TDEM Showcase: May 31, 2013. DPS Hosts Emergency Response Exercise, Urges Texans to Prepare for 2013 Hurricane Season

News Release

May 31, 2013

DPS Hosts Emergency Response Exercise, Urges Texans to Prepare for 2013 Hurricane Season

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) today hosted a hurricane emergency response exercise and resource showcase in Austin. Various resources, equipment, vehicles and numerous emergency responders from around the state convened at Austin Bergstrom International Airport to conduct interoperability and resource capability assessments, as well as logistical planning. Gov. Rick Perry, DPS Director Steven McCraw, TDEM Chief Nim Kidd and several state officials toured the exercise site today, one day before the start of the 2013 hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30.

“As a new hurricane season begins tomorrow, the most important element of emergency response starts with the individual. Everybody in Texas, particularly those along the coast, needs to have an emergency plan, an emergency supply kit and an evacuation route in place before a hurricane strikes,” Gov. Perry said. “We use these annual exercises to help us keep our system razor-sharp and ready for action at the first sign of trouble. Through practice, simulation and repetition, we've honed one of the most effective and efficient emergency response teams in the country.”

Emergency responders today showcased an impressive array of equipment: a wide variety of aircraft, including a C-130 Hercules Air Transport, Blackhawk Helicopter and Pilatus PC-12; multiple mobile command and communication trailers; water rescue equipment and several watercraft; and mobile fuel, water, livestock and kitchen units.  The agencies and organizations participating in the exercise included the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Military Forces, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas Task Force 1 and the Emergency Services Training Institute), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Veterinary Emergency Response Team, The Salvation Army, Austin Fire Department, Civil Air Patrol and other private sector partners.  

“Hurricanes are a devastating force of nature, and today’s exercise demonstrates the extensive resources necessary to meet such a threat to the state,” said Director McCraw. “The state stands ready to assist our local partners in the event a storm or other disaster threatens Texas. Since early planning and preparations can greatly increase the protection of life and property, it is imperative that residents also begin taking precautions now.”

As the 2013 hurricane season begins, Texans should be preparing their families and property before a storm develops. Texas residents, especially those living along the coast, are urged to put together an emergency supply kit; learn evacuation routes before a storm hits; have a plan to ensure all family members and pets are able to evacuate safely if necessary; make preparations to protect your property from the impact of a storm; and stay informed about changing weather conditions in and around your area.

To find out more information on how to prepare for the 2013 hurricane season, please visit:www.texasprepares.org.

### (HQ 2013-67)

Final LinkedIn Poll results: How do you feel about the NY City Decision to create a high school solely for emergency management education?

http://www.linkedin.com/osview/canvas?_ch_page_id=1&_ch_panel_id=1&_ch_app_id=1900&_applicationId=1900&_ownerId=0&appParams=

How do you feel about the NY City decision to create a high school solely for emergency management education?

By Black Emergency Managers Association Charles D. Sharp. Chief Executive.  •   29 votes  •  6 comments  •  Ended 05 May 2013

51015202530Agree. Good for community26 (90%)Disagree. Not good for the community3 (10%)

AnswerAgeSeniorityGender

Overall demographics

1.534.567.5918-29130-36337-44045+8

All others

11 male3 female

Comments

Black Emergency

Black Emergency Managers Association • Ron, thank you for your comment. I agree every organization should be touting this. I especially like the comment regarding the use of CERT or SERT (Student Emergency Response Teams) and other training being taught in every school within the U.S. by Chris Ainsworth. This is not just a local issue, but a national issue of concern to everyone and every community. Every community have different threats and risks. Lesson plans can be designed to incorporate this within school jurisdictions. The Dept of Education, Emergency Management for Schools is a vital resource in ensuring that these types of curricula can be implemented in addition to just the creation\formulation of school emergency plans for a jurisdiction and higher education (colleges and universities) that these funds are currently being allocated for. $100k to $500k for an emergency plan? Then community involvement and curricula should be a vital part of the proposal for allocation of those funds. Communities are the key and both can play a vital role in ensuring communities are sustainable and resilient.

Charlie

Charlie Fendt, MEP • The concept of a High school program of this nature is commendable. Any time you can capture young minds and promote emergency management, great things can happen for future generations. The one thing that concerns me about this endeavor is that New York state has very stringent requirements for teachers. I doubt you will find many qualified EM's and SME's that have not only the background in emergency management, but also hold the credentials to teach in in NYS, and if they are are qualified in Emergency management, One has to question just how much forethought was put into this announcement and if it is feasible, or just a political dream.

about 1 month ago | 

Tameka

Tameka Sharp • I think this is a fantastic idea as well; I see it being similar to performing arts high schools where students would gain the technical skills and preparation needed for careers in EM. I have read several news article and other posts about the announcement and none have indicated that it would be a school for black students only. I think BEMA is very excited about this announcement and is simply prompting discussion. If anyone has read differently, I would be interested in having the links.

Chris

Chris Ainsworth • A school whose focus is on EM fails to identify the many areas education of our youth need in life skills just to survive. A broader option would be to introduce CERT into the curriculum (it is only 20 hours) and have each school have a TEEN CERT team with members from all year levels. Teach them leadership, succession planning as they progress through the system, taking on new responsibilities each year, respect for team work and as a community the power of the united many achieves greater goals. The cost of setting up a single school for EM is elitist and sets the framework for long term demise of the the concepts of EM - which affects all the community. A disaster importunately is a great humanity leveller - your place in society does not matter - you are dependant upon the individual alongside you for survival. Spread the investment across all schools as a short term curriculum subject Just $0.02 of my thoughts , .

about 1 month ago | Flag commentVoted for Disagree. Not good for the community

Teresa

Teresa Smith • I agree. Everyone of all races can benefit on the effectiveness on preparedness, response and recovery during an emergency event.

about 1 month ago | Flag comment  Voted for Agree. Good for community

Ron

Ron Tyler • i think that this is a great idea. However, I have issues that it is only the "Black Emergency Managers Association" That is touting it. Why are others not coming forward or being a part of this? If this is a school only for "black" students" then I object. This High School should be open for anyone that has an interest in helping their communities and this nation.

South Africa. Stenden University. Undergraduate. Disaster Management Program.

NOTE:  Now is the time for other African nations and the AU to consider the creation and development of disaster and emergency management full educational programs (elementary to college level) for their communities.                    C.D. Sharp.   CEO.  Black Emergency Managers Association (BEMA)

Herewith an exciting development at the undergraduate level in SADC. Please distribute among your networks.

Stenden South Africa in Port Alfred, a campus of Stenden University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands, will be launching a world-first 4 year Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Disaster Management in January 2014. We invite applications for admission to this prestigious fulltime programme from interested students. You can obtain more information on the programme and application forms from our website www.stenden.ac.za,  or you can contact the Academic Head of the School of Disaster Management, Dr Des Pyle:

e-mail: des.pyle@stenden.ac.za

phone: +27 (0)46 6042208

FEMA Text Messaging Program. Weather, Power Outages, Shelters, Recovery Center Information

FEMA Text Message Program can be used in two ways:

·         to receive regular safety tips for specific disaster types, and

·         to search for open shelters and open disaster recovery centers

Below is a list of all the disaster specific keywords you can sign up to receive bi-monthly safety tips for:

·         Hurricanes: text HURRICANE to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         Home fires: text FIRE to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         Wildfires: text WILDFIRE to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         Tornadoes: text TORNADO to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         Earthquakes: text EARTHQUAKE to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         Winter storms and extreme cold: text WINTER to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         Power outages: text BLACKOUT to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         Floods: text FLOOD to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         General monthly safety tips: text PREPARE to 43362 (4FEMA)

Please Note:

·         If subscribing to more than one list, please send a separate text for each disaster type you would like to subscribe to. There is no limit to the number of lists you can subscribe to.

·         Sending STOP will automatically unsubscribe you from all our lists.  You can re-subscribe to the list(s) of your choice one-by-one.

Shelters

To search for open shelters: text SHELTER and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA)

For example, if you lived in Washington, DC you would text: SHELTER 20472

Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC)

To search for open Disaster Recovery Centers, text: DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA)

For example, if you lived in Washington, DC you would text: DRC 20472

Smartphone App

You can also use the FEMA text message program to receive a link for the FEMA smartphone app for your specific mobile device. We’ll reply with a link back to your phone’s specific app store.

·         Apple devices: text APPLE to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         Android devices: text ANDROID to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         Blackberry devices: text BLACKBERRY to 43362 (4FEMA)

Other Basic Commands

·         Unsubscribe (at any time): text STOP to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         Get more information: text INFO to 43362 (4FEMA)

·         List of all keywords you can subscribe to: text LIST to 43362 (4FEMA)

Queen of Sheba Foundation. Petition to Recognize Emperor Haile Selassie I's Contributions to the OAU.

http://www.change.org/petitions/rightfully-recognize-emperor-haile-selassie-i-s-contributions-to-the-organization-of-african-unity

Petitioning H.E. Dr. Jean Ping, Chairperson 

Rightfully Recognize Emperor Haile Selassie I's Contributions to the Organization of African Unity

1. 1. 
    
   2. Petition by
      The Queen of Sheba Research Foundation, inc.
 
2.  

The Ethiopian government and the African Union's disassociation of Emperor Haile Selassie I from the history of Pan Africanism and the Organization of African Unity is akin to disassociating Dr. Martin Luther King from the Civil Rights Movement

One of His Majesty Haile Selassie I's greatest accomplishments, and there were many, was to bring two differing political groups together to establish "an organization that wold unite all of Africa,"  In recognition of this great achievement thirty-two members of the OAU voted HIM  "Father of African Unity".  Today, the Name  of Emperor Haile Selassie I is barely mentioned and His accomplishments are no longer recognized in His own country nor by the by very organization which he caused to be established.   It is important that we remember him and boldly speak His Name and His accomplishments at home and abroad and separate history from politics because history must be free of political influence and ethnic ideologies.

To:
H.E. Dr. Jean Ping, Chairperson, African Union
His Excellency Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia
The Honorable Girma Wolde Giorgis, President of Ethiopia
Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana 

We appreciate Ethiopian President Girma's call for a statue to be erected in honor of Emperor Haile Selassie I's contributions to the Organization of African Unity OAU; most importantly it was refreshing to hear how President Girma's acknowledged of His Majesty as "The 1st Leader of Africa." We encourage the Ethiopian government and the African Union leadership to join with President Girma to insure His Majesty is granted his rightful place in OAU history and that His legacy as a great world statesmen is honored, in his own country and the world as Father of African Unity and the first President of the OAU. This would correct the AU and Ethiopia's past historical errors and omissions and send a message to the world that the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia realizes the importance of separating politics from true history even when the Government doesn't support it.

Those of us who remember recall that it was Emperor Haile Selassie I who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the OAU, not Kwame Nkrumah and it was His Majesty who was unanimously voted “Father of African Unity” by the original members of the OAU, not Kwame Nkrumah. Why then would the AU and the Ethiopian government continue to ignore to His Majesty contributions while bestowing their highest honors on Nkrumah, and in so doing rewrite the history of the OAU and the Pan-African Movement?

We are all pleased to see that Ethiopia is on a path of change and we pray it will continue, for the greatest good of all, regardless of ethnic group, political ideology or religion, for it is important for Ethiopia to separate the politics of ethnic prejudice and historical bias from its ancient and modern history because such thinking has no place in deciding the history of any nation.

May the Holy Spirit direct the Government of Ethiopia and the AU leadership to make the right decision to give Emperor Haile Selassie His rightful place in history as the Father of African Unity and the OAU's first president. AMEN.

Respectfully,
The Queen of Sheba Research Foundation 

Sincerely