This message was sent to ##Email## To advertise in this publication please click here June 30, 2022 To view email in web browser, click here. .IAEM CONFERENCE NEWS IAEM Annual Conference registration is now open — register now and pay later option available IAEM Registration has opened for the 70th IAEM Annual Conference & EMEX to be held in Savannah, Georgia, Nov. 11-17. Register now for: Early bird savings on registration fees. Free training from EMI, NDPC, the IAEM Leadership Symposium, and more. Discounted hotel rooms in the limited IAEM room block. Unmatched dynamic and innovative program. If you are waiting on budget approval you can still lock in early bird rates and claim seats in the highly sought-after training courses and optional activities. Register now and pay later by selecting “pay by check.” Later you can pay your invoice online or have a check mailed on your behalf. Learn more about this option online. Direct any questions about the conference to IAEM Conference Manager Julie Husk. EMEX Advisory Committee: a resource for exhibitors ensuring EMEX remains the premier emergency management exhibit IAEM The EMEX Advisory Committee (EAC) met on June 28 to review and discuss EMEX 2022. EAC Chairman Will Minkoff, regional director for BOLD Planning and longtime EMEX exhibitor, led a discussion on ways to enhance the exhibitor experience in Savannah, as well as maximize value for exhibitors. Chairman Minkoff wants the industry to know there are experienced vendor leaders working with IAEM in the production of EMEX and encourages anyone with ideas to share them – anyone interested can connect with EMEX Exhibits Coordinator Rebecca Campbell. If you've not yet reserved your booth, don't wait. Reserve your space before they're gone. .IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS Last chance to nominate for the IAEM awards IAEM The IAEM-USA Awards and Recognition Program Nomination Period closes today, June 30th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. To make the process even easier, check out the Quick Facts! Remember to also read the Awards and Recognition Committee Overarching Guidelines for important details about how to apply. You can read more about the program here. The IAEM Awards Competition recognizes excellence by honoring individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the field of emergency management during the prior year and have represented the profession well through their outstanding performance. Don’t miss the opportunity to nominate a worthy candidate. OIG tells FEMA to improve management of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program property acquisitions Homeland Security Today The Office of Inspector General (OIG) says the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) did not oversee and manage Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) property acquisition projects efficiently or effectively. The watchdog also reports that FEMA could not provide assurance that projects are awarded equitably. Through grants to states, FEMA uses the HMGP to purchase properties that are flood damaged or in flood-prone areas, demolish any structures on them, and ensure they are maintained forever as open space. READ MORE Lessons learned from Ebola and natural disasters help federal agencies' COVID-19 response Homeland Security Today The COVID-19 pandemic required federal agencies to adapt their regulations to meet emergent needs. Twenty-three of the 24 major agencies the Government Accountability Office (GAO) surveyed in October 2021 reported implementing regulatory flexibilities in response to COVID-19. Regulatory flexibilities can include actions that modify regulatory standards, as well as activities that modify their applicability (e.g., through waivers or exemptions) or enforcement. A majority of agencies reported increased use of multiple types of flexibilities in response to COVID-19 compared to before the pandemic. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by Rave Mobile Safety How to Leverage Rave911 Suite and Smart911 for Safety in your Community Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Public Safety Engage and Protect Your People with Rave’s Personal Safety App Fast, Smart, Reliable School Safety with the Rave Panic Button Invest in Employee Safety and Wellness for Your SMB FEMA seeks feedback on National Continuous Improvement Guidance IAEM FEMA seeks feedback for the National Continuous Improvement Guidance draft, including edits and suggestions for additional resources and real-world examples. The national engagement period closes at midnight EDT on July 31. The guidance provides a consistent and rigorous framework to conduct continuous improvement initiatives before, during, and after real-world incidents for the whole community, including state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, nongovernmental organizations, private sector, and emergency management organizations. To review the draft guidance and provide feedback, visit FEMA.gov. To submit feedback, email FEMA-CITAP@fema.dhs.gov. FEMA will also host a series of 60-minute webinar sessions to provide an overview of the draft guidance and to gather feedback from whole community partners. At least one webinar session will be offered every week in July. To register for a webinar, visit https://preptoolkit.fema.gov/web/cip-citap/events. Joe Biden has a new vision for the National Flood Insurance Program Government Executive The Biden administration is proposing a major overhaul to the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP — the main source of insurance for homeowners who are required to or choose to obtain coverage for flooding. Last month, Alice Lugo, assistant secretary for legislative affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, put forth 17 legislative proposals that would collectively represent the biggest reform to the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s National Flood Insurance Program since the program’s inception. The proposals, which have to make their way through a politically polarized Congress before they can become law, have the potential to drastically alter the way Americans protect their homes and businesses against flooding. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE GET YOUR 72 HOUR KIT. ReadyWise – Are you prepared with enough food and water to last you through a disaster? ReadyWise’s delicious freeze-dried meals and drinks have up to a 25-year shelf-life and are easy to prepare, just add water. Go to ReadyWIse.com/IAEM to order you’re your 72-hour kit and use CODE: IAEM at checkout. LEARN MORE .IAEM NEWS Deadline extended: IAEM Editorial Committee seeks article submissions by July 8 on the special focus topic, 'Emergency Management — Unstoppable' IAEM The IAEM Editorial Committee is seeking article submissions by July 8 for the July Special Focus edition of the IAEM Bulletin. The third special focus topic for 2022 is "Emergency Management —Unstoppable." The issue is based on the idea that a good emergency manager is resilient. We all know that most of the time emergency managers are both unflappable and unbreakable, but sometimes we are not. How do you recognize when you are at your breaking point? And what do you do about it so you can continue exceeding expectations? How do you plan to become unbreakable? What do you do to create unsinkable plans? Tell us about the times that true grit was required, a time that you overcame a great challenge, or an instance when your organization faced overwhelming odds. Refer to the Author Guidelines before submitting your article. Please submit your article by July 8 to IAEM Bulletin Editor John Osborne. .EM NEWS Every tool needed in complicated wildfire landscape Government Technology We know now that the largest recorded fire in New Mexico history was started by an escaped “prescribed burn,” or rather by two. The Hermit’s Peak fire bolted away on April 6 when unexpectedly gusty winds blew sparks beyond control lines. Then the Calf Canyon fire raced off on April 9 when similar winds fanned embers in burn piles first kindled in January. The two fires soon merged. Together, as of June 12, they have scorched 320,333 acres, with two-thirds of the fire perimeter regarded as contained. READ MORE  SPONSORED VIDEO Emergency Operations that Scale Enable systems of care that scale, eliminate fragmentation of communication, and coordinate mutual aid — all on one communication and logistics platform. With Pulsara, Emergency Managers have the flexibility to assess regional and statewide needs and centrally compile needed resources during emergency response, dramatically reducing miscommunications and waste time. WATCH VIDEO FEMA launches campaign in English and Spanish promoting free, low-cost flood preparedness options Homeland Security Today In an effort to reach more communities at the onset of hurricane season, FEMA is launching a dual-language advertising campaign to educate and remind residents of the flood preparedness actions they can take to fit almost any budget. The ads will be broadcast across iHeartMedia’s traditional and digital networks and will promote preparedness tips, aligning with FEMA’s equity goal to tailor disaster solutions that meet the unique needs of different communities. The ads will air in several hurricane-prone states, including Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas. READ MORE Court kills Flint water charges against ex-governor, others* The Associated Press The Michigan Supreme Court threw out charges against former Gov. Rick Snyder and others in the Flint water scandal, saying a judge sitting as a one-person grand jury had no power to issue indictments under rarely used state laws. It’s an astonishing defeat for Attorney General Dana Nessel, who took office in 2019, got rid of a special prosecutor and put together a new team to investigate whether crimes were committed when lead contaminated Flint’s water system in 2014-15. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by University of Southern California MS in Emergency Management from the University of Southern California 100% online, no GRE required, complete in 1 or 2 years Develop the strategic and analytical skills necessary for leaders in times of crisis Master critical leadership and communication skills for effective emergency management Learn from a dedicated faculty team with global emergency management experience .NEW INSIGHTS RAND releases report on streamlining emergency management IAEM The RAND Corporation released a report entitled “Streamlining Emergency Management: Issues, Impacts, and Options for Improvement.” The report examines the value of programs, constructs, assessments, and doctrines associated with FEMA and the nation’s emergency management system. Researchers reviewed 31 FEMA-selected constructs for opportunities to streamline, simplify, and strengthen the system, assessing how overlap, duplication, and fragmentation could affect implementation and outcomes. In this report, the researchers describe options for addressing the issues and impacts identified. Some options are designed to address specific impacts or individual constructs, while others propose broader solutions that would transform the emergency management system. The authors also discuss trade-offs in costs and unintended consequences. .UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE/SCHOOL EM ISSUES Locks on all exterior doors at Texas schools to be assessed Campus Safety Locks on exterior doors at all Texas schools will be checked to ensure they work properly following the Robb Elementary School shooting. Before the start of the next school year, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner Mike Morath said the agency will review the external entry points of every K-12 school, which is estimated to be 340,000 doors, reports The Texas Tribune. The state consists of more than 1,200 school districts and over 3,000 campuses. READ MORE .HEALTHCARE EM UPDATE Misinformation will be rampant when it comes to COVID-19 shots for young children — here's what you can do to counter it* The Conversation When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for all children ages 6 months to 5 years on June 18, 2022, it opened the door for nearly 20 million children to get vaccinated. While this news comes as a relief to many parents who have been anxiously waiting to get their young children vaccinated, a May 2022 survey found that the majority of parents with children under 5 feel they don’t have enough information about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for this age group. About 40% also said that information from federal health agencies, such as the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration, about vaccines for this age group was confusing. READ MORE .WEATHER UPDATES King County announces region's first Extreme Heat Mitigation Strategy KIRO-TV On the anniversary of the deadliest climate-related disaster in our region’s history, King County leaders announced the development of its first-ever Extreme Heat Mitigation Strategy. Exactly one year ago, triple-digit temperatures swept the Pacific Northwest, claiming the lives of 38 people in western Washington in just three days’ time. The deadly heatwave in June 2021, combined with growing concerns for climate change and extreme heat, has prompted King County leaders to act, creating the region’s first Extreme Heat Mitigation Strategy. READ MORE  FEATURED ARTICLE   TIDAL BASIN OFFERS FREE SPANISH HURRICANE RESOURCES - Share with your communities Promoted by Tidal Basin Group Llegó la temporada de huracanes del Atlántico y será más activa de lo normal. Aunque no podemos controlar el clima, podemos preparar nuestras comunidades. Con ese fin creamos una página de recursos en línea que contiene hojas de cotejo, infográficos, contenido de redes sociales, y consejos prácticos de seguridad. Haz clic aquí y visita nuestro Centro de Recursos Para Huracanes. LEARN MORE   Cyclone numbers have fallen since start of 20th century, study suggests The Guardian Global heating has coincided with fewer tropical cyclones forming each year around the globe compared with the second half of the 19th century, according to a new study. The average annual number of cyclones fell by 13% across the 20th century, with steeper declines seen after 1950. Several studies using climate models have suggested global heating could reduce the total number of cyclones forming but there would be a higher proportion of more intense and dangerous systems. READ MORE Nearly 1 in 4 globally at risk from severe flooding: study Phys.org Almost a quarter of the world's population are exposed to significant flood risks, according to new research published recently, which warned those in poorer countries were more vulnerable. Inundations from heavy rainfall and storm surges affect millions of people every year and cause billions of dollars of damage to homes, infrastructure and economies. And the risks are rising as climate change causes more extreme precipitation and sea level rise, as exposed populations swell. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Leadership Programs Recommended for You Want to optimize your effectiveness and accelerate your impact? ­ Experience an executive education program at Harvard Kennedy School including Leadership Decision Making (ONLINE), Leadership and Character in Uncertain Times (ONLINE) and Leadership in Crises ­ (ON CAMPUS). The best leaders never stop learning. Apply today. LEARN MORE What flooding costs these U.S. cities Route Fifty Cities will see an increase in three types of flooding—river, coastal and wastewater—during the next three decades, events that will increase what local governments spend on climate disasters, according to a new report. The analysis, titled Water Safe Cities, looks at members of C40 Cities, a network of nearly 100 cities worldwide collaborating on ways to confront climate change. The report includes 11 U.S. cities. READ MORE Climate change is driving 2022 extreme heat and flooding Reuters Extreme weather events – from scorching heatwaves to unusually heavy downpours – have caused widespread upheaval across the globe this year, with thousands of people killed and millions more displaced. In the last three months, monsoon rains unleashed disastrous flooding in Bangladesh, and brutal heatwaves seared parts of South Asia and Europe. Meanwhile, prolonged drought has left millions on the brink of famine in East Africa. READ MORE .CYBERSECURITY NEWS DHS and Treasury to assess need for a federal response to cyber attack insurance Homeland Security Today The Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of the Treasury should assess if a federal response is needed to address insurance against cyber attacks. Critical infrastructure has become more vulnerable to cyber attacks for reasons that include greater use of interconnected electronic systems. At the same time, threat actors including nation states, criminal groups, and terrorists have stepped up their capabilities of carrying out cyber attacks on critical infrastructure. READ MORE .DISASTER TECHNOLOGY NEWS New supercomputers take over NOAA's weather forecast models Nextgov The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service began running its U.S. weather forecast models on twin supercomputers architected, deployed and operated by General Dynamics Information Technology. The twin HPE Cray supercomputers—Dogwood, located in Virginia, and Cactus, located in Arizona—operate at a speed of 12.1 petaflops and provide approximately three times the computing capacity for advanced weather monitoring than the previous supercomputers that comprised NOAA’s Weather and Climate Operational Supercomputing System program. Both supercomputers are entirely dedicated to weather modeling, are among the 50 fastest in the world and are identical to ensure rapid failover if the production role has to move from one site to the other. READ MORE  FEATURED ARTICLE   Asbestos? Lead? It Pays To Do Things Right Promoted by Optimum Seismic, Inc. Many older homes and apartment buildings contain lead and asbestos. Owners sometimes downplay the health hazards these substances pose to humans and the environment alike, and feel tempted to bypass the rules by removing these contaminants undercover — hoping that no one finds out. LEARN MORE   U.S. bridge conditions easy to find with new mapping tool Governing The iconic Brooklyn Bridge in New York City is considered “the most troubled” bridge in the country, according to a new trove of bridge condition data compiled by the GIS and mapping technology company Esri. The company recently released the U.S. National Bridge Inventory, an interactive mapping tool that shows the conditions of hundreds of old bridges around the nation, which are 100 years old or older. READ MORE Tool developed by U-M business professor helps prepare aid supplies for typhoons in the Philippines University of Michigan Distributing relief supplies to typhoon victims requires storing the goods in the best location before the typhoon hits. The tricky part is knowing where that is. Joline Uichanco, assistant professor of technology and operations at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, developed a method to figure it out. As detailed in a study recently published in Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, Uichanco developed a data-driven model for demand prediction and relief distribution. READ MORE .EM CALENDAR NHSA hosts the National Homeland Security Conference in Cleveland, Ohio from July 11-14 IAEM From July 11-14, NHSA will host its four-day National Homeland Security Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. This year, attendees can expect to learn about emerging trends in homeland security and see the new equipment to support their mission. Registration is still open online and the current rate for a full-conference registration is $725. The National Homeland Security Conference brings together U.S. professionals in homeland security, law enforcement, fire, and emergency management. They include officials in federal agencies, nonprofit agencies, business owners, universities, and decisions makers in these fields. Last year's conference was groundbreaking for exhibitors and attendees. The NHSC 2022 at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio promises to deliver another record-breaking experience. Visit the conference website for more information. Register here. IAEM-USA Region 3 hosts one-day symposium July 15 in Washington, D.C. IAEM Region 3 and The George Washington University are pleased to host a one-day emergency management symposium, July 15, at the GWU Milken School of Public Health. The event will be in person and also will be broadcast as a Webinar for those who cannot make it face-to-face. Please join us for a day of educational presentations, networking, and socializing with emergency managers and allied professionals from around the region. Speakers include MaryAnn Tierney, regional administrator, FEMA Region 3; Randy Padfield, director, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency; Chris Rodriguez, director, D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency; A.J. Schall, director, Delaware Emergency Management Agency; Russ Strickland, secretary, Maryland Department of Emergency Management; Shawn Talmadge, state coordinator, Virginia Department of Emergency Management; Kim Kadesch, director, FEMA Office of National Capital Region Coordination; Dr. Jeff Stern, superintendent, FEMA Emergency Management Institute; and Dr. Donell Harvin, RAND Corporation. Attendees will have the opportunity to network post-symposium at a no-cost happy hour and the Nationals vs. Braves baseball game. The cost is $20 for IAEM members and $25 for non-members. See the full agenda and learn more on the symposium webpage. Register for the National Access and Functional Needs Symposium on July 19-20 IAEM The National AFN Symposium on July 19-20, 2022 will bring the disability community together with emergency managers, disaster planners, and first responders from across the country in an online forum to foster an environment of trust and understanding vital to advancing the mission of access and functional needs throughout the nation. Learn more about the engaging expert speakers who will be presenting four panels on a variety of topics. Register here for the virtual event. .IAEM-ASIA NEWS COVID-19: Nearly 1 billion still without any vaccination in Asia Pacific IFRC A new analysis by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reveals that nearly 1 billion people in Asia and the Pacific are yet to receive a single dose of COVID -19 vaccine and remain at risk of serious illness and death. Globally, less than 20 percent of the population have received a single dose in low-income countries, according to Oxford University’s Our World in Data. READ MORE .IAEM-EUROPA NEWS Is Greece ready for wildfire season? DW.com Wildfires devastated 75,000 hectares of the forests in Greece last summer. The government has admitted its mistakes, but as temperatures rise is the country any better prepared this year? READ MORE .IAEM-INTERNATIONAL NEWS Bangladesh disaster response neglects vulnerable trans community* Thomson Reuters Foundation When an elderly relative passed away, Sanjibani Sudha, a 26-year-old banker, was not permitted by her family to attend the funeral because she is a transgender woman. Shimu Sheikh, 21, who was assigned female at birth but now identifies as a man, said that when seeking work, he was asked by human resources about his gender. "When I said I am a human being, it was not good enough for them to give me a job," he said. Social prejudice and stigma in Bangladesh combine to exclude trans and intersex people, said Mahfuza Mala, a climate expert and gender justice activist who works for Naripokkho, a feminist organisation focused on gender issues. READ MORE .IAEM-LATIN AMERICA NEWS New disaster resilience and preparedness program targets children with special needs Dominica News Online The Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment, Youth at Risk, Gender Affairs, Senior Security and Dominicans with Disabilities and IsraAID Dominica have launched the Disaster Resilience and Preparedness Program. Minister Responsible for Dominicans with Disabilities, Dr. Adis King, said in a statement, that the project is jointly funded by IsraAID Dominica and the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk and Insurance Facility and will run until October 2022. READ MORE .AROUND THE WORLD 4 dead, multiple injured after an Amtrak train hits a truck and derails in Missouri* NPR An Amtrak train traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago derailed Monday in Missouri, leaving at least four people dead and multiple people injured, authorities said. Seven cars and two locomotives on an Amtrak Southwest Chief train derailed. According to Amtrak, the train collided with a dump truck at around 12:42 p.m. CT near Mendon, Mo., about 100 miles outside of Kansas City. Three people from the Amtrak train were killed in addition to one person in the dump truck, authorities said. In total, 150 people were transported to 10 hospitals. There were about 275 passengers and about 12 crew members on the train. READ MORE Jordan toxic gas blast kills 10, injures over 200 AFP via France 24 A toxic gas explosion killed 10 people and injured more than 250 on Monday, authorities said, when a cloud of yellow gas suddenly enveloped Jordan's Aqaba port. Footage on state-owned Al-Mamlaka TV showed a large cylinder, said to have been carrying about 30 tonnes of gas, plunging from a crane on a moored vessel, causing a violent release of the gas cloud. READ MORE Tornado kills one, injures 10 in Netherlands Reuters A tornado in the south of the Netherlands has killed one person and injured at least 10 others, regional emergency services officials said on Monday. READ MORE 'Life-threatening' monsoon flooding in Flagstaff; Phoenix area sees rain, wind KSAZ-TV Flash flood warnings were issued for Flagstaff and other neighboring towns as rain, wind and hail moved through northern Arizona on Sunday. Creeks, roads, and washes filled up with water in a matter of minutes, especially near the burn scars of recent wildfires. READ MORE   IAEM Dispatch Connect with IAEM | Privacy Policy Hailey Golden, Director of Publishing, MultiView, 469-420-2630 | Download media kit Bob Kowalski, Executive Editor, MultiView, 469-420-2650 | Contribute news *Article contributed by the Emergency Manager's Weekly Report. 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