This message was sent to ##Email## To advertise in this publication please click here January 6, 2022 .IAEM CONFERENCE NEWS Mark your calendar for the next IAEM Virtual Conference, March 24-25, 2022 IAEM IAEM is hosting a mid-year virtual conference, Mar. 24-25, 2022, to bring you two days of brand-new high-quality content from speakers chosen by the IAEM-USA Conference Committee. More information will be shared as the final program is developed. Plan now to spend two days with your IAEM colleagues in March. Registration will open soon. Call for Speakers for the IAEM Annual Conference opens mid-January IAEM The Call for Speakers for the 2022 IAEM Annual Conference & EMEX will open on Jan. 17, 2022. Speaker guidance now is available on the IAEM website. To help individuals prepare speaker proposals, the IAEM-USA Conference Committee is hosting a webinar, “Tips for a Successful Speaker Proposal,” at 2:00 p.m. EST, Jan. 17. The webinar will review all mandatory requirements for a speaker proposal; provide insider tips from the Reviewing Committee; review breakout focus areas; and demonstrate the online submission system. Time will be included for a question-and-answer session. Register for the webinar today. Annual Conference and EMEX Sponsor of the Week: TF Rankin & Associates IAEM TF Rankin & Associates, "TRA", is dedicated to delivering professional technical assistance at the state and local government level. Our mission is to assist our clients in the preparation for, response to, mitigation of, and recovery from disaster events. Over the past four decades, our experts have helped plan for and respond to every kind of disaster imaginable – including unprecedented events like Sandy, Katrina, COVID, and 9/11 that required new techniques be developed on-the-fly. We develop custom training and tactics for all of our clients, removing obstacles and guiding them towards the best pathways to physical and fiscal recovery. .IAEM-CANADA COUNCIL NEWS Indigenous Services Canada to provide aid for Ontario First Nation facing 'severe' COVID-19 outbreak CTV Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu has announced $483,000 in funding for resources to support a remote First Nation community in Northern Ontario that is suffering a COVID-19 outbreak. "To support Bearskin Lake First Nation in their state of emergency and severe COVID outbreak, [Indigenous Services Canada] has approved $483,000 for a number of resources in addition to other supports that have been coordinated in the past month,” Hajdu tweeted Sunday evening. READ MORE .IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS Last year's 'relentless' disasters challenged Fed response* Government Technology The White House Situation Room only sends out alerts in the middle of the night to wake up top officials when a significant event in the world requires an immediate government response. The collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside was one of those nights. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by Rave Mobile Safety Do You Know How To Prepare Your Front Lines For Community Protection? Protect Buildings, Schools and other Soft Targets with Rave Public Safety and the Need to Improve Mental Health and Emergency Response – Survey Results Prepare for both Planned and Unplanned Events with Rave’s Incident Collaboration Solution Deliver Critical Communications to Your Community in Three Clicks Across All Modes FEMA, USDA and DOI jointly establish new Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Homeland Security Today The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of the Interior (DOI) and FEMA announced the establishment of a Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. Establishing this commission fulfills a key provision of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and represents a critical step in combating the nation’s wildfire crisis and improving resilience in America’s landscapes. READ MORE FEMA releases the 2021 National Preparedness Report IAEM FEMA released the 2021 National Preparedness Report. The report summarizes the state of the nation’s preparedness and looks at the risks it faces and the capabilities the nation has to address those risks. The report focuses on: The nation’s changing risk environment, driven predominantly by climate change and technology. The nation’s efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and lessons that may be applied to future incidents. Management opportunities that will assist communities in addressing capability gaps. The report identifies the challenges that emergency managers face in addressing a growing risk environment and how they meet those challenges to better prepare the nation. Emergency managers and whole community partners across the nation can look to this year’s report to help support decisions about program priorities, resource allocations, and community actions.  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Innovative Strategies for Resilient, Prepared Communities For over 36 years, IEM’s team of nationally recognized emergency management, disaster recovery, and crisis response leaders have applied their expertise, experience, and innovative solutions helping communities prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against disasters, public health emergencies, and other hazards. No matter the crisis, #TeamIEM is prepared to take on the challenge. How can we help you create a more resilient future? LEARN MORE BuildStrong Coalition names former CFPB, FEMA official as new executive director IAEM The BuildStrong Coalition has named Natalie Enclade as its new executive director. Enclade joins BuildStrong from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), where she led the agency’s Financial Well-Being program. She also previously served as the director of the Individual and Community Preparedness Division at FEMA from 2018-2019. As executive director, Enclade will lead the Coalition’s advocacy effort on the Resilient AMERICA Act, a bipartisan disaster reform bill introduced by House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) earlier this fall. The Resilient AMERICA Act (RAA) was also introduced by Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Chair Dina Titus (D-NV) and Ranking Member Daniel Webster (R-FL) and includes numerous provisions geared toward providing communities with additional resources and tools to bolster mitigation and resilience before the next disaster strikes. .EM NEWS After Oso disaster, landslide prediction remains vexing, necessary* Herald.net In a single minute, the deadliest landslide in the nation’s history killed 43 people in Snohomish County. The 2014 disaster near Oso inspired action by Congress and the state Legislature. It led to changes in the county hazard map, tougher logging regulations and improved disaster response. But landslide prediction remains vexing. And climate change is magnifying the need for both research and public awareness of slide danger. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by George Washington University This is pioneering education on counter-terrorism, intelligence analysis, emerging security threats and relevant legislation. Professors are acknowledged leaders in the field who bring first-hand experience to class. Our program is a 36-credit master’s degree program that can be completed in as little as 16 months. .UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE/SCHOOL EM ISSUES Schools, colleges react to COVID surge with online classes, revised rules Campus Security The current massive surge of COVID-19 cases is prompting K-12 schools and universities across the country to quickly adapt. Some have temporarily gone back to distance learning while others are requiring students, faculty and staff to wear face masks again. District and college campus officials are applying the lessons they’ve learned about previous coronavirus surges so that the measures they implement aren’t as painful. READ MORE .HEALTHCARE EM UPDATE Rural hospitals' struggles exacerbated by pandemic* Government Technology Hospitals across Western New York, the state and the country are facing a capacity crunch, the culmination of staffing shortages, a difficulty discharging patients and significant Covid-19 hospitalizations. Rural hospitals may be even more challenged. Those facilities have some of the lowest percentages of available staffed hospital beds in New York. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Disaster Recovery. Simplified Deloitte’s Close as You Go (CAYG) is a secure cloud-based software platform built to help agencies manage recovery documentation for procurement and contracting, model policies and procedures, and plan for disaster. Developed alongside specialists in preparedness and response, CAYG helps you prepare, so you can focus on recovery. LEARN MORE How will pandemic end? Omicron clouds forecasts for endgame* The Associated Press Pandemics do eventually end, even if omicron is complicating the question of when this one will. But it won’t be like flipping a light switch: The world will have to learn to coexist with a virus that’s not going away. The ultra-contagious omicron mutant is pushing cases to all-time highs and causing chaos as an exhausted world struggles, again, to stem the spread. But this time, we’re not starting from scratch. READ MORE .CLIMATE/WATER/WEATHER UPDATES Climate scientists grapple with wildfire disaster in their backyard* Axios The wind-whipped firestorm that tore through parts of Boulder County, Colorado, on Thursday struck at the heart of one of America's top climate science and meteorology research hubs. The Marshall Fire destroyed as many as 1,000 homes and may have killed two people, while leaving thousands of others homeless after tearing through Denver's northern suburbs of Superior, Louisville and Broomfield. READ MORE PRODUCT SHOWCASE Online Master's in Infrastructure Planning & Management The University of Washington's online Master of Infrastructure Planning & Management program prepares you to lead development of the next generation of critical infrastructure systems ­­— resilient, secure and accessible. Earn your degree completely online in two years of part-time study. Apply now to start in fall 2021.   LEARN MORE   Reach Your Prospects Every Week Thousands of industry professionals subscribe to association news briefs, which allows your company to push messaging directly to their inboxes and take advantage of the association's brand affinity. Connect with Highly Defined Buyers and Maximize Your Brand Exposure   LEARN MORE   Devastating Colorado fires cap a year of climate disasters, with one side of the country too wet, the other dangerously dry Route Fifty Alongside a lingering global pandemic, the year 2021 was filled with climate disasters, some so intense they surprised even the scientists who study them. Extreme rainstorms turned to raging flash floods that swept through mountain towns in Europe, killing over 200 people. Across Asia, excessive rainfall inundated wide areas and flooded subway stations in China. Heat waves shattered records in the Pacific Northwest, Europe and the Arctic. Wildfires swept through communities in California, Canada, Greece and Australia. READ MORE Antarctica's 'Doomsday' Glacier: How its collapse could trigger global floods and swallow islands Homeland Security News Wire Driven by global warming, sea level has risen around 20cm since 1900, an amount which is already forcing coastal communities out of their homes and exacerbating environmental problems such as flooding, saltwater contamination and habitat loss. The massive Thwaites glacier in West Antarctica is similar in size to Great Britain, and it contains enough ice to raise global sea levels by 65cm if it were to completely collapse. READ MORE Report reveals huge toll of extreme weather disasters in 2021 Homeland Security Today A new report by Christian Aid, Counting the cost 2021: a year of climate breakdown identifies 15 of the most destructive climate disasters of the year. Ten of those events cost $1.5 billion or more. Most of these estimates are based only on insured losses, meaning the true financial costs are likely to be even higher. READ MORE Climate change study predicts hurricanes will expand into more populated areas Homeland Security Today Climate change will expand the range of tropical cyclones, making millions more people vulnerable to these devastating storms, a new study says. At present, these cyclones – or hurricanes as they are also known – are mainly confined to the tropical regions north and south of the equator. But researchers say that rising temperatures will allow these weather events to form in the mid-latitudes. This area includes cities such as New York, Beijing, Boston and Tokyo. READ MORE The December 2021 tornado outbreak, explained Homeland Security Today The tornadoes that ripped across the central and southern U.S. late in the evening of December 10, 2021, were notable in many ways. The thunderstorms and tornadoes they produced traveled far — sometimes far more than 100 miles — and the impacts were widespread. NOAA’s National Weather Service has confirmed 61 tornadoes as of December 18. The very fact that tornadoes of this intensity struck in late autumn, rather than in the spring and summer when thunderstorms and tornadoes are more likely, is remarkable. READ MORE .CYBERSECURITY NEWS Cyber threats to critical manufacturing sector industrial control systems Homeland Security Today The Critical Manufacturing Sector is at risk from increased cyber-attack surface areas and limited cybersecurity workforces related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These trends increase the vulnerability1 of the Critical Manufacturing Sector to the growing number of ransomware attacks aimed at private businesses by increasing attack surfaces and reducing protective abilities. To mitigate future threats, the Critical Manufacturing Sector should prioritize the management of risks. READ MORE .NEW INSIGHTS 'Don't do that!' Joplin's decade-long tornado recovery has lessons for the nation about surviving trauma KCUR-FM The devastating tornado outbreaks in Kentucky and parts of the Midwest in December sparked a massive recovery effort and left residents hoping life would soon return to some kind of normal. But nearly 400 miles to the west, residents of in Joplin, Missouri, know better. READ MORE .DISASTER TECHNOLOGY NEWS Tornadoes: using technology and education to improve safety AMU Edge Writes Dr. Kandis Y. Wyatt: "What’s going on with the weather these days? Growing up, I remember tornadoes occurring in the early spring. Most of these storms developed over open farmland, so they weren’t considered a major concern. However, the Plainfield tornado in 1990 totally changed my limited perception of tornadoes, how quickly they can develop and the utter devastation that they can cause. This particular tornado occurred just miles from my home." READ MORE .CERTIFICATION UPDATE IAEM announces 2022 certification review schedule IAEM The IAEM website outlines the 2022 schedule for certification reviews. If you are planning to complete the certification process in time to get your diploma at the IAEM Annual Conference in November, please note the important dates outlined on the website. .IAEM MEMBER NEWS Carrie Speranza joins FEMA's National Advisory Council Leadership Homeland Security Today Carrie Speranza, Deputy Director at Washington, DC’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency has recently joined the leadership circle of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Advisory Council (NAC). The NAC advises FEMA’s Administrator on all aspects of emergency management, including preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other manmade disasters. READ MORE .GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS Application period extended for FY21 Assistance to Firefighters Grants IAEM FEMA is working with the General Services Administration to resolve interface issues related to SAM.gov that are affecting applicant ability to begin inputting the fiscal year 2021 Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program applications into the FEMA GO System. This issue included applicants that received error messages stating their organizations were not found and that their Unique Entity Identifier/Electronic Funds Transfer combination did not exist despite the applicants’ SAM.gov accounts being fully active. As this issue is ongoing, the FY 2021 AFG Program application period will remain open until 5:00 p.m. EST, Jan. 21, 2022. All applicants will automatically be granted this extension. This ensures that applicants affected by the Unique Entity Identifier/Electronic Funds Transfer issue will have sufficient time to complete the online application. The extension to the application period will not affect the award timeline. FEMA continues to strongly encourage applicants to review the FY 2021 AFG Program funding notice and the associated tools posted on the FEMA website here: FY 2021 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Application Guidance Materials | FEMA.gov. .AROUND THE WORLD Wintery conditions leave thousands of motorists trapped on highway for a day Route Fifty Thousands of motorists—including one U.S. senator—found themselves trapped in their cars in Virginia overnight Monday and all day Tuesday, as a winter snow storm brought traffic in both directions on Interstate 95 to a standstill. As of Tuesday night, cars were no longer stuck on the highway but some were still stranded on side roads, according to media reports. The logjam raised questions about Virginia’s preparations for the storm and how other states could avoid similar fates. READ MORE Malaysia floods hit seven states forcing thousands to evacuate CNN Seven states in Malaysia were hit by floods on Sunday and thousands of people were evacuated, taking the total affected by heavy rain in the past two weeks to more than 125,000, the National Disaster Management Agency said. The agency said in a statement that Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Sabah were still affected by floods, and 8,727 people were taking shelter at 128 relief centers. READ MORE Death toll from Brazil flooding rises in Bahia's 'worst disaster' ever Reuters The death toll from floods hammering northeast Brazil rose to 20 on Monday, as the governor of Bahia state declared it the worst disaster in the state's history and rescuers braced for more rain in the coming days. Much of Bahia, home to about 15 million people, has suffered from intermittent flooding for weeks, after a long drought gave way to record rains. READ MORE Colorado wildfire: Up to 1,000 buildings destroyed as Biden declares disaster News Concerns Up to 1,000 buildings may have been destroyed in the record wildfire that swept through a Colorado area abutting the Rocky Mountains, as Joe Biden declared the situation a disaster and experts warned that the climate crisis and suburban expansion contributed to the devastation. After declaring that it was a miracle, based on the latest information, that no one was killed in the fire that roared with little notice through Boulder county on Thursday, officials said that more than 500 and as many as 1,000 homes and businesses may have been razed. READ MORE 6.2 magnitude earthquake hits Taiwan, tremors felt in capital city NDTV A strong earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan on Monday evening with shaking felt in the capital Taipei, but authorities said there were no immediate reports of widespread damage or injuries. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake measured 6.2 in magnitude and hit at a depth of 28 kilometres (17 miles). READ MORE More than 100 structures damaged in Pike County flooding WSAZ-TV Pike County Emergency Management crews have spent Sunday and Monday assessing flood damage in the county. Emergency Management Director Doug Tackett said they expect more than 100 homes and buildings were flooded. READ MORE Landslide in southwestern China kills 14 people, injures 3 The Indian Express A landslide at a construction site in southwestern China has killed 14 people and injured three others, official reports said Tuesday. The cause of the landslide Monday evening in Bijie city in Guizhou province is under investigation, the reports said. READ MORE   IAEM Dispatch Connect with IAEM Hailey Golden, Director of Publishing, MultiView, 469-420-2630 | Download media kit Bob Kowalski, Executive Editor, MultiView, 469-420-2650 | Contribute news International Association of Emergency Managers 201 Park Washington Court  |  Falls Church, VA 22046-4527  Elizabeth B. Armstrong, MAM, CAE, IAEM CEO, IAEM Executive Director Dawn M. Shiley, CAE, IAEM Dispatch POC, IAEM Communications and Marketing Manager (703) 538-1795  |  Contact Us  |  www.iaem.org/ Click here to unsubscribe.  Learn how to add us to your safe sender list so our emails get to your inbox. ADVERTISE SUBSCRIBE PAST ISSUES   7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063