Haiti: Emergency Management.

Haitian Government Establishes Partnership with Louisiana National Guard

January 18, 2012

Deputy Chief of Mission Daniel Foote, Secretary of State for Local Communities Fritz Jean Louis and Brigadier General Glenn H. Curtis.

Haitian and American authorities announced the establishment of the State Partnership Program between the Government of Haiti and the Louisiana National Guard (LANG).

Haitian Secretary of State for Local Communities Fritz Jean Louis, and the Adjutant General of the LANG, Brigadier General Glenn H. Curtis, made the announcement at a ceremony in Tabarre. The agreement creates professional and institutional linkages between the LANG and Haitian authorities, focused on support to Haiti’s emergency management agency, the Direction de la Protection Civile, as well as the Haitian National Police and Coast Guard.

Brigadier General Curtis said “We are truly committed to Haiti, and we know that we will gain as much as we give from this relationship with our Haitian colleagues.”

Secretary of State Jean Louis said “Louisiana and Haiti have a common understanding of the challenges of our environment.  Haiti will bring to bear all of its assets and capabilities to this partnership.”

The State Partnership Program brings together National Guard units from 46 U.S. states and territories with 65 partner-nations from around the world to increase capacity in the areas of homeland security, disaster response and mitigation, crisis management, border, port, and aviation security, and emergency medical response.  Partner-nations include countries with large military forces, like Chile and Poland, to Costa Rica and Dominica, which do not have armies.

U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Daniel Foote noted that strengthening Haiti’s capacity to protect its citizens from threats like crime, drug trafficking, and natural disasters was a priority for the U.S. government and said, “We believe that this partnership between Haiti and Louisiana and the relationships that will be formed between professionals will help make Haiti stronger and its people safer.”

In May 2010, then-Minister of Justice Paul Denis requested a partnership with the LANG for Haiti. 

The LANG deployed to Mandrin, Artibonite Department in 2010 and 2011 as part of the New Horizons mission, where it provided medical care to local residents and carried out school and water well construction.

So you're an analytical type? Put them to good use. Intelligence Industry

Intelligence, in military science, information concerning an enemy or an area.

The term is also used for an agency that gathers such information.

Military intelligence is as old as warfare itself. Even in biblical times, Moses sent spies to live with the Canaanites in order to learn about their ways and about their strengths and weaknesses.

In the American Revolution George Washington relied heavily on information that was provided by an intelligence net based in New York City, and in World War II the results of a lack of good intelligence were realized in the destruction of the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor.

Today, nations have at their disposal information collection and processing systems that permit gathering and producing intelligence more rapidly and more accurately than ever before. Satellites, ultramodern aircraft, electronic systems, human sources, cameras, imaging and electronic devices, and a host of other systems permit the amassing of information on a scale that was unheard of in the past.

Levels of intelligence

Intelligence is conducted at two levels, strategic and tactical. Strategic intelligence is information that is needed to formulate policy and military plans at the international and national policy levels. Tactical intelligence is intended primarily to respond to the needs of military field commanders so they can plan for and, if necessary, conduct combat operations. Essentially, tactical intelligence and strategic intelligence differ only in scope, point of view, and level of employment.

Whether tactical or strategic, military intelligence attempts to respond to or satisfy the needs of the operational leader, the person who has to act or react to a given set of circumstances. The process begins when the commander determines what information is needed to act responsibly. Several terms are used when discussing these requirements.

On the national level they are usually called the essential elements of information and are defined as those items of intelligence information about a foreign power, armed force, target, or physical environment that are absolutely vital for timely and accurate decision making.

On the tactical level intelligence needs are defined in a similar manner; often called information requirements, they are those items of information concerning the enemy and his environment that must be collected and processed in order to meet the intelligence needs of the military commander.

Sources of intelligence

It is critical for the intelligence analyst to know the source of information. Depending on the nature of a problem, certain sources are of great value and are therefore considered of high quality, while other sources, although contributing to the production of intelligence, are supportive rather than critical in nature.

Following are the major sources of intelligence.

Acoustics

This is information derived from analyzing acoustic waves that are radiated either intentionally or unintentionally. In naval intelligence, underwater acoustic waves from surface ships and submarines are detected by sonar arrays. These sensors are extremely accurate and are a major source of information on submarines in the world’s oceans.

Imagery

This is information gleaned from analyzing all types of imagery, including photography as well as infrared and ultraviolet imagery. The examination of imagery, called imagery interpretation, is the process of locating, recognizing, identifying, and describing objects, activities, and terrain that appear on imagery.

Imagery collected by satellites and high-altitude aircraft is one of the most important sources of intelligence. It not only provides information for a huge number of intelligence categories (such as order of battle, military operations, scientific and technical developments, and economics), but it is indispensable for successfully monitoring compliance with arms-limitation treaties.

The Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty of 1987 allowed the United States to periodically request that the Soviet Union open certain intercontinental ballistic missile sites so that U.S. satellites (referred to as “national technical means”) could verify that the sites did not house intermediate-range missiles banned by the treaty.

Tactical infrared imaging devices can often identify camouflaged tanks and armour because the materials used to cover them—trees, branches, and leaves—often register different infrared signatures than does the surrounding foliage. Infrared satellites can register heat through clouds, producing imagery on enemy forces, equipment, and movements.

Signals

Gained from intercepting, processing, and analyzing foreign electrical communications and other signals, signals intelligence (often called SIGINT) comprises three elements: communications, electronics, and telemetry.

Communications intelligence is gleaned from foreign communications that are intercepted by other than the intended recipients. Such intelligence can be of the greatest value to a nation’s fighting forces because it allows them to be privy to the strategies, weaknesses, and attitudes of the enemy. For example, before and during World War II, the U.S. Navy’s breaking of the Japanese PURPLE code allowed the United States to know of Japanese moves in advance. It even provided warning of the attack on Pearl Harbor, although this intelligence was not sent to Hawaii quickly enough to prevent the debacle.

Electronics intelligence (also called ELINT) is technical and intelligence information obtained from foreign electromagnetic emissions that are not radiated by communications equipment or by nuclear detonations and radioactive sources. By analyzing the electronic emissions from a given weapon or electronic system, an intelligence analyst can very often determine the purpose of the device.

Telemetry intelligence is technical information that is derived from intercepting, processing, and analyzing foreign telemetry data. For example, by intercepting the telemetry signals emitted during foreign ballistic missile tests, an intelligence agency can calculate the range, accuracy, and number of warheads of the weapon.

Radiation

This source of intelligence does not include energy emanating from nuclear detonations or radioactive sources. Rather, it concerns unintentional emissions of energy from electronic systems (while ELINT is based on intentional radiations from the same systems). Inadequate shielding of electronic systems, or the following of incorrect procedures, may result in inadvertent energy emissions, which, when analyzed, may reveal a great deal about a system’s purpose or capabilities.

Foreign matériel

In 1976 a Soviet air force lieutenant, wishing to defect to the West, flew a MiG-25 Foxbat to Japan, where Japanese and U.S. technicians pored over every detail of the supersonic fighter before reassembling it and handing it back to its owners. Such analysis of a foreign weapon system can prove invaluable in producing systems to defeat it, and intelligence derived from any foreign matériel is of great value in assessing enemy capabilities.

Human agents

Often called HUMINT, human intelligence is provided by people rather than by technical means and is very often provided by spies and covert agents. Spies are often a prime source of information about a nation’s political leaders, strategies, and political decisions. The Soviet colonel Oleg Penkovsky, for example, was a very important source for British and U.S. intelligence until he was arrested and executed in 1963.

The political, scientific, and technical information he provided included data on the capabilities of Soviet intermediate-range missiles during the Cuban missile crisis. Likewise, the Philby–Burgess–Maclean spy ring, which penetrated the highest circles of Britain’s MI-6 intelligence agency, provided the Soviets with a tremendous amount of information on British and Allied military and counterintelligence operations during and after World War II. In the United States, the Walker family sold the Soviet Union classified reports on the tracking of Soviet submarines and surface ships.

Operating from 1968 until it was broken up in 1985, this spy ring did irreparable damage to the submarine warfare capabilities of the U.S. Navy.

Types of intelligence

In most situations, intelligence production involves the assessment of conflicting pieces of incomplete information, the attempt to determine the correct items, and then the processing and assembly of these accurate items into a complete, understandable document that responds to the needs of the operational leader. More often than not the resulting product, which is usually called an intelligence appraisal or intelligence assessment, contains some incorrect information.

In order to structure this production, analysts divide intelligence into types. While all types of intelligence are valuable, in any given situation some may be of greater worth than others, may be more accurate, and may provide a more complete view of the situation. By dividing intelligence into types, analysts and commanders arrive at a better understanding of the value and accuracy of a given piece of information.
Following are some important types of intelligence.

Armed forces

Information on a potential enemy’s armed forces—that is, personnel, training, equipment, bases, capabilities, manpower levels, disposition, readiness, and other factors pertaining to strength and effectiveness—is crucial for a nation that is about to enter combat. If the weaknesses can be exploited, then the conflict may be won more quickly and with fewer casualties.

Toward the end of World War II, owing to incomplete intelligence it was predicted that Japan would fight resolutely against a U.S. invasion and that the United States might suffer up to one million casualties. This was a major factor in the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In reality, though, Japanese resolve was grossly overestimated, and Japan could probably have been conquered with far fewer Allied casualties.

Biographical

This is information collected on the views, traits, habits, skills, importance, relationships, health, and professional history of the leaders and important individuals of a nation. Biographical intelligence is important to those who must decide whether to support a foreign leader. For example, when Fidel Castro first came to power in Cuba in 1959, he claimed to be a nationalist and was even allowed to conduct a speaking tour in the United States. Subsequently, however, Castro revealed that he was a communist who intended to transform Cuba into a Soviet-style state. More accurate intelligence on Castro might have revealed his intentions more promptly, and U.S. foreign policy could have been revised accordingly.

In clandestine operations, one of the most difficult problems is assessing the validity of an individual who volunteers his services to an intelligence organization. Very often, information on the family life, education, travels, and professional and political affiliations of such a person provides great insight into motivation and can help in verifying authenticity.

Cartographic

Derived from maps and charts, cartographic intelligence is crucial for all military operations. During the Falkland Islands War, for example, British forces depended heavily on cartography. They also interviewed schoolteachers and scientists who had recently left the islands so that they had the most accurate information possible on road conditions, towns, and facilities. This prepared invading troops to meet the obstacles caused by rough terrain and poor roads, and as a result the invasion went remarkably well.

Economic

This is information concerning the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, as well as labour, finance, taxation, and other aspects of a nation’s economy or of the international economic system. Economic intelligence allows a nation to estimate the magnitude of possible military threats and is also valuable in estimating the intentions of a potential enemy. In wartime, economic intelligence is a prime indicator of an enemy’s ability to sustain a war.

This is particularly important when analyzing small nations, such as Israel, where a conflict requires total mobilization and cannot be sustained for long without creating severe economic problems.

 

$10M. Why not Haiti? Port of Prince is not the only department (region) in Haiti

USAID Policy come on! 

Does Uganda really need the funding?

           Check the following CIA The World Factbook for Uganda:    

                            https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ug.html

  Is there a similar grant for tourism for biodiversity and economic growth grant for Haiti?
      Haiti has a ten department (regions) areas that could benefit from tourism from the U.S. that could
          benefit by building an emergency management infrastructure for each department.

Why not promote small businesses within the U.S. to promote tourism in Haiti to help rebuild the country.

What are the number of African-Americans (North-South America, Caribbean Basin) businesses that will be a part of the tourism to the recipients of this grant award?

USAID

Agency for International Development

Uganda USAID-Kampala

Tourism for Biodiversity and Economic Growth Grant

http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=142253

The synopsis for this grant opportunity is detailed below, following this paragraph. This synopsis contains all of the updates to this document that have been posted as of 02/03/2012 . If updates have been made to the opportunity synopsis, update information is provided below the synopsis.

If you would like to receive notifications of changes to the grant opportunity click send me change notification emails . The only thing you need to provide for this service is your email address. No other information is requested.

Any inconsistency between the original printed document and the disk or electronic document shall be resolved by giving precedence to the printed document.

Document Type:	Grants Notice
Funding Opportunity Number:	RFA-617-12-000004
Opportunity Category:	Discretionary
Posted Date:	Feb 03, 2012
Creation Date:	Feb 03, 2012
Original Closing Date for Applications:	Mar 20, 2012
Current Closing Date for Applications:	Mar 20, 2012
Archive Date:	Apr 19, 2012
Funding Instrument Type:	Cooperative Agreement
Category of Funding Activity:	Community Development Environment Natural Resources
Category Explanation:
Expected Number of Awards:	1
Estimated Total Program Funding:	$10,000,000
Award Ceiling:	$10,000,000
Award Floor:	$0
CFDA Number(s):	98.001  --  USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:	No

Eligible Applicants

Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility"  

Additional Information on Eligibility:

Agency Name

Uganda USAID-Kampala

Description

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Uganda is seeking applications to fund one or more organizations through a Cooperative Agreement for a four-year USAID/Uganda economic growth program in Uganda. Subject to the availability of funds, USAID intends to provide approximately $10 million in total USAID funding to be allocated over the four-year period. USAID reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted and expects one award as a result of this solicitation; however, more than one award may result. The activity aims to use eco-tourism to reduce threats to biodiversity. Biodiversity conservation is the primary goal of USAID/Uganda’s environment program activities. The program will help develop Uganda’s nature-based tourism industry to deliver an improved experience for visitors and improved stewardship of the natural resources necessary to sustain Uganda’s economic development. Tourism revenues resulting from the enjoyment of biological diversity, often located in the world’s less-developed regions, are a significant source of income and employment for local communities. It is important to involve frontline communities and ensure that they learn to manage and protect natural resources, and share in the potential economic benefits of Uganda’s natural resources.

Link to Full Announcement

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:

SARAH ACIO A&A SPECIALIST Phone:+256414306001 sacio@usaid.gov

Synopsis Modification History

There are currently no modifications for this opportunity.

BEMA: Support for 2nd Nat. ASU HBCU Conference

Black History Month: What are the boundaries of the African-American communities?

What are the boundaries of the African-American communities? 

 

The boundaries of the African-American communities are within the boundaries from the top of North America, Central American, the tip of the bottom of South America, and all of the Caribbean Basin islands. 

 

One day that we as Americans celebrate is Columbus day.  Where was the first location of the landing of Columbus within the America's? 

 

African-American communities aren't just within the boundaries of the U.S. but everywhere that African-descent communities are formed.

 

Thinking outside of the box is constantly mentioned in all aspects of business, and other ventures in the creation of new and innovative ideas.  Our African descent communities within the America's were subjected to seperation by region, and languages.

 

In the 21st Century these barriers can be overcome by the advances in telecommunications, and education that can bring all of these communities together.

 

Black History Month is not just for U.S. African-Americans, but all African descent communities world-wide to celebrate our heritage and contributions to the world.  History is written by those who write it, and cannot be just written by those in power or the majority. 

 

Write your family history, write your community history, and remember and honor those from the past.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Charles D. Sharp

 

Charles D. Sharp

Emergency Manager

Senior Advisor

Black Emergency Managers Association

 

Could you survive an extreme weather disaster?

By Katherine Dorsett Bennett, CNN

updated 5:28 PM EST, Fri January 27, 2012

Damaged buildings and cars litter Tuscaloosa, Alabama, following a deadly tornado in 2011.

NOAA: 2011 record year for weather disasters

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NOAA: A record 14 climate disasters in 2011 caused $1 billion or more in damage
• Official says conditions are prime for more extreme weather disasters
• Weather Service director: Doubling efforts to be a "weather-ready nation"

Atlanta (CNN) -- Ranee Roberts feels lucky to have survived the impact of a tornado that hit her Alabama convenience store in April.

"Before the twister hit, I sent a last text to say 'I love you' to my best friend, and then the building began to come apart around me," said the 34-year-old from Henagar.

Roberts said she knew only about two minutes before impact that the twister was heading toward her store. The tornado was rated an EF-4, with estimated winds peaking at 175 mph. "There was no time for preparations, only prayer," she said. "I felt utterly hopeless thinking I might be spending my last moments on Earth curled up on the stockroom floor."

Ranee Roberts, 34, survived a tornado that directly hit her Alabama business.

 

Looking back, she was ill-prepared for the storm and its aftermath. She felt that she got off extremely lucky walking away with "just a few scratches" to her body.

She learned from her harrowing experience to keep a first-aid kit, flashlight, bicycle helmet, battery-powered radio, power generator and Meals Ready to Eat in her storm closet.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a record 14 weather and climate disasters in 2011 caused $1 billion or more in damage, including the Alabama tornado that Roberts survived. At least 669 people died in these storms and thousands were injured.

View a list of the storms

2011: How to prepare for a hurricane

2011: Tuscaloosa damage before and after

2011: Lee's remnants flood upstate NY

2011 aerials show Vermont's Irene damage

"In my four decades of tracking weather, I have never seen extreme weather like we had in 2011," said Jack Hayes, NOAA's assistant administrator for weather services and the National Weather Service director.
Although no two years are alike, Hayes said, it's important for Americans to be prepared for the worst.
"The U.S. population has almost doubled since 1954, and trends such as urban sprawl and conversion of rural land to suburban landscapes increase the likelihood a tornado will impact densely populated areas," he said. "We have also become more vulnerable to coastal storms and hurricanes as more people are living in coastal areas."

Hayes said the 2011 Southern drought and floods across the northern U.S. represent the extreme temperature and precipitation swings that climate scientists project will become more common amid a warming climate.
As a result of these conditions, Hayes' agency has redoubled its efforts to create a "Weather-Ready Nation."
"We want the nation's response to and the outcome from severe weather to be different in 2012 and in the future," he noted.

The devastating effects of extreme events can be reduced through improved readiness. Hayes said a "weather-ready nation" is one made up of people empowered to make life-saving decisions that also prevent devastating economic losses.

Roberts said that neither she nor her neighbors and friends in Alabama felt they were as prepared as they could have been for April's tornado. They lacked basic supplies and relied on the Federal Emergency Management Agency, other community members and a local church to help them after the storm.
"That tornado was a clear reminder of our vulnerability," she said. "Your life can change in an instant."
One of the many lessons she learned from her experience was to create an emergency preparedness plan, something Hayes wants for all Americans.

In the end, emergency managers, first responders, government officials, businesses and the public need to be equipped with better weather information and a plan to make fast, smart decisions to save lives and livelihoods, Hayes said.

As part of creating a "weather-ready nation," Hayes' agency is launching pilot projects in the Gulf Coast, South and mid-Atlantic regions to increase "on the ground" capabilities.

In the north central Gulf region, for instance, a pilot team of meteorologists and hydrologists is developing methods to improve coordination to enhance preparedness and response efforts.

Family mourns teen killed in tornado

Deadly storms rip through Southeast

Family survives storm as house collapses

Hayes also wants Americans to understand that each type of weather condition deserves a specific type of preparedness. NOAA's website links to FEMA's ready.gov site, which offers detailed information on how to create a disaster plans for various conditions.

To prepare for tornadoes, for example, it's critical that families identify a "safe room" in their house to go to when they hear a tornado siren or learn that a tornado warning is in effect, Hayes said. If you are outside or away from your home, you should immediately get into the lowest level of a sturdy building. The safest type of room would be underground, such as a basement or cellar, he said Meteorologist Bonnie Schneider, who appears on the various media platforms of CNN and HLN, has written a new book releasing January 31, called "Extreme Weather," which provides a guide to surviving all types of natural disasters. She notes the growing importance of technology and social media in becoming a "weather-ready nation."

"During natural disasters like earthquakes or hurricanes phone lines may go down so SMS and Twitter may be the only ways to communicate," she said. "It's important to have these types of accounts set up, and know how to use them, before an extreme weather event occurs."

Schneider recommends having a plan for pets too, including emergency food supplies and an accessible place to keep a picture of your pet and proof of ownership. This may be needed at a shelter, or if the pet is lost.
"You've got to be proactive in preparing for extreme weather," she said.

"An extreme weather condition, like the tornado I experienced, doesn't care if you are rich, poor, young or old," said Roberts. "What does matter is how prepared you are and how quickly you react when time is of the essence."

37th Annual Natural Hazards Research and Application Workshop Saturday, July 14 through Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop

Since 1975, the Natural Hazards Center has hosted the Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop for 400 federal, state, and local emergency officials; representatives of nonprofit and humanitarian organizations; hazards researchers; disaster consultants; and others dedicated to alleviating the impacts of disasters.

37th Annual Natural Hazards Research and Application Workshop
Saturday, July 14 through Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Omni Interlocken Resort
Broomfield, Colorado

The International Research Committee on Disasters Researchers Meeting and the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association Practitioners Meeting will immediately follow the main Workshop from Tuesday, July 17 through Wednesday, July 18.