Saturday, October 26, 2019

Action override discussions. Take action now. FREE education and training


Just Do It! 

Do it now.

Helpless or hopeless, or be proactive.  Which would you like to be?

Register for a CERT course in your community



STEP 1:
·       FEMA IS-317: Introduction to CERT (Online)
"Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams," IS-317, is an independent study course that serves as an introduction to CERT for those wanting to complete training or as a refresher for current team members. It takes between six and eight hours to complete the course. Those who successfully finish it will receive a certificate of completion. It has six modules.
·       U.S. CERT Basic Training & Material (Online and Classroom)

STEP 2:
Take a hands-on course in your community.

·       Locate a CERT Team in your community ()enter zip code)


LA County CERT training classes.  Upcoming

The Community Emergency Response Team Program's concept was developed and implemented by the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) in 1985.  The 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake underscored the area-wide threat of a major disaster in California. Further, it confirmed the need for training civilians to meet their immediate needs.  As a result, the LAFD created this program to train citizens and private and government employees………………………….


Atlanta CERT training classes.  Upcoming

UPCOMING CLASS DATES WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON.
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program helps train people to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities. When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community





Black Emergency Managers Association  
    International
1231-B Good Hope Road.  S.E.
Washington, D.C.  20020
Office:   202-618-9097 

bEMA International


“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today.  We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.  In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late.  Procrastination is still the thief of time.  Life often leaves us standing bare, naked and dejected with a lost opportunity.  This may well be mankind’s last change to choose between chaos or community.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., ‘Where Are We Going From Here:  Chaos or Community’.

Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication, Coordination, Community engagement, and  Partnering (C5&P)             A 501 (c) 3 organization.


Friday, October 25, 2019

November 20–21, Climate Reality is presenting 24 Hours of Reality: Truth in Action, a global conversation on the truth of the climate crisis and how we solve it.

Are you interested in changing the climate conversation in your community?


The Climate Reality Project


                           

Disaster Ready's Ready to Go Mobile Guides. October 2019.




DisasterReady’s Ready to Go Mobile Guides are designed specifically for mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) to support learners on the go. They are created by experts from across the humanitarian and nonprofit sectors and cover essential topics such as leadership, security, protection, emergency response, health, and much more. Explore the entire collection here.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Office of International Disability Rights Act.. October 2019


CALL TO ACTION!!

 
In 2017, then US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson eliminated the Special Advisor for International Disability Rights, a position established under the Obama Administration and held by long-time disability activist, Judith Heumann. USICD wrote to both Secretary Tillerson and Secretary Pompeo with our concerns and no acknowledgment or response was ever received. The Trump administration has not appointed a Special Advisor. Letters can be found on our website.

USICD is asking our members, the US disability community and our allies, to respond by communicating your support for the bipartisan Office of International Disability Rights Act (HR 3373). The Bill was introduced on 20 June 2019 by Congresswoman Dina TItus (D-NV) and has six co-sponsors as of today. We have one Republican co-sponsor (Representative Don Young R-AK) and need more to show strong bipartisan support for the bill.

The Office of International Disability Act establishes a permanent office at the US Department of State. The bill also requires the appointment of a Special Advisor and mandatory disability inclusion training for all civil service, foreign service personnel, and chiefs of mission. Read the Office of International Disability Rights Act.

Please visit the USICD Call to Action web page to learn more and to download the Call to Action Packet. The packet contains a letter from USICD's President, Dr. Patricia Morrissey and a sample letter to send to members of the House of Representatives. The last page of the packet contains a list of Representatives we would like you to contact as soon as possible. Please share this important announcement with your friends, family and colleagues! 

Establishing a permanent Office of International Disability Rights has been a key advocacy priority for USICD.
 



Washington, DC Puerto Rico/Puerto Ricans Diaspora Summit, 11.16.19


Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans Washington, D.C. Diaspora Summit 2019
Saturday, November 16, 2019, 8:30 AM - 6:30 PM

George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20052


The increase in emigration from Puerto Rico has created opportunities for Puerto Ricans living in the United States.

Given the importance that population size and growth have in the social and political discourse in the United States, this increase in the size of the Puerto Rican population throughout the country will contribute to make Puerto Ricans more visible politically, socially, economically, and culturally.

Hurricanes Irma and Maria may have brought destruction and devastation to Puerto Rico, but they also brought opportunities for the building of a stronger Puerto Rico and Diaspora.





Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Strengthening Disaster Preparedness in the Caribbean. October 21, 2019

https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/10/strengthening-disaster-preparedness-caribbean

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Strengthening Disaster Preparedness in the Caribbean

 and  - 
When disasters hit small countries, the effects on individuals, families and communities last well after the headlines fade. Natural disasters are traumatic, bringing loss of life, dislocation and violence. The devastating effects of Hurricane Dorian on the Bahamas' Grand Bahama and Abaco islands reveal a larger problem: countries with the least responsibility for climate change are often hardest hit by its impacts, and least equipped to deal with them.
Damage in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian. The Caribbean needs international support to prepare for disasters ahead of time. Photo by All Hands and Hearts.

Damage in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian. The Caribbean needs international support to prepare for disasters ahead of time. Photo by All Hands and Hearts.problem: countries with the least responsibility for climate change are often hardest hit by its impacts, and least equipped to deal with them.

Hurricane Dorian was the second strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic, with sustained winds of more than 180 miles per hour. The storm parked itself over the Bahamas for almost 48 hours, causing 61 fatalities, destroying entire communities and causing damage totaling $7 billion, according to preliminary estimates. Research shows that storms like this will become more damaging as temperatures warm, and that Dorian lingered so long over one place due to climate change.
Disasters are often more devastating in small island nations like the Bahamas, which have more limited resources to cope, including small populations and modest economic bases, competition for limited finances, limited pools of technical specialists and inadequate institutional measures.
<p>Local responders distribute supplies in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian. Photo by Jerry Christopher Butler.</p>
Local responders distribute supplies in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian. Photo by Jerry Christopher Butler.
Despite these challenges, Caribbean countries are beginning to respond to intensifying climate change impacts in innovative ways. Disaster preparedness and management agencies are using better tools and improving their effectiveness in every country in the region. But Dorian has shown us that adapting to climate change also requires a concerted response from the international development community, since the scale of preparedness, relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts countries and communities need to carry out are beyond the scope of national and regional budgets.
As recent research from the Global Commission on Adaptation lays out, adaptation isn't just about bracing for the impacts of climate change. Done well, it boosts economies, ensures social equity and improves development outcomes. Investing in resilience before a disaster hits is more effective than relying heavily on post-disaster recovery. Protection — not simply response — saves lives. However, the post-disaster response to help countries recover is still necessary and must be sustained, since recovery can take years.
"Natural disasters are on the rise around the globe and there's a critical need for a more thoughtful approach to how we respond and help impacted communities recover," said Petra Nemcova, co-founder of All Hands and Hearts, a nonprofit that provides relief for those affected by natural disasters worldwide. "It's pressing for people from all different sectors to come together and solve seemingly intractable global problems. Collaboration for sustainable solutions needs to be our shared and urgent mission."
With that in mind, here are three ways that the Caribbean and international community can respond to more frequent and severe disasters in the region:

1. Mobilize and Guide New Avenues for Finance and International Support

Caribbean states have limited access to finance for adaptation and resilience. The Caribbean region has worked to provide insurance and reinsurance products that play a role in providing aid following major losses. However, international financial markets have largely focused on the region's debt repayments rather than on building resilience (two-thirds of Caribbean countries have debt amounting to more than 60% of their GDP). There is limited private sector involvement in equity and debt markets, because these financial markets are not well developed in the Caribbean. Multilateral banks and foreign governments that host debt for Caribbean countries should accelerate their efforts to implement debt-for-resilience swaps, where countries can exchange their debts for new funds that can be used for climate mitigation and adaptation. For this to work, multilateral banks and private investors need to invest in these funds.
Additionally, financial institutions in the region should create new mechanisms to support low-carbon and climate-resilience projects, coverage for people that lose housing and livelihoods, and guidance for using and collecting funds from external sources. For example, Jamaica recently issued the first-ever Caribbean Green Bond and is developing a framework for disaster risk management encompassing financial risk protection and contingent debt instruments.

2. Establish a Stronger, People-centered Regional Response

<p>A school in Dominica rebuilt after Hurricane Maria. Photo by Tom Kucy/Clara Lionel Foundation.</p>
A school in Dominica rebuilt after Hurricane Maria. Photo by Tom Kucy/Clara Lionel Foundation.
All countries in the Caribbean should collaborate to develop a permanent disaster response corps that is available for rapid-response missions. They could coordinate it through CARICOM or other regional mechanisms. Currently, there is no single group with the proper training in all of the disciplines needed for disaster preparedness, recovery and response. Relief efforts frequently require the secondment of troops from national defense forces. A standing, well-trained and adequately equipped regional disaster response corps, which could involve youth national service with education and training on climate change and disaster management, would be a better option.
A dedicated disaster response corps could also shift the paradigm to holistically manage hazards, rather than merely respond to them. It is important that approaches to disaster risk management be people-centered and holistic, and include mental health and counseling services for vulnerable populations. For example, the Clara Lionel Foundation is working with International Planned Parenthood Federation and Engineers Without Borders to make reproductive health clinics in the Caribbean more resilient to disasters.

3. Engage the Private Sector

<p>Young people outside a sexual and reproductive health clinic in Belize City. Making clinics resilient to disasters should be a priority. Photo by Erika Morillo/IPPF/WHR/Clara Lionel Foundation.</p>
Young people outside a sexual and reproductive health clinic in Belize City. Making clinics resilient to disasters should be a priority. Photo by Erika Morillo/IPPF/WHR/Clara Lionel Foundation.
All disaster preparedness and management efforts should involve private sector actors across the spectrum, ranging from large hotel chains to small businesses and entrepreneurs. Government, civil society and the private sector should map out and document available expertise and protocols for cooperation across sectors in advance of hazards and conduct regular drills. As part of such resilience efforts, companies can extend the reach of their own emergency preparedness, response and recovery activities to include employees, family members and members of the community. For example, Airbnb has partnered with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to provide temporary emergency housing during disasters.
We encourage and support actors across the Caribbean to consider these ideas for collaborative efforts oriented around action and solutions. Out of the devastation and loss caused by a hurricane like Dorian, we can build long-term climate resilience throughout the region.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Free Online Courses and College Credit for many. Community Imperative\Civil Society Investment Porfolio

Education and Training a vital part of 
       Community Imperative\Civil Society investment portfolio

Take your knowledge, education, and training to the next step.
Awareness is step one to stepping up your ‘A Game’.

BEMA International


Emergency Management Institute - Independent Study (IS) | Course List
FEMA Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Independent Study Course List

Age of Sustainable Development.  SDGAcademyX

Project Management Life Cycle. 
RITx

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI). 
Microsoft




Black Emergency Managers Association  
    International
1231-B Good Hope Road.  S.E.
Washington, D.C.  20020
Office:   202-618-9097 

bEMA International


“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today.  We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.  In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late.  Procrastination is still the thief of time.  Life often leaves us standing bare, naked and dejected with a lost opportunity.  This may well be mankind’s last change to choose between chaos or community.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., ‘Where Are We Going From Here:  Chaos or Community’.

Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication, Coordination, Community engagement, and  Partnering (C5&P)             A 501 (c) 3 organization.

Community Imperative\Civil Society Portfolio Investment.

A vital part o the BEMA International Imperative

Community Imperative
Step 1:  CERT awareness, education, training, and active participation.
Step 2:  Proactive in addressing risks and vulnerabilities and disasters in community
                   with active participation
Step 3:  Climate Change awareness and actions.
Step 4:  BEMA International membership as
              -Individual,
              -Organization
                     NGO, nonprofit, et.
              -National, State, County, City office membership
Step 5:  Access to complete BEMA International Factor initiatives

Community Imperative\Civil Society Portfolio Investment
-What are the investments of individuals and families in a community?
-Schools, location to resources, faith-based organizations, food & water access?
-What are the their responsibilities?
-Are corporations and private sector industries part of the individual and family
        investments as part of the community imperative\civil society portfolio?

Answers to these and other questions in the BEMA International Factor

BEMA Intenrational

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Now Open: FY 2019 Grants Application Period. October 2019


e-brief header
October 8, 2019 -  Subscribe

Now Open: FY 2019 Grants Application Period

The application period for FEMA’s Fiscal Year 2019 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grants under the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) programs is now open. Eligible applicants must apply for funding through the FEMA Mitigation eGrants system on the FEMA Grants Portal. All applications must be submitted no later than 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on January 31, 2020.
For FY19, a total of $410 million in funding is available through HMA’s two competitive grant programs, FMA and PDM.
  • For the FMA program, FEMA’s predetermined funding priorities include flood mitigation planning and efforts for repetitive as well as severe repetitive loss properties. In this application cycle, $160 million in funds are available. View the FY19 FMA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and Fact Sheet for more information: www.fema.gov/flood-mitigation-assistance-grant-program.
  • The PDM 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. For FY19, FEMA has set aside $20 million of the $250 million in PDM funding for federally-recognized tribes. View the FY19 PDM NOFO and Fact Sheet for more information: www.fema.gov/pre-disaster-mitigation-grant-program.
FEMA’s two competitive mitigation grant programs provide states, tribes, and territories funding for eligible mitigation activities to strengthen our nation’s ability to build a culture of preparedness by reducing disaster losses and protecting life and property from future disaster damages.
The Fiscal Year 2019 hazard mitigation funding cycle represents a critical transition year for pre-disaster mitigation grants. One of the most substantive provisions of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 is Section 1234, which authorizes FEMA to develop a new pre-disaster mitigation program that is funded by a 6 percent set-aside from federal disaster assistance for each major disaster declaration. This new program, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), will allow FEMA to support states and communities to undertake new and innovative infrastructure projects that reduce the risks they face from disasters. FEMA is already using the BRIC funding mechanism to advance its objective of increasing the nation’s resilience by making $250 million available for the FY19 PDM Program.

Webinars about FY 2019 Grants Application Cycle

Throughout October, FEMA will continue to offer a series of webinars on the FY 2019 PDM and FMA grant programs. Upcoming sessions are listed below. You can also view the complete webinar schedule here.
eGrants for Beginners
Join this webinar to learn how to use Mitigation eGrants, the system that FEMA uses to accept and process all grant applications. This webinar will be offered twice and prospective FY19 applicants may attend either session. The webinar will cover how to access the system, where to go for help, and include a question and answer period. The webinar is primarily intended for subapplicants and new users.
For the online portion, please join via the Internet: https://fema.connectsolutions.com/beginnersegrants/. For audio, please call 1-800-320-4330 and enter conference code 338559.     
  • Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time 
  • Monday, October 21, 2019 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time 
Avoiding Application Pitfalls 
FEMA will offer a webinar on common PDM grant application errors and how to avoid them. This webinar will be offered twice and applicants may attend either session.
For the online portion, please join via the Internet: https://fema.connectsolutions.com/application-pitfalls/. For audio, please call 1-800-320-4330 and enter conference code 338559.
  • Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time
  • Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time

Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Stakeholder Input Webinar Series 2019 Now Available Online

FEMA and its partners are working on the development and implementation of BRIC.
A series of four webinars held in June 2019 provided an overview as the BRIC program is being developed and facilitated an open conversation with stakeholders through the chat platform webinar tool. Participants were encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas in real-time during these webinars or had the option to provide comments on a dedicated idea sharing platform known as IdeaScale.
You can access recordings of the four webinars at https://www.fema.gov/drra-bric.
FEMA continues to monitor a dedicated email box for any comments or suggestions about the development of BRIC at buildbric@fema.dhs.gov.

National Mitigation Investment Strategy (NMIS) Launch

ImageFollowing the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) identified a need for a coordinated, federal and national investment strategy for mitigation that reduces the nation’s exposure to future losses from disasters. In response, the Mitigation Framework Leadership Group (MitFLG) produced a National Mitigation Investment Strategy.
The Investment Strategy establishes a vision to save lives and money nationwide by investing in mitigation resources and activities such as:
  • Building to disaster-resistant codes or standards
  • Collecting and sharing data that identifies disaster risk
  • Aligning funding requirements and incentives to make mitigation doable
  • Identifying weaknesses that increase disaster risk
  • Sharing expertise and advice on how to mitigate 
The Investment Strategy’s national vision is for the whole community, which includes individuals, families, communities, the private and nonprofit sectors, faith-based organizations, and state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal governments.

DRRA Section 1231 Fact Sheet: Acquisition of Property for Open Space and Policy Clarification

Screenshot of 1231 Fact Sheet
Through its Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs, FEMA funds the voluntary acquisition of hazard-prone properties from private owners. Property acquisition is not new for FEMA; however, DRRA Section 1231 contains new requirements for the project notification process and emphasizes a community’s responsibilities regarding acquired land.
The newly released DRRA Section 1231 Fact Sheet outlines these new requirements for state, tribal, territorial and local governments and supplements existing FEMA guidance on property acquisition projects per the DRRA.
FEMA also released a policy clarification on the Eligibility of Hazard Mitigation Assistance Applications with Pre-Award Demolitions. This policy clarifies that when private individuals have demolished damaged structures using private funds or other non-federal funds prior to application for HMA funding, the properties will now be eligible for inclusion in HMA project applications if the demolition is not connected to the project. The demolition costs cannot be included in the project application. 

Dates For Your Calendar

Webinars

eGrants for Beginners
  • Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time 
  • Monday, October 21, 2019 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time 
Avoiding Application Pitfalls
  • Tuesday, October 8, 2019 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time
  • Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time

Mitigation Training

Hazus for Flood
  • December 2-5 Emmitsburg, Maryland
Benefit-Cost Analysis: Entry-Level
  • October 16-17 Emmitsburg, Maryland
Managing Floodplain Development through the NFIP
  • October 7-10 Rocky Mount, North Carolina
  • October 7-10 Las Vegas, New Mexico
  • October 21-24 Lewiston, Idaho
  • October 28-31 Doral, Florida
Managing Floodplain Development thru the NFIP  
  • December 2-5 Emmitsburg, Maryland
HMA: Application Review and Evaluation
  • October 28-29 Anchorage, Alaska
HMA: Project Implementation and Programmatic Closeout
  • October 30-31 Anchorage, Alaska
National Flood Insurance Program/Community Rating System
  • October 7-10 Downers Grove, Illinois
Introduction to Environmental and Historic Preservation Compliance
  • November 13-15 Anniston, Alabama
  • December 16-18 Anniston, Alabama
ArcGIS for Emergency Managers
  • January 13-16 Emmitsburg, Maryland
Executive Order 11988 and 11990: Floodplain Management and Wetlands Protection
  • October 16-18 Anniston, Alabama
More information on upcoming training and registration.

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