EM Update: December 28, 2011

Dec. 28, 2011

2011 record-setting year nationwide for natural disasters
A recent report by the National Climatic Data Center says that 2011 has seen more billion-dollar natural disasters than any year on record. April tornadoes, an historic earthquake, Hurricane Irene and the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee hit Virginia during 2011, causing loss of life and property and leaving millions of dollars in damage.  

• April tornadoes, April 8, 27-28 and 26; at least 30 tornadoes killed 10 people and injured more than 100. Approximately 212 homes were destroyed, with more than 1,050 homes and businesses were damaged. The lack of federal assistance led Gov. Bob McDonnell to establish the Virginia Disaster Relief Fund to help tornado victims. The fund has since been expanded to help victims of any disaster in Virginia.
• Mineral earthquake, Aug. 23; a 5.8-magnitude earthquake and more than 50 aftershocks have led to nearly $7 million in federal assistance to individuals in Louisa County. Funds have been approved to repair damage that includes Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and Louisa County High School. Also, about $1.6 million has been approved by the Small Business Administration in the form of low-interest loans to approximately 50 individuals and businesses.
• Hurricane Irene, Aug. 27; flooding and high winds killed four people and caused approximately $39 million in damage to public property and associated emergency response costs; 2.5 million people were without power, some for up to a week; Virginia received a pre-landfall federal Public Assistance emergency declaration, allowing FEMA to provide supplies, equipment and other needed resources.
• Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, Sept. 8-9; heavy rains and flooding killed five and caused more than 100 homes and business to be destroyed or sustain major damage; approximately 500 people were displaced from their homes in Prince William County; residents in several areas were evacuated, and at least 50 swift water rescues of citizens were completed.

VDEM’s Private Sector Liaison Program makes FEMA’s model list
VDEM’s seven-month-old Private Sector Liaison Program has been added as one of FEMA’s national Model Public-Private Partnership Programs. FEMA’s model program site provides other states with examples of programs designed to bring together the private sector with emergency management communities: http://www.fema.gov/privatesector/ppp_models.shtm

For more information about this program please contact Benjamin Muncy at Benjamin.Muncy@vdem.virginia.gov or (804) 674-2481.
 

James City County CERT volunteers recognized by county
Emergency Management director Kate Hale and Public Fire educator Margaret Tucker received the 2011 Chairman’s Award from James City County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mary Jones for their work in the Community Emergency Response Team program.

The CERT program, initiated in the Fire Department’s Division of Emergency Management in 2003, has trained 342 citizens, certified nine organized neighborhood citizen response teams, and provided leadership and instruction for regional CERT programs. Hale and Tucker have worked to create well-informed and properly trained citizen teams through community outreach, education and collaboration.
 

FY12 Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant available
The U.S. Department of Transportation has released approximately $115,000 for planning efforts through the FY12 Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant. VDEM will accept applications through Jan. 21, 2012. For application guidance, contact Randy Frances at randy.francis@vdem.virginia.gov
 

Virginia Citizen Corps creates web resource
Virginia Citizen Corps has created an online resource library to decrease the number of emails coming from VCC. The library, available at http://www.vaemergency.gov/volunteer/va-cit-corps-councils, will include:

• FEMA and FEMA Region III information, resources, updates, opportunities
• VOAD information and opportunities
• Selected Virginia Citizen Corps initiatives, updates and postings
• National Citizen Corps information and updates
• Other important preparedness information

All VCC partners are encouraged to check the library often for updates. VCC will continue to send emails regarding grants, regional Citizen Corps Council meetings, Virginia Citizen Corps and National Preparedness Month initiatives, and CERT information as requested.
 

New levee analysis method open for feedback
FEMA is asking for feedback from the public and interested stakeholders regarding the new levee analysis and mapping approach for non-accredited levees. The public review and comment period will end Jan. 30.

“Revised Analysis and Mapping Procedures for Non-Accredited Levees: Proposed Approach for Public Review” is available for download and comment at http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/12/15/2011-32128/revised-analysis-and-mapping-procedures-for-non-accredited-levees The webpage also offers information about three 90-minute online public webinars where FEMA will present the approach and answer questions.
 

New FEMA document explores Whole Community concept
FEMA has published “A Whole Community Approach to Emergency Management: Principles, Themes, and Pathways for Action.” FEMA consulted local, tribal, state, territorial and federal representatives; academia; nongovernmental organizations; community members; and the private sector to create the document.
 

More information about the Whole Community approach is available at http://www.fema.gov/about/wholecommunity.shtm
 

CERT Basic training participant manual in Braille and screen reader versions
The National Community Emergency Response Team program has released the participant manual in Braille and PDF screen reader versions. Each version includes the same content as the standard version participant manual—the nine units of the course and 13 hazard annexes.
The screen reader version of the Participant Manual is available on the national CERT website, https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/training_mat.shtm#screenreader

Local CERT program coordinators/managers can request copies of the Braille version by calling the FEMA Distribution Center at 1-800-480-2520 or emailing FEMA-Publications-Warehouse@dhs.gov. Use Publication Number P-856 and Catalog Number 11189-2 to order the Participant Manual (four volumes in Braille). Please be sure to allow 6 – 8 weeks for delivery.
 

In addition, the National CERT Program recently released the low vision and Spanish versions of the CERT Basic Training participant manual. For additional tools for communicating with all audiences, including people with disabilities, visit the FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Preparedness Resources web page at http://www.fema.gov/about/odic/preparedness.shtm#2
 

Social Media in Today's Society
The next in a series of FEMA webinars will focus on social media. The webinar defines social media and presents the emerging trends and best practices in using social media applications (Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, etc.) during all phases of emergency management. It also provides a tutorial on how to access and work within these social media applications. The webinar concludes with an overview on how emergency management and response personnel can help their organizations find their unique voice in social media.

No registration is required, but space is limited to the first 300 participants nationwide.

Date: Jan. 18, 4-5 p.m.
Website: https://fema.connectsolutions.com/r72351348
Conference Bridge Information: 1-800-320-4330 and Pin #: 885312
Closed Captioning Information: http://fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1877175&CustomerID=321
 

IS-247 - Integrated Public Alert and Warning System
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute is offering a new online course: IS-247 - Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. The course gives basic information about IPAWS to increase awareness about using IPAWS for public warnings, how to draft more effective warning messages and best practices in using Common Alerting Protocol.

Details are available at http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is247.asp
More new courses are listed at http://training.fema.gov/IS/ 
 

VDEM Training Calendar
Like Virginia Department of Emergency Management Training on Facebook for updates on upcoming courses!

Due to budgetary constraints, VDEM must cancel a class if a minimum of 15 students have not enrolled two weeks before the class begins. Sign up early.

The Commonwealth of Virginia’s Learning Management System Knowledge Center provides information and enrollment for each class. Students who do not already have an account through any state agency Learning Management System domain must register for a VDEM LMS account (a one-time process) in order to enroll. Students who have an account through any state agency should log in at that agency’s LMS address and enroll in the desired course(s). Help videos for registration and enrollment processes are provided on the VDEM LMS login page at https://covkc.virginia.gov/vdem/external/. Assistance is available from VDEM’s LMS Help Desk at lmshelp@vdem.virginia.gov or (804) 897-9995.

The table below lists VDEM courses for the next quarter:

* This course open to Manassas and Manassas Park personnel only. May be opened to others if maximum enrollment is not exceeded.