Aug. 2, 2006 -- EM Update


Aug. 2, 2006
Federal funds available to state and local governments The Federal Emergency Management Agency granted Public Assistance to four additional localities on July 27: Botetourt, Craig, Floyd and Henry counties. Public Assistance was granted to the state and nine other localities on June 23: the counties of Alleghany, Arlington, Bath, Dickenson, Fairfax, Highland, King George and Rockbridge, and the city of Alexandria. The declaration makes Public Assistance funds available to cover eligible government and certain private non-profit costs for damage to critical infrastructure, debris removal and related emergency services. An applicant briefing is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 3 in Salem. Also, the declaration approved Hazard Mitigation Assistance statewide, which gives the state and localities the opportunity to apply for grants to fund damage-reduction initiatives for future disasters. FEMA denied Gov. Kaine's request for Individual Assistance to citizens and businesses in the counties of Alleghany, Arlington, Augusta, Botetourt, Fairfax and Montgomery and the cities of Alexandria and Salem. A federal declaration of any type depends on FEMA's review of damage assessments and its conclusion that they meet criteria. Flood recovery safety tips and situation reports are available on VDEM's Web site. Information about individual and public assistance are available online from FEMA. Virginia Hampton Roads residents not prepared for hurricanes According to a recent survey, residents in Virginia's Hampton Roads region and those living in North Carolina's Outer Banks have taken fewer than half of the steps necessary to prepare for hurricane season. The eight steps for complete preparedness include tasks such as taking an inventory of possessions, obtaining flood insurance coverage and having critical documents ready to go in case of evacuation. In addition, 57 percent said they don't have an emergency plan or kit. Several insurance companies commissioned the poll, which surveyed 4,200 residents on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts in June. The Insurance Information Institute has launched a consumer education Web site, www.disasterinformation.org. The site includes free home inventory software and information about assessing flood risk. EAS pilot programs Virginia will participate in two Emergency Alert System pilot programs this year — DHS WARN and Digital EAS — to test state-of-the-art technologies and upgrades in security and overall effectiveness. DHS WARN is an Internet-based system with software that activates alerting devices, converts messages into audio alerts and enables disparate alert and warning systems to interoperate effectively. The Digital EAS program will allow the dissemination of text, voice and video EAS alerts over public TV digital broadcasts. The package includes a laptop computer with video input capability, a portable satellite terminal and a software-based emergency notification system. The Commonwealth will provide feedback to the Federal Emergency Management Agency about these systems, and a final report will be available in 2007. New HIPAA privacy decision tool The Department of Health and Human Services has published a new online interactive decision tool to teach emergency preparedness and recovery planners how to access and use protected information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 Privacy Rule. The tool will teach planners when protected health information can be disclosed for public health emergency preparedness purposes. The tool is available on the HHS Web site. Training... IS-703 NIMS Resource Management IS-703, NIMS Resource Management, will replace G-276, Resource Management. This interactive computer-based course provides the principles, tools, processes and systems that incident managers need to timely and effectively manage resources during an incident. Primary tasks addressed in this course: Systems for resource description, inventory, request and tracking Activating, dispatching or deactivating these systems prior to, during or after an incident Both G-276 and IS-703 count as elective credit in the Emergency Management Institute's Advanced Professional Series. The course and final exam are available online. Conferences... Virginia Interoperable Communications Conference Emergency responders, law enforcement, public safety practitioners and other criminal justice agency personnel from the local, state and federal levels are invited to attend the third annual Virginia Interoperable Communications Conference. Lectures, video presentations and panel discussions will be held at the Portsmouth Renaissance Hotel & Waterfront Conference Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, Oct. 3-4, 2006.
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EM Update is the best way to communicate best practices and to get a heads up on issues that might affect you. Articles include case studies, cost/resource-saving local programs, examples of partnerships and regional cooperation and recognition of emergency managers who receive awards and honors in the field. Please don't hesitate to contact the editor whenever you have a project that might benefit localities or want to highlight an important issue concerning Virginia's emergency response community. Contact Jolie Brendlinger at (804) 897-6510 or by e-mail at pio@vdem.virginia.gov.
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