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Aug. 6, 2020

ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATE

Put your company in front of the EM community by sponsoring the upcoming IAEM virtual conference IAEM IAEM is finalizing sponsorship opportunities for the IAEM Reimagined Virtual Annual Conference to be held Nov. 16-18, 2020. Information will be posted on the IAEM Annual Conference website soon. Companies interested in sponsorship opportunities may contact Kate McClimans to discuss options.

Save Nov. 16-18 for IAEM Reimagined Virtual Annual Conference IAEM Plans are evolving quickly to reimagine the 68th Annual Conference & EMEX as a virtual event to be held Nov. 16-18, 2020. Registration will open in August, and the event promises to feature all the bells and whistles of an in-person event, including top-notch speakers, networking events, exhibit hall live sessions, EMvision Talks, the Poster Showcase, CEUs, and more. Registration fees have been significantly reduced to allow for multiple people participating from every organization. Details are being posted on the conference website.

IAEM-OCEANIA COUNCIL NEWS

Australian state declares coronavirus 'state of disaster' Kyodo News Victoria, Australia's second most populous state, declared on Sunday a "state of disaster" and imposed the tightest public health restrictions the country has seen during the coronavirus pandemic, as a second wave continues to see hundreds of COVID-19 cases confirmed daily. READ MORE

IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS

Voting has begun in the 2020 IAEM-USA Council and Regional Officers Elections IAEM Voting began on Aug. 3 in the 2020 IAEM-USA Council and Regional Officers Elections, with the release of information and links to online ballots via IAEM Headquarters email to eligible voters (Individual, Affiliate and Lifetime members). The IAEM-USA Council will elect a second vice president and a secretary to the IAEM-USA Board. In addition, Regions 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 will elect regional officers. If you are in a region that is holding an election this year, you should have received two emails, one for the council election and one for your region’s election. If you did not receive the email(s) that apply to you, you can review the profiles of candidates now at the links listed on the IAEM-USA News page. Contact Rebecca Campbell, IAEM liaison for online elections, with any questions or to request your link to a ballot. Voting deadline is 5:00 p.m., Aug. 31, 2020.

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FEMA announces public comment period for Debris Monitoring Guide IAEM FEMA released an interim "Debris Monitoring Guide," which is now open for public comment. It includes several changes that incorporate updated requirements to comply with the "Procurement Disaster Assistance Team 2019 Field Manual." This interim guide provides Public Assistance applicants and recipients (states, territories, or tribes that are the pass-through entity between the applicant and FEMA) with guidance on monitoring debris removal operations and eligibility requirements associated with necessary work and reasonable costs to carry out a debris monitoring program. The interim guide and accompanying comments matrix are available on the FEMA website. FEMA will accept public comments via the matrix until Sept. 17.

FEMA releases new NIMS position qualifications documents for pipeline safety IAEM FEMA released a draft of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) "Job Title/Position Qualifications and Resource Typing Definitions" document related to pipeline safety to enhance interoperability and the effectiveness of mutual aid. The national engagement period for the Pipeline Inspector document concludes at 5:00 p.m. EDT, Sept. 4, 2020. The engagement period provides an opportunity for interested parties to comment on newly developed supporting tools. To access the documents, visit the FEMA website.

FEMA releases new NIMS position qualifications documents for geology field IAEM FEMA released a draft of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) "Job Title/Position Qualifications and Resource Typing Definitions" document related to geology field reconnaissance to enhance interoperability and the effectiveness of mutual aid. The drafts are now available for stakeholder feedback. The release includes: Geology Field Reconnaissance Team Geology Field Reconnaissance Specialist Geological Survey Support Specialist The national engagement period for the Geology Field Reconnaissance documents concludes at 5:00 p.m. EDT, Sept. 14, 2020. The engagement period provides an opportunity for interested parties to comment on newly developed supporting tools. To access the documents, visit the FEMA website.

IAEM NEWS

Contribute to the conference issue of the IAEM Bulletin and submit your article on the IAEM Virtual Conference theme by Sept. 21 IAEM In October, the IAEM Editorial Committee will publish the fourth 2020 IAEM Bulletin special focus issue on the topic of the IAEM Reimagined Virtual Annual Conference & EMEX theme, “Visioning the Future of Emergency Management.” Your article should be related in some way to the overall conference theme, and the length should be 750-1,500 words. Email article submissions in Word format to IAEM Bulletin Editor Karen Thompson by Sept. 21, 2020. If you are not familiar with the Bulletin, the March issue on “Black Swan Events: Pandemics” is posted at the top of the IAEM Bulletin web page, plus you can read the author guidelines here.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

EM NEWS

Cities turn to the sewers to track the prevalence of COVID Route Fifty As COVID-19 cases continue to rise and test results lag, officials in Augusta, Maine are tapping an unexpected source for information about the local spread of the virus: sewage. Research has shown that people infected with SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, shed the virus in their feces before they begin showing symptoms. READ MORE

Wildfires can poison drinking water – here’s how communities can be better prepared* PreventionWeb The 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise and Butte County, California was the deadliest and most destructive fire in California’s history. It took 86 lives and destroyed more than 18,000 structures in a matter of hours. Almost two years later, only a fraction of the area’s 40,000-plus population has returned. This disaster followed the 2017 Tubbs Fire, which killed 22 people in California’s Sonoma and Napa counties. After both fires, drinking water tests revealed a plethora of acutely toxic and carcinogenic pollutants. READ MORE

The pandemic and natural disasters are colliding again New York Magazine The thousands of Americans whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the Easter storms faced a daunting challenge: home insecurity amid a pandemic, mass unemployment, and an emergency system inundated with coronavirus-related calls. Almost four months later, with the pandemic surging in the absence of a federal response, that trifecta may soon return, if this weekend’s severe weather events are any indication. READ MORE

The pandemic plays hell with fighting wildfires and hurricanes Daily Beast Firefighters across the nation consult a go-to website for cautionary tales. The “Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center” shares things that have gone wrong so that next time everyone can hopefully avoid the pitfalls. Today, the site is brimming with the uncharted challenges of combating natural disasters during a pandemic. READ MORE

HEALTHCARE EM UPDATES

Improving post-COVID healthcare facilities for the next emergency HC+O News First identified in the U.S. in January 2020, the coronavirus has created massive changes in the country, as cases skyrocketed from single digits to millions in a matter of months. Global emergencies such as the coronavirus often strike without warning, leaving many hospitals and healthcare providers scrambling for solutions. READ MORE

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

CLIMATE/WATER/WEATHER UPDATES

Improving the accuracy of typhoon forecasts with radar data assimilation Chinese Academy of Sciences via Phys.org Gales and rainstorms brought by landfalling typhoons cause extensive casualties and loss of property every year in many coastal areas of the western Pacific. As such, predicting the track and precipitation of typhoons has always been a top priority of weather forecasting. READ MORE

NEW INSIGHTS

Disaster management is too white, official tells Congress* Scientific American An overwhelming number of emergency managers in the U.S. are white, and the profession must diversify to reverse decades of disaster response policies that have shunned minority communities and perpetuated racial discrimination, a state emergency manager told Congress. READ MORE

Disaster case management: An important disaster response tool Domestic Preparedness Effective disaster response and recovery involves identifying and establishing an organization that serves the needs of vulnerable populations utilizing pre-disaster risk assessments and crisis management communication, with planned and tested tools and robust resources. Disaster Case Management is one such tool. READ MORE

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CEM® UPDATE

2020 IAEM certification recipients given choice on how to receive CEM®/AEM® diploma IAEM Individuals who obtained the certification designation in 2020 have a choice as to how and when they would like to receive their actual diploma. IAEM can either mail it, or newly certified individuals can be recognized and receive it at the IAEM 69th Annual Conference & EMEX in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during the Wednesday evening ceremony on Oct. 20, 2021. Preferences should be submitted to IAEM by Oct. 15, 2020, via email at CEMinfo@iaem.com. If no preference is received, IAEM will mail the diplomas.

GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

FEMA’s Notice of Funding Opportunities for FMA and BRIC Grants IAEM On Aug. 4, 2020, FEMA posted the Fiscal Year 2020 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Notification of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program and the new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) pre-disaster mitigation grant program on grants.gov. This year there is $660 million available for these two programs combined. FEMA’s two competitive mitigation grant programs provide states, local communities, tribes and territories (SLTTs) funding for eligible mitigation activities to strengthen our nation’s ability to build a culture of preparedness by reducing disaster losses and protecting life and property from future disaster damages. The application period opens on Sept. 30, 2020. Eligible applicants must apply for funding using the new FEMA Grants Outcome (FEMA GO), which is now the management system for FMA and BRIC. Applications should be submitted in the FEMA Go Portal no later than 3:00 p.m. EST, Jan. 29, 2021.

New online grants award system coming soon IAEM FEMA’s new online grants award system will be operational this fall for select hazard mitigation grant funding notices and awards. The system, called Grants Outcomes or FEMA GO, is the result of a multi-year effort to modernize and transform the way FEMA conducts grants management. Federal Fiscal Year 2020 Flood Mitigation Assistance and Building Resilience Infrastructure and Communities pre-disaster mitigation grant programs will all use the FEMA GO system. FEMA has been closely collaborating with applicants who will receive FEMA mitigation grants to test and validate system functionality prior to it being released in stages. Once the application period opens on Sept. 30, grant applicants must use FEMA GO to apply for funding through Flood Mitigation Assistance or the new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant programs. Legacy projects will continue to reside in eGrants. For more information about FEMA GO, visit the FEMA website.

EM CALENDAR

CISA to hold annual cybersecurity summit as series of two-hour webinars IAEM The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) will hold its 3rd Annual National Cybersecurity Summit as a series of two-hour webinars every Wednesday for four weeks, beginning Sept. 16 and ending Oct. 7. The summit is focused on providing cybersecurity strategies, policies and/or initiatives that facilitate collaboration between the full range of government, defense, civilian, intelligence, and law enforcement entities. Meaningful opportunities to discuss cybersecurity will continue to take place in the virtual environment. Each week will feature a different theme, and the presentations will highlight topics relevant to CISA’s mission, including keynote speeches and remarks from leaders across the public and private sectors. This year’s themes are: Sept. 16 – Key Cyber Insights; Sept. 23 – Leading the Digital Transformation; Sept. 30 – Diversity in Cybersecurity; and Oct. 7 – Defending our Democracy. Obtain summit details online, and register here.

FEMA to host two-part webinar series on effective accessible communications IAEM The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA will host a two-part series on accessible communications and how to effectively communicate throughout the disaster cycle. Part 1, scheduled for 12:00 p.m. EDT on Aug. 20, will provide an overview on various effective and accessible methods of communications throughout the disaster cycle, which includes insight on basic writing principles and how to write in plain language. Register for Part 1. Part 2, scheduled for 12:00 p.m. EDT on Aug. 27, will provide useful resources for print, TV and radio communication strategies, as well as offer specific tools to help you write for your audience. Register for Part 2. Subject matter experts will explore solutions to accessibility challenges that virtual platforms can present, as well as assisting participants in building a more inclusive environment in the field of emergency management.

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IAEM-ASIA NEWS

Chinese state councilor stresses flood control, post-disaster recovery Xinhua via China.org Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong has called for all-out efforts in flood control and post-disaster recovery to ensure the safety of people's lives and property. Wang, also head of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, made the remarks during an inspection to east China's Anhui Province for flood control and disaster relief works in the region. READ MORE

IAEM-EUROPA NEWS

Second COVID wave highly likely to hit France this year, scientists say Reuters A second wave of the coronavirus epidemic is highly likely to hit France in the autumn or winter, the government’s top scientific body warned on Tuesday as authorities seek to contain an increase in new cases over the past two weeks. READ MORE

AROUND THE WORLD

Fires continue to burn in eastern Italian region of Abruzzo* Voice of America Italian Firefighters, civil protection volunteers, and Alpine troops are working around the clock in trying to put out the fires that have engulfed the hundreds of hectares of woodland around the city of L'Aquila in the eastern region of Abruzzo. The fires were still burning for the third day Sunday, after the area was set ablaze by an act of arson. READ MORE

‘Too many are selfish’: US nears 5 million virus cases* The Associated Press Fourth of July gatherings, graduation parties, no-mask weddings, crowded bars — there are reasons the U.S. has racked up more than 155,000 coronavirus deaths, by far the most of any country, and is fast approaching an off-the-charts 5 million confirmed infections, easily the highest in the world. Many Americans have resisted wearing masks and social distancing, calling such precautions an overreaction or an infringement on their liberty. READ MORE

Tropic storm Isaias whips up eastern US, killing at least 6* The Associated Press At least six people were killed as Tropical Storm Isaias spawned tornadoes and dumped rain Tuesday along the U.S. East Coast after making landfall as a hurricane in North Carolina, where it caused floods and fires that displaced dozens of people. READ MORE

Assam Floods: Over 56 lakh people affected in 30 districts; death toll mounts to 109 DNA More than 56 lakh people have been affected by the floods in Assam, which have wreaked havoc across 30 districts of the state, according to a daily status report on Sunday. READ MORE

14 dead, thousands homeless after floods, landslide in South Korea Brisbane Times Fourteen people were killed and more than 1000 people forced from their homes as 42 consecutive days of rain - South Korea's longest monsoon in seven years - triggered floods and landslides, authorities said on Tuesday. Heavy rain, which has also battered China, Thailand, Myanmar and India in recent days, inundated farmland and flooded parts of major highways and bridges in the capital, Seoul. READ MORE

Cause of 26,450-acre Apple fire was vehicle malfunction, fire officials say KNBC-TV Fire investigators revealed the cause of the more than 26,400-acre wildfire that stretched from Cherry Valley into the San Bernardino National Forest, burning for days, was due to a vehicle malfunction. Fire officials initially said the cause of the blaze was due to arson. Nearly 8,000 people remain evacuated Monday due to the fire that was 5% contained. READ MORE

Enormous explosion rocks Beirut, killing more than 100, wounding thousands NPR A huge explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, killing at least 100 people and shattering windows and damaging buildings across a wide swath of the city, according to officials. The blast sent a huge mushroom cloud into the sky, seemingly emanating from a spot close to where a large fire had been burning. READ MORE

IAEM Dispatch   Connect with IAEM Dennis Hall, Director of Publishing, 469-420-2656 | Download media kit Bob Kowalski, Executive Editor, 469-420-2650 | Contribute news Elizabeth B. Armstrong, IAEM CEO, IAEM-USA Executive Director Dawn M. Shiley, IAEM Dispatch POC, IAEM Communications & Marketing Manager *Article contributed by the Emergency Manager's Weekly Report. International Association of Emergency Managers 201 Park Washington Court | Falls Church, VA 22046-4527 | 703-538-1795 | Contact Us 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