FEMA Blog

Ongoing Situations
We continue to watch the ongoing Lower North Fork Fire in Colorado. While significant progress has been made on containing the fire, fire conditions will be elevated this weekend. We're working closely with our state and local partners in Colorado, and recently provided a Fire Management Assistance Grant to help fund their firefighting costs. While parts of our country are dry, other parts are experiencing heavy precipitation. Recent heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in Puerto Rico, and we're working closely with municipalities in the Commonwealth to see what federal assistance may be required.

Weather Outlook
This weekend, heavy rain and flooding is expected for parts of the Pacific Northwest, specifically in Oregon and northern California. State and local officials in those states are working with their residents on voluntary evacuations. For some tips on how to prepare you and your family for an evacuation, visit Ready.gov. Heavy rain and severe weather is also expected in the southeastern U.S. in Mississippi and Louisiana. Beginning Sunday and into Monday, high winds are predicted throughout the western half of the U.S.

We encourage everyone to monitor your area's local forecast as weather conditions can change. Stay up-to-date on your local forecast by visiting weather.gov or mobile.weather.gov on your mobile device.

Careers at FEMA
At FEMA, "every employee is an emergency manager" and we are always recruiting highly motivated people interested in a rewarding career in emergency management. FEMA has positions available across the country, and here are just a few open positions with the agency:

• Emergency Management Specialist - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Civil Engineer - Chicago, Illinois
• External Affairs Specialist - Denver, Colorado
• Environmental Specialist/Tribal Liaison - Denton, Texas

Visit our Careers page to browse through other opportunities that are available, learn more about FEMA, and watch testimonials from employees.

National Hurricane Conference
Earlier this week, Administrator Craig Fugate spoke at the 2012 National Hurricane Conference. The conference is a national forum for federal, tribal, state and local officials to come together to exchange ideas and recommend new policies for improving emergency management efforts related to hurricane preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. Check out the video below, where Fugate encourages everyone to be prepared for the upcoming hurricane season:

Disasters can strike anywhere, anytime and can impact anyone, so everyone must be involved in emergency planning, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts. This is a message that FEMA’s senior leadership brings to the table at every opportunity.

Deputy FEMA Administrator Richard Serino drove this point home during the Think Tank conference call in Atlanta at the Georgia Institute of Technology, March 22, 2012. Introducing the topic to an audience of over 30 community leaders in the room and more than 500 callers nationwide, he stressed the benefits of the call.

“Talking with teachers, leaders in the access and functional needs community, non-profit and community organizers – all of which are the epitome of whole community – gives me, and everyone, a better understanding of the reality – on the ground,” Serino said.



Topics discussed during the call included a focus on the importance of having access to electrical power and alternatives during disasters, especially for individuals with disabilities and other types of access and functional needs. Carolyn Phillips, program director at Georgia’s Pass It On Center, Tools for Life, the state’s Assistive Living Technology Program, noted that as smartphones have many different types of alternating current electrical power adapters, medical and assistive devices also have the same variability.

To demonstrate this point, Liz Persaud, Phillips’s colleague from Tools for Life, brought the chargers she’d need to keep her equipment fully functional. It required a suitcase to carry all of the items and weighed over 30 pounds.



Other speakers noted that individuals need to proactively plan for major power losses by including alternate sources of power such as solar power or generators.

“We need to think more creatively about power and how we convert power for people with access and functional needs,” said Phillips. She also stressed the need for including power access issues in drills and assessing those outcomes in after-action reports.

Deputy Administrator Serino then introduced Dr. Helena Mitchell, project director of the Wireless Emergency Communications project at Georgia Institute of Technology, to discuss the next Think Tank topic. Serino reminded participants that “FEMA needs to use the best technology available to communicate with disaster survivors and those with disabilities and access and functional needs.”

He also noted that the Emergency Alert System test held in November of 2011 revealed several areas of improvement necessary for modernizing our national alerting systems, including problems with speed of the content and message accessibility. As FEMA develops the next-generation system, lessons from the test will be applied to ensure a more accessible experience for everyone.

In her remarks, Dr. Mitchell noted that the explosion of devices and software platforms in the market gives wireless manufacturers and developers “a perfect opportunity for [them] to involve end users in creating new devices that will have accessible features at the front end.”

Dr. Mitchell also noted with the explosion of social media, 65% of all Americans and 63% of those with disabilities use platforms like Facebook and Twitter, emergency managers have begun looking at those systems for enhancing the delivery of emergency alerts.

As I mentioned during the conversation, when people have access to emergency alerts, they can actively participate in preparedness efforts. This, in turn, optimizes emergency response resources for individuals who truly need assistance.

During the event, folks on Twitter joined the conversation with over 100 tweets using the hashtag #FEMAThinkTank:

• Everyone should have access to emergency alerts – @mkelly007

• Incorporating social media into emergency communications systems – @CACPGT

Serino closed the session by saying, “Community is a crucial part of all preparedness plans. It requires effort from the whole community to get through a disaster.”

He also encouraged people to continue participating in the Think Tank, sharing and discussing the ideas posted. A full transcript of the event will be posted at www.fema.gov/thinktank shortly.

It is always gratifying when one of our FEMA team members is recognized by another organization for their outstanding work. So it gives me great pleasure to let you know that Mary Hudak, External Affairs Director for Region IV, received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Hurricane Conference on Tuesday, March 27. It is well deserved recognition for her passion to improve crisis communication in emergency management so that survivors of disasters get the information they need.



Her nomination, which was written by Region IV Administrator Phil May and supported by Administrator Craig Fugate and Associate Administrator Bill Carwile, points to some of her outstanding achievements in how she has impacted the community of emergency managers in such a positive way. Here is an excerpt from her nomination:

Over the course of her more than 30 years of emergency management service, Mary Hudak has shown tireless dedication to excellence in serving those whose lives have been affected by disaster.

In addition to her work with FEMA, her support for the National Hurricane Conference over the years has been unwavering. She has served on both the Planning Committee and the Public Education/Media Committee for years and has been instrumental in getting subject matter experts to participate—from leaders in emergency management, to local and national media personnel, to crisis management specialists— Mary has been a driving force in support of the NHC. Her efforts have added immeasurably to the knowledge base of local, state and federal emergency managers across the country in strategic messaging and crisis communication. Her work has improved the quality of public information and messaging to disaster survivors all around the country and not just with hurricanes but with floods, tornadoes and earthquakes. Mary has trained, mentored, coached, advised and taught literally thousands of emergency managers and communicators throughout the country, both “on the job” in her work with FEMA, as well as in settings such as the National Hurricane Conference.

The impact of her work is nearly impossible to measure because those who have learned so much from her carry it forward as they teach, coach and mentor others. Mary has literally touched the lives of thousands upon thousands through her mentoring and work in support of disaster survivors.

On behalf of the entire FEMA team, thank you, Mary. Your leadership and dedication to your work – and to every disaster survivor you’ve worked tirelessly to serve – stand as a model for all who work in emergency management. Well done!

Last Tuesday, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate met Maj. Gen. Eyal Eizenberg, the current commanding general of Israel’s Home Front Command, who is visiting the United States for a series of key governmental meetings.

The Home Front Command and Israel’s National Emergency Management Authority (FEMA’s Israeli counterpart) have collaborated with us for over four years under an memorandum of understanding with DHS. The MOU provides the mechanism through which FEMA and Israel established an Emergency Management Working Group.

The working group seeks to develop exchanges of information and support between the two countries as they strengthen their emergency management systems to respond to disasters. Representatives from FEMA and NEMA meet annually to evaluate the past year’s activities under the MOU and identify items of interest for the year to come.



This meeting focused on national preparedness and developing resilient communities and families. Both countries face a wide variety of disasters and crises challenges. Israel is prone to earthquakes, droughts and wild land fires. In 2011, massive wild land fires ravaged Israel’s northern areas.

FEMA, HFC and NEMA have key missions to develop and implement programs that help all sectors of society to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. Maj. Gen. Eizenberg shared new initiatives in Israel involving family preparedness that include looking at ways of working with families to enhance resiliency through education and training, while Administrator Fugate discussed the whole community initiative that FEMA has implemented.

The visit to FEMA headquarters was the first for Maj. Gen. Eizenberg, who praised the relationship between the two agencies.

The meeting served as a precursor to the 2012 FEMA-Israel Emergency Management Working Group meeting, scheduled for April in Washington.

Weather Outlook
We’re closely monitoring the severe weather conditions (tornadoes and thunderstorm watches/warnings) in several states, including Illinois and Missouri.

Looking further out this weekend, our friends at NOAA forecast heavy rain for parts of the Pacific Northwest with areas in the eastern Pacific Northwest and Northern California experiencing heavy snow. High winds are predicted for parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Coastal areas.

Additionally, flooding may occur in areas across Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, much of Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and isolated parts of Southwest Oregon. Visit www.ready.gov/floods for safety tips and other information on what to do before, during, and after a flood.

Severe drought conditions are expected to continue throughout parts of the Southeast, Central and Southern Great Plains, Southwest, and Upper Mississippi Valley.

We encourage everyone to monitor your area’s local forecast as weather conditions can change. Stay up-to-date on your local forecast by visiting weather.gov or mobile.weather.gov on your mobile device.

National Hurricane Conference
The 2012 National Hurricane Conference begins next week Monday March 26 in Orlando, Fla. The conference serves as a national forum for federal, tribal, state and local officials to come together, exchange ideas and recommend new policies improving emergency management efforts and hurricane preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation in order to save lives and property.

On Tuesday, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate will speak at the conference and a roundtable discussion following his presentation.

The conference is a great opportunity for individuals interested in educational and professional training in hurricane and disaster preparedness. To register for the conference, visit www.hurricanemeeting.com.


Monitoring for the Endangered Houston Toad in Texas
In January, we blogged about how we work with numerous federal partners to ensure that recovery efforts avoid or minimize adverse impacts to the environment, especially potential impacts on endangered species. Here’s a short video detailing how we worked with wildlife experts from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Bastrop County to monitor for the endangered Houston toad amid survivor recovery operations following the historic wildfires of 2011.



Photos of Ongoing Response & Recovery Efforts
Here are some photos highlighting our ongoing response and recovery efforts in Kentucky and Tennessee:

Kentucky







Tennessee

Small and minority business owners recently gathered in Dallas, Texas, to learn how to do business with FEMA and other federal and state agencies, in essence, becoming contractors. The dozens of business owners received critical information from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. General Services Administration and the Texas State Procurement Division.

As part of an effort to diversify the agency’s contractors, FEMA is actively seeking ways to strengthen partnerships with the private sector, and wants you to be a part of the process. You can access information online on how to become a federal contractor. The website provides a link to the Central Contractor Registration site, which collects, validates, stores and disseminates data in support of agency acquisition missions.

Additionally, the FEMA website contains information that will assist in identifying possible contracting opportunities with FEMA. Here you will be able to access the Federal Business Opportunities website, the governments' single point of entry where vendors and government buyers are invited to post, search, monitor, and retrieve opportunities solicited by the Federal contracting community.

In addition, FEMA seeks small businesses through the GSA Federal Supply Schedule program, which allows agencies to buy commonly used supplies and services. If you have not already done so, I encourage registering with the CCR, FBO and GSA.

I also encourage you visit the Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation website for information on Federal agencies that may have procured the same or similar services, as well as contracts awarded during disasters.

We at FEMA Region 6 and across the agency are committed to making sure local businesses and everyone in the private sector are part of the preparedness, response and recovery fabric of their communities; because, historically, you are traditionally the catalysts for an efficient and effective recovery in a community following a disaster.

With historic numbers of disasters over the last eighteen months, the concept of private sector preparedness has proven to be a continued indicator of good business sense. With the DHS announcement last week that AT&T Inc. is the first company certified to PS-Prep™ standards, we have reached another important milestone in this journey.

PS-Prep is a voluntary program that encourages private sector organizations to prepare against all-hazards, and recognizes organizations that adopt a DHS-selected voluntary preparedness standard.

Why spend the time, energy and cost to become certified? Certification to a preparedness standard helps businesses develop a culture of preparedness into routine operations and management processes. A culture of preparedness can safeguard organizational investments, enhance employee confidence, and demonstrate a high level of commitment to suppliers and customers, which contributes to the organization’s bottom line and reinforces the organization’s ability to provide services in the event of a disruption.

Certification will enable businesses to:

• develop a plan of action,

• minimize potential impact to essential operations,

• protect data and information,

• increase reliability,

• protect market share and minimize financial losses, and

• gain industry recognition by promoting preparedness with suppliers and clients alike....

The question quickly becomes – why not become certified?

Whether a company, academic institution, or other non-governmental organization, you play a critical role in our nation’s disaster preparedness and response capabilities.

AT&T is the first company to work towards industry preparedness best practice by taking the additional step of becoming certified. I encourage your organization to be the next. Visit www.fema.gov/privatesectorpreparedness for more information on the program.

Certification to a preparedness standard is a great tool and is one of many available to help organizations be prepared for all hazards. For general resources on private sector preparedness, visit http://www.ready.gov/ or the http://www.readyrating.org/.

En los últimos dieciocho meses se han registrado números históricos de desastres en los cuales el concepto de estar preparado en el sector privado prevalece como un indicador de buen sentido común en los negocios. La semana pasada, el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional anunció (DHS, por sus siglas en inglés) que AT&T Inc. es la primera compañía certificada con los estándares PS-Prep™, alcanzando un logro importante es este viaje.

PS-Prep es un programa voluntario que insta a las organizaciones del sector privado a prepararse de todos los riesgos y reconoce las organizaciones que adoptan los estándares del programa de DHS de preparación voluntaria.

¿Por qué se debe invertir tiempo, energías y costo de certificación?

La certificación de estándares de preparación ayuda a los negocios a desarrollar una cultura de preparación en una rutina de funcionamiento y procesos gerenciales. Una cultura de preparación puede proteger las inversiones de la organización, aumentar la confianza de los empleados y demostrar un nivel alto de compromiso con los suplidores y consumidores, los cuales contribuyen a la base de la compañía y refuerzan la habilidad de que la compañía pueda continuar sus servicios en caso de una interrupción.

La certificación permitirá que los negocios:

• Desarrollen un plan de acción

• Minimizar el impacto potencial de las operaciones esenciales

• Proteger los datos e información

• Aumentar posibles medidas

• Proteger sus inversiones en el Mercado y minimizar las perdidas financieras, y

• Obtener reconocimiento en la industria al promover preparación con los suplidores y clientes por igual.

¿Por qué no obtener la certificación?

Las compañías, instituciones académicas o cualquier otra organización no gubernamental, tienen un desempeño importante en la preparación y capacidades de respuesta en desastres a nivel nacional.

AT&T es la primera compañía en trabajar hacia las mejores practicas de preparación en la industria al seguir pasos adicionales para estar certificado. Le instamos a que su compañía sea la próxima. Para mas información visite la página de www.fema.gov/privatesectorpreparedness.

La certificación en los estándares de preparación es una gran herramienta y una de las muchas que están disponibles para ayudar a las organizaciones a estar preparados para todos los riesgos. Para información general sobre como estar preparado viste www.listo.gov o (en inglés) www.readyrating.org.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve talked a lot about supporting several states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia) with joint preliminary damage assessments as a result of the recent wave of severe storms and tornadoes, and I wanted to provide a little information into what this means, and what a PDA team does when they are on the ground.

PDA Teams

Following a disaster, a Governor requests PDAs as the first step in the declaration process. Federal representatives, including the U.S. Small Business Administration, join state, tribal, and local officials to form what we call “PDA teams.” They are responsible for surveying damages in designated counties, and they do this by going city-by-city, street-by-street, door-to-door, until impacted areas identified by state, tribal, and local officials have been thoroughly assessed.

The joint PDA teams are not just looking at the numbers of damaged or destroyed homes, they’re also obtaining information on the impact to the community as a whole. In larger disasters or when affected areas are inaccessible, PDAs may be conducted by car or plane.

They talk to as many residents as possible to ensure detailed assessments are made. From walking door-to-door in neighborhoods that have experienced damage, to sometimes walking among debris piles and engaging one-on-one with survivors who have been personally impacted, the PDA teams conduct their assessments to fully understand how the disaster has and will impact you and your family. Even when the damage may not seem apparent, the team is looking for all types and signs of damage, such as water lines from flooding, damaged roof and windows, and damage to doors and windows.

Many of the questions the teams may ask are aimed to garner a clear understanding of the impacts, including: whether you have insurance; whether your utilities are out; whether you have a place to stay; was your job affected; did your children need to change schools; was your car damaged; and do you have special medical needs.

A PDA team may not need to talk to every survivor. If a disaster survivor has already reported their damages to local or state officials, those reports will be shared with the PDA team and cross-referenced with the street report, and then all of the information will be considered for the assessments.

Along with assessing the damages that affected individuals within a community, PDA teams consisting of state, federal, tribal and local officials will also assess the impact of the incident on public infrastructure. This includes the cost of emergency measures, such as debris removal, and repair or restoration of public facilities such as roads and buildings.

Once assessments for a jurisdiction such as a county or parish are completed, the team moves onto the next as the effort is consolidated to help out in other areas. The goal is to complete the job efficiently and thoroughly to ensure the teams have captured the total impact to the communities and area of the state affected by the disaster.

The Next Step

Once all of the data has been compiled, it’s turned over to the state’s Emergency Management Agency.

It is important to remember that PDA teams do not determine whether a major disaster declaration will be issued.

The information that is collected is provided to the state for a governor to determine if he or she will request federal assistance. If the Governor believes the damages “are beyond state and local capabilities,” he or she will submit the written request to the President and specify the type of assistance needed and which counties are affected. It is important to remember that FEMA assistance is supplementary in nature and will only be authorized when a disaster is of the severity and magnitude to be beyond the effective response of the state and affected local governments. Moreover, legally, FEMA cannot duplicate assistance received through any other source including insurance or other federal programs.

What Should I Be Doing Now?

What should you do while the Governor’s request is pending? As soon as possible, notify your insurance company and file a claim. Keep your receipts of any disaster-related expenses such as lodging, medical, repair and cleaning supplies, etc. You should also make a list of the major items that have been damaged such as utilities, appliances, furniture, and personal property.

If you have immediate needs such as shelter, food, water, clothing, etc., you should seek help from the local voluntary and faith-based groups in your area.

What is a Major Disaster Declaration?

If the President approves the request, the declaration will specify what forms of assistance are available. If the Presidential declaration includes Individual Assistance, then individuals can apply if their county was part of the declaration. Even if you have already reported your damage to the Red Cross, local, or state officials, and the PDA team stopped to talk with you – this IS NOT THE APPLICATION for FEMA assistance.

To be considered eligible for federal assistance, you need to apply with FEMA once a declaration has been made – either by calling our toll-free number (Call (800) 621-3362 / TTY (800) 462-7585) or registering on our full website or mobile site.

We understand that dealing with the aftermath of a disaster is a stressful and trying time, and we hope that you will never need to go through the process of assessing and reporting damages. The true fact is that disasters happen, and every bit of knowledge we have about the process arms us all in a way to make the recovery just maybe a small bit easier.

Durante las últimas semanas hemos estado hablando sobre el apoyo a los estados de Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio y West Virginia con los Evaluaciones Preliminares de Daños (PDA, por sus siglas en inglés) como resultado de la reciente ola de tormentas severas y tornados. Queremos proporcionar más información sobre lo que esto significa y lo que hace el Equipo de PDA en el campo.

Los Equipos de PDA
Después de un desastre, el Gobernador solicita hacer PDAs como el primer paso en el proceso de declaración. Los representantes federales incluyendo la Administración de Pequeños Negocios de los Estados Unidos se unen a los oficiales estatales, tribales y locales para formar los Equipos de PDA. Estos son responsables de investigar los danos en los condados designados. Los equipos van de ciudad en ciudad, calle a calle y tocan puerta a puerta hasta que todas las áreas que fueron identificadas por los oficiales del estado, tribus y gobierno local hayan sido completamente evaluadas.

Los equipos de PDAs conjuntos buscan la cantidad de viviendas dañadas o destruidas así como la información del impacto en toda la comunidad. En las áreas más grandes o cuando hay áreas poco accesibles los PDAs se hacen en automóvil o aviones.

Los equipos hablan con la mayor cantidad de personas posible para garantizar una evaluación detallada, caminan de puerta en puerta por los vecindarios que han sufrido daños, a veces caminan sobre los escombros y participan de conversaciones uno a uno con los sobrevivientes que han sido impactados personalmente. Los equipos de PDAs hacen sus evaluaciones para entender completamente como el desastre ha impactado a las vidas de los sobrevivientes y sus familias.

Aún cuando los daños no se ven a simple vista, los equipos buscan todo tipo y señal de daños tales como líneas de aguas inundadas, techos, puertas y ventanas dañadas.

Muchas de las preguntas que los equipos pueden hacer son con el propósito de obtener un panorama claro de los daños tales como, si tiene seguro; sus servicios eléctricos dejaron de funcionar; si tiene un lugar en donde quedarse; si su trabajo fue afectado; si sus niños tuvieron que cambiar de escuela; si su auto sufrió daños; y si tiene necesidades medicas especiales.

Un equipo de PDA puede que no tenga que hablar con todo los sobrevivientes. Si un sobreviviente de desastre informó los daños a los oficiales locales o estatales, estos informes son compartidos con el equipo de PDA y todas las referencias adquiridas de los informes de la calle para que toda la información sea considerada para la evaluación.

Junto con las evaluaciones a los daños de los individuos de la comunidad, también se evalúan los impactos en la infraestructura pública. Esto incluye los costos de las medidas de emergencia tales como la remoción de escombros y reparación o reconstrucción de las facilidades publicas tales como carreteras y edificios.
Una vez que las evaluaciones se han completado en ciertas áreas los equipos se trasladan al para ayudar en otras áreas. La meta es completar el trabajo de manera eficiente y complete para garantizar que se tenga toda la evidencia del impacto total del desastre en las comunidades y áreas estatales.

Próximo paso
Una vez que toda información ha sido recopilada se entrega a la Agencia De Manejo de Emergencias estatal.
Es importante recalcar que los equipos de PDA no determinan si una declaración de desastre mayor va ha ser efectuada.

La información que es recopilada se entrega al estado para que el Gobernador determine si va a solicitar la ayuda federal. Si el Gobernador cree que los danos están fuera del alcance de las capacidades locales y estatales, se procede a enviar el pedido por escrito al Presidente y especifica el tipo de asistencia es necesaria y cuales son los condados afectados. Es importante recordar que la ayuda de FEMA es complementaria en naturaleza y solamente puede ser autorizada cuando el desastre es severo y la magnitud no hace que el gobierno estatal y áreas locales afectadas puedan responder efectivamente. Por otra parte, legalmente, FEMA no puede duplicar la ayuda recibida por cualquier otra fuente incluyendo el seguro u otros programas federales.

¿Qué se debe hacer ahora?
Que debe hacer mientras el Gobernador tiene el pedido pendiente/ Lo antes posible, informe a su compañía de seguro y haga un reclamo. Guarde todos los recibos de los gastos relacionados al desastre tales como alojamiento, asistencia medica, suministros para limpieza y reparaciones, entre otros. También, puede hacer una lista de los suministros y/o servicios de mayor prioridad que han sido afectados tales como servicios públicos, electrodomésticos, muebles y propiedad personal.

Si tiene necesidades inmediatas tales como refugio, comida, agua, ropa, entre otros, debe buscar ayuda de las agencias voluntarias y grupos basados en la fe de su área.

¿Qué es una declaración de desastre mayor?
Si el Presidente aprueba la solicitud, la declaración será específica en los tipos de asistencia disponibles. Si la declaración Presidencial incluye Asistencia Individual, los individuos pueden solicitar si sus condados son parte de la declaración. Aun si usted ha informado los danos a la Cruz Roja y los oficiales locales y estatales y el equipo de PDA habló con usted, esto no es una solicitud de la ayuda de FEMA.

Para se considerado elegible para la ayuda federal, usted tiene que solicitar con FEMA una vez la declaración ha sido efectuada al llamar a nuestro línea de llamadas gratis (800) 621-3362 / TTY (800) 462-7585 o inscribiendo en Internet en nuestra pagina o sitio móvil.

Entendemos que lidiar con las consecuencias después de un desastre puede ser estresante y tiempo difícil y esperamos que usted no tenga que pasar por el proceso de evaluar e informar sus daños. Un hecho reales que los desastres ocurren y el tener conocimiento del proceso es una manera de hacer que la recuperación sea mas fácil.

FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division is looking for youth leaders dedicated to public service and making a difference in their community to serve on FEMA’s National Youth Preparedness Council.

Bringing youth to the table provides a clear and true picture of the thoughts, needs, and capabilities of nearly 25% of our nation’s population. It is critical to listen to them and their peers, align our youth strategies as an agency to the message we hear, and to build up our nation’s future leaders in emergency preparedness.

The National Youth Preparedness Council is an opportunity for select youth leaders interested in expanding their impact as a national advocate for youth preparedness to serve on this highly distinguished national council. Members of the council will participate in a community preparedness roundtable event in Washington, D.C., and voice their opinions, experiences, ideas, solutions and questions on youth disaster preparedness with the leadership of national organizations working on youth preparedness.

Who is Eligible?

Young men and women from 12 to 17 years of age who want to make a difference in their community, have contributed to youth disaster preparedness in their community or have lived through a disaster and want to share their experiences are eligible to apply for the council.

Youth Preparedness Council nominees will represent a variety of young people: current and former students, youth members of a local Citizen Corps Council, a youth club or a member of a faith-based organization that is vocal and active in preparing peers, family, and neighborhoods for potential emergencies are encouraged to apply.

Similarly, if you know of a young person with any of these qualities, you may nominate him or her to serve on the council.

Interested in Applying?

Interested candidates or nominations should emphasize youth disaster preparedness activities that the candidate/nominee has participated in or can be related to a disaster the candidate/nominee has lived through. Nominations should describe a specific emergency situation and/or examples of youth disaster preparedness activities that would qualify the nominee to serve on the Council.

Some examples of preparedness activities include:

• Teen CERT in Action

• Citizen Corps Council Activities

• After School Activities

• Faith-based Youth Preparedness Activities

• Increasing Local Disaster Awareness

• Youth Club Activities (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts)

If you are nominating yourself, you must submit a letter of recommendation from any adult parent, guardian, community first responder, teacher or community leader that can attest to your community preparedness activities. If you are an adult nominating a young person to serve on the council, you do not have to include an additional letter unless you choose to do so.

Nominations must be received by April 6, 11:59 p.m. EDT. For complete instructions on applying, visit our website.

Youth Preparedness Council Participants will be announced in May 2012, and will be FEMA’s honored guests at a community preparedness roundtable event in Washington, D.C. on June 28 and 29.

Visit our website for more information on the National Youth Preparedness Council or to apply.

La División de Preparación Individual y la Comunidad esta buscando líderes jóvenes dedicados al servicio público y hacer la diferencia en sus comunidades al formar parte del Consejo Nacional de Preparación de la Juventud de FEMA.

El traer a los jóvenes a ser parte del equipo proporciona una imagen clara y verdadera de los pensamientos, necesidades y capacidades de casi el 25 porciento de la población de nuestra nación. Es muy importante el escucharles y también a sus compañeros, como agencia podemos diseñar nuestras estrategias considerando el mensaje que escuchamos de nuestros jóvenes y construir los futuros lideres de nuestra nación en la preparación de emergencias.

El Consejo Nacional de Preparación de la Juventud es una oportunidad para seleccionar líderes jóvenes interesados en ser defensores nacionales y expandir su impacto en la preparación de la juventud para servir en este distinguido consulado nacional. Los miembros del consulado participarán en el evento de preparación de la comunidad en una mesa redonda en Washington, D.C. y podrán expresar sus opiniones, experiencias, ideas, soluciones y preguntas referentes a la preparación de la juventud en desastres con los lideres de las organizaciones nacionales que trabajan en la preparación de la juventud.

¿Quién es elegible?

Jóvenes femeninos y masculinos de 12 a 17 años que quieran hacer la diferencia en sus comunidades, que hayan contribuido con la preparación de la juventud en desastres en sus comunidades o que hayan tenido la experiencia de un desastre y deseen compartir sus experiencias, son elegibles para solicitar ser parte del consulado.

Los candidatos del Consulado de Preparación de la Juventud van a representar una variedad de jóvenes: alumnos y ex-alumnos, miembros jóvenes del Consulado del Cuerpo de Ciudadanos, grupos de jóvenes y miembros de organizaciones basadas en la fe que son portavoces y están activos en la preparación para emergencias de sus compañeros, familias y vecinos, también pueden solicitar.

De igual forma, si usted conoce a un joven con todas estas cualidades, puede nominarlo para que sea parte del consejo.

¿Ésta interesado en solicitar?

Los candidatos o nominados interesados en participar deben recalcar las actividades que han participado de preparación de la juventud en desastres o que pueda estar relacionado a desastres que ha experimentado. Las nominaciones deben especificar la situación de emergencia o proporcionar ejemplos de actividades de preparación de la juventud en desastres que cualifiquen al nominado ha ser parte del consulado.

Algunos ejemplos de actividades de preparación incluyen:

• Adolecentes en acción de CERT

• Actividades del consulado del Cuerpo de Ciudadanos

• Actividades después de la escuela

• Actividades de preparación de la juventud basadas en la fe

• Aumentar la concientización de desastres locales

• Grupos de actividades juveniles (por ejemplo, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts)

Si usted se esta nominando así mismo, debe enviar una carta de recomendación de uno de los padres, guardián, los primeros en respuesta de la comunidad, maestros o líderes comunitarios que pueda dar fe de sus actividades de preparación comunitaria. Si usted es un adulto nominando a un joven para ser parte del consulado no tiene que enviar la carta a menos que así usted lo decida.

Las nominaciones se deben recibir hasta el 6 de abril a las 11:59 p.m. hora del este. Para obtener todas las instrucciones de cómo solicitar visite Preparación de la juventud (en inglés).

Los participantes del Consulado de Preparación de la Juventud serán anunciados en mayo del 2012 y serán invitados especiales de FEMA en el evento de mesa redonda sobre preparación en Washington, D.C. el 28 y 29 de junio de 2012.

Visite nuestra página para más información sobre el Consulado Nacional de preparación de la Juventud o para solicitar.

Posted by: Alexandra Kirin, Public Affairs

At the end of each week, we post a "What We’re Watching" blog as we look ahead to the weekend and recap events from the week. We encourage you to share it with your friends and family, and have a safe weekend.

Weather Outlook
Over the next couple of days, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting severe weather conditions to include thunderstorms and heavy rain in parts of the Southeast and Southwest. Due to heavy rains, there is the potential for flooding.

Here are some flood terms that you should be familiar with:

• Flood Watch: Flooding is possible. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information

• Flash Flood Watch: Flash flooding is possible. Be prepared to move to higher ground; listen to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.

• Flood Warning: Flooding is occurring or will occur soon; if advised to evacuate, do so immediately.

• Flash Flood Warning: A flash flood is occurring; seek higher ground on foot immediately.For more flood safety and preparedness tips visit, www.ready.gov/floods.

Additionally, heavy snow is expected over parts of Arizona and high winds are forecasted for Utah, Arizona, Central and Southern Rockies, the Great Plains, and the Northwest half of the Mississippi Valley.

We encourage everyone to monitor your area’s local forecast as weather conditions can rapidly change. Stay up-to-date on your local forecast by visiting weather.gov or mobile.weather.gov on your mobile device.

Flood Safety Awareness Week Recap
In collaboration with NOAA for Flood Safety Awareness Week, we’ve shared information on potential hazards flooding presents, precautions individuals, families, and businesses can take to protect their families and homes from flooding and safety tips on what to do before, during, and after flooding. Flooding is the most common hazard in the United States -- but the good news is, there are simple steps everyone can take to prepare for flooding. Visit www.ready.gov/floods or www.noaa.gov for more information on floods and steps you can take to prepare today.

And in case you missed them, here’s a recap our blogs for Flood Safety Awareness Week:

• The Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Services
• Turn Around Don’t Drown
• Things You Can Do To Mitigate Against Flooding
• Flood Safety: Be Aware, Be Prepared
• Flood Safety Awareness Week Wrap-Up

March Think Tank Call
On Thursday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m. EDT, Deputy Administrator Serino will host the next Think Tank conference call. This month’s call will focus on strategies and approaches for incorporating and integrating access and functional needs issues and concerns into all aspects of emergency management.

Here is the call-in information:

• Date: Tuesday, March 22
• Time: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. EDT
• Call-In Number: 800-593-0692
• Pass Code: Think Tank March
• Captioning for the event
• Twitter: #femathinktank

We hope you can join us in this month’s call. Visit www.fema.gov/thinktank for more information.

FEMA Corps
Earlier this week, we announced our new partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service -- FEMA Corps. FEMA Corps will leverage a newly-created unit of 1,600 service corps members ages 18-24 from AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps who are solely devoted to FEMA disaster response and recovery.


Washington, D.C., March 13, 2012 -- Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano introduces the new partnership the Corporation for National and Community Service and FEMA. FEMA Corps is designed to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to and recover from disasters while expanding career opportunities for young people.

The program will enhance the federal government’s capability to respond to and recover from disasters, increase the reliability and diversity of the disaster workforce, promote an ethos of service, and expand education and economic opportunity for young people.


Washington, D.C., March 13, 2012 -- FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate speaks with AmeriCorps volunteers following the announcement of FEMA Corps, a new partnership between the Corporation for National and Community Service and FEMA. The partnership is designed to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to and recover from disasters while expanding career opportunities for young people.

For more information on FEMA Corps visit our FEMA Corps page or the AmeriCorps website.

Preparedness Video to Share
We wanted to share this video from Prepare Metro KC that explains the importance of taking responsibility to prepare yourself and your family for potential emergencies. After you watch the video, head over to www.ready.gov for tips on preparing for an emergency.

Photos of Ongoing Response & Recovery Efforts
Here are some photos from the tornado response and recovery following the tornadoes that struck earlier this month.

Kentucky


West Liberty, Ky., March 12, 2012 -- FEMA Community Relations specialists Kathryn Pullara and Helen Stephens explain the registration process to a storm survivor. FEMA, State, Local, and volunteer agencies are in areas affected by the tornado's on March 2nd.


Denver, Ky., March 13, 2012 -- Volunteers from the Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. help gut a destroyed home. Voluntary agencies team together with FEMA to assist in early response and recovery.


Frenchburg, Ky., March 12, 2012 -- Michael Caulkins, Small Business Association Specialist, discusses with an applicant the SBA loan process. FEMA partners with the Small Business Association, which provides low interest loans to disaster survivors.

Indiana


Henryville, Ind., March 8, 2012 -- The American Flag waves as a symbol of hope over the damaged homes and striped hillside after two tornadoes torn through the community of 1,900 residents in Southern Indiana on March 2. President Obama issued a major disaster declaration on March 9, two days after the Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments were completed in six counties.

Henryville, Ind., March 8, 2012 -- Heavy equipment operators begin to remove the debris left behind in the wake of several tornadoes that struck southern Indiana on March 2. President Obama issued a major disaster declaration on March 9, just two days after the Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments were completed in six counties.


Henryville, Ind., March 8, 2012 -- Smoking Jim’s BBQ was just one of the local businesses and restaurants who pitched in to help with thousands of hot meals to survivors, repair crews and volunteers in the community of Henryville, Ind., which was struck by two tornadoes on March 2. The American Red Cross, Salvation Army and other faith-based and community organizations rallied to the town's aid within hours.

Posted by: Darryl Madden, Director, Ready Campaign

Today marks the close of Flood Safety Awareness Week -- during which, FEMA has worked to bring awareness of the risks flooding poses to many of our homes and communities. Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States and no two flooding disasters are alike.

Some flooding events develop slowly, while others such as flash floods can develop in just a few minutes with little notice and without any visible signs of rain. Many disasters and emergencies share this characteristic – appearing dramatically with no warning signs much like tornadoes and earthquakes.

But there are meaningful and practical steps that you and your family can take to be prepared for all hazards, not just flooding, to stay safe and mitigate damage to property.

The first thing you can do is to be informed and know your risk; familiarize yourself with potential risk where you live and work. Knowing what to do before, during and after an emergency is a critical part of being prepared and may make all the difference when seconds count.

Here are some additional steps you can take now to ensure you’re prepared for potential future flooding:

• Making a Plan: Your family may not be together when a disaster strikes so it is important to plan in advance and create an emergency communications plan. Know how you will get to a safe place; how you will contact one another; how you will get back together.

• Building a Kit: Assemble the items you will need in advance of an emergency. You may be instructed to evacuate at a moment’s notice. Think about what you may need immediately after an emergency. This should include food, water and other supplies in sufficient quantity.

• Get Involved: There are many ways to get involved especially before a disaster occurs. Your whole community can participate in programs and activities to make your families, homes and communities safer from risks and threats. 

To learn more about flood risks in your area, visit www.floodsmart.gov.

For more information on all hazard preparedness and ways you can protect your family before, during and after an emergency or disaster visit www.ready.gov.

As we start to get ready for this month’s conference call in Atlanta, I wanted to take a couple of minutes to thank everyone for your participation in the FEMA Think Tank. All of the ideas that you are sharing online and during the calls has been an example of creativity and collaboration at its best. Please keep the ideas coming!

I look forward to hosting these calls at different locations around the country so I can meet with those of you who are serving on the front lines of emergency management. Talking with practitioners, teachers, leaders in the access and functional needs community , non-profit and community organizers, business owners and entrepreneurs, tribal government officials, and others – all of which are the epitome of whole community – gives me, and everyone, a better understanding of the reality “on the ground.”

This month’s Think Tank discussion will be around strategies and approaches for incorporating and integrating access and functional needs issues and concerns into emergency management planning. Our philosophy at FEMA is that we shouldn’t be creating annexes for any stakeholder group. Instead, we should be planning with all stakeholders from the beginning. As Administrator Fugate has repeatedly said, we shouldn’t plan for easy – and I couldn’t agree more. That is why I’m excited about continuing this conversation, which will take place from Atlanta, Ga., on Thursday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m. and on Twitter #femathinktank.

I also want to extend an invitation for people to participate in person. That’s right, we have three additional seats available for those who are interested. In order to be considered, all you have to do is email us at fema-new-media [at] dhs [dot] gov (with March Think Tank in the subject line) by Tuesday, March 20 at noon EDT and we’ll randomly pick three people.

And just a quick word from our legal team: FEMA will not pay for any costs or expenses related to attendance at this event, including travel to or from the event, and any member of the public can participate.

There’s still time before the call to submit any ideas you may have or comment on existing ideas regarding access and functional needs issues in emergency management. Just click the link, visit our online collaboration tool, and share your thoughts under the “Think Tank” topic. It’s that easy.

I hope you can join the conversation over the phone and online. Here are the call-in details:

Date: Thursday, March 22

Time: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. EDT

Call-In Number: 800-593-0692

Pass Code: Think Tank March

Captioning for the event

Twitter: #femathinktank

After you add this information to your calendar, please share this information with your friends and colleagues.

Thanks.

A medida que nos preparamos para la conferencia de este mes en Atlanta, quería agradecer a todos los que están participando del Foro para Compartir Ideas de FEMA. Todas las ideas que ustedes comparten en Internet y durante las conferencias telefónicas han sido el mejor ejemplo de creatividad y colaboración. ¡Por favor continúen proporcionando más ideas!

Espero continuar siendo el anfitrión de estas conferencias telefónicas desde diferentes lugares alrededor del país, para así conocer a todos los que están primeros en el manejo de emergencias. Hablar con los practicantes, maestros, lideres en el acceso y sobre las necesidades funcionales de la comunidad, organizadores sin fines de lucro y de la comunidad, dueños de negocios y empresarios, oficiales del gobierno tribal y otros, (todos en su conjunto son el epitome de toda la comunidad) y me proporcionan con el mejor entendimiento sobre cual es la “realidad en el campo”.

Este mes en el Foro de Compartir Ideas se estará conversando sobre las estrategias y enfoques en la integración de accesos e incorporación y las situaciones y preocupaciones de las necesidades funcionales en la planificación del manejo de emergencias. La filosofía de FEMA es que no deben crear anexos para cualquier grupo de interés. Preferiblemente, se debe planificar con todos los grupos interesados desde un principio. Como en repetidas ocasiones el Administrador Fugate ha dicho, no se debe planificar para una fácil y yo estoy totalmente de acuerdo. Es por esto que estoy emocionado de poder continuar estas conversaciones que se realizaran en Atlanta, Georgia, el Jueves, 22 de marzo al las 3:00 p.m. y en Twitter #femathinktank.

También queremos extender una invitación a todas las personas que quieren participar en persona. Hay tres asientos adicionales disponibles para los que estén interesados. Para poder considerado lo único que tiene que hacer es enviar un coreo electrónico al fema-new-media [algarroba] dhs [punto] gov (con el mensaje de March Think Tank en la línea de sujeto) el martes, 20 de marzo hasta las 12 del mediodía (hora del este) y se escogerán tres personas al azar.

Una nota breve de los abogados de la agencia: FEMA no pagara por ningún costos o gastos relacionados con la asistencia a este evento, incluidos los viajes hacia o desde el evento y cualquier miembro del público puede participar.

Todavía hay tiempo para presentar cualquier idea o comentarios antes de la llamada, sobre el tema de acceso y las situaciones de las necesidades funcionales el manejo de emergencias. Solo con seleccionar la herramienta de colaboración en Internet y compartir sus pensamientos bajo el tema de ‘Think Tank”. Es así de fácil.

Aquí están los detalles del evento:

• Fecha: Jueves, 22 de marzo de 2012

• Hora: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Hora del Este

• Llamar al número: 800-593-0692

• Código de acceso: Think Tank March

• Subtítulos para el evento

• Twitter: #femathinktank

Ayúdanos a distribuir el mensaje por correo electrónico, de persona a persona y en sus sitios de medios sociales.

Gracias.

Flood Safety Awareness Week is an excellent opportunity for all Americans to become more educated about the dangers that flooding can cause and what steps to take to be prepared for the risk of flooding.

All floods are not alike, though. Some develop slowly during an extended period of rain or during a warming trend after a heavy snow. Others, such as flash floods and severe weather, can occur very rapidly, without warning or even any visible signs of rain. That’s why it’s critical to be prepared for flooding no matter where you live.

Don’t be caught off guard. Get the facts. Know the risks. Take action to protect yourself, your family, your business, and your finances—before a weather event occurs and it’s too late.

One of the most critical ways you can protect your home or business and its contents from flooding – the nation’s most common and costly natural disaster - is to purchase flood insurance. It only takes a few inches of water in a home or business to cause thousands of dollars of damage. The time to get protected is now. Between 2006 and 2010, the average flood claim was nearly $34,000. Take a moment to think about that -- it’s more than many survivors can afford to pay out of pocket for damages due to flooding. While no one wants a flood to impact them, with federally backed flood insurance, you have an important financial safety net to help cover costs to repair or rebuild if a flood should strike. Check out the interactive Cost of Flooding tool to see what a flood in your home could cost.

Most standard homeowner policies do not cover flood insurance. Remember, it typically takes 30 days for a new flood insurance policy to go into effect, so get your policy now. An average flood policy costs around $600 a year, and rates start at just $129 a year for homes in moderate-to-low-risk areas.

The National Weather Service may not be forecasting severe Spring flooding this year, but don’t wait until a flood is happening to make sure you are protected. Take time now to learn more about flood risk and your options for insurance coverage by visiting www.floodsmart.gov, or by calling 1-800-427-2419.

For more information about flood safety, visit www.Ready.gov/floods.

The recent deadly tornadoes are a harsh reminder of the terrible outbreak of storms from last April 2011, when at least 173 tornadoes, thunderstorms, and severe winds ripped through the south, killing more than 300 and causing widespread destruction throughout several states.

The twisters leveled neighborhoods and left thousands homeless, with more than a million people without power. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was the worst tornado outbreak since 1974.

President Obama called the loss of life "heartbreaking," and promised survivors the full support of the federal government. FEMA provided federal disaster aid to Alabama and several other affected states.

Although it has been nearly a year, the recovery efforts continue and much work needs to be done. Sixteen students – nine Jewish and seven Muslim – from New York University recently assembled in Birmingham to lend their hands to recovery efforts. There, they joined with local Muslim volunteers from the Birmingham Islamic Society and ICNA Relief USA.

The students from Bridges -- Muslim Jewish Interfaith Dialogue at NY0055, partnered with the New York-based Jewish Disaster Response Corps and ICNA Relief USA to participate in Habitat for Humanity’s rebuilding efforts. Accompanying the students were Imam Khalid Latif and Rabbi Yehuda Sarna.



The trip to Birmingham was Bridges’ community service initiative and part of President Obama’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge.

Importance of Voluntary and Faith-based Organizations

Following any disaster, survivors depend on voluntary and faith-based organizations to assist in recovery efforts.

“Rebuilding becomes the responsibility of the local community, which does not always have the financial needs to address concerns,” said Elie Lowenfeld, JDRC founder and director who also accompanied the students.

Chelsea Garbell, president of Bridges and a junior at NYU, said the main purpose of the trip was to facilitate religious dialogue.

“When we engage in religious dialogue and service work, we strengthen relationships among ourselves, and through those relationships we are able to provide invaluable assistance to the communities we encounter. While in some areas there is animosity between Muslims and Jews, if we can learn from one another, and develop an understanding of our similarities and differences, we can stand together as human beings in an effort to better the world around us.”

Fatima Kutty, a Bridges executive board member who hopes to go to medical school after graduation, said she enjoys working in an interfaith environment, and through “amazing conversations,” she has learned a lot about the Jewish religion and its people.

“Once relationships are established people are less likely to discriminate,” said Kutty.

Lowenfeld said that the trip was a unique opportunity for members of NYU’s Muslim and Jewish communities to develop meaningful relationships with each other, as well as provide service and hope to disaster survivors.

According to David L. Myers, director of the DHS Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, the students’ work in assisting recovery efforts exemplify the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships’ goals of fostering interreligious dialogue and cooperation, while also advancing the whole community approach to emergency management.

Flooding is the nation’s number one natural disaster, and it can occur inland, along the coast, and across every region of the country. Even though you may think your community has little or no risk of flooding, the reality is that anywhere it rains, it can flood. In fact, roughly 25 percent of all flood insurance claims are filed in low-to-moderate flood-risk areas. It is important to keep in mind that the risk of flooding isn’t based only on your community’s history, but on a variety of factors like rainfall, topography, river-flow and tidal-surge data, and changes resulting from new construction in your community. Those all play a part in what actual flood risk you face.

There are steps that you can take to prepare yourself and mitigate against damages. The first thing you can do is know your risk, and we have information on risk, including a One-Step Flood Risk Profile. Next, you should create an emergency communications plan and build an emergency kit to ensure you and your family are prepared for a flood. As part of having a plan, we also encourage you to consider your coverage. A flood insurance policy can protect your home, property, or business from the financial damages of flooding. Most homeowner’s insurance does not cover damage from flooding, so visit FloodSmart.gov to learn more.

In addition to these steps, there are also small flood proofing measures that you can take to help prevent, or minimize the impact of flooding to your home and its contents. A few examples include:

• Elevate your furnace, water heater and electric panel in your home, if you live in a high flood risk area.

• Install "check valves" to prevent flood water from backing up into the drains of your home.

• When practical, homeowners can construct barriers (such as sandbagging) to stop floodwater from entering your home.

• Seal walls in your basement with waterproofing compounds.

Homeowners around the nation have taken proactive measures, like these, to reduce their risk of damage from flooding. Proactive communities work on mitigating strategies through a combination of flood control projects and good floodplain management activities. In addition, FEMA hazard mitigation grants across the country have helped homeowners and communities affected by flooding, prevent future damages. Here are a few examples of how grants have helped protect properties from subsequent flooding.

In New Jersey, a homeowner elevated her home after flooding from severe storms in Spring 2007, protecting her from flooding during the storm surge resulting from Hurricane Irene in August 2011.

In Washington, a homeowner elevated his home after flooding in 2006 with the help of federal and county funding, and was able to avoid damages from flooding that occurred in 2009 when a nearby river surged and floodwaters went under the elevated home.

An inland community in North Carolina that was affected by storms in 1996 used state and federal funding to improve the town’s stormwater management system, which included piping improvements and installation of floodgates and retention ponds. In 2011, when Hurricane Irene brought massive downpours and strong winds, town officials were able to open the floodgates and allow the water to flow as it rushed through the town.

The photo below shows how a hospital in Binghamton, New York, averted major storm damage from flooding in 2011 because of a floodwall and other mitigation measures that were implemented with hazard mitigation grants following 2006 flooding.



To learn about flood risks in your area and for information on flood insurance, visit www.floodsmart.gov. For more information on flood preparedness tips and ways you can protect your family before, during and after a flood visit www.ready.gov/floods.

Las inundaciones son el desastre natural numero uno en la nación el cual puede ocurrir en tierra, costas y por las regiones de todo el país. Aunque piense que su comunidad tiene un poco o no esta en riesgo de inundaciones, la realidad es en cualquier lugar que llueve puede ser inundado. De hecho, aproximadamente el 25 por ciento de todos los reclamos al seguro contra inundaciones son presentadas en áreas de bajo a moderado riesgo de inundación. Es importante tener presente que los riesgos de inundación no se basan solamente en la historia de su comunidad, hay una variedad de factores tales como las precipitaciones, topografía, flujo de los ríos e información sobre las mareas y cambios debido a construcciones nuevas en la comunidad. Estos tienen parte importante en los riesgos de inundaciones que usted pueda enfrentar.

Estos son los pasos que puede seguir para estar preparado y mitigar en contra de posibles daños. El primer paso el conocer su riesgo y nosotros tenemos información sobre los riesgos, incluyendo el perfil de un-paso de los riesgos de inundación. Lo próximo que debe hacer es crear un plan de comunicación en emergencias y preparar un equipo de emergencias para garantizar que usted y su familia estén preparados para una inundación. Como parte de su plan le instamos a considerar su cobertura. La póliza de seguro contra inundación puede proteger su hogar, propiedades o negocios de los daños financieros debido a una inundación. La mayoría de los seguros de dueños no cubren los daños debido a inundaciones, para más información visite FloodSmart.gov.

En adición a estos pasos, hay unas medidas de protección que se pueden hacer para minimizar el impacto de las inundaciones en su hogar y su contenido. Algunos ejemplos incluyen lo siguiente:

• Si usted vive en un área de alto riesgo de inundación, eleve sus enseres eléctricos, calentador de agua y el panel eléctrico del hogar.

• Instalar “válvulas de control” para prevenir que las aguas de la inundación retrocedan hacia los drenajes de su hogar.

• Cuando sea práctico, los propietarios pueden construir barreras tales como los sacos de arena para detener el agua de inundación entre al hogar.

• Sellar las paredes del sótano con materiales impermeables.

Los dueños de viviendas de toda la nación han tomado medidas proactivas como estas para reducir sus riesgos a los daños que pueden ser causados por una inundación. Las comunidades proactivas trabajan en estrategias para mitigar por medio de proyectos de control de inundaciones y actividades de buen manejo de áreas inundables. En adición, las subvenciones de riesgos de mitigación de FEMA, han ayudado a dueños y comunidades afectadas por las inundaciones a prevenir daños futuros en toda la nación. Algunos ejemplos de cómo las subvenciones han ayudado a proteger las propiedades de futuros daños de inundación.

En New Jersey, un dueño de vivienda elevo su casa después de las tormentas severas de la primavera de 2007, protegiéndose de las inundaciones de la oleada de tormentas como resultado del Huracán Irene en agoste del 2011.

En Washington, un dueño de vivienda elevo su casa después de las inundaciones del 2006 con la ayuda de los fondos federales y estatales y pudo evitar los daños de la inundación ocurrida en el 2009 cuando un rio cercano se salió de su cause y las aguas de la inundación quedaron debajo de la casa.

Una comunidad del interior de North Carolina fue afectada por las tormentas del 1996, utilizaron los fondos estatales y federales para mejorar el sistema de manejo de aguas pluviales de la ciudad el cual incluyo mejoras en las tuberías, instalación de compuertas y estanques de retención. En el 2011cuando el Huracán Irene trajo lluvias masivas y vientos fuertes, los oficiales de la ciudad abrieron las compuertas para permitir que las aguas fluyeran por la ciudad.

La foto de abajo muestra como un hospital en Binghamton, New York, evito daños de tormenta mayores de la inundación del 2011 debido a una muralla para detener aguas y otras medidas de mitigación que fueron implementadas con las subvenciones de riesgos de mitigación seguido a las inundaciones del 2006.



Para aprender más sobre los riesgos de inundación en su área y para más información sobre los seguros contra inundaciones visite www.floodsmart.gov. Para información sobre consejos de preparación en inundaciones y formas en las cuales puede proteger a su familia antes, durante y después de una inundación visite http://www.ready.gov/translations/spanish/america/beinformed/floods.html.

In February 2012, four Chilean representatives from the National Office of Emergency of the Interior Ministry (ONEMI – Oficina Nacional de Emergencia del Ministerio del Interior), Chile’s equivalent to FEMA, and eight Mexican representatives from various agencies with emergency management functions traveled to the United States to participate in the Master Exercise Practitioner Program at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Md. The course was designed to help the Mexicans prepare for their own tabletop exercise to be hosted in Mexico City in September and to help the Chileans prepare for the Tsunami Table Top Exercise (TTX) in Valparaiso in May, as well as the Peru-Chile Functional Exercise in August. This was the first time the MEPP course was taught exclusively in Spanish by instructors from FEMA International Affairs, Customs and Border Patrol - El Paso Sector, and EMI and specifically tailored to the requirements of these delegations.

During the course, students learned about the National Response Framework, the National Incident Management System, national preparedness guidelines, as well as the exercise planning cycle and how to develop, run, and evaluate an exercise. Workshops and simulations reinforced the material presented by instructors and encouraged collaboration and interaction among participants. The students really enjoyed the simulation cells because they were able to take advantage of the facilities and technology to conduct live exercises and make the scenarios more realistic.



Both the Chileans and Mexicans were very interested in exploring a scenario similar to the one experienced by Japan in March 2011 with a high magnitude earthquake followed by a tsunami when they were developing their own TTX exercises. The Chileans developed an earthquake and tsunami scenario while the Mexicans chose to work with floods and an earthquake followed by a tsunami. The most common hazard for both countries is floods while earthquakes and a potential tsunami would be the most catastrophic scenario. Each country also brought their national earthquake plans to test during the course.

Examples of tabletop exercises performed by other organizations were pulled from the Lessons Learned Information Sharing network and disseminated to the students so that they could have workable templates, guidelines, and exercise examples to work with when developing their own exercises. Students found the exercise design structure to be the most useful part of the course and are definitely more confident in their abilities to use Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program tools to develop and design exercises.





In addition to the MEPP course, the Chilean students were able to travel to Washington, D.C. to participate in official activities that highlighted the Chilean-American relationship. They attended a panel discussion on “America’s Role in the Rescue of the Chilean Miners” at the National Museum of Natural History and a Chilean embassy event at the Smithsonian American Art Museum which celebrated 200 years of friendship between Chile and the United States. Both events allowed the students to network with both Chilean and American officials as well as celebrate the relationship between these two countries and their accomplishments.