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FEMA is seeking feedback on the “National Response Framework“ and “Emergency Support Function (ESF) #14 – Cross-Sector Business and Infrastructure Annex” draft documents. Feedback and recommendations will help ensure the final versions of the documents are effective resources for emergency managers across the nation.
As part of FEMA’s renewed effort to build a national culture of preparedness, the National Response Framework is being updated to incorporate lessons learned from the 2017 hurricane and wildfire season.
The updated NRF will be scalable, flexible and adaptable, using the core capabilities identified in the National Preparedness Goal and will continue to focus on the capabilities necessary to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs during disasters. The new ESF #14 supports the coordination of cross-sector operations, including stabilization of key supply chains and community lifelines, among infrastructure owners and operators, businesses, and their government partners.
FEMA is hosting a series of one-hour engagement webinars to describe the updates and answer participants’ questions. These webinars are intended for the whole community, including individuals, private and nonprofit sectors, faith-based organizations, and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners.
Webinars will be held on the following dates and times (all times are Eastern):
Advance registration is required and on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please contact: NRF@fema.dhs.gov.
Captioning will be available on the webinar. If you need a copy of the webinar PowerPoint, please provide details on the registration page or contact us at NRF@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMA announced that 37 states and territories are eligible to receive funding to enhance and implement earthquake risk reduction programs that aid people at the regional, state, and local level. The grants are awarded annually through a non-competitive agreement as part of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP).
NEHRP is the coordinated federal effort to address earthquake risks facing the nation. Recent legislation allows for third party in-kind contributions to be accepted as the 25 percent non-federal cost share. Those contributions must benefit a federally-assisted project or program and be contributed by a non-federal third party.
FEMA announced the release of the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Fiscal Year 2019 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP).
The RCPGP provides $10 million to local governments to build regional capacity to manage catastrophic incidents by improving and expanding collaboration for catastrophic incident preparedness.
The program plays an important role in the implementation of the National Preparedness System. It supports the building of core capabilities essential to achieving the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient nation. Delivering core capabilities requires the combined effort of the whole community, rather than the exclusive effort of any single organization or level of government.
Eligible projects should increase capability levels in the Food, Water, and Sheltering Community Lifelines as measured in the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA)/Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR).
Awards will be made on a competitive basis to applicants who present an ability to successfully meet the requirements described in the funding notice.
The application period will remain open until July 8. Submissions must be made through Grants.gov. The funding announcement is located on FEMA’s website and Grants.gov.
FEMA has partnered with the Federal Interagency, U.S. Northern Command, state, local and tribal governments, the private sector and non-governmental organizations for the Shaken Fury 2019 Exercise, which will take place from May 29 through June 7.
The purpose of the exercise is to evaluate and improve how communities respond to an earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, identify gaps in their resources, and implement a coordinated recovery strategy. The exercise will help to improve the region’s collective capacity to respond and recover from significant events.
The exercise supports the continued development and promotion of Goals 1 and 3
in FEMA’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan to prepare for catastrophic disasters and to build a culture of preparedness.
The exercise is located in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which stretches across the eight states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. An earthquake in this area has the potential to cause catastrophic physical and economic loss to the critical infrastructure in the region.
Earthquakes can happen anywhere and anytime, without warning. They can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides, and avalanches. Exercises like Shaken Fury are designed to give people the ability to prepare, respond, and recover as efficiently as possible when disaster strikes. To learn more about earthquake safety and how to prepare for disasters visit Ready.gov.
To learn more about Shaken Fury 2019, please visit the Shaken Fury website.
On May 22, FEMA released the Fiscal Year 2019 Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dam (HHPD) Grant Program. The HHPD Grant Program is authorized under the recently funded Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act.
The program will provide $10 million in grants to eligible applicants with non-federal dams. The program provides technical, planning, design, and construction assistance in the form of grants for rehabilitation of eligible high hazard potential dams. Eligible applicants must be non-federal sponsors, which include non-federal governments and non-profit organizations.
Eligible non-federal dams are:
- • Located in a state or territory with a state or territorial dam safety program;
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- • Classified as ‘high hazard potential’ by the dam safety agency in the state or territory where the dam is located;
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- • Have an emergency action plan approved by the state or territorial dam safety agency; and the state or territory in which the dam is located determines either of these criteria – the dam fails to meet minimum dam safety standards of the state or territory; and the dam poses an unacceptable risk to the public.
Non-federal sponsors are encouraged to review the Notice of Funding Opportunity announcement on grants.gov and apply by the July 8 deadline.
Questions regarding the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams Grant Program can be sent to FEMA-NDSP-HHPDGrants@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMA released James Gore’s PrepTalk: ”Forging Resilient Community Through Imperfect Relentless Progress” today. In his PrepTalk, Gore shares his experience supporting his community in the aftermath of the 2017 Tubb’s Fire in Sonoma County.
Gore discusses how the fire reset his priorities. He now urges elected representatives, government officials, and everyone who will listen to build resilience now.
Gore is the elected Sonoma County District Four Supervisor and a member of the executive committee of the California State Association of Counties. He serves as the Chair for the Resilient Advisory Board and the Chair for the National Association of Counties Resilient Counties Initiative. His PrepTalk video and additional resources are available at FEMA PrepTalks. Additional PrepTalks from the April 2019 symposium in Santa Rosa, Calif. will be released in the coming months.
PrepTalks are a partnership between FEMA, the International Association of Emergency Managers, the National Emergency Management Association, the National Homeland Security Consortium, and the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security.
Applications Due May 31 for Emergency Management Academies
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is accepting applications until May 31 for the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy and the National Emergency Management Executive Academy.
The Advanced Academy is for mid-level managers with a minimum of three years of experience in an emergency management position to include government, non-profit, voluntary organization, and private sector leaders. Classes run from October 2019 to September 2020. Apply for the Advanced Academy here. Contact fema-empp-advanced-academy@fema.dhs.gov for more information.
The Executive Academy curriculum enhances strategic leadership and critical thinking for emergency management senior executives from all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. Apply for the Executive Academy here. Contact fema-empp-executive-academy@fema.dhs.gov for more information.
FEMA Seeks Public Comment for New Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
FEMA is seeking comments on the development and implementation of Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) Section 1234: National Public Infrastructure Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Comments will be accepted from May 20 through July 15, on FEMA IdealScale or by email at BUILDBRIC@fema.dhs.gov.
In June, FEMA will host a webinar series to provide an overview of the different topic areas that are important for the development of the BRIC program.
For detailed information and a description of each webinar, visit the website.
Webinar 1: Infrastructure Mitigation Projects and Community Lifelines
2 to 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday June 6.
Webinar 2: Hazard Mitigation Planning, Grant Application and Evaluation, and Risk Based Funding
2 to 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday June 13
Webinar 3: Funding & Resource Management and Benefit-Cost Analysis
2 to 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday June 20.
Webinar 4: Building Codes and Enforcement and Capacity and Capability
2 to 4 p.m. EDT, Tuesday June 25.
How to Participate:
• FEMA Teleconference: 1-800-320-4330 PIN: 338559#
• FEMA Adobe Connect
For more information on DRRA, visit the website.
Final Reminder for FY 2019 Preparedness Grants
On April 12, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FEMA announced the release of Fiscal Year 2019 Notices of Funding Opportunity for U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) preparedness grant programs totaling more than $1.7 billion.
The grant programs provide funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as transportation authorities, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector, to improve the nation’s readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. The grants reflect the Department’s focus on funding for programs that address our nation’s immediate security needs and ensure public safety in our communities.
The grant guidance will continue to focus on the nation’s highest risk areas, including urban areas that face the most significant threats. Consistent with previous grant guidance, dedicated funding is provided for law enforcement and terrorism prevention throughout the country to prepare for, prevent and respond to pre-operational activity and other crimes that are precursors or indicators of terrorist activity.
All preparedness Notices of Funding Opportunities can be found at www.grants.gov. Final submissions must be made through the Non-Disaster (ND) Grants system located at https://portal.fema.gov. Further information on DHS’s preparedness grant programs is available at www.dhs.gov and www.fema.gov/grants.
The application period closes at 5 p.m. EDT on Wednesday May 29. All awards for these grants will be made no later than September 30.
Listen in on an interview with Michelle Medley-Daniel from the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network, Ali Lerch and Chris Chambers from Ashland Fire & Rescue, and Hilary Lundgren from the Washington Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network.
They discuss how the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network has, since 2013, connected and supported people and communities who are striving to live more safely with wildfire. The Network has served as a catalyst for spreading best practices and innovations in fire adaptation concepts nationwide.
The FEMA Podcast is an audio program series available to anyone interested in learning more about the Agency, hearing about innovation in the field of emergency management, and listening to stories about communities and individuals recovering after disasters.
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