Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Oct 2017. DHS\OIG. FEMA Should Disallow $246,294 of $3.0 Million in Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded


Newly Released

The latest DHS OIG report is available on our website.


FEMA Should Disallow $246,294 of $3.0 Million in Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to Lincoln 

FEMA should disallow $246,294 of grant funds that the County spent on ineligible activities or did not support with adequate documentation. The County claimed $235,662 of direct administrative costs that were ineligible or unsupported. County officials said this occurred because they received inconsistent guidance from FEMA Region VII officials. FEMA Region VII officials acknowledged that applicants need clearer guidance to understand eligibility and support requirements for direct administrative costs.
The County also claimed $10,632 of overstated material costs because of a clerical error. County officials acknowledged the error and agreed that FEMA should disallow those funds. After the exit conference, FEMA provided evidence it disallowed the ineligible material costs. Read Report No. OIG 17-118-D

Office of Public Affairs
E: dhs-oig.officepublicaffairs@oig.dhs.gov
                       
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL l DHS
WWW.OIG.DHS.GOV  l TWITTER: @DHSOIG

Oct 2017. DHS\OIG Audit Tips for Managing Disaster-Related Project Costs


Newly Released

The latest DHS OIG report is available on our website.


Audit Tips for Managing Disaster-Related Project Costs

Using this report will assist recipients and subrecipients of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance grants to:
  • document and account for disaster-related costs; 
  • minimize the loss of FEMA disaster assistance funds;
  • maximize financial recovery; and
  • prevent fraud, waste, and abuse of disaster funds.

Office of Public Affairs
E: dhs-oig.officepublicaffairs@oig.dhs.gov
                       
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL l DHS
WWW.OIG.DHS.GOV  l TWITTER: @DHSOIG

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

October 18, 2017 Organization of American States (OAS)

cid:image003.jpg@01D328C8.B9B3B990
The Office of the Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) has the pleasure to invite you to the premiere screening of “Familiar Faces/Unexpected Places: A Global African Diaspora”, a film by cultural anthropologist and Executive Director of Afrodiaspora, Inc., Dr. Sheila S. Walker, to be held on Wednesday, October 18, 2017 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the Hall of the Americas of the OAS Main Building.  This event is being held in recognition of the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) and in partnership with the United Nations Department of Public Information’s Remember Slavery Programme and Afrodiaspora, Inc.
The event will also feature remarks by H.E. Nestor Mendez and a moderated panel discussion with Dr. Walker and representatives from the National Museum of African American History and Culture, The United Nations Department of Public Information's Remember Slavery Programme, and the OAS.  The United Nations’ exhibition, “Remember Slavery: Recognition, Justice and Development”, which highlights the legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, will be on display in the Hall of Heroes beginning at 1:00 p.m. 

Please RSVP by Friday, October 13 to Mrs. Mayuriel Perez at ASG_OASG@oas.org, tel. 202-370-0195 or through the registration link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/premiere-screening-tickets-38038737889

********************************

La Oficina del Secretario General Adjunto de los Estados Americanos (OEA) tiene el honor de invitarles a la exhibición del estreno de la película “Familiar Faces/Unexpected Places: A Global African Diaspora”, a realizarse el miércoles 18 de octubre de 2017 de 2:00 pm a 4:00 pm en el Salón de las Américas del edificio principal de la OEA.

El evento contará con las palabras de S.E. Nestor Mendez, Secretario General Adjunto de la OEA, y una discusión moderada por la Dra. Walker y representantes del Museo Nacional de Historia y Cultura Afroamericana, del programa “Recordemos la Esclavitud” del Departamento de Información Pública de las Naciones Unidas y de la OEA. También contaremos con la exposición de las Naciones Unidas “Remember Slavery: Recognition, Justice and Development”, la cual ofrece la oportunidad de honrar y recordar a las víctimas de la trata transatlántica de esclavos. Esta se encontrará en exhibición en la Galería de los Héroes a partir de la 1:00 pm.

Por favor, confirmar asistencia a Mayuriel Pérez al correo ASG_OASG@oas.org, tel. 202-370-0195 o a través del link de registro:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/premiere-screening-tickets-38038737889, a más tardar el viernes 13 de octubre.

La Oficina del Secretario General Adjunto de la OEA aprovecha esta oportunidad para reiterarles el testimonio de su más distinguida consideración.



Office of the Assistant Secretary General

Monday, October 2, 2017

May have to reactive (12-Shift Only). CDC Is Deactivating the Emergency Operations Center for the Zika Response

May have to re-activate due to Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and even Florida recovery from recent hurricanes. 12-hour shift monitoring to collect data and coordinate with JOC's.

BEMA International

============


Press Release
For Immediate Release                                                          
Friday, September 29, 2017
Contact: CDC Media Relations
(404) 639-3286

CDC Is Deactivating the Emergency Operations Center for the Zika Response

CDC is deactivating its emergency response for Zika virus (Zika) to transition efforts to normal program operations on September 29, 2017. On January 22, 2016, CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in response to the devastating effects of Zika virus infection during pregnancy. A team of experts from across the agency, called the Zika Coordination and Operations Transition Team (ZCOTT), will lead the transition from EOC activation to routine, long-term activities and will ensure timely coordination and collaboration on scientific, communication, and policy activities.

CDC’s EOC is the agency’s command center for monitoring and coordinating emergency response to public health threats and has been activated previously for events such as natural disasters, the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, and the 2014 Ebola outbreak, among others. Since the 2016 EOC activation for Zika, experts from across the agency have worked to protect Americans, especially pregnant women, fetuses, and infants, from the emerging virus and its devastating consequences. CDC will continue its work to protect these groups by providing support for healthcare providers as they counsel pregnant women affected by Zika and provide follow-up care to their infants. CDC recognizes the continued need for coordination among federal, state, and local levels to provide services for families affected by Zika and will provide technical assistance as resources permit.
Read More Here

Renters in U.S. Virgin Islands Urged to Apply for FEMA Assistance

                                        
  
October 2, 2017
DR-4335-VI DR-4340-VI NR 007
FEMA NEWS DESK: 540-247-7974
News Release

Renters in U.S. Virgin Islands Urged to Apply for FEMA Assistance

ST. CROIX, Virgin Islands – Virgin Islands renters who experienced losses due to hurricanes Irma or Maria could be eligible for disaster-recovery assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

GRANTS:
Renters may be eligible for grants from FEMA to help with disaster-related expenses such as:
  • Renting a home when the renter’s previous one is uninhabitable due to the disaster.
  • Disaster-related medical and dental expenses.
  • Replacement or repair of necessary personal property lost or damaged in the disaster.
  • Repair or replacement of vehicles damaged by the disaster.
  • Disaster-related funeral and burial expenses.
These are not loans and don’t have to be repaid. They are not taxable income and won’t affect eligibility for Social Security, Medicaid, welfare assistance, SNAP benefits and several other programs.

LOANS:
Renters may qualify for a low-interest SBA loan of up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property. The filing deadline to return applications for property damage is Nov. 6, 2017, for Hurricane Irma and Nov. 20, 2017, for Hurricane Maria.
For more information, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or visit sba.gov/disaster.  TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
The first step is to register for assistance with FEMA. Virgin Islanders who have not yet registered can do so online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, in Spanish at www.DisasterAssistance.gov/es, or by phone at 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services may call 800-621-3362.

The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Operators are standing by to assist survivors in English, Spanish and many other languages.

###

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS - Video Relay Service) (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish).
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Following major disasters, the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the primary source of Federal funds for long-term recovery assistance. This assistance is in the form of low-interest loans and is available to non-farm businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, as well as homeowners and renters with property damaged by the disaster.

To donate or volunteer, contact the voluntary or charitable organization of your choice through the National Voluntary Agencies Active in Disasters (NVOAD) at www.nvoad.org.  For those who wish to help, cash donations offer voluntary agencies the most flexibility in obtaining the most-needed resources and pumps money into the local economy to help businesses recover. The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands also has the “Fund for the Virgin Islands” at www.USVIrecovery.org

Sunday, October 1, 2017

The Politics of Disasters- 101. The fallout from the storm will further limit access to the ballot in communities where it’s already limited.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/10/hurricane-matthew-floods-voting-election/503834/

TheAtlantic.com Copyright (c) 2017 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. All Rights Reserved.

Hurricane Matthew's Voting-Rights Challenge

The fallout from the storm will further limit access to the ballot in communities where it’s already limited.

COMMENTS:
The article isn't about the whole country; it's about a couple of very particular bits of it that have histories of voter difficulty, and have a disproportionate impact on the election because they're in a swing state.
If you want an article on the other thing, go read an article on the other thing. Here's one from earlier this year, from this same site:

Why is it always Democratic groups that have a hard time voting for whatever reason? Are liberals too stupid and incompetent to do basic life tasks? You tell me.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

British Virgin Islands Disaster Management.


Home



http://www.bvi.gov.vg/departments/department-disaster-management




The Virgin Islands Constitution

The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007 establishes a new Constitution for the Virgin Islands, to replace the Constitution of 1976. The new Constitution includes, for the first time, a chapter setting out the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual and provisions for their enforcement. It provides for a Governor as Her Majesty’s representatives in the Islands, and for a Premier and Ministers who form a Cabinet together with the Attorney General. It provides for an elected House of Assembly, which together with Her Majesty forms the Legislature.
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court continues to have jurisdiction in the Islands. Provision is made for a Public Service Commission, a Teaching Service Commission, a Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and a Police Service Commission to provide advice on appointments to offices in these services. A new National Security Council is established, as is the office of Director of Public Prosecutions. Provision is also made for public finance, a Complaints Commissioner, and a Register of Interests.


RECOMMENDED READING LIST

Search This Blog

ARCHIVE List 2011 - Present