This message was sent to ##Email## To advertise in this publication please click here February 11, 2021 .ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS Call for Speakers for IAEM Annual Conference breakout sessions closes next week on Feb. 19 IAEM Now is your chance to speak during a breakout session at the IAEM 69th Annual Conference & EMEX, Oct. 15-22, 2021, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Speaker proposals are due by 11:59:59 p.m. CST, Friday, Feb. 19. Step-by-step instructions and details on the breakout focus areas may be reviewed in the Speaker Guidance. View the webinar recording for additional tips from Conference Committee members who will be selecting the presentations. Direct questions to IAEM Program Manager Julie Husk. IAEM Reimagined content, available on-demand until Apr. 16, is eligible for certification credits IAEM Are you looking for contact hours to get certified this year? By registering for IAEM Reimagined on-demand you can receive up to 48 contact hours. On-demand is great because you can watch wherever and whenever is best for you. Watch breakout sessions by experts, ranging from health, training and leadership to technology and more. Take the next step in your career, and get certified or recertified by the IAEM Certified Emergency Manager Program, using all the hours of content you can gain in such an accessible way. Content is available until Apr. 16, 2021, so register now and begin your learning journey today. EMEX sponsor highlight of the week: Witt O'Brien's IAEM Witt O’Brien’s specializes in crisis and emergency management. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have helped more than 70 communities across the nation with COVID-19 federal funding. Clients include states and counties alike, both large and small, but all are seeking the same outcome – to provide the much-needed economic relief to their communities and residents – and Witt O’Brien’s helps them do just that. Visit their website if you need assistance with Emergency Rental Assistance Program implementation or with a Coronavirus Relief Fund diagnostic. .IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS IAEM-USA submits comments in opposition to proposed revision to PA Program IAEM IAEM-USA submitted comments to FEMA in opposition to the proposed revision to the Disaster Declaration Factor of the Public Assistance Program. In short, IAEM-USA feels there are legitimate policy questions related to the per-capita indicator and the declarations process, but FEMA's proposed change, coming as it does when state and local budgets are already stretched to the breaking point, is ill-timed. IAEM-USA urges FEMA to withdraw this misguided proposal and start over once COVID is behind us and the economy regains some balance. Then, and only then, should FEMA, Capitol Hill, and state and local stakeholders representing the whole of America consider this as part of a comprehensive effort to reduce the costs of disasters to the federal government in a way that does not bankrupt state and local governments. FEMA is accepting written comments on the current proposal until March 12, 2021. IAEM-USA President Judson Freed, CEM, will participate in a Feb. 24 public meeting on this topic. Complete information on the changes, public meeting, and how to submit comments is available at regulations.gov. Members may direct questions to IAEM Government Affairs Director Thad Huguley. Increasing numbers of US residents in high-risk wildfire and flood zones Governing Millions of Americans are living on properties that are at-risk for climate change-related disasters. The solution to the problem is far more complicated than just telling residents to move. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Managing Multiple Crises Amidst COVID–19 How will you respond when the next public safety crisis hits? Learn how First Alert’s real-time breaking news alerts can keep you a step ahead. Read our eBook to be better prepared for the next emergency. LEARN MORE FEMA accepting spring nominations for exercise assistance IAEM The FEMA National Exercise Division is now accepting Spring 2021 exercise assistance nominations to the National Exercise Program. Spring nomination submissions are due by Apr. 1, 2021, and decisions will be announced by May 3. The program offers no-cost assistance to jurisdictions for exercise design, development, execution and evaluation to validate capabilities across all mission areas. Instructions for how to submit a nomination are on the National Exercise Program website. FEMA is hosting three 60-minute webinars for state, local, tribal, territorial and other whole community partners to discuss the nomination process. The webinar also will cover National Exercise Program supporting activities for conducting exercises in a pandemic, as well as Principals’ Strategic Priorities. The dates for the webinars are: 2:00 p.m. EST Feb. 11 (today); 4:00 p.m. EST Feb. 25; and 2:00 p.m. EST Mar. 11. To register for the webinars, visit the National Exercise Program webinar page. For questions, send an email to the National Exercise Division. .EM NEWS New timeline of deadliest California wildfire could guide lifesaving research and action National Institute of Standards and Technology via YubaNet The Camp Fire was the costliest disaster worldwide in 2018 and, having caused 85 deaths and destroyed more than 18,000 buildings, it became both the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history, two records the fire still holds today. What made the Camp Fire so devastating? And what lessons can we learn to prevent another disaster of this scale? Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have begun to answer these questions by investigating the conditions leading up to the fire and meticulously reconstructing the sequence of events describing the first 24 hours of its progression. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by American Military University COVID-19: Will This Be the Public Health’s 9/11 Earthquakes: The ‘Big One’ Might Hit the Midwest – Not California ­COVID-19: Flattening the Curve to Avoid a 'Great Depression II' Staying Safe: The Twin Threats of COVID-19 and Disaster Events ­How 1911's Triangle Fire Changed US Safety Laws .HEALTHCARE EM UPDATE COVID-19 brings new challenges to contact tracing efforts Governing Before the COVID-19 pandemic, not many people had heard the term "contact tracing," let alone knew how it related to the virus. Contact tracing helps slow the spread of the virus by alerting people to possible exposures, helping people exposed to the virus get tested, and asking people with the virus to self-isolate if they have the virus or self-quarantine if they have been exposed. READ MORE FEMA allocates nearly $2B for federal vaccine centers Homeland Preparedness News The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has set aside approximately $1.98 billion to states, tribes, territories as well as Washington D.C., for community vaccination centers. Currently, there are 175 federally supported vaccine centers operational across the country. The federal government plans to launch a small number of pilot community vaccination sites using primarily federal staff to support state and local governments. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Real-Time Threat Detection and Validation The DataCapable® Platform™ combines patented artificial intelligence algorithms with human-in-the-loop validation to capture, automate, distribute, and visualize actionable information in a real-time common operating picture — quickly make informed decisions to mitigate hazards affecting your communities, infrastructure, and resources before they become a wider threat to operations and public safety.­ ­ LEARN MORE Coronavirus variant strains could impact herd immunity Emergency Management Although the United States has begun to climb down from the latest COVID-19 surge and vaccinations are being administered, the CDC, in a call this week, cautioned against complacency, especially with the emergency of variant strains of the virus. The holiday surge has passed, but Super Bowl Sunday presents another hurdle in the fight against the coronavirus, even as vaccinations are ramping up. READ MORE New resource provides information on eligibility for EMS personnel as vaccinators IAEM The National Association of State EMS Officials has released the survey results from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and American Samoa on the eligibility of EMS personnel as vaccinators. The survey provides findings on whether paramedics, AEMTs, EMTs, or other emergency medical responders are eligible to serve as vaccinators based on their state’s guidance. This information will be periodically updated. DHS activates surge capacity force to support COVID-19 response IAEM Members of DHS's Surge Capacity Force began deploying to support communities across the country affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19). The staff will deploy to vaccination sites across the country to support President Biden’s goal of administering 100 million vaccines within the first 100 days of his administration. Surge Capacity Force members will receive training and operational briefings on Wednesday and Thursday before deploying to vaccination sites where they will assist people obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine. There are currently more than 5,100 non-FEMA DHS personnel and 2,900 other federal agency personnel rostered to support the Surge Capacity Force. This is in addition to more than 20,000 FEMA employees dedicated to helping people before, during and after disasters. .CYBERSECURITY NEWS Hackers tried to poison a city's drinking water supply Route Fifty A hacker breached the computer system at a water treatment facility in Oldsmar, Florida and attempted to add dangerous levels of sodium hydroxide to the water supply, but was foiled by an employee at the plant, officials said. The hacker accessed the treatment plant’s computer system remotely and toggled the levels of sodium hydroxide from 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million, a more than 100-fold increase that could have had potentially deadly effects on Oldsmar’s 15,000 residents. READ MORE  FEATURED ARTICLE   Earthquake Resiliency Can Protect California's Affordable Housing Supply Promoted by Optimum Seismic, Inc. How would a massive earthquake impact California’s housing shortage? The answer is obvious. A major earthquake that hits densely-populated urban areas would make California’s housing shortage much worse. LEARN MORE   A key step in preventing a future SolarWinds Homeland Security News Wire In the weeks since news of the SolarWinds incident became public, commentators have offered no shortage of prescriptions for responding to the incident. Natalie Thompson writes that as information continues to emerge about the scope and scale of the incident and policymakers struggle with thorny questions regarding appropriate responses, urgent attention also is needed to actions that could prevent such large-scale catastrophes in the future. READ MORE .EM RESOURCES FEMA releases new resources to inspire communities to reduce risks IAEM FEMA launched a new interactive story map to help coastal communities understand their unique risks and use the data from coastal studies to become more resilient. Thinking Beyond Flood Maps presents ideas to inspire coastal communities to use FEMA flood mapping data for more than just floodplain management ordinances or explaining flood insurance purchase requirements. Case studies demonstrate how four coastal communities used the data to enhance resiliency from floods. To view the story maps, visit fema.gov.  PRODUCT SHOWCASE The Ultimate Sandbag Filling Tool If your responsibility includes sandbag production, you realize the biggest challenge is output: the maximum number of bags in the least amount of time. The mobile, low cost ExpressBagger® is a perfect solution if your sandbagging operation uses "people power" and needs a high output with a minimal investment. www.expressbagger.net. LEARN MORE FEMA announces the National Flood Insurance Program LinkedIn page IAEM FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program LinkedIn page is now available, connecting FEMA with insurance agents, adjusters, lenders and other partners. The LinkedIn page will share the latest program updates, highlight marketing tips, and announce upcoming training opportunities. Follow the page to receive weekly updates, find answers to commonly asked questions about flood insurance and discover new resources that can help selling and servicing flood insurance policies. .NEW INSIGHTS How can FEMA improve its work? Federal News Network The Pentagon might have cleaned house, but many federal advisory boards continue to operate normally. One of them is the National Advisory Council supporting FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In fact, it recently came out with a long list of recommendations for the agency. READ MORE .CEM® UPDATE Online certification prep course helps candidates with IAEM certification process IAEM MindEdge Learning—an online education company founded by Harvard and MIT educators—has partnered with IAEM to develop the online AEM®/CEM® Prep Course (U.S. version). The course, which can be purchased through the IAEM website, allows candidates to review the application process, study the exam materials, watch video commentary from certified emergency managers, and access sample exam questions, including two full-length, 100-question practice exams. .IAEM-ASIA NEWS A matter of survival — More at risk of losing homes as climate change outpaces response Reuters via The Fiji Times Governments have made progress on understanding how people are forced from their homes by climate stresses and on preventing some of the worst impacts — but there is still far to go before communities are properly protected, top officials said. Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama told an online event — to mark five years since global agreements to tackle climate change and disasters were adopted in 2015 — that the threat of worsening storms and rising seas had become more “existential” by the day." 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   Match Vaccine Supply with Resident Demand Address challenges around vaccine appointment scheduling. Avoid system crashes that frustrate and confuse residents. Data and targeting features increase reach and facilitate two-way communication. Automate appointment signup to provide clear status information. Generate vaccination heatmaps to discover and address problem areas. Request a Demo!   LEARN MORE   .AROUND THE WORLD Details emerge of terrifying moments before Uttarakhand avalanche struck as search for survivors continues CNN Deep in the Himalayan mountains, Tuskar Singh Rana watched in disbelief as the avalanche roared his way. The deadly mixture of ice, rock and water approached at a furious pace from miles away, consuming nearly everything in its path. Rana was lucky. He saw the disaster unfold from above in the village of Raini, where he was building a new railroad for the Hyderabad-based Rithwik Railway Company. But several of his co-workers below were unable to see the danger down the road. Those from the higher vantage point screamed to warn them. READ MORE At least 15 people died in avalanches last week, the deadliest week of US avalanches on record CNN Andy Jessen was the mayor pro tempore of Eagle, Colorado. Sarah Moughamian, a lover of all things outdoors, spent all the free time she had in the Utah snow. Army Ranger Matthew Nyman survived a helicopter crash in Iraq that crushed his foot but he learned to climb again, most recently on Alaska's Bear Mountain. Jessen, Moughamian and Nyman are three of the 15 people who died in avalanches between February 1 and February 8. It's the highest number of avalanche deaths recorded in a seven-day period since the US Forest Service's National Avalanche Center started tracking deaths, according to Karl Birkeland, the center's director. READ MORE Southwest France hit by heavy floods, Paris area on flood alert Reuters Southwestern France was hit by heavy flooding on Monday following days of torrential rain, and several other regions including eastern Paris were on flood alert ahead of a cold snap expected later this week. READ MORE Floods trigger power outages, evacuations in Indonesia's capital Reuters via Successful Farming Floods, heavy rain and power outages led people to evacuate their homes in parts of Indonesia's capital on Monday, with the conditions - worsened by the La Nina weather pattern - expected to continue until March or April. READ MORE 26 dead as wall of water from flash flood hits Indian dams The Straits Times At least 26 people are confirmed dead and around 171 reported missing following a devastating flash flood in the northern Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. A wall of water and debris barrelled down the Rishiganga river in Chamoli district, possibly caused by a glacial avalanche whose trigger is still unknown. READ MORE 6.0-magnitude quake hits southern Philippines Global Times A strong earthquake hit the southern Philippines on Sunday, though there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. The 6.0-magnitude quake struck the town of Bansalan on Mindanao island at 12:22 pm, the USGS said. READ MORE   IAEM Dispatch Connect with IAEM Jason Zimmerman, Director of Publishing, MultiView, 469-420-2686 | 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