Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Disaster Victim Volunteers Needed for Exercise on 05.31.19


Keep in mind that every community should exercise their emergency plans, and procedures with a simple walk-thru, drill, table-top, functional, or full-scale exercise.  Check in your local community at your FIRE\EMS, or Emergency Management Office\Agency for exercises being scheduled.
April and May are prime time for exercises.
Get involved.  Participate, observe, and understand the coordination, and who will be doing what when a disaster or crisis strikes your community.  Exercises should be designed as realistic as possible.  Now is a time to use your acting skills and abilities. 
From a real-world event of assisting someone out of a burning car, administering an antidote, each involves keeping a level head to respond accordingly and not panic.  Exercises contribute to keeping calm in a panic situation.
Be safe, be prepared, get involved. 
BEMA International
The Maryland Regional National Life Support (NDLS) Coalition will be conducting a disaster exercise with emergency medical personnel on May 31, 2019 in College Park, Maryland.

The Maryland Responds State Program is requesting volunteers to act as disaster victims during this exercise.

Location:
College Park, MD (Check-in location/address will be provided to confirmed volunteers)

Date:   May 31, 2019
Time:  7:15 AM – 3:00 PM

Volunteer Positions Needed:
Twenty Maryland Responds volunteers are needed to act as disaster victims in a simulated disaster scenario.  This volunteer role will assist participants in the Advanced Disaster Life Support training to practice mass casualty triage during a simulated disaster.  Volunteers will be given instructions such as a script and injuries to act out.

Volunteer Requirements:
Completion of all Road to Readiness requirements.  

See attached checklist and log in to your Responder profile to view your ‘Training’ tab to see where you are on the Road to Readiness.  

Volunteers should be comfortable standing and lying down on the ground outside for periods of time.

Volunteers should also be comfortable with having mock injuries applied (moulage).

Transportation: Volunteers should be able to transport themselves to and from this event.

Additional Information: Lunch and water will be provided.

Parking is free.


Use the link below to sign up:
More information will be shared with the volunteers who are selected to volunteer at this event.

 DO NOT ACTIVATE FOR THIS EVENT IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CONFIRMATION of your participation from a Maryland Responds State Coordinator.

Thank you,
Maryland Responds Medical Reserve Corps




bEMA International 

“Successful people are always looking for ways to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking,
‘What’s in it for me?” – Brian Tracy

Monday, May 6, 2019

May 2019. DisasterReady. Managing Sexual Violence Against Aid Workers: Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Aftercare










Managing Sexual Violence Against Aid Workers: Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Aftercare

Material European Interagency Security Forum (EISF) 7 hours
This 134-page document aims to support aid agencies in preventing, being prepared for and responding to incidents of sexual violence against their staff.  This document is intended as a good practice guide to help strengthen existing processes and support organizations as they set up their own protocols.

While there are many competing terms and definitions, this guide refers to sexual violence as any act of a sexual nature that is unwanted or forced.  It covers all incidents from sexual harassment to rape, including stalking, sharing sexual images without consent and sexual assault
This guide is not aimed at survivors of sexual violence.  It is intended to be a good practice guide to help organizations strengthen existing processes and set up their own protocols..
Sexual violence in all its forms violates human rights and organizations have a duty of care to respond to incidents of sexual violence against their staff.



Sunday, May 5, 2019

Part 2: Thurs, May 9, 2019 12:00 Noon. Tackling racial bias and marginalization ( in the USA) through impact investment.


The second in a three part series of webinars on diversity, inclusion and accountability in the investment world will take place on Thursday May 9, 12:00 noon EST. 

Kindly spread the word and book your spot. 

Tackling racial bias and marginalization ( in the USA) through impact investment. 


What's at stake is getting financial capital to do a better job at improving our world. We are having an active dialogue, informed by evidence and focused on solution design. 

The panelists are drawn from the Ford Foundation, specialist impact investing firms, and advocates for racial justice.  

Our discussion promises to be informative and lively. The intention is to consolidate the recommendations and discussions, build community around this issue,  and design a set of implementable interventions.  

Hope you can join us.

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Training: Search & Rescue (SAR). Anne Arundel County, MD. June 2019

Search and Rescue Tech III / CERT SAR Class Announcement

Anne Arundel – Annapolis CERT is sponsoring an Introduction to Search and Rescue which will be taught by DELMARVA Search & Rescue. The SARTECH III certification exam will be given upon completion of the class (note the class IS NOT required to take the SARTECH III class online).

The class will be held on 
   a. Friday, 21 June from 1800 – 2000, 
   b. Saturday, 22 June from 0800 – 1700 and 
         Friday and Saturday will be held at the Anne Arundel County Fire Academy in Millersville
   c. Sunday 23 June from 0800 – 1700. 
         Sunday’s class will be held at a local park

The cost for the class, including instructional fees, exam and book is $205 plus Eventbrite processing fees. If you have the book or will purchase from Amazon prior to the class use ISARBook discount code during registration.

The cost for the class will include the instruction by DELMARVA SAR, NASAR testing fee for SARTECH III and the REQUIRED book “Introduction to Search and Rescue”. 

Attendees who already have the book may use the code ISARBook at check out and save $35.95. 

If you would like to order Introduction to Search and Rescue from Amazon now use this link: https://amzn.to/2PDfbyB (AAACERT is an Affiliate and will earn a small percentage on purchases). 

To register for the class visit: https://aaacert-isar19.eventbrite.com
Questions may be directed to President@AAACERT.org or Training@AAACERT.org

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

FREE....May 13-14, 2019. DC HOMELEAND SECURITY AND PREPAREDNESS SYMPOSIUM.


DC HomEleand Security and Preparedness Symposium

Session 2:  State Panel Facilitated Discussion: Accommodating the Whole Community

Presenters:
§  Dennis Boyd, New York City Office of Emergency Management
§  Dawn Brantley, Virginia Department of Emergency Management
§  Christine Heyser, Department of Human Services, Harrisburg, PA
§  Beth MacDonald, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services

Moderator:
Delores Scott, DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA)

This session will address how disability rights laws apply to emergency management, legal trends and promising practices for accommodating the whole community.

 Registration:  Registration is free, but space is limited. I encourage you to register as soon as you can.  Here is the link: https://attendify.co/symposium-day-one-9am-530pm-YZdUUFF.  




Thursday, April 25, 2019

GAO Report: DHS, FEMA Disaster Recovery Contracting Process Needs Major Fixes


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GAO Report: DHS, FEMA Disaster Recovery Contracting Process Needs Major Fixes

April 25, 2019 (WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced the release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he requested on the DHS and FEMA contracting process for disaster recovery efforts.

The report, entitled “Actions Needed to Improve the Use of Post-Disaster Contracts to Support Response and Recovery” found that:

  • The contracting process for post-disaster recovery efforts lacks transparency due to “inconsistent implementation of the criteria for” tracking data related to post-disaster Federal procurement.
  • FEMA did not consistently justify awards to vendors outside the disaster area, meaning the agency may have missed opportunities to award contracts to local businesses, which could help jump-start the local economy.
  • FEMA’s contracting workforce has dozens of vacancies, including contracting specialists and other critical leadership positions.

Chairman Thompson released the following statement on the report:
   
“This GAO report makes clear that the federal government still has work to do when it comes to contracting for disaster recovery and response efforts. Spending on disaster contracts lacks much-needed transparency – taxpayers need to know what they’re funding to provide survivors assistance in the aftermath of a disaster.  The GAO also found that disaster recovery contracting is not locally focused, so businesses feeling the pain of loss after a disaster are often not given the chance to help rehabilitate their community and restart their business.

“The GAO report also highlights how FEMA is still undergoing serious staffing challenges that need to be addressed by the Administration.  As we are about to enter the 2019 hurricane season, I urge DHS and FEMA to promptly fill these important vacancies and follow through on the GAO’s recommendations that will increase productivity and transparency in the disaster response and recovery process.”

Following the release of the report, Chairman Thompson sent a letter to Acting FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor to demand answers about the large slate of vacancies in FEMA’s contracting workforce.

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Media contact: Adam Comis at (202) 225-9978


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