if they travelled more than 70 miles (approximately 90 minutes) to the briefing site. VDEM will provide the necessary instructions for reimbursement at the briefing.

Enrollment is via the Commonwealth of Virginia Knowledge Center/Learning Management System. Attendees who do not have an account with any state domain must create one by clicking on the register link at the following address: https://covkc.virginia.gov/vdem/external. Attendees who have a Knowledge Center account should login through their host domain and enroll.  Click on Learning Center, Course Information and Enrollment and type 2011 in the keywords blank.  Attendees MUST enroll in the appropriate section by the LMS enrollment deadlines below.  Please also note the hotel reservation cut-off date, as the block rate is only guaranteed until that date.

On the morning of the session, check-in will begin at 8 a.m., and the session will run from 9: 30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Oct. 25 in BLACKSBURG at The Inn at Virginia Tech
  Hotel reservation cut-off date:   Sept. 24
  LMS enrollment deadline:   Oct. 5
   
• Nov. 2 in Waynesboro at the Waynesboro Best Western and Conference Center
  Hotel reservation cut-off date:   Oct. 1
  LMS enrollment deadline: Oct. 13
   
• Nov. 8 in Williamsburg at the Crown Plaza – Fort Magruder Hotel
  Hotel reservation cut-off date:    Oct. 7
  LMS enrollment deadline:  Oct. 19
 

National survey gauges Americans’ attitudes about terrorism
The National Emergency Management Association, the International Association of Emergency Mangers, and other emergency management groups have launched a national online survey to assess how American’s behaviors and attitudes towards terrorism have changed since Sept. 11, 2001.  These organizations will distribute a parallel survey to their members to compare the attitudes of professional emergency managers and public health professionals with the views of citizens.  The ongoing survey is available at http://www.911opinionsurvey.org. Results will be published on the same site prior to Sept. 11, 2011.

Pet sheltering grant fund available
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and VDEM are soliciting applications for the FY11 Pet Sheltering Grant.  City and county governments are eligible to apply.  Applications must show support for the following three primary objectives:

1- Develop regional capabilities to provide temporary emergency animal sheltering through the procurement of regional mobile pet sheltering equipment caches;

2- To enhance Community Animal Response Team capabilities through regional partnerships, establishing a cost-effective and efficient method of providing evacuation, sheltering and transportation of household pets and service animals throughout the Commonwealth; and

3- To enhance human evacuation compliance by building sustainable temporary emergency animal sheltering capabilities through the development of mobile pet sheltering equipment caches that will overcome known barriers to compliance with evacuation orders.

Applications must be submitted to VDACS by Sept. 30.  The Request for Applications and Investment Justification are available at http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals/petshelter.shtml  Direct questions to Amy Ettinger in VDACS’ Office of Emergency Services at Amy.Ettinger@vdacs.virginia.gov

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