This message was sent to ##Email## To advertise in this publication please click here April 22, 2021 .IAEM CONFERENCE NEWS Registration is open for IAEM's two-day June virtual conference IAEM Reserve your spot now for the IAEM Encore Virtual Event, June 7-8, 2021. Take advantage of two days of speakers, training, and connecting virtually with your fellow emergency managers. Day one includes more than 15 breakout speakers providing insights, best practices, and lessons learned. On day two attendees may attend popular training courses offered at no additional cost. Download the full program. Two days of education and training are being offered for the low cost of $149 member rate/$199 non-member rate. Be one of the first 300 registrants to be included in the drawing for a $500 gift card from Amazon. Register online. IAEM seeks speakers for EMvision Talks — deadline for abstract is May 7 IAEM The EMvision Talks call for speakers will close on May 7. The initial application requires an abstract describing the proposed talk and a short bio of the speaker. IAEM's EMvision Talks, modeled on the well-known TED™ Talk format, provide a forum for people to share a personal connection to an idea, experience, or passion related to emergency management, leadership, communication, community engagement, or other related topics. The talks are limited to seven minutes and will be held live on the plenary stage on Oct. 19, 2021, at the IAEM Annual Conference and EMEX, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Resources to help with a successful submission, including the “EMvision Talk Speaker Submission Guidance” document, are available on the IAEM conference website. IAEM sponsorship opportunities provide companies/organizations visibility and connection with emergency managers IAEM Sponsorship opportunities are now available for the 2021 IAEM Annual Conference and the IAEM Reimagined Encore Virtual Conference. Packages are available to meet the needs and budget for any company or organization. Details can be found on the IAEM Conference website. Contact Kate McClimans with questions. .IAEM SCHOLARSHIP Need money for school? Don't miss the May 17 scholarship application deadline IAEM The IAEM Scholarship Program now is accepting applications from full-time undergraduate and full- and part-time graduate students for scholarship awards for the 2020-2021 academic year. Students must be working toward a degree in emergency management, disaster management, or a closely related field of study. Undergraduate and graduate applications with complete instructions are available on the IAEM website. Questions may be directed to Scholarship Program Director Dawn Shiley. .IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS IAEM-USA Region 3 Is Searching for the Top 40 under 40 IAEM IAEM Region 3 invites its region members to participate in a new regional award. The region wants to highlight the Top 40 under 40 in Region 3. Any IAEM member from Region 3 that is under 40 years old may be entered and recognized for their career achievements and emergency management community involvement. Members may self-nominate or nominate a colleague or friend for giving their all to their communities, even while balancing family, friends, and life. Fill out the short survey to nominate the person or persons you believe should be included in the IAEM-USA Region 3 Top 40 under 40. The survey will close Friday, Apr. 30, 2021. The top 40 will be chosen by Region 3 leadership.  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by Esri Download the e-book: Real-time Solutions for Emergency Management Operations Crowd Sourced Damage Assessments Expedite Recovery of Oklahoma Emergency Management Needs Map in Turkey Connects Earthquake Victims with Critical Aid, Care The New Hurricane Landscape and Where Your Preparedness Plans May Be Falling Short Understand Hurricane Forecasts and Impacts with the Hurricane Aware Application Lawmakers ask FEMA how to avoid future communication breakdowns during disasters Federal News Network Right now, FEMA is dealing with 960 declared disasters around the country – at least one in every state – and not all of them are COVID-19 related. Of the agency’s 52 federal coordinating officers for disaster management, only one is not currently assigned to a disaster. Aside from the pandemic – FEMA is helping with an influx of migrants at the southern border, prepping for wildfire and hurricane seasons, and responding to damage from severe winter storms across the middle of the country. However, it was COVID-19 specifically that highlighted weaknesses in the chain of command. READ MORE Perspective: Cyber and physical threats to the U.S. power grid and keeping the lights on Homeland Security Today Among critical infrastructure sectors in the U.S., energy is perhaps the most crucial of the 16 sectors defined by the Department of Homeland Security. This sector is so vital because it provides the energy necessary to run every other critical infrastructure sector. However, the U.S. power grid, the backbone of the energy sector, is built upon an aging skeleton that is becoming increasingly vulnerable every day. Whether from terrorists or nation-states like Russia and China, the power grid is susceptible to not just physical attacks, but also to cyber intrusion as well. However, much of this threat can be mitigated if the U.S. takes the appropriate steps to safeguard the power grid and avoid a potential catastrophe in the future. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Threat Monitoring and Real-Time Alerts 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. 14-Day Free Trial Available! LEARN MORE .IAEM NEWS Have questions about the 2021 IAEM Awards Program? We have the answers. IAEM The IAEM Awards Program held their annual Awards Webinar on Apr. 20. The IAEM-USA Awards & Recognition Committee leadership provided an overview of the program; explained how to apply; discussed guidelines and where to find them; and answered questions from the audience. A recording of the webinar is available on the IAEM Awards Webpage. This a great opportunity to double check any last-minute questions you didn’t know you had and ensure your nominee is being fully represented in the competition. With the business of day-to-day life and the added stress of being in the emergency management profession, it’s easy to miss details that can be the difference between a great candidate and an incomplete nomination. Don’t let this happen to your nominee. Take advantage of the online submission process where you can start an application and return to it later to finish compiling your nomination form. These awards represent the best of the profession, make sure you have all the details to properly honor your deserving nominee. Call for IAEM Bulletin articles by May 20 for special focus issue on diversity IAEM The IAEM Editorial Committee announces a call for articles for the June 2021 issue of the IAEM Bulletin. The topic is “Diversity in Emergency Management: Lessons Learned,” and articles must be received via email no later than May 20, 2021. We have experienced many benefits as the field of emergency management becomes more diverse. We’ve made progress, but there is so much more to do to encourage and sustain diversity of all kinds. Think broadly! How have you helped increase diversity? What lessons have we learned? What challenges do we still face? Any questions should be emailed to Bulletin Editor Karen Thompson. Please refer to the author’s guidelines prior to writing and submitting your article. Articles in Word or text format (not PDF), and photos/graphics in image format (png, jpg, gif, tif) must be submitted via email to thompson@iaem.com. Word length is 750 to 1,500 words. Remember: The IAEM Editorial Committee also seeks articles on subjects of interest emergency management professionals for the eight non-special focus issues of this monthly publication.  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 .EM NEWS The lessons learned from Tyler, Texas winter storm Tyler Morning Telegraph via Emergency Management The prolonged freezing temperatures led to an inoperable generator at the Lake Palestine Raw Water Pump Station, which caused the treatment plant to go offline. A boil water notice was in place for a week. READ MORE .HEALTHCARE EM UPDATE How lessons from past emergencies could improve the pandemic response* University of Washington News The lack of accountability, poor communication and insufficient planning plaguing the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic — especially in its early months — have roots in how the nation responded to 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and the H1N1 swine flu, a new study involving the University of Washington found. Focusing on the way government agencies assemble and allocate resources – the procurement system – researchers said the successes and shortcomings of responses to other large-scale crises show that a more centralized approach can achieve goals faster and more effectively. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Water Activated Flood Control Quick Dam provides innovative flood protection solutions that are compact, lightweight and easy to use. Completely activated by water, Flood Bags and Flood Barriers can stack to create an efficient wall of protection. No sand, bags, labor or additional tools are needed. Optimize your flood protection with Quick Dam. LEARN MORE U.S. agencies provide guidance on respirators IAEM The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter to health care personnel and facilities, recommending a transition away from crisis capacity conservation strategies, such as decontaminating disposable respirators for reuse. On the same day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) made a corresponding update to its Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators to clarify how surge capacity strategies should now be applied. .CYBERSECURITY NEWS White House 'standing down' emergency response groups to SolarWinds, Microsoft hacks* The Hill The Biden administration is “standing down” coordinated efforts by several key agencies to respond to recent major cybersecurity incidents including the SolarWinds hack, a senior administration official announced Monday. Anne Neuberger, President Biden’s deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology, said the two unified coordination groups (UCGs) that were convened to respond to both the SolarWinds hack and recently discovered vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s Exchange Server would be scaled back. READ MORE .EM RESOURCES FEMA released public messaging research findings IAEM FEMA released “Improving Public Messaging for Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place” research findings and recommendations for emergency managers. These findings will inform community members about risk and will provide additional strategies for evacuation and shelter-in-place messaging. This research will help emergency managers understand the complexities in individual and household decision-making and frame messaging to counteract potential impediments to action. In addition to the report, FEMA created a companion slide library. These slides can be used by state, local, territorial, and tribal partners to highlight this research in their presentations and outreach. These resources enhance the guidance provided in FEMA’s “Planning Considerations: Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place, Guidance for State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Partners.” FEMA releases exercise starter kits and hosts webinars for exercise practitioners IAEM FEMA’s National Exercise Division has developed exercise starter kits with sample documents to assist organizations in planning and conducting tabletop exercises aligning with the updated National Exercise Program, 2021-2022 Principal's Strategic Priorities. FEMA will host six webinars for whole community exercise practitioners during the next weeks. Each starter kit contains a sample of a facilitator and evaluator guide, situation manual conduct slides and a placemat for customization by the end user. The webinars will introduce the new exercise starter kits, providing stakeholders with an overview of the kits along with how to use them. The webinars are scheduled for: 2:00 p.m. EDT, Apr. 26; 7:00 p.m. EDT, May 4; 12:00 p.m. EDT, May 12; 5:00 p.m. EDT, May 20; 1:00 p.m. EDT, May 28; and 9:00 a.m. EDT, June 7. Each webinar will present the same content, and a recording will be made available later on FEMA.gov. Visit the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program Webinar webpage to register.  FEATURED ARTICLE   Resilience Reduce Earthquake Disaster Risk Promoted by Optimum Seismic, Inc. The best way to prepare for disaster is to ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” LEARN MORE   .NEW INSIGHTS Perspective: Transparency about the hazards helps the public better prepare Homeland Security Today In civil disaster preparedness, the goal is to get the public to heed warnings and take related action to mitigate the impact of an impending disaster. This includes unusual but potential real-world disasters, which can be caused by volcanic eruptions. For the public to best follow emergency preparedness instructions, it would be helpful if they fully understand the magnitude of the overall threat. READ MORE .DISASTER TECHNOLOGY NEWS Charlotte, N.C., enhanced its emergency operations center with video walls* StateTech For the better part of a year, the city of Charlotte, N.C., had its sights set on Aug. 24 — the kickoff date for the Republican National Convention. The video walls in the police command center and ­­ real-time crime center, which were initially installed before the Democratic National Convention in 2012, were nearing end of life, so upgrading them — and installing a new video wall in the fire headquarters’ emergency operations center — topped the city’s priority list. READ MORE .IAEM CERTIFICATION UPDATES IAEM certification exam study guide has been updated IAEM IAEM has published a new version of the AEM®/CEM® exam study guide on the IAEM website. Use this updated version as you prepare for the IAEM certification exam. A new version of the New Zealand exam will go live on May 15, 2021. Use the reference lists in the updated study guide to prepare for the new version the exam. IAEM presents the Certification Webinar Series to help candidates with the process IAEM Do you know about the Certification Webinar Series? It’s a free program to assist candidates in obtaining their certification through a series of short, valuable webinars that review components of the certification process. Check it out on the IAEM Certification page. PRODUCT SHOWCASE Online Executive Programs at Harvard Executive Education at Harvard Kennedy School is an invaluable educational and networking opportunity for leaders seeking to make a difference. Our upcoming online program Leadership in Crises (Online) features live sessions with Harvard faculty and will prepare you to successfully manage, survive, and recover from the unexpected. Learn more today.   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   .IAEM MEMBER NEWS Peeples named S.C. EMD of the Year The Augusta Chronicle The lady many locals know as “Momma Sue” because of her devotion to keeping hometown folks safe, has recently been named the first female Emergency Management Division Director of the Year in South Carolina. County officials announced last week that longtime Hampton County Emergency Management Division Director Susanne Peeples was named the South Carolina Emergency Management Association Director of the Year for 2020, noting that she is the first female to earn this honor in the state. READ MORE Lincoln County emergency management director receives award from state association The North Platte Telegraph Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Brandon Myers received the 2021 Emergency Management Professional of the Year award on Friday. The award is given annually by the Nebraska Association of Emergency Management. In 2015, Myers won the New Emergency Management Professional of the Year award. READ MORE .GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS Application period opens for Emergency Food and Shelter Program IAEM The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 appropriated $510 million to Emergency Food and Shelter Program. This includes $400 million for local social service organizations aiding the hungry and homeless population and $110 million for organizations providing humanitarian assistance to migrant families and individuals encountered by the Department of Homeland Security. The application period for the $110 million to organizations that provided or will provide services to individuals and families at the southern border began Monday. Nonprofits, faith-based organizations and government agencies that provide shelter, food, transportation, basic heath and first aid, COVID-19 testing and associated medical care needed during quarantine and isolation, and other supportive services may apply. Organizations will be able to view application guidance for the $110 million in humanitarian relief funding for to assist migrants encountered by the Department of Homeland Security on the Emergency Food and Shelter Program website. .EM CALENDAR 'The Texas Deep Freeze: Managing unprecedented disruptions,' A free webinar hosted by iluminr on Apr. 26, 4:00 p.m. EDT IAEM In February 2021, a series of winter storms placed Texas into a state of deep freeze, causing more than $100 billion in damage and economic losses, and an unprecedented disruption to service, communities, and organizations state-wide. To assist Emergency and Risk Management professionals prepare for unprecedented events like the Texas Deep Freeze, iluminr co-founder Marcus Vaughan explores some of the key lessons learned from those who were managing the event in real-time. Joining Marcus will be: Benjamin Korson, senior emergency management coordinator, City of Dallas; and Alex Quintela, operational resiliency program manager, Pentagon Federal Credit Union. This 45-minute live webinar will capture: the Texas deep freeze event, as it unfolded; key lessons from managing the situation up-close and from afar; considerations for building resilience; and a live Q&A to assist you prepare for the next unprecedented event. Register online.  FEATURED ARTICLE   Small Safety Teams Respond to Mass Crises Promoted by Omnilert People find themselves in varying situations during an emergency, which require specific instructions to best guide each individual to safety. Similarly, those individuals can provide intelligence as the situation dynamically unfolds. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to open a dialog and manage the incoming information from a large group of people under duress. So, how can small safety teams respond to mass crises? The answer to this question is “mass engagement.” Mass engagement allows a large audience to be easily subdivided into groups, which can be contacted and queried independently as to their specific needs and observations. LEARN MORE   'Next Generation of Resilience' Student Showcase to be held Apr. 28 IAEM The Resilient Nation Partnership Network will host the “Next Generation of Resilience” Student Showcase on Apr. 28, 12:30-2:00 p.m. EDT. During the first student showcase, four students will present their work and research supporting the priorities of the group: promoting natural hazard mitigation actions; advancing equitable resilience initiatives; and expanding capacity through partnerships. Partners, resilience professionals and students nationwide are invited to attend this 90-minute event. Participants can provide feedback, ask questions, and engage in thoughtful dialogue across diverse resilience disciplines. There will be time at the conclusion of the presentations to network and discuss work experience, career paths and resume building, along with general questions across the resilience sector. Register online. CHDS Executive Education Program and Webinar Series presents 'What Comes Next? Virus Variants, Vaccine Next Steps, and Preventing Future Pandemics' on Apr. 29, 2:00 p.m. EDT IAEM Please join the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS), the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), CHDS Alumni Association, the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), and the Naval Postgraduate School Alumni Association for a webinar examining what is next in the US response to COVID-19, from the "last mile" of vaccine distribution to what the pandemic could mean for community resilience and global health in the years to come. Panelists will include Dr. Rick Bright, member, Biden COVID-19 Advisory Board, senior vice president, Pandemic Prevention and Response, The Rockefeller Foundation; Tim Manning, COVID-19 supply coordinator, White House COVID Response Team; and Moderator Eileen O’Connor, legal and communications subject matter expert, Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Register online. Webinar on 'Preparing Communities for Hurricane Season: A Conversation with Resilience Leaders: Craig Fugate & Roy Wright' to be offered on Apr. 29, 11:00 a.m. EDT IAEM As emergency managers, first responders, and state insurance officials help communities prepare for the 2021 hurricane season, join the American Property Casualty Insurance Association and the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety for a conversation with two seasoned experts in resilience. Craig Fugate, former FEMA administrator and former head of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and Roy Wright, CEO of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) and former chief executive of the National Flood Insurance Program, will come together to share insights on preparedness and mitigation in an open dialogue discussing. Register to participate. Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) to hold May 6 webinar on 'Exercises, Evaluations, and Corrective Actions Standard Area' IAEM EMAP will hold this webinar on May 6, 2021, 11:30 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. EDT. Have you struggled to understand the documentation needed for the Exercises, Evaluations, and Corrective Actions Standard Area? Do you know what EMAP is looking for in terms of your exercise program? These are questions that the webinar will strive to address. The Exercises, Evaluations, and Corrective Actions Standard Area is composed of three standards. These standards require the implementation of the program's exercise program as well as its maintenance process. There are a lot of elements packed into these three standards. Learn more about the intent and application of the Exercises, Evaluations, and Corrective Actions Standard Area. Register online. IAEM-USA Region 5 invites all to participate in May 14 virtual conference IAEM The IAEM-USA Region 5 Virtual Conference, scheduled for May 14, 2021, will provide a virtual forum to highlight IAEM 2021 Annual Conference updates, integrated preparedness planning, lessons learned from the Nashville, Tennessee vehicle IED incident, and a FEMA Region 5 update. Several speakers are scheduled including Judd Freed, IAEM-USA president; Peri Rogowski, MS, state planning director, Indiana Department of Homeland Security; Ashley Baldwin, state exercise officer, Indiana Department of Homeland Security; Patrick Sheehan, CEM, TN-CEMP, director, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency; and Acting FEMA Region V Administrator Kevin Sligh, MBA, CEM. Participation is open to members and non-members. Participants do not have to reside in Region 5. Register online by May 7 for a small fee of $20. .IAEM-ASIA NEWS 'Coordination among different departments can improve urban disaster management' Prothomalo Bangladesh can improve urban disaster management ensuring coordination among the government and non-government agencies, disaster management experts have said. The experts also warn that If order cannot be restored to the city now by means of sustainable development planning, graver disaster waits ahead. READ MORE Fires ravage forests in Himalayas, threatening health and biodiversity The Third Pole Wildfires described as “the worst in a decade” have engulfed Himalayan mountain states in a thick haze and killed at least eight people in the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Seven were killed in neighbouring Nepal, where wildfires raged across several districts and forced a four-day school closure. Smoke from these wildfires made the air quality of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu the worst in the world in early April, with the air over Bhutan and northern Bangladesh also hazardous. READ MORE .AROUND THE WORLD Cargo ship runs aground as storm strikes near Philippines Reuters A cargo ship carrying 20 crew members, nickel ore, and around 2,000 litres of diesel has run aground off the southern Philippine province of Surigao del Norte, the coastguard said on Tuesday. The cause was not immediately known, but the weather was rough in the area due to Typhoon Surigae, which brought winds that reached 195 km (121.17 miles) per hour, with its effects felt in many parts of the eastern Philippines. READ MORE Cyclone wrecks Australia West Coast, super-typhoon slams into Philippines Science - The WIre A tropical cyclone on Australia’s west coast destroyed several homes and cut electricity to tens of thousands of people overnight before weakening on Monday morning. Officials said around 70% of the structures in the coastal town of Kalbarri, about 500 km north of state capital Perth, had sustained damage when the category three storm made landfall late on Sunday. READ MORE New blast at St. Vincent volcano while cruise ship helps evacuees The Associated Press via PBS La Soufriere volcano shot out another explosive burst of gas and ash on Friday as a cruise ship arrived to evacuate some of the foreigners who had been stuck on a St. Vincent island coated in ash from a week of violent eruptions. The explosions that began on April 9 forced some 20,000 to flee the northern end of the eastern Caribbean island for shelters and contaminated water supplies across the island. 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