Sept. 12, 2007

Interoperability meetings scheduled
VDEM and the Governor's Office of Commonwealth Preparedness have scheduled meetings with local stakeholders to get their input on project funding through the Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program.

Each locality's chief administrative officer should submit one project for review and consideration. Grant guidance dictates that all submissions must be multiple localities or be regional submissions; all states are limited to a maximum of 10 total investments. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss and prioritize the submitted ideas for each region.

Each locality's CAO or agency head will select representatives to attend the meetings. Please contact your local CAO or agency head if you are interested in attending or have a project idea you would like to submit.

The PSIC Grant Program is a formula-based, matching grant program intended to enhance interoperable communications with respect to voice, data and video signals. For more information about the meetings and for additional information regarding the PSIC Grant Program, please visit http://www.interoperability.virginia.gov/GrantsInformation/index.cfm.

DHS releases National Response Framework for comment
The Department of Homeland Security has released the new National Response Framework, which, when finalized, will take the place of the National Response Plan. The shorter, less bureaucratic and more user-friendly framework focuses on the national response to and short-term recovery from all-hazard disasters across all levels of government. In addition, supporting documents, including Emergency Support Functions, Support and Incident Annexes and other appendices have also been updated to reflect a number of key recommendations from more than 700 representatives from federal, tribal, state and local governments, non-governmental agencies and associations, and the private sector, who participated in a review process that began one year ago. The 30-day comment period provides interested parties with the opportunity to provide feedback on the document. These documents are available at the newly-created NRF Resource Center, which is available online at http://www.fema.gov/nrf. This resource center will be continuously updated as additional supporting materials are created or revised.

Caroline County launches alerting system
Caroline County's Department of Fire-Rescue & Emergency Management has launched http://www.CarolineAlert.com. The alerting system will allow emergency officials to send emergency text messages like tornado or severe thunderstorm warnings from the National Weather Service to citizens who have registered their e-mail, cell phone, pager and other wireless communication devices. In addition, the system can also send non-emergency messages, such as school closings and meeting reminders. Although Caroline County will not charge subscribers for the alerting service, each subscriber will be responsible for any messaging charges in their wireless service contracts.

IAEM accepting nominations for 2007 awards
The International Association of Emergency Managers is accepting nominations for the IAEM 2007 Awards Program. Both IAEM members and non-members are eligible for the program, which has been updated to reflect contemporary trends in emergency management and to enhance the value of the awards. Official nomination forms and supporting documents must be e-mailed to info@iaem.com no later than Sept. 20. Complete rules, nomination procedures and the official nomination form are available at http://www.iaem.com/about/awards/intro.htm.

Virginia receives federal firefighter assistance funds
Thirteen Virginia fire departments will share more than $800,000 in funds awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. AFG funds support projects that best address program priorities for 2007, which include achieving national baseline capabilities, risk-based funding, and communications and equipment interoperability. Round 2-5 recipients are Ararat Volunteer Fire Department, Callands Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Inc., Clintwood Volunteer Fire Department, Elk Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Fairystone Volunteer Fire Depart, Inc., Forest Volunteer Fire Company, Hurt Volunteer Fire Department Inc., Little Fork Volunteer Fire and Rescue Co., Lower King and Queen Volunteer Fire Department, Rural Retreat Volunteer Fire Department, Rustburg Ruritan Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., Vinton First Aid Crew and Washington County Fire Rescue #1, Inc.

Four Commonwealth recipients received funding previously, during Round 1: Burnt Chimney Volunteer Fire Department, Newport News Fire Department, Trevilians Volunteer Fire Department and Virginia Beach Department of EMS.

Locality Amateur Radio Survey 2007
VDEM is seeking information from emergency managers throughout the Commonwealth about amateur radio capabilities within each jurisdiction's emergency operations center. Please submit the information listed below to Terry Hebert, operations watch officer, at Terry.Hebert@vdem.virginia.gov:

• The amateur group each locality is working with
• A point of contact and contact information
• The type of amateur radio equipment in use, such as HF, VHF, UHF, packet and other digital radio equipment.

If your locality does not currently have amateur radio capabilities in its EOC and would like to, please indicate this in the e-mail, and VDEM will assist you in acquiring them.

2008 statewide tornado drill
The statewide tornado drill is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18 at 9:45 a.m. The Code of Virginia requires that all public schools participate in at least one tornado drill per year, and participation in this drill would fulfill that requirement. However, if this drill date or time is not convenient, schools are welcome to choose an alternative date or time. Private schools, businesses and families are also encouraged to participate. Last year, more than 170,000 students, businesses and families participated in the drill.

Learn how to conduct a drill and register online at http://www.vaemergency.com/threats/tornado/index.cfm.

Commonwealth's Training and Exercise Planning Workshop
Emergency managers are invited to this workshop, Oct. 9-10 in Williamsburg, to review and update the existing Multi-Year Exercise Plan for the period 2008 – 2010. The focus of the workshop is to coordinate all training and exercise activities occurring throughout the Commonwealth to:

• Prevent duplication of efforts
• Avoid overextending resources during training or exercises
• Maximize the efficiency of training and exercise funds

Additionally, the workshop will review the training and exercise plan, its goals and methodology, and its compliance with the Commonwealth's State Homeland Security Strategy.

Registration and additional information about the workshop is available online at http://www.vaemergency.com/train/calendar_course.cfm?id=94. For a copy of the Multi-Year Plan, contact Hampton Hart, director of VDEM's Office of Training and Exercises, at (804) 897-6500, ext. 6593 or at Hampton.Hart@vdem.virginia.gov, or contact Vivian Beasley, training and exercises specialist, at (804) 897-6500, ext. 6537 or at Vivian.Beasley@vdem.virginia.gov.

Training...
NIMS Intrastate Mutual Aid Course
This online course provides local and state emergency response personnel with an introduction to intrastate mutual aid in the context of the National Incident Management System. Topics include the purpose and benefits of mutual aid, the emphasis that NIMS places on mutual aid, and an overview of mutual aid agreements and operational plans.

The course is available at http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/is706.asp. For more information, contact the course manager, Maria Moore, at (301) 447-1501 or maria.moore@dhs.gov.

ICS 300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents
This two-day course will teach students to develop an ICS organizational structure, list staffing requirements, prepare a briefing, lead or participate in a planning meeting, identify resources, develop goals, prepare an action plan and become familiar with the National Incident Management System. Those who could fill supervisory level positions during an incident should attend.

The class has been scheduled at locations around the state, including a newly-added class in Farmville, Oct. 2-3. For registration deadlines and course information, visit VDEM's Training Calendar at http://www.vaemergency.com/train/calendar_course.cfm?id=83.

Autism and Law Enforcement & Emergency Preparedness
The disAbility Resource Center is offering a seminar about autism for law enforcement and emergency response personnel. "Autism and Law Enforcement & Emergency Preparedness," Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., focuses on autism risk management training and autism recognition in an emergency. The class will be at Germanna Community College's Work Force and Technology Center in Fredericksburg. Registration is open to school and agency personnel, volunteers active during emergencies, all first responders, and family members of those with autism. E-mail Kim Lett at KLett@cildrc.org for registration information.

Conferences...
Virginia Public Safety Outreach Conference, "Ready Virginia"
Registration and a tentative conference agenda for the 2007 Virginia Public Safety Outreach Conference are now available at http://www.vaemergency.com. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Virginia Citizen Corps will sponsor the conference, Wednesday, Nov. 14 at the Newport News Omni.

Conference sessions will focus on an array of topics, including how to leverage the Ready Virginia campaign to improve emergency preparedness locally. More information about Ready Virginia is available at http://www.readyvirginia.gov. E-mail questions about the conference to pio@vdem.virginia.gov.

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