This message was sent to ##Email## To advertise in this publication please click here February 25, 2021 .ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS IAEM delivers 50 hours of virtual EM content for $199 — On-Demand from IAEM Reimagined is available through Apr 16, 2021 IAEM One attendee said, “In the end, it's a win-win for both my employer and me…and a win for those who rely on our EM services.” It has never been easier to receive contact hours for IAEM’s Certified Emergency Manager Program, so register now for IAEM Reimagined On-Demand. You can explore almost 50 hours of educational content at the bargain price of $199 for individuals (member and non-member) and $99 for student members. You will have 48.5 hours of content presented by emergency management experts and colleagues to provide learning opportunities through the next seven weeks. Register today for on-demand to get started! EMEX sponsor highlight of the week: Integrated Solutions Consulting IAEM Integrated Solutions Consulting (ISC) is a professional consulting services firm that takes an all-hazard, integrated approach to providing preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation solutions for clients. ISC is uniquely positioned with the resources and expertise to assist with disasters on every scale, including pandemic response and COVID-19 operation efforts for states, directly funded cities, and large urban counties. ISC’s Grant Management Tool (GMT) is a first-of-its-kind disaster grant management system that allows organizations to track, administer, and report grant funding and comply with regulatory requirements. Visit their website to learn more about the GMT or download ISC’s free disaster Tool Kits. .IAEM-CANADA COUNCIL NEWS Canada extends international travel restrictions by another two months Canada Immigration News Canada is extending its restrictions on travellers from the United States until March 21, and on non-U.S. international travel to Canada for another two months. 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 .IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS DHA is hosting a briefing today, Feb. 25, on FY 2021 DHS Preparedness Grants Notices of Funding Opportunities IAEM Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it would hold a briefing today regarding upcoming preparedness grant opportunities, including EMPG and the UASI grant. The meeting will take place today, Feb. 25, at 2:30 p.m. EST. FEMA encourages any state and urban officials working with grant programs to join the call. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Preparedness Grant Programs, administered by FEMA, provide funding to state, local, tribal and territorial governments, as well as transportation authorities, nonprofit organizations and the private sector, to improve the Nation’s readiness in preventing, preparing for, protecting against, responding to and recovering from terrorist attacks and other hazards. To participate dial the conference line (800-347-6311) five to ten minutes prior to the schedule start time. The call confirmation code is 2256793. Questions should be directed to Kimberly Helm, branch chief of intergovernmental affairs, Office of External Affairs, FEMA.  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 FEMA implements cost share adjustments for COVID-19 declarations IAEM FEMA, in accordance with President Biden’s Jan. 21 memorandum to “Extend Federal Support to Governors’ Use of the National Guard to Respond to COVID-19 and to Increase Reimbursement and Other Assistance Provided to States,” and the Feb. 2 memorandum on “Maximizing Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” is processing Public Assistance projects at a 100% federal cost share for COVID-19 declarations. All eligible work, including emergency medical care, emergency feeding, and at-risk sheltering covered under the Public Assistance program from Jan. 20, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2021 is included under this guidance. The increase in funding helps reduce the financial burden of states, tribes and territories as they continue working to assist residents affected by COVID-19. FEMA is retroactively reimbursing recipients of previously awarded COVID-19 Public Assistance projects to increase the federal funding from 75% to 100%. To minimize the administrative burden and expedite assistance for participants, the retroactive obligations will occur through automatic amendments. The cost share adjustment applies only to Public Assistance grants for COVID-19 declarations. In order to ensure funding does not become an obstacle for life-saving activities, FEMA is prioritizing funding to enable ongoing or planned actions to address COVID-19 requests for actions that have already been completed and reimbursed at the 75% cost share. FEMA will continue this prioritization, with vaccine projects receiving the highest priority. New USGS strategy harnesses state-of-the-art science to tackle wildfires before, during and after the flames USGS To help address growing wildfire-related challenges in America, the U.S. Geological Survey is rolling out a new Wildland Fire Science Strategy that lays out the critical needs for wildfire research over the next five years. Released today, this strategy can be used to better understand the balance between fire’s benefits and its detrimental impacts. 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 One month in, how Biden has changed disaster management and the US COVID-19 response Government Executive After one month in office, the Biden administration has fundamentally changed how the federal government responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. In direct contrast to his predecessor, President Joe Biden is treating this as a national-scale crisis requiring a comprehensive national strategy and federal resources. READ MORE .HEALTHCARE EM UPDATE Ghosts of viruses past Domestic Preparedness A decade before COVID-19 emerged as a pandemic, emergency preparedness, response, and resilience professionals were focused on infectious diseases. The H1N1 (swine flu), H5N1 (avian flu), and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreaks were real, and lessons needed to be learned in preparation for something bigger. READ MORE .CYBERSECURITY NEWS Failed poisoning attempt shows vulnerability of smaller water systems to hackers Route Fifty A hacker’s attempt earlier this month to poison the drinking water in a small city near Tampa, Florida may have been easily thwarted, but it was still a jolt to cybersecurity experts. “This was the worst nightmare for a lot of people,” said Meredith Ward, the director for policy and research at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. READ MORE CISA names three leadership appointments Nextgov CISA announced a new deputy director, executive assistant director for cybersecurity and executive assistant director for infrastructure security. READ MORE  FEATURED ARTICLE   Seismic Retrofits Make Good Business Sense. Here's Why Promoted by Optimum Seismic, Inc. Saving lives is the ultimate concern when preparing for an earthquake, but building retrofits bring so many cost benefits that they make good business sense as well. LEARN MORE   Mayorkas sets out steps to elevate cybersecurity Homeland Security Today Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas has announced the many ways the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will carry out President Biden’s vision to elevate cybersecurity across the government. DHS will lead efforts to mitigate risks to the United States, further strengthen its partnerships with the private sector, and expand its investment in the infrastructure and people required to defend against malicious cyber attacks as part of a whole-of-government effort. READ MORE .NEW INSIGHTS Why Texas wasn't prepared for winter storm Uri Texas Observer The snow has melted and the record-breaking, freezing temperatures have warmed back up, but Texans in nearly every county will be dealing with the aftermath of Winter Storm Uri for months to come. It’s likely one of the most widespread disasters to face the state, as millions of people were stranded in cold homes for days with limited or no access to electricity and heat. READ MORE  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 The disaster that helped the nation prepare for future earthquakes: Remembering San Fernando Homeland Security News Wire The San Fernando earthquake struck Southern California 50 years ago, killing 64 people and costing over $500 million in damages. The quake prompted federal, state and local action to reduce earthquake risks and bolster public safety. READ MORE Survey: Politicians should move aside, let public safety talk Emergency Management A recent survey by Rave Mobile Safety confirmed that people are less trusting of government officials than they are of first responders, and a good majority are not confident about their state’s ability to efficiently distribute a COVID-19 vaccine. The good news, though, is that the survey indicated people are more willing to share personal information if they feel it will help them stay safe during a disaster. READ MORE .IAEM CERTIFICATION UPDATES IAEM announces 2021 certification review schedule IAEM If you are planning to submit your AEM®/CEM® application this year, the review schedule is posted on the IAEM website. Please pay attention to the deadline dates outlined to submit your application and pass the exam in order to be included in the awards ceremony at the IAEM Annual Conference. .GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS GAO: DHS needs to improve countering violent extremism grants management, data collection Homeland Security Today A Government Accountability Office (GAO) review of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Countering Violent Extremism grant program found that after DHS announced intended grantees for 2017-2019, it revised its selection criteria and didn’t document reasons for its selections, making it harder to ensure grantees are selected equitably. GAO also found that DHS failed to obtain data on grantee performance, which it needs to assess program effectiveness. READ MORE PRODUCT SHOWCASE 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   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   .EM CALENDAR IAEM-USA Region 1 to hold webinar today (Feb. 25) on community health center response to COVID-19 IAEM IAEM-USA Region 1 has scheduled a webinar for Feb. 25, 2:00 p.m. EST, on “Community Health Center (CHC) Response to COVID-19.” Jacqueline Johnson, M.Ed., COO, Caring Health Center, Springfield, Massachusetts, will speak about what a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) is, how their service differs from other healthcare providers, what their response was to COVID-19, how their operations changed, how they coordinated across CHCs, and what changes they see in the world of CHCs as we plan for vaccine rollouts. Register online. IAEM-USA Region 3 president joins the panel on Mar. 4 for a third in a series of webinars on 'Emergency Management as a Career' IAEM The Emergency Management Growth Initiative has scheduled the third in a series of free webinars on “Emergency Management as a Career,” this time aimed at students or recent graduates in the areas of public administration, public affairs or nonprofit management. The webinar will take place on Mar. 4 at 7:00-8:00 EST. The panelists will include: IAEM-USA Region 3 President Walter English, MS, CEM, emergency manager, City of Fairfax (Virginia); Kristina Ptitsyna, UNITLIFE portfolio specialist, United Nations Capital Development Fund; and Emily Jane Zahreddine, MA, MPA, CEM, CEO, Golden Hour Consulting. The moderator will be Chauncia Willis, MPA, CEM, MEP, co-founder and CEO of the Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management, and IAEM-USA Region 4 past president. The discussion will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Register online. .AROUND THE WORLD Italy's Mount Etna volcano erupts, spewing smoke and 'a rain of stones' New York Post Italy’s Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, erupted on Tuesday, creating a fountain of lava and sending plumes of orange smoke into the sky. The eruption forced Sicily’s Catania Airport to temporarily close — which often happens when the volcano is active. READ MORE More than 1,000 people displaced after monsoon floods hit Indonesian capital The Hill More than 1,000 people across the Indonesian capital of Jakarta were forced to evacuate Saturday as monsoon flooding ravaged the city. According to Reuters, flooding caused residents in the capital, which is home to 10 million people, to walk through shoulder-high waters, with emergency personnel working to evacuate elderly residents. READ MORE Indonesian landslide kills nine with 10 missing AFP via Yahoo News At least nine people have died and 10 are missing after a landslide caused by torrential rains swept away several homes in Indonesia, officials said Monday, with hundreds forced to flee their flooded homes. Twenty-one people were initially reported missing after the disaster struck Sunday evening in a rural part of East Java. 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. 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