Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was arrested Tuesday. September 2019


Stay above reproach.
Assume
    -Someone is always watching even at the local level,
    -If you can’t explain it, don’t do it!
    -I always fly economy on business


https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/10/fema-official-arrested-for-fraud-over-hurricane-maria-recovery-effort-in-puerto-rico.html




A former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was arrested Tuesday for taking bribes from the president of a company that landed $1.8 billion in federal contracts to repair Puerto Rico’s electrical grid after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in September 2017.
Federal authorities arrested Ahsha Tribble, FEMA’s former deputy administrator for the region that includes Puerto Rico. Donald Keith Ellison, the former president of Cobra Acquisitions was also arrested.
They were accused of “conspiracy to commit bribery of public officials; acts affecting a personal financial interest; false statements; disaster fraud; honest services wire fraud, Travel Act violations, and wire fraud,” according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
Ms. Tribble and Mr. Ellison had a “close personal relationship” from October 2017 to April 2019, and Mr. Ellison gave Ms. Tribble gifts that ranged from personal helicopter use, hotel accommodations and personal security services, according to the DOJ statement.
In exchange, Ms. Tribble performed “official acts” including influencing, advising, and exerting pressure on Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and FEMA officials, in order to award restoration work to Cobra and accelerate payments to the company.
“All government officials are entrusted with performing their duties honestly and ethically,” said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez for the District of Puerto Rico. “The charged offenses are reprehensible, more so in light of PREPA’s and Puerto Rico’s fiscal crisis.”
FEMA said in a statement that the agency takes allegations of employee misconduct “extremely seriously” and added that they are “fully cooperating with federal investigators.”
“FEMA’s mission is to help the American people before, during, and after disasters and our mission can only be accomplished by maintaining the public trust and confidence of those we serve. As such, the Agency takes allegations of employee misconduct extremely seriously and holds all employees to the highest ethical standards – requiring them to protect government resources and place public service over private gain in everything they do.”






Black Emergency Managers Association  
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Washington, D.C.  20020
Office:   202-618-9097 
bEMA 




"We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice.  Not in love with publicity but in love with humanity.  Leaders who can subject their particular egos to the pressing urgencies of the great cause of freedom…a time like this demands great leaders.”      Martin Luther King, Jr.


Cooperation, Collaboration, Communication, Coordination, Community engagement, and  Partnering (C5&P)             A 501 (c) 3 organization.


Friday, September 6, 2019

Stress Management. September 2019

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Stress Management
Feeling stress is normal, but too much of it can hurt your health. Learn about the different types of stress, how you can recognize the signs in loved ones young and old, and simple ways to help your family de-stress. Knowing there are resources out there is important especially during the new school year.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Disaster Risk Reduction Guide. September 2019

Sustainable Community-Based Disaster Risk Management

Disaster Risk Reduction 



When it comes to community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM), you don’t need to be an expert to design, plan, and implement great CBDRM activities. This guide uses the analogy of cooking to present concepts and examples of successful CBDRM. Learn how to create the perfect recipe for building resilience at a community level in a sustainable and institutionalized manner, even if you are not a world famous chef.
 



Saturday, August 31, 2019

Tech to Protect Challenge. September 2019

Tech to Protect Challenge: Washington, DC
Date: September 27-29, 2019, 5:00pm-6:00pm
Location: 509 7th Street NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20004


The Tech to Protect Challenge, implemented by the RedFlash Group and SecondMuse under contract with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) Division, is a national open innovation contest designed to help emergency responders—including EMS, firefighters and police—accomplish their mission to serve and protect our communities nationwide.
Join entrepreneurs, inventors, and innovators with diverse backgrounds who share a common interest in creating technology that can improve the safety of their communities. 

Regardless of your area or level of expertise, we invite you to use your talents and join researchers, scientists, and emergency responders in advancing technologies and applications for public safety.

For additional information on how to participate in-person or online, the contests you can create solutions for, the rules and more, visit techtoprotectchallenge.org

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the Tech to Protect Challenge can be found at https://www.techtoprotectchallenge.org/faqs

Faith-based Organizations. Disaster Relief Ministry and Training. September 2019

May be of interest to your organization.

Not able to attend.  How can you get this training\presentation at your location.

BEMA International

Setting up a Disaster Relief Ministry - Presented by Saddleback Church
Date: September 20, 5:30-8:30pm
Location: Oak Ridge Baptist Church, 361 Tilghman Road, Salisbury, MD 21804
For over 14 years, Saddleback has had an effective Disaster Relief ministry. For the first time they are providing the opportunity for other churches to learn from their experiences, by bringing this training to us! Get tips and ideas of how to set up a new DR ministry at your church. We will discuss successes, pitfalls to avoid and even the characteristics of the people who are best at leading this type of ministry. You can take what Saddleback does and how we do it and use those principles to create a ministry in your church that works for your congregation. Pizza provided from 5:30 - 6pm, training from 6-8:30pm.


Disaster Relief Volunteer Training - Presented by Saddleback Church
Date: September 21, 9:00am-5:00pm
Location: Oak Ridge Baptist Church, 361 Tilghman Road, Salisbury, MD 21804
Have you been watching disaster updates on the news and wondered if you could help? It is the desire of our Saddleback Relief Team that everyone be equipped to reach out to the suffering and displaced both here in the US and around the world. We have developed these classes to do just that!
Light breakfast snacks will be available in the morning. Lunch will be provided from 12-1pm.
9am - 12pm: Orientation: This orientation will prepare you to serve in the aftermath of these disasters, or others in the future. We will also talk about the emotional stages of what people go through in a disaster, as well as specific things you can say and do that are helpful to them. There are a variety of ways you can serve -- physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Don't wait until the next big disaster happens. This class will prepare you to respond with us quickly
1-5pm: Trauma training: Follow-up to the basic orientation which discusses more in depth the spiritual and emotional help you can give to someone in the aftermath of a disaster. You will learn the basics of how to simply enter into someone’s pain for a short time and help them process and recover from the disaster and to also notice the symptoms that may require professional counseling.




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