June 6, 2007

Hurricane season starts
With the start of hurricane season on June 1, Colorado State University issued the June update of Dr. William Gray's 2007 extended range forecast of Atlantic hurricane season activity. There are no changes from the April update; the forecast calls for a very active season with 17 named storms, nine hurricanes and five intense hurricanes. The tropical meteorology research group from CSU's Department of Atmospheric Science issues seasonal hurricane forecasts in early December, April, June, August, September and October. Read the full forecast on CSU's Web site: http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts/2007/june2007/.

In addition, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Hampton Roads Emergency Management Committee and VDEM have updated the Virginia Hurricane Guide. The guide contains essential hurricane preparedness information, such as traffic reversal plans along I-64, evacuation routes and bridge/tunnel/ferry closure plans in the Hampton Roads area. The guide is available for download at http://www.readyvirginia.gov/brochures.cfm. Printed guides are available from the VDEM Public Affairs Office at (866) 782-3470 or by e-mail at pio@vdem.virginia.gov.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is offering free generator safety materials that are available for download at http://www.cpsc.gov/generator.html. The door hangers, posters and public service announcements educate the public about the dangers of the odorless, colorless carbon monoxide gas produced by generators.

VOPEX 2007
VDEM will lead the Virginia Operations Plan Exercise with a simulated radiological emergency at the Surry Power Station on June 26. This drill will help state and local governments test their response procedures in the unlikely event of a radiation release.

Response agencies and local government representatives will role-play their emergency operations functions from state and local government emergency operations centers. Participating localities include the counties of Charles City, Isle of Wight, James City, New Kent, Surry and York and the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson and Williamsburg.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will monitor the progress of the drill and conduct an in-depth analysis of the results, detailing areas needing improvement. FEMA will review the success of the exercise at a public meeting 11 a.m. on June 29 at the Omni Hotel in Newport News.

Annual exercises rotate between the Surry and North Anna power stations and usually last about six hours. Multi-day drills are conducted every six years, with the next one in 2008.

Colonial Heights is StormReady
The National Weather Service recognized the city of Colonial Heights in its "StormReady" program, adding the city to its list of more than 1,185 qualified localities in the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam. In the Commonwealth, Colonial Heights joins the StormReady cities of Chesapeake, Danville, Hampton, Newport News and Virginia Beach and the counties of Fairfax, Gloucester, Greene, Loudoun and Prince William. The city of Norfolk is StormReady as well as TsunamiReady. The voluntary program encourages emergency planners to develop severe weather and flood response plans using a grassroots approach in order to meet standards set forth by the NWS with state and local emergency managers. The standards include establishing a 24-hour warning point or emergency operations center, conducting community outreach seminars, developing response plans that include exercises and training weather spotters.

Visit the National Weather Service's StormReady site: http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/.

UASI Nonprofit Security Grant Program
The online Federal Emergency Management Agency/National Preparedness Directorate Authorized Equipment List has been updated to reflect allowable items under the Urban Areas Security Initiative Nonprofit Security Grant Program. The interactive AEL is available on the Responder Knowledge Base, at www.rkb.mipt.org. The program provides funding support for nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of international terrorist attack, and seeks to integrate nonprofit preparedness activities with broader state and local preparedness efforts. Applicants must apply online no later than June 22 through Grants.gov.

FEMA seeks feedback from emergency responders
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has released a draft version of the National Incident Management System Emergency Responder Field Guide. FEMA is asking emergency responders to provide content and format feedback. Contact Ken Clark at (804) 897-6500, ext. 6572 or at ken.clark@vdem.virginia.gov with comments by June 15.

The full text of the guide is available on the NIMS Web site: http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/index.shtm.

HSEEP Mobile Training Program
VDEM is offering a Virginia-specific Homeland Security Exercises and Evaluation Program Mobile Training Course. The class is based on the Department of Homeland Security's HSEEP Mobile Training Course that 28 Virginian emergency planners took last month to become the instructors for the course in the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth's training and education program will incorporate the aspects of the federal version, such as creating exercise documentation, conducting planning conferences and briefings, and practicing exercise evaluation. VDEM's HSEEP Mobile Training Program will include:

1. Senior Executive Overview Course (2 hours)
2. IS-120A Basic Course (4 hours)
3. HSEEP Tool Kit Course (4 hours)
4. Intermediate HSEEP Mobile Training Course (3 days)
5. Advanced Exercise Design Course (2 days)
6. Advanced Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Course (2 days)

For more information and to schedule a class for your region, please contact Commonwealth Exercise Training Officer Hampton Hart at (804) 897-6500, ext 6593.

Produced by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management
10501 Trade Court, Richmond, Virginia 23236