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Aug. 13, 2020

ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATE

IAEM Reimagined sponsorships will increase visibility for companies and organizations IAEM Details of sponsorship opportunities for the IAEM Reimagined Virtual Conference, Nov. 16-18, will be posted soon on the IAEM Annual Conference website. Contact Kate McClimans to discuss how sponsorships will help you reach out to the emergency management audience.

IAEM Reimagined Virtual Annual Conference fees structured to allow for multiple participants per organization IAEM Plans are evolving quickly to reimagine the 68th IAEM Annual Conference & EMEX as a virtual event to be held Nov. 16-18, 2020. Registration fees have been significantly reduced to allow for multiple people participating from every organization. IAEM members receive full access for $299, which includes participation in the live conference and access to recordings of all sessions to review per each individual’s schedule. Effectively, attendees will have access to more content than they are able to attend at an in-person conference. Details are being posted on the conference website. Registration will open in August.

IAEM-OCEANIA COUNCIL NEWS

New Zealand considers freight as possible source of new coronavirus cluster Reuters New Zealand officials are investigating the possibility that its first COVID-19 cases in more than three months were imported by freight, as the country’s biggest city plunged back into lockdown on Wednesday. The discovery of four infected family members in Auckland led Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to swiftly reimpose tight restrictions in the city and social distancing measures across the entire country. READ MORE

IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS

Voting is open until 5:00 p.m. Aug. 31 for 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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Treasury Department clarifies usage of CRF relative to FEMA programs IAEM The Treasury Department has updated the FAQ for the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF). New question 49 specifically addresses the potential for CRF to match FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance Program for Lost Wages Support. This means that CRF funding may be used for the non-federal match of this Stafford Act Assistance. Additional new questions 50-52 address issues related to using CRF for loans or business support. The updated FAQ is available online.

FEMA issued RFI seeking input on measuring the impact HSGP has had on preparedness IAEM The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Preparedness Assessment Division (NPAD) recently issued a request for information (RFI) in the Federal Register seeking input on measuring the impact that the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) has had on state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) preparedness. The HSGP includes a suite of risk-based grants to assist SLTT efforts in preventing, preparing for, protecting against, and responding to acts of terrorism. HSGP funding also can be used to enhance preparedness for other catastrophic events (e.g., hurricanes, wildfires) when the use of such funds has a nexus to preventing, preparing for, protecting against, and responding to terrorism. Comments must be received by Nov. 9, 2020. Obtain details and follow the instructions on submitting comments online. For further information, contact Bethany Slater, program analyst, Measures and Standards Branch, NPAD, National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA/DHS, Bethany.Slater@fema.dhs.gov.

FEMA releases new NIMS position qualifications documents for public assistance IAEM FEMA released National Incident Management System (NIMS) "Job Title/Position Qualifications and Resource Typing Definitions" documents related to Public Assistance to enhance interoperability and the effectiveness of mutual aid. The drafts are now available for stakeholder feedback. This week’s release includes: NQS PA Program Delivery Manager and Site Inspector Job Titles/Position Qualifications that define minimum qualifications criteria for personnel serving in these positions; and NQS PA Program Delivery Manager and Site Inspector Position Task Books (PTB) that identify the competencies, behaviors and tasks that personnel should demonstrate to become qualified for these positions. The national engagement period for the documents concludes at 5:00 p.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 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.

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Trump wants to use FEMA disaster funds for unemployment E&E News President Trump made plans to help pay for a new round of unemployment benefits by siphoning money from Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster funds. The move — one of several pandemic-related steps Trump took over the weekend — comes amid one of the busiest hurricane seasons in recent memory. Trump also announced that he would take executive action to mitigate evictions and defer payroll tax payments. READ MORE

IAB releases R&D Priority List IAEM Annually, the Science & Technology Subgroup of the Interagency Board for Emergency Preparedness and Response (IAB) collects research and development items for the public safety community within each of the core disciplines and distributes a survey to members asking for input on the identified research and development (R&D) needs. The 2020 IAB R&D Priority List, now published, reflects analysis and development of a prioritized list based on feedback.

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 (along with any questions) 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

Could it happen here? The risk of dangerous cargo Homeland Security Today Those who wonder whether a chemical explosion like the one that leveled the port of Beirut and killed more than 100 could happen in the U.S. should consider what happened one spring day in 1947 in the port of Texas City, Texas. READ MORE

When sheltering from virus can turn into drowning at home E&E News The last time a major hurricane hit Florida, Marci Lowman hunkered down with her two daughters in their Miami Shores house. Lowman came to regret the decision as Hurricane Irma created a mess in September 2017. Next time, she vowed, they would evacuate. But now with COVID-19 infecting nearly 5 million people in the United States, including more than 500,000 in Florida, Lowman said she "can't imagine trying to evacuate my family." READ MORE

HEALTHCARE EM UPDATES

New York’s true nursing home death toll cloaked in secrecy* The Associated Press Riverdale Nursing Home in the Bronx appears, on paper, to have escaped the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, with an official state count of just four deaths in its 146-bed facility.The truth, according to the home, is far worse: 21 dead, most transported to hospitals before they succumbed. READ MORE

CLIMATE/WATER/WEATHER UPDATES

North Carolina counties lead US in hurricane impacts since 2010* TNS via Emergency Management A new report quantifies what many North Carolina residents already know: They have faced a lot of hurricanes over the past decade — reinforced most recently by last week's Hurricane Isaias. The report by the ValuePenguin financial advice website states that from 2010 through 2019, Brunswick County on the southern North Carolina coast and Dare and Hyde counties along the state's northeast coast each had 10 hurricane-based Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) emergencies. READ MORE

The US needs to address its climate migration problem Scientific American Rising seas, storm surges and coastal flooding are displacing communities from Alaska to Louisiana to Maryland. It's time for Congress to get serious about helping them find higher ground, federal auditors say in a blunt assessment of the government's scattershot approach to what could become the largest U.S. migration since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. READ MORE

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

NEW INSIGHTS

We need to rethink our supply chain approach in response to COVID-19 Nextgov Disasters disrupt supply chains. Last year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency noted: “Quickly reestablishing flows of water, food, pharmaceuticals, medical goods, fuel, and other crucial commodities is almost always in the immediate interest of survivors and longer-term recovery. READ MORE

CEM® UPDATE

IAEM Certification Featured Mentors list updated IAEM IAEM has refreshed the list of Certification Featured Mentors found on the IAEM website. These CEMs have volunteered to help candidates through the certification application. Find details on the Find a Certification Mentor web page.

EM CALENDAR

IAEM-USA Region 1 will host an Aug. 27 webinar on hospital pandemic response IAEM IAEM-USA Region 1 has announced a webinar, “MGH COVID-19 Pandemic Response Overview,” to be presented on Aug. 27 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. Hear from staff at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center of Disaster Medicine discuss how the hospital responded to a surge in patients, as well as how they partnered with other healthcare and EM groups to overcome various challenges, including: scarce resources, partnering with communities of testing; and isolation. A division within the Department of Emergency Medicine, the Center for Disaster Medicine oversees all preparedness and emergency management efforts at MGH in Boston. Register online.

FEMA webinars series will provide information regarding NOFO for BRIC and FMA Grants IAEM FEMA is offering a series of 90-minute informational webinars regarding Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant applicants. NOFO Webinars #1-#3 (same content for each) will be held three times at 2:00 p.m. EDT on Aug. 18, Aug. 20, and Aug. 25. NOFO Webinar #4 for tribal applicants will be held at 2:00 p.m. EDT on Aug. 27. All four webinars will provide an overview of the grant programs and details about the agency’s funding priorities and review process. NOFO Webinars #5-#6 (same content for each) on avoiding application pitfalls for grants will be held at 2:00 p.m. EDT on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2. Registration for all six of the webinars can be found online. Additional webinars will be scheduled soon about FEMA Grants Outcome (FEMA GO), which is now the management system for Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant (HMA) Grant programs. The development of FEMA GO is a multi-year effort to modernize and transform the way FEMA conducts grants management.

IAEM-ASIA NEWS

State CMs ask Modi to review 35% cap on disaster management fund for COVID Business Standard Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that if state governments managed to institute systems that tested, diagnosed and isolated those testing positive for Covid-19 within 72 hours, India could defeat the disease and bring down the death rate below 1 per cent. READ MORE

SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by goTenna • Virtual Demo: goTenna Pro for Emergency Response • Top 10 apps for emergency response teams • Webinar: How to build a mobile first strategy for emergency management • Podcast: Bringing satellite, mesh and mobile together for coordinated emergency response • Tech Spotlight Series: Hoverfly on the tactical advantages of tethered drones

IAEM-EUROPA NEWS

Inquiry finds UK dropped the ball on coronavirus border measures* Homeland Security Today While President Trump faces continued criticism for his handling of the pandemic as the U.S. struggles to control the virus, his counterpart across the Atlantic is faring no better. It has not been a good week for Boris Johnson. One of the U.K.’s biggest problems initially was a lack of PPE for nurses and healthcare staff, including those on the frontline within the National Health Service (NHS). READ MORE

Coronavirus: Cases surge as France goes 'wrong way'* BBC News New coronavirus infections have nearly doubled in France in recent weeks as Prime Minister Jean Castex warned that the country had been going "the wrong way" for two weeks. READ MORE

AROUND THE WORLD

Powerful 5.1 magnitude earthquake jolts Charlotte area, strongest in NC in 104 years The Charlotte Observer A 5.1 magnitude earthquake felt in Charlotte shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday was centered just over a mile south of Sparta, near the Virginia border, the strongest quake to hit North Carolina in more than a century. In fact, it was the strongest earthquake in the state since 1916, according to the National Weather Service, when a 5.2 magnitude quake occurred near Skyland, just outside of Asheville. READ MORE

Sudan: Death toll rises as flooding continues, 4,000 homes destroyed Middle East Monitor Some 20 people were killed and 13 others injured due to “torrential rains and floods across various cities of Sudan”, Sudanese Civil Defense announced yesterday. Heavy rains typically hit Sudan between June and October each year, and this week the country has been battered by the downpours. The continuous rains have raised the number of victims to 30. READ MORE

Derecho with 100 mph winds moves across the Midwest, bringing down trees and power lines in Chicago CNN A line of severe storms slammed through downtown Chicago and surrounding areas Monday, downing trees and power lines, which sparked fires in the city, officials said. The storms produced winds of more than 100 mph in some cases as they moved through Iowa and Illinois. READ MORE

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Magnitude 5.1 earthquake hits NC, most powerful quake state has seen in over 100 years WRAL-TV The most powerful earthquake to hit North Carolina in more than 100 years shook the state this morning. The 5.1 magnitude quake rattled homes, businesses and residents at around 8 a.m. across the state. READ MORE

Greek floods: death toll rises as rescue teams search for survivors The Guardian The body of a man missing after a storm sparked flash floods on the Greek island of Evia over the weekend has been recovered, Greece’s coastguard has said, bringing the death toll from the storm to eight. Rescue crews had been searching for the 72-year-old since Sunday when he was reported missing after flooding swept away cars and sent residents of some villages scrambling to their roofs to await rescue. READ MORE

Roads become rivers: Nearly 4 million Chinese evacuated or displaced from flooding NPR First China was hit by the novel coronavirus. Now it is dealing with the worst flooding in more than 20 years across vast swaths, from its southwestern interior to its east coast. Zeng Hailin is one of an estimated 3.7 million people displaced or evacuated because of floods in China largely since June. READ MORE

Typhoon Jangmi batters South Korea UCA News Typhoon Jangmi has landed in South Korea after a period of heavy monsoon rain that has left at least 31 people dead, 11 missing and eight injured. It made landfall near Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang province on the afternoon of Aug. 10. 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