2015. 17th Annual Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Tour

17th Annual Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Tour

April 4-11, 2015

Visiting: Kentucky State University, North Carolina AT&T University, Bennett College for Women, Hampton University, Norfolk State University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Howard University and Morgan Sate University.
Get On The Bus To Your Future 

Please call 773.256.2761 or 773.256.2762 to register or for more information.

Message from the CDEMA Executive Director on the 5h Anniversary of the Haiti Earthquake

http://cdema.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1415:message-from-the-cdema-executive-director-on-the-5h-anniversary-of-the-haiti-earthquake&catid=38:speeches&Itemid=116


Five years ago on January 12, 2010, CDEMA was called to respond to the most catastrophic event in the history of the Agency. Haiti, a member of the CDEMA family had been struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. This was the strongest earthquake recorded in this part of the Caribbean region. Over 300,000 persons died and extensive damage to the capital, Port-au-Prince, and outlying districts left close to three (3) million people displaced. 

As we remember that sad day for the people of Haiti, let us pause a moment to reflect on the lessons and consider the positive steps taken thus far to reduce vulnerability and exposure within the countries of the Region. We must also consider outstanding measures still to be implemented and where these exist, we must seek to urgently advance them. The importance of enhancing personal readiness and resilience to cope with, respond to and recover from this hazard must also be a focus. 

The Caribbean region’s geological makeup causes hundreds of earthquakes to occur within the region each year. There is no doubt, however, that the Haiti earthquake was a strong and grim reminder of the vulnerability of the Caribbean to seismic activity and to be always prepared for a major earthquake event.

One of the major lessons of the event is the need for safer building standards to be applied, monitored and enforced and this will be the focus my message on the 5th Anniversary of the Haiti Earthquake. 

Poorly built infrastructure in a heavily populated urban area contributed to the significant loss of life and destruction of houses in Haiti. Reports have indicated that housing accounted for more than 40% of total damage costs in and was estimated at US $739 million. 

The impact on housing has also been noted in other hazards events across the region. A UN/ECLAC country assessment showed that between 1990-2008 most of the countries reviewed experienced damage to housing and human settlements ranging between 35% to 99% of the total national damage costs incurred as a result of natural disasters. Hurricane Ivan resulted in over US$500 million in damage to the housing sector in Grenada and US$180 million in Jamaica and in Guyana the floods of 2005 caused an estimated US$275 million in damage to housing. 

It is therefore imperative that we recognize that safer building practices need to be emphasized to limit the loss of life and property and minimize the disruption to our overall development process. 

The instituting of Building Codes needs to be a national priority. These Codes must be kept up to date, legislated and enforced in all of our Participating States. 

CDEMA has developed a Regional Code of Practice for the Construction of Houses Course and has delivered it in Haiti and other CDEMA Participating States. 

This course targets persons who are involved in the building trade and training has been supported by United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) under the Comprehensive Disaster Management - Harmonised Implementation Programme (CDM-HIP). 

I urge all of our Participating States to promote safer building programmes and to encourage the certification of builders. Homeowners are key stakeholders and as such, continuous public education and awareness on building practices will help to inform them on what is required to reduce the impact to their properties from earthquakes and other hazards events. 

As we observe this event, I wish to assure Haiti and our other Participating States that the CDEMA Coordinating Unit will continue to advocate and support efforts in building resilient states to safeguard lives and properties. 

I also take this opportunity to acknowledge and commend the government and people of Haiti in their efforts at rebuilding the country and in adopting a comprehensive approach to disaster risk management.

Ronald Jackson

Executive Director

Info. Admin Costs for Major Disasters Report. GAO. 2014.

·       Federal Emergency Management Agency: Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Oversight of Administrative Costs for Major Disasters, Report to Congressional Requesters
United States. Government Accountability Office

DOE Preparedness APPs. 2015

Emergency Preparedness Apps

Mobile applications have become more useful in keeping emergency preparedness information readily available to the public. Recently, the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a new mobile preparedness app called "Lantern Live." The app helps consumers quickly find and share critical information about nearby gas stations and power outages during energy emergencies. “Lantern Live” allows users to:

·        Report operational status of local gas stations;

·        Find fuel;

·        Look up local utility power outage maps; and

·        Access useful disaster tips.

The DOE says future versions and updates of “Lantern Live” are likely to include the ability to crowdsource information on the status of gas stations through standardized social media hashtags.

“Lantern Live” is currently free to download for Android users via Google Play.

Looking for more preparedness apps? Keep disaster information at your fingertips with mobile apps from FEMA and the American Red Cross.  

Training Opportunities: Individual and Combined CERT Training (1st Q 2015)

·        Jan 21 – 22: EO427 CERT Program Manager – Emmitsburg, MD

·        Feb 23 – 27:  Combined E0427, CERT Program Manager and E0428, CERT Train-the-Trainer courses – Emmitsburg, MD

Training Opportunity: Jan 6-8, 2015 FEMA Field Force Command and Planning course in Baltimore, MD

Field Force Command and Planning

FFC / MGT-300

This course is offered as part of:

• Program AH

Target Audience/Disciplines

Emergency Management and Law Enforcement

Overview

The Field Force Command and Planning training program is a three-day course that prepares the management level student to serve as a member of an incident management team during a civil action or disorder. The course provides instruction on incident management, incorporating preplanning considerations and other responsibilities of management level responders. Students are trained on how to develop a local Incident Action Plan (IAP) for a civil action or disorder and implement response actions from the management level. The course culminates with an application-level tabletop exercise in which students use knowledge and skills developed in the previous sessions to plan for and command resources at the incident site.

Below are some, but not all, of the critical skill sets learned during this training program:

• Determining assets required for controlling a civil action/disorder and establishing objectives for operational and support elements
• Developing comprehensive strategic and tactical plans for an organization preparing for special events, civil disorders, and public assemblies
• Identifying demonstrator tactics and techniques used during civil disorder events
• Applying legal principles and applicable case and statutory law to individual positions and the department’s mission
• Explaining the use of team tactics to mitigate protester actions during a civil disorder event
• Recognizing differences between various Riot Control Agents (RCA) and Less Lethal Munitions (LLM) and determining proper use based on their potential liabilities and limitations
• Defining the four levels of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to include the advantages and disadvantages of each level

Course Length

3.0 days

Course Code

MGT-300

Continuing Education Credits

• The Center for Domestic Preparedness is authorized by IACET to offer 2.4 CEUs for this program.
• Police Officer Standards and Training (POST; approved per state): 24

Additional Requirements

To attend the FFC course, candidates must have successfully completed the IS-700.a, National Incident Management System (NIMS): An Introduction course offered by the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Community Emergency Response Team. Train-the-trainer and Program Manager Courses

Upcoming 2015 Training Dates

Course Name: E0427 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program Manager
    Course Dates: January 21-22, 2015     and      February 26-27, 2015
    Course Description: This course prepares participants to establish and sustain an 
                                        active local CERT program.

        Link for more information: http://training.fema.gov/EMIGrams/2014
        Link to apply: http://training.fema.gov/Apply


Course Name: E0428 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Train-the-Trainer
    Course Dates: February 23-25, 2015
    Course Description: This course prepares participants to deliver 
                                        FEMA’s CERT Basic Training course.
        Link for more information: http://training.fema.gov/EMIGrams/2014
        Link to apply: http://training.fema.gov/Apply

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For those individuals interested in attending the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) in Emmitsburg, MD information can be found at:
          http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/downloads/NETC_Welcome_Package.pdf?v20140428 .

REIMBURSEMENT FOR AIRFARE:

• You must make your own travel arrangements. Available airports were listed in your acceptance email/ letter.
• You must be sure your flights meet the shuttle pickup/departure times, and the ticket purchase follows the parameters of travel as defined under “REIMBURSEMENT” in this package.
• You will be reimbursed the cost of a direct (no side trips or extended stays), 21-day prior to the course travel date prepurchase, nonrefundable ticket for round trip transportation by common carrier (economy coach class, nonrefundable) for each course or back-to-back courses that you attend. Proof of nonrefundable fare is required!  

INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE FOR TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT:

• State, local or tribal government representatives.
• Recognized volunteer organization representatives. 
• Active emergency management organization representatives.
• Representatives from state or local fire organizations.

LODGING RESERVATION:

Once you are accepted into a course, a room on the NETC campus will be reserved for you, unless you receive a letter indicating that you have been accepted with the knowledge that you agree to find your own accommodations or that you previously notified us that housing is not needed.

FOOD SERVICE:

If you stay on campus, you must purchase a meal ticket. If you do not purchase a meal ticket you will be asked to vacate your room on campus. 

Prices Effective Aug. 5, 2012: The cost for the meal ticket is $25.04 per day