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FEMA recently released “Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning Guide for Tribal Governments”, outlining the simple planning steps tribal governments can take before a disaster happens to be prepared for the recovery process.
The guide provides a range of planning activities, from basic to formal steps, that include establishing recovery leadership, engaging the community, identifying existing resources, and building new partnerships that can help all tribal governments build resilience.
FEMA developed the guide in alignment with FEMA’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan goal of maturing the National Disaster Recovery Framework. The guide is the final product in a series of three pre-disaster planning guides.
You can download the guide on the FEMA website.
Today, the National Integration Center published three documents designed to create a uniform standardization of Housing Task Force requirements. The documents include:
- “National Incident Management System Resource Typing Definition for a Housing Task Force”, which defines capabilities for an assigned team.
- “NQS Job Titles/Position Qualifications for the Housing Task Force”, which defines minimum qualifications criteria for personnel serving in these positions
- “NQS Position Task Books for the Housing Task Force”, which identifies the competencies, behaviors, and tasks that personnel should demonstrate to become qualified for these positions.
To access the documents visit the FEMA website.
On September 30, FEMA opened the Hazard Mitigation Assistance competitive grant programs application period. This funding assists state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to reduce disaster losses and protect life and property from future disaster damages.
For 2019, $410 million in funding is available through two programs:
- Flood Mitigation Assistance: The agency’s funding priorities include flood mitigation planning and efforts for reducing repetitive as well as severe repetitive loss properties. In this application cycle, $160 million is available in grant funds.
- Pre-Disaster Mitigation: The program is designed to implement a sustained pre-disaster natural hazard mitigation program with the goal of reducing overall risk to the population and structures from future hazard events. In this application cycle, $250 million is available, with $20 million set aside for federally-recognized tribes.
Eligible applicants must apply for funding through the FEMA eGrants system on the FEMA Grants Portal. All applications must be submitted no later than 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 31, 2020.
FEMA offers the following webinars for interested participants. The FEMA Teleconference is the same for all webinars: 1-800-320-4330 Code: 338559#
EGrants for Beginners
The webinar is for basic users and new users about mitigation eGrants basics. Topics covered will include how to access the system, where to go for help, and plenty of time for questions and answers. Primarily intended for sub-applicants and new users.
Avoiding Application Pitfalls
This webinar is about common Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant application errors and how to avoid them. This webinar will be offered two times, and applicants may attend either session
- Tuesday Oct. 8 or Tuesday Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. ET
Register on Adobe Connect
On Sept. 25, FEMA announced the last round of 2018 Assistance to Firefighters Grants program awards. Each year, FEMA supports the nation’s first responders with federal assistance through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response Grant Program, and the Fire Prevention & Safety Grant Program.
All three programs aim to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards, with each program serving unique areas of need within the fire service.
- Assistance to Firefighters Grant: Provides critically needed resources that equip and train emergency personnel to recognized standards, enhance operational efficiencies, foster interoperability, and support community resilience.
- Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response: Assists local fire departments with staffing and deployment capabilities to respond to emergencies and assure that communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.
- Fire Prevention & Safety: Helps recipients carry out fire prevention education and training, fire code enforcement, fire/arson investigation, firefighter safety and health programming, and research and development for firefighter health and safety.
Comprehensive lists of awards for each program are available on the FEMA website.
Oct. 6-12 is National Fire Prevention Week. This year’s fire prevention campaign is “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape.” Smoke alarms do not last forever, so check the manufacture date on the back of your alarms. If it is older than 10 years, replace the alarm, as the sensors become less sensitive after 10 years. Make sure you have an alarm on every level of your home, inside bedrooms, outside sleeping areas and in the basement.
Take time this week to discuss your home escape plan with everyone in your home. Consider the following questions:
- Does everyone know two ways out of each room, in case one is blocked by fire?
- Does anyone in your home need assistance to get out quickly? If so, who will help them?
- Can everyone get themselves out alone?
- Do you have a meeting place outside your home?
For additional information on Fire Prevention Week, visit the National Fire Protection Association’s website. For tips on fire safety and prevention, including more information on smoke alarms, escape plans, home fire sprinklers and a home safety checklist, go to Ready.gov/home-fires or www.usfa.fema.gov.
It only takes one storm, one flash flood, or one inch of water to cause significant damage to a home or business. September marked National Preparedness Month – a reminder to all of us that we need to be prepared for unexpected disasters and emergencies that can strike at any time.
One of the most important steps you can take to prepare for the next storm is to purchase flood insurance.
Read more from David I Maurstad, Deputy Associate Administrator of Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration on the FEMA blog.
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