Today marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season. No matter what the hurricane season outlook predicts, it’s important to remember that it only takes one storm to devastate a community. Now is the time to prepare your home and your family. Remember, hurricanes are not just a coastal problem, so It’s important to know the risks where you live: rain, wind and flooding could happen far from the coast. “FEMA’s mission to help people before, during and after disasters has never been more critical, given our shared experience during this pandemic,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “Even if you’re experiencing disaster fatigue due to your experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, we all must use the lessons learned from it to prepare for potential disasters on the horizon.” Although FEMA has had a very busy year supporting President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccination mission and other disasters the agency is ready to handle future disasters. Visit Ready.gov and consider these actions to start your preparedness today: - Ensure that you and your family are vaccinated against COVID-19. This helps your entire community be more resilient before future disasters. COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness and death. Vaccines reduce the risk of people spreading COVID-19, making all our communities safer.
- Research specific information on how individuals, individuals with disabilities, families, kids, pets and businesses can prepare for the upcoming hurricane season.
- Read more from the Centers for Disease Control on how to prepare for the hurricane season during the pandemic.
- Build an emergency kit. If you live in Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, consider having supplies to last at least 10 days.
- Download the free FEMA App to receive weather alerts and warnings for up to five different locations in the United States.
FEMA and the Disney Institute recently kicked off a training program for FEMA employees and other federal personnel who will be working at COVID-19 community vaccination centers across the country. “We have been working closely with our federal, state and local partners to make vaccines available to every person that wants one,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “We’re appreciative of the opportunity to collaborate with the Disney Institute and receive additional training that will enhance our customer service at federally-supported vaccination sites. We are grateful for the support of The Walt Disney Company.” FEMA has been providing federal support to community vaccination centers, including supplemental vaccine allocation to pilot sites. Additionally, mobile vaccination units are deployed to support states and the Indian Health Service. The federal community vaccination center pilot sites have administered more than 5.5 million vaccinations. The mobile units have administered more than 48,000 vaccinations. "Disney is honored to collaborate with FEMA by sharing best practices of our legendary guest service with those working at federal vaccination sites nationwide," said Disney Parks President of Segment Development and Enrichment, Experiences and Products George A. Kalogridis. "This collaboration is part of our company's broader work to support vaccination efforts.” The Muppets have also joined the response by releasing a PSA encouraging everyone to get a COVID-19 vaccine. As more Americans receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the end of the pandemic and a return to normal life is in sight. Those interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine can visit vaccines.gov to find a location. You can also text your zip code to 438829 to receive a text with the closest COVID-19 vaccine location. FEMA has updated the "Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide," a comprehensive guide for all FEMA Individual Assistance programs. The updated guide reiterates FEMA’s commitment to increasing the equitable execution of our programs. The Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide, version 1.1, includes several changes that incorporate additional assistance for disaster survivors, as authorized in the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018, aligns policy to current processing guidance and addresses lessons learned from recent disasters. As mandated by the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, FEMA’s Individuals and Housing Program and Other Needs Assistance program now have separate maximum funding amounts to prevent survivors having to make tough decisions about the kind of help they need most. Funding for assistive technology, such as wheelchairs or hearing aids, damaged during a federally declared disaster, will not count towards a survivor’s max assistance amount. Another important change in this new version of the guidance is the real property verified loss threshold for direct housing. This referral criteria changed from a $17,000 threshold to $12 per square foot. This captures a wider range of survivor circumstances regardless of event type, location or size of their dwelling. FEMA also changed the definition of non-traditional housing eligible for temporary FEMA Rental Assistance to be more inclusive of different types of homes, a change made after the 2017 and 2018 hurricanes where many residents affected live in non-traditional housing. The Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide provides a comprehensive policy resource for all stakeholders engaged in post-disaster recovery and can be found online at FEMA.gov. Version 1.1 of the guide applies to all disasters declared on or after May 26, 2021 and will supersede the previous version of the Individual Assistance Program and Policy Guide published in March 2019. FEMA uploaded “Non-Disaster Grants: How to Submit an Amendment,” a video on how to request an amendment for FEMA preparedness or mitigation grant awards. Amendment request types include contact, period of performance, budget, scope of work and term and condition changes. Find a full list of grant programs that use the Non-Disaster Grants System, frequently asked questions and instructional guides, visit Non-Disaster Grants Management System webpage on FEMA.gov. For additional tutorials on the Non-Disaster Grants System, view: For additional questions, email the service desk at NDGrants@fema.dhs.gov or call (800) 865-4076.  FEMA, International Code Council and state and local representatives will present and discuss a new disaster recovery policy for code enforcement and administration. FEMA implemented a new disaster recovery grant policy under the Public Assistance program, “Building Code and Floodplain Management Administration and Enforcement.” The policy was established by Section 1206 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, which made several important policy and regulatory changes to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. This new policy offers building officials and communities an effective way to access resources needed to effectively administer and enforce building codes and floodplain management ordinances for up to 180 days following a major disaster declaration. The goals of the new policy are to increase the overall speed of recovery and enhance compliance with state and local building codes and floodplain management ordinances. Register for the webinar to learn more about this new policy, including what activities are eligible and how to apply for reimbursement. The webinar begins at 2 p.m. ET on June 3. |
FEMA Hosts Exercise Starter Kit Webinars FEMA’s National Exercise Division developed exercise starter kits with sample documents to assist organizations in planning and conducting tabletop exercises aligning with the updated National Exercise Program 2021-2022 Principal's Strategic Priorities. FEMA will host a webinar for whole community exercise practitioners. The webinar will introduce the new exercise starter kits, providing stakeholders with an overview of the kits along with how to use them. The webinar is scheduled for 9 a.m. ET June 7. Each webinar will present the same content and a recording will be made available later on FEMA.gov. Visit the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program Webinar webpage to register. |
………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Funding for Regional Preparedness Grants Now Available FEMA released the funding notice for the fiscal year 2021 Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program. The application period will close at 5 p.m. ET on July 16. Applicants are encouraged to consider the needs of underserved and socially vulnerable populations and to involve representatives from the affected communities in the proposed project to ensure their needs are sufficiently addressed. Awards will be made on a competitive basis to applicants who present an ability to successfully meet the requirements described in the funding notice. For additional information and to review the notice of funding opportunity, visit FEMA.gov. Applicant submissions must be made on grants.gov. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. FEMA Seeks Feedback for Resource Typing The FEMA National Integration Center is seeking public feedback on six resource typing documents. The 30-day national engagement period will conclude at 5 p.m. ET on June 10. The national engagement period provides an opportunity for interested parties to comment on the draft document to ensure that it is relevant for all implementing partners. These resource typing documents will facilitate the sharing of deployable resource types at all jurisdictional levels. To provide comments on the drafts, complete the feedback form on FEMA.gov and submit the form to fema-nims@fema.dhs.gov no later than 5 p.m. ET on June 10. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. FEMA Seeks Public Feedback for Programs FEMA is seeking public comments for programs that deal with climate change and underserved populations. FEMA posted in the Federal Register a Request for Information on programs, regulations and policies. The feedback will assist FEMA in identifying specific action that will better address climate change and underserved communities and populations. The comment period will be open through June 21. Comments can be submitted through June 21 via the Federal eRulemaking Portal, Docket ID: FEMA-2021-0011. Please follow the instructions on the page and contact the Regulations.gov Help Desk if you have technical issues. FEMA encourages public comment and responses to these questions. For additional information on the request for information, visit FEMA.gov. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. FEMA Offers Planning Support for Disaster Response and Recovery The emergency management community has been operating in a pandemic environment for over a year. FEMA released the "COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance: All Hazards Incidents Response and Recovery." The document was designed to help emergency managers plan for disaster response and recovery, while adhering to public health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The guidance serves as a tool for governments, outlining guidance related to new priorities that have arisen in recent months. FEMA is offering a series of webinars focused on the guidance throughout the month of June: - Webinar 1 – 10 a.m. ET, June 3
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cpog_webinar1/event/registration.html - Webinar 2 – 3 p.m. ET, June 8
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cpog_webinar2/event/registration.html - Webinar 3 – 11 a.m. ET, June 10
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cpog_webinar3/event/registration.html - Webinar 4 – 7 p.m. ET, June 16
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cpog_webinar4/event/registration.html - Webinar 5 – 1 p.m. ET, June 17
https://fema.connectsolutions.com/cpog_webinar5/event/registration.html
To sign up for a webinar, simply click on the registration link associated with the preferred date of attendance. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. FEMA Announces Funding Opportunity for High-Hazard Dams FEMA announced $12 million in funding is available for non-federal dams to reduce dam risk, increase community preparedness and provide flood protection. The annual funding is part of the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams grant program for fiscal year 2021. The application period will close June 25. In a state or territory with an enacted dam safety program, the state administrative agency, or an equivalent state agency, is eligible to apply for the grant. Each eligible state may submit only one grant application. Eligible subrecipients, including local governments and nonprofit organizations, are encouraged to review the notice of funding opportunity announcement on Grants.gov. Email the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams grant program with comments or questions. For more information about the grant or general program information, visit the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams grant program or the National Dam Safety Program webpages on FEMA.gov. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. HURREVAC Training for Emergency Managers Starting June 7, FEMA's National Hurricane Program will host a five-day HURREVAC training for emergency managers. HURREVAC is a free web-based decision-support tool that assists emergency managers by providing information, visualizations and tools to inform hurricane response decisions in advance of a threatening storm. Learning how to use HURREVAC can help emergency managers make tough evacuation decisions when a hurricane threatens. In addition to operational decision-making, HURREVAC can be used for training, exercises and hurricane preparedness and planning efforts. Interested emergency managers can register now for this annual HURREVAC webinar series. To register, visit the 2021 HURREVAC Webinar Series page. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. | 
