This message was sent to ##Email## To advertise in this publication please click here May 20, 2021 .IAEM CONFERENCE NEWS IAEM June conference speakers bring fresh ideas to the virtual stage IAEM Join IAEM in June for a new virtual event focused on content and training for emergency managers. This event, live on June 7-8, brings new relevant ideas from previous applauded IAEM conference speakers. Registrants will receive 15+ hours of education on day one and an opportunity to participate in free popular training courses on day 2. Registrants will have a full year to view all content on-demand, and educational certificates will be provided that may be used toward IAEM Certification. Please see the full program here. You can access the June 7-8 event for just $149 (IAEM member)/$199 (non-member). Register today. IAEM Encore Sponsor of the Week: iluminr iluminr Masterclass: Building preparedness with microsimulations IAEM Amidst a global pandemic and parallel disruptions over the last 12 months, there has been a reduced propensity from leaders to participate in traditional emergency management, crisis and business continuity simulation exercises. Unfortunately, this is leading the emergence of capability gaps in resilience, having dire consequences during critical events. To assist in closing the capability gap, Catalyst Technologies are reengineering the preparedness agenda with microsimulations. Designed to be fast and thought-provoking, microsimulations aim to increase engagement in resilience, and reignite the discussion on critical risk and response across your organization. Learn how to develop an effective microsimulations program at our FREE Masterclass on Wednesday 26th May. Register here. .IAEM SCHOLARSHIP It is time to apply to become an IAEM Scholarship Program Commissioner IAEM The IAEM Scholarship Commission is expanding to provide for a broader and more diverse representation of the emergency management profession, and a more balanced workload for its members. As a result, there are several new positions to fill from EM sectors previously not represented. The IAEM Scholarship Commission is seeking candidates to fill eight openings in the Class of 2024, serving from Jan. 1, 2022, to Dec. 31, 2024, two openings in the Class of 2022 (term ending Dec. 31, 2022), and three openings in the Class of 2023 (term ending Dec. 31, 2023). Individuals are needed to represent the following areas: IAEM-Canada, Federal or State Level EM, Donors, Academia, Member-at-Large-USA, INGO (including VOAD and faith-based organizations), Private Sector Industry, Students, Uniformed Services/Military, Healthcare/Public Health, and Scholarship Founders. Full details are available on the IAEM website. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2021. Need money for school — apply for an IAEM Scholarship IAEM Students working towards a degree in emergency management, disaster management, or a closely related field, wishing to apply for an IAEM Scholarship, must apply by 11:59:59 p.m. EDT, June 1. Full- and part-time graduate student and full-time undergraduate student applications with complete instructions are available on the IAEM website. Questions may be directed to Scholarship Program Director Dawn Shiley.  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by Esri Download the Case Study: Crisis Management for a Resilient Future American Red Cross Reaches People in Crisis with GIS State of Maryland Deploys Public Information Hub for COVID-19 Supporting Global Crisis and Disaster Response: A Geospatial Foundation GIS Supports the Camp Fire, Paradise, California .IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS IAEM-USA Awards recognize the efforts of Uniformed Services IAEM IAEM-USA once again seeks to recognize the hard work of the Uniformed Services sector. IAEM is proud to offer three different awards recognizing their efforts. Uniformed Member of the Year recognizes members who are Active Duty, Guard, or Reservists. 2020 was taxing on everyone particularly these members as they faced new challenges. Civilian Emergency Manager of the Year recognizes civilians, such as members of the civil services or service contractors. Many members of IAEM work closely with these emergency managers and have seen their heroic efforts. The Auxiliary Emergency Manager of the Year is open to the Civil Air Patrol, Coast Guard Auxiliary, and Merchant Marine, the auxiliary organizations to the Air Force, the Coast Guard, and the auxiliary to the Navy. These hard-working members have stepped up to go above and beyond this past year. Uniformed Services members take on a unique role in the emergency management field and deserve to be recognized for these efforts! Nominate a deserving individual for these awards by May 31. Information is available on the IAEM website. Perspective: Hidden security dangers in the American industrial agriculture system Homeland Security Today In unstable or war-torn regions, food security is a basic required element for national security stabilization. As a result, the United States and the United Nations spend billions of dollars providing food to the developing world. In contrast, Western governments spend limited effort or funding on creating resilient and healthy agriculture systems to sustain food security for themselves. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed an ignored truth of the American agriculture system: While the U.S. agricultural system is able to produce more than enough calories for all U.S. citizens, the system may be less resilient than the third-world countries receiving aid. The U.S. food system is a fragile and completely overlooked, yet essential, element of the country’s national security. 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 Washington tribe's tsunami evacuation tower could become model for the nation KING-TV Ceremonial groundbreaking and land clearing for the first dedicated tsunami evacuation tower has begun in the coastal community of Tokeland on land belonging to the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe. The tower will be available in an emergency to tribal members and non-tribal residents who live off the reservation at the southern end of the peninsula. READ MORE Expect more wildfires this year. And expect lawmakers to disagree about them Roll Call Another round of epic wildfires is expected this year even as lawmakers differ over the primary drivers of such blazes and the best way to prevent them. Democrats emphasize the role climate change plays in producing all-consuming megafires, while Republicans are more likely to cite the need for more active management and commercial harvesting of overgrown forests. There is, however, broad agreement that the situation is serious and getting worse. 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 Protecting the US food supply chain Homeland Security News Wire An attack on our food supply—whether from intentional tampering, or due to contagious animal disease—could be dangerous to human health and could cause long-lasting economic impacts. DHS S&T is working to protect the U.S. food supply chain – from the farm to the table. READ MORE .HEALTHCARE EM UPDATE Largest CDC COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness study in health workers shows mRNA vaccines 94% effective Homeland Security Today A new CDC study adds to the growing body of real-world evidence (outside of a clinical trial setting) showing that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protect health care personnel (HCP) against COVID-19. mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) reduced the risk of getting sick with COVID-19 by 94% among HCP who were fully vaccinated. This assessment, conducted in a different study network with a larger sample size from across a broader geographic area than in the clinical trials, independently confirms U.S. vaccine effectiveness findings among health care workers that were first reported March 29. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Water-Gate | Portable Flood Dam Quick Dam provides large-scale, reusable flood protection solutions. Water-Gate is a self-rising portable flood dam that surrounds the perimeter of an entire property, replaces thousands of sandbags and rises with flow of water to provide protection up to 5 feet in height. Tested and approved by USACE. LEARN MORE Expert panel: Current global alert system 'clearly unfit' to prevent another pandemic Homeland Security News Wire An independent report by experts offers a scathing assessment of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The current system—at both national and international levels— was not adequate to protect people from COVID-19,” the report says. The current pandemic alert system is too slow, and it lost precious time “when many more countries could have taken steps to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and forestall the global health, social, and economic catastrophe that continues its grip. READ MORE .CYBERSECURITY NEWS 10 essential steps to cyber resilience as hackers target critical infrastructure Homeland Security Today A motivated hacker will break into a system they target. No doubt, no question. Perhaps you have heard that stated less assertively, but the sentiment is the same. Hackers come in all experience levels and sizes, from individual actors to full nation-state forces. Some cybercriminals depend on teams, bots, harvested intelligence, brute force, and relentless targeting. Sometimes, an attacker is fortunate to encounter just dumb luck. Regardless of the skill level or support, a motivated hacker will ultimately succeed in compromising a set of their targets. Our job as cybersecurity professionals is to prevent these attacks, and, absent that, to at least minimize their frequency and severity of any successful intrusions. READ MORE NIST releases tips and tactics for dealing with ransomware Homeland Security Today Used in cyberattacks that can paralyze organizations, ransomware is malicious software that encrypts a computer system’s data and demands payment to restore access. To help organizations protect against ransomware attacks and recover from them if they happen, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published an infographic offering a series of simple tips and tactics. READ MORE NSA, ODNI and CISA release 5G analysis paper Homeland Security Today The National Security Agency (NSA), in partnership with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), published an analysis paper which identifies and assesses risks and vulnerabilities introduced by 5G adoption. The Potential Threat Vectors to 5G Infrastructure analysis paper informs national 5G stakeholders of these issues to develop a comprehensive approach to solutions. READ MORE  FEATURED ARTICLE   Community Hospital Reopens After Earthquake Retrofit Promoted by Optimum Seismic Inc. Concern over safety prompted closure in 2018. Is your building safe? Long Beach Community Hospital reopened this year after being shut down in 2018 out of seismic safety concerns. LEARN MORE   Biden administration releases ambitious cybersecurity executive order CSO Capping a dramatic week that saw major oil pipeline provider Colonial Pipeline crippled by a ransomware attack, the Biden administration released a highly anticipated, far-reaching and complex Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity. The executive order (EO) aims to chart a "new course to improve the nation's cybersecurity and protect federal government networks." READ MORE Colonial Pipeline is a harbinger of things to come in business Homeland Security News Wire Six days after the Colonial Pipeline was attacked by cyberhackers and left millions hanging at the gas pump, they have gained control of their operations once again. But not before the refinery paid their attackers $5 million in untraceable cryptocurrency, according to several news outlets. While the worst is over for now, experts say that it’s a harbinger of things to come and more preparation and alternative modes of supply chain are needed to ward off future attacks. 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 .EM RESOURCES FEMA announces operational guidance for disaster response and recovery in pandemic environment Homeland Security Today For the second year in a row, FEMA is prepared to respond to disasters as the nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. FEMA released the “COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance: All-Hazards Incident Response and Recovery,” a document aimed at helping emergency managers plan for disaster response and recovery, while adhering to public health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. READ MORE FEMA releases private sector organizations fact sheet IAEM FEMA released the “National Incident Management System Implementation Fact Sheet for Private Sector Organizations,” a resource document for private sector partners to help implement the National Incident Management System. Private sector organizations play an important role in preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. FEMA’s National Integration Center updated this fact sheet with current information to help guide and promote the incorporation of the National Incident Management System into private sector organizational incident response plans. The fact sheet revision is part of a collaborative effort comprised of a dozen private sector and nonprofit subject matter experts and stakeholders from various state, local, tribal and territorial levels. For additional National Incident Management System information, visit the FEMA website. .NEW INSIGHTS Emergency management profession needs diversity to adapt Government Technology Emergency management has traditionally been a white man’s profession, following a typical progression from military officer, law enforcement officer or firefighter or fire chief to emergency manager. That is beginning to change, and it needs to for the profession to truly serve communities affected by the trend of more frequent and intense disasters. As the nation’s emergency managers grapple with climate change and the increasing fallout, such as more severe storms that put more people, especially those in vulnerable neighborhoods, at risk, they must adapt, using new skill sets and understanding those vulnerable communities. READ MORE Perspective: Reducing wildfire risk requires substantive policy changes Homeland Security Today Scientists are warning that the coming months hold unprecedented wildfire risk for the western United States. Climate change is one factor driving that risk, but more than a century of suppressing fires on federal, state, and private lands has also contributed to conditions that drive larger, hotter, and more destructive wildfires. In recent years wildfires have created hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons, degraded water systems, reversed carbon sequestration, increased carbon emissions, decreased air quality, and damaged ecosystems. READ MORE PRODUCT SHOWCASE Online Program to Create Solutions Creating Collaborative Solutions Online is an executive program from Harvard Kennedy School, designed to improve your ability to spot and seize opportunities for creating solutions using a collaborative approach. Over 10 weeks, you will learn a variety of topics and have the opportunity to experiment in an operational context.   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   .IAEM CERTIFICATION UPDATES IAEM will increase certification and recertification fees effective June 1, 2021 IAEM Certification and recertification fees will increase by $5 on June 1, 2021. Certification application fees will become $415 for members and $625 for non-members. Recertification fees will become $265 for members and $345 for non-members. Prepay now to avoid the fee increase, if you play to certifiy or recertify this year. IAEM seeks applications for Certification Commissioners IAEM IAEM Certification Commissioners receive complimentary registration to IAEM’s Annual Conference plus a waived recertification fee upon completion of a three-year term. Join the next class of Commissioners. We are accepting applications until June 1. All details, including application requirements, can be found on the IAEM website. .IAEM MEMBER NEWS Wellstar Health Systems enrolls nine personnel in membership and certification activities — do you want group enrollment also? IAEM Wellstar Health Systems in Atlanta, Georgia recently enrolled nine personnel in IAEM membership and certification activities, coordinated by IAEM Member Timothy Tull, executive director, system emergency preparedness. IAEM CEO Beth Armstrong expressed “sincere thanks to Wellstar for their commitment to professionalism by sponsoring a cadre to take advantage of IAEM offerings. Together we are #IAEMstrong.” Other organizations wishing to arrange a group enrollment can contact Membership Manager Sharon Kelly. .SURVEY REQUESTS Please complete this important survey about the Hazard Mitigation Portal IAEM You are invited to participate in a survey about developing a portal of hazard mitigation resources, TurboGrants, by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). The Portal aims to help jurisdictions jump-start mitigation projects and to improve applicants’ capacity of applying for federal grants. (If your computer is connected through a VPN, you may need to try a different device.) By taking just five-seven minutes to complete this survey, you are providing input on: How the portal could include the most relevant and useful information that will help officials bring mitigation projects to fruition, and How the portal could be most beneficial to your office, community, and jurisdiction. Responses will be anonymous when collected and when shared with NIBS. If you have questions about NIBS or the portal, please contact Dr. Jiqiu (JQ) Yuan, executive director, NIBS. .EM CALENDAR IAEM-USA Region 1 webinar on June 2 will explore the grocery supply chain during disasters IAEM Join IAEM-USA Region 1 for a webinar, 2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT, Jun. 2, on "From Distribution Centers to the Dinner Table – The Grocery Supply Chain during Disasters." C&S Wholesale Grocers is the largest wholesale grocery supply company in the United States, supplying 7,700 stores, including independent supermarkets, chain stores and institutions, with more than 137,000 different products. Learn more about the region’s grocery supply chain and how C&S moves food from manufacturers to grocery shelves during blue skies and disasters. The impact of severe weather, COVID-19, and civil unrest on the food supply chain will also be discussed. Register to participate. DHS hosts 'Coping During COVID-19' webinar on May 25, 2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT IAEM May is Mental Health Awareness Month. To commemorate the month, the Department of Homeland Security, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships is hosting a webinar to support faith-based and community organizations, emergency managers, and first responders who are responding to COVID-19 and/or have personally experienced the traumatic impact of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major shift in how we relate to one another. Even when following guidelines and using personal protective equipment, life can be unpredictable from day to day and cause increased stress. To address the stress and social and emotional impacts associated with COVID-19, mental health subject matter experts will provide diverse perspectives from communities of color and various faith traditions. The intent for the webinars is to present strategies and resources that will be applicable to all who attend. Visit FEMA Zoom to register for the webinar. Registered participants will be sent a recording of the webinar in case they are unable to attend or wish to share. .IAEM-ASIA NEWS Maharashtra government revamps disaster management authority The Free Press Journal The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has decided to reconstitute the state disaster management authority, a crucial body under the disaster management act 2005 to decide its strategy on combating calamities. READ MORE China to launch comprehensive survey on natural disasters CGTN China is launching its first nationwide survey on all natural disasters affecting the country to reduce risks and protect the people, according to the China National Commission for Disaster Reduction. READ MORE .IAEM-EUROPA NEWS HERA: A new era for health emergency preparedness in Europe The Lancet After the first wave of COVID-19 in Europe, the European Commission (EC) committed to take bold actions in preventing and managing similar threats in the future. The EC recognized that there was a lack of capability in the EU regarding the demand-to-supply dimension of devices, commodities, and products essential for preparedness and response. Consequently, the EC proposed to create a new agency devoted to well organized stockpiling of preparedness and response tools as countermeasures: the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). Public consultation was open until May 12, 2021, and the exact remit of HERA will be set out in a legislative proposal later in 2021. READ MORE .AROUND THE WORLD Brazil's Manaus flooded by rising Amazon rivers Reuters via Yahoo Across the Brazilian state of Amazonas, more than 400-thousand people have been affected by flooding. Heavy rains in the Amazon rainforest have caused rivers to rise to near record levels. The streets of the state capital Manaus were under water on Monday - a city that has already seen so much devastation this year from the global health crisis. READ MORE Cyclone hits India on deadliest day of pandemic NPR India can't catch a break. On the same day the country confirmed its highest-ever daily death toll from COVID-19, it was also hit by a deadly storm. Cyclone Tauktae barreled into India's west coast overnight packing wind gusts of up to 130 miles per hour — some of the strongest on record — before weakening over land later Tuesday. READ MORE Flooding from Louisiana storms turns deadly NBC News At least three men died in floodwaters in Louisiana, another person was missing after heavy rains pounded the state and the region was bracing for more wet weather in the coming days. Part of Lake Charles, which was hit by two hurricanes just six weeks apart last year, got more than a foot of rain over 12 hours Monday, forecasters said. READ MORE Disaster declared after an Alaskan village was inundated by more than five feet of floodwater CNN Residents of an Alaskan village were forced to evacuate after it was inundated last week by more than five feet of floodwater caused by an ice jam. On Monday, Gov. Mike Dunleavy declared a disaster in the city of Buckland, a news release from his office 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