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Aug. 20, 2020

ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATE

Registration opens for IAEM Reimagined: The Virtual IAEM 2020 Conference IAEM IAEM members and the emergency management community will come together virtually on Nov. 16-18 for education, networking and inspiration. Registration is open online for the premier emergency management event of the year, and fees have been significantly reduced to: IAEM Member - $299 Non-Member - $379 Student - $149 With lower registration fees and no travel costs, it will be cost-effective for organizations to register multiple attendees. In addition, participation in the IAEM virtual conference is an allowable use of Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) funds. Conference news and updates are posted daily on the conference 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 (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.

IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS

Voting ends in 11 days for 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.

FEMA establishes a voluntary agreement with industry to assist in pandemic response IAEM FEMA established a voluntary agreement for enhanced coordination and cooperation with private sector manufacturers, distributors and industry representatives to provide critical health and medical resources to respond to coronavirus (COVID-19) and future pandemics. This five-year agreement was made under the authority of the Defense Production Act, Sec. 708. With this voluntary agreement, federal departments and agencies can engage with private sector partners to develop sector-specific plans of action for improved information sharing and coordination within supply chain networks. It will better allow the federal government to plan for response activities with private sector partners and acquire and use real-time data to make important decisions. Participants of the agreement are granted relief from antitrust laws for specific actions taken under the agreement. FEMA has posted a Fact Sheet to provide more information. Companies and organizations who wish to participate in this agreement may contact FEMA-DPA@fema.dhs.gov.

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EM NEWS

Hurricane evacuees would spread the coronavirus by the thousands TNS via Emergency Management South Florida residents fleeing the path of a powerful hurricane would almost certainly cause a spike in coronavirus infections across the state and beyond, according to a new study. And decisions made during a hurricane evacuation could mean a difference of tens of thousands of new COVID-19 cases. READ MORE

HEALTHCARE EM UPDATES

Nursing home COVID-19 infections surge in states seeing uptick in cases Route Fifty The number of Covid-19 cases reported in U.S. nursing homes have reached an all-time high, driven in part by the rapid surge of new infections across Sun Belt states, according to a new report. READ MORE

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CLIMATE/WATER/WEATHER UPDATES

The world's biggest waves: How climate change could trigger large landslides and 'mega-tsunamis' The Conversation via Phys.org Large landslides, like the one that hit Lituya Bay in 1958, are mixtures of rock, soil and water that can move very quickly. When a landslide hits a body of water, it can generate waves, especially in mountainous coastal areas, where steep slopes meet a fiord, lake or reservoir. READ MORE

EM RESOURCES

DHS/CISA publishes Cyber Essentials Toolkit Chapter 3 IAEM The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CIA) recently published Cyber Essentials Toolkit Chapter 3: Your Systems, What Makes You Operational to share with small companies and local government agencies. This chapter emphasizes protecting the information and applications on your network. Organizations that build security into and around critical assets and applications strengthen their technical cyber hygiene. This Cyber Essentials Toolkit recommends actionable steps leaders can take to manage network assets with the goal of protecting information and securing hardware and software. The Cyber Essentials Toolkit is a set of modules designed to break down the CISA Cyber Essentials into bite-sized actions for IT and C-suite leaders to work toward full implementation of each Cyber Essential, with each chapter focusing on recommended actions to readiness. Direct questions to Central@cisa.gov.

CDC issues update on COVID-19 pandemic vaccination planning IAEM The National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published an update on COVID-19 Pandemic Vaccination Planning: Update for State and Local Public Health Programs. CDC is working with other federal members of Operation Warp Speed (OWS) to plan and implement a COVID-19 vaccination program as soon as vaccines are available. Thoughtful allocation of the COVID-19 vaccine will be critical to prevent morbidity and mortality and reduce the impact of COVID-19 on society. Prioritization of populations to be reached early in the vaccination response when vaccine supply is limited is being considered by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the National Academy of Medicine. To better assist in updating and implementing of existing pandemic vaccination plans and assess needs, five selected jurisdictions (North Dakota, Florida, California, Minnesota and Philadelphia) are serving as pilot sites for joint planning missions. The pilot jurisdictions will work with a multi-agency federal team, including staff from the CDC and the Department of Defense, to plan and prepare for the COVID-19 vaccination response in their specific jurisdictions.

NEW INSIGHTS

The response to the Y2K challenge offers lessons for the pandemic Government Executive The world faced a seemingly insurmountable technology challenge in the late 1990s that threatened to disrupt civilization. Addressing this required mobilizing a vast response effort, not unlike what we are facing today with the COVID-19 pandemic. READ MORE

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DISASTER TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Open-source project aims to broaden access to early alerts for earthquakes Route Fifty A strategic new initiative will open source and deploy internet of things-based earthquake early-warning systems to bolster the safety and preparedness of people in seismically-active communities across the world—and beyond the scant places that currently leverage such alarm-producing tools. READ MORE

Pentagon’s AI center partners with Energy Department on disaster response C4ISRNet The Pentagon’s artificial intelligence unit is teaming up with the Department of Energy to deliver AI tools to first responders fighting natural disasters, the DOE announced. The Defense Department’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center and the DOE’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office are forming the new public-private partnership on AI called the First Five Consortium. READ MORE

Why are we still not using contact tracing apps en masse? Forbes There is no doubt that the best way to bring a pandemic like COVID-19 under control is through digital contact tracing apps, rather than the analogic approach of using people to do so. That said, it need not be exclusive, and can be used in a complementary way, and doesn’t require huge rollouts or adoption to be effective. READ MORE

CEM® UPDATE

IAEM certification webinar series available online IAEM Are you familiar with 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. Learn more, and watch recordings of the 2020 webinar series online.

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IAEM MEMBER NEWS

IAEM mourns the loss of member David P. Jackson IAEM IAEM member David (Dave) P. Jackson, 45, mitigation unit chief, Texas Division of Emergency Management, passed away on Aug. 15, 2000. An Idaho native, Dave graduated from University of North Texas with a bachelor’s in emergency administration and disaster planning. He received a master’s in homeland security and defense at the Naval Post Graduate School. He started his emergency management career as training and exercise coordinator for the Idaho Bureau of Disaster Services, working with county coordinators to develop critical response plans and training material. He became the Idaho state hazard mitigation officer, receiving a distinguished award from the governor in 2013. His career continued with the Texas Department of Public Safety in the Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Division, later moving to the Texas Division of Emergency Management, where he conducted training statewide on hazard mitigation. For the past seven years, Dave also taught emergency management classes at Idaho State University. Dave is survived by his wife, Cathy Dupree Jackson, his parents, and a close extended family. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to Boise Fire Burn Out Fund and Texas Firewalkers. More details about Dave’s life can be found online, as well as a guest book to send messages of sympathy. IAEM expresses condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Dave Jackson.

Harvey strives for school safety The Record Delta Dr. Jeff Harvey joined the Upshur County Schools community as the new Director of School Safety and Emergency Preparedness at the beginning of July. Harvey’s position includes coordinating the general safety and preparedness efforts of all the schools in the county, including all hazards, emergency preparedness, safety and security training. READ MORE

EM CALENDAR

FEMA’s Sept. 29 virtual workshop will address use of DSS-WISE Lite Tool for rapid dam break flood and consequence assessment IAEM The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will present a virtual workshop on the “Decision Support System for Water Infrastructural Security (DSS-WISE) Lite Tool for Rapid Dam Break Flood and Consequence Assessment” on Sept. 29, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. EDT. This workshop instructs dam safety professionals, dam safety regulators, community officials, and emergency managers how to rapidly identify the potential flood hazard areas downstream of dams. Content in the workshop also addresses why it is important to evaluate the consequences of potential dam releases or failures, and what steps can be taken before a dam failure incident to mitigate flood risk and manage the risk that remains. This workshop’s target audience includes: state/tribe dam safety and emergency management agency staff, emergency managers, dam safety professionals, FEMA HQ staff, FEMA insurance actuaries, and FEMA contractors. Register online.

EMAP Emergency Management Standard virtual training schedule for September 2020 announced IAEM The Emergency Management Accreditation Program’s (EMAP) August offering of EMAP Emergency Management Standard Virtual Cohort Virtual Training is underway. There are still three sessions scheduled from September through November 2020. The schedule beginning next is Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 8, and Oct. 15, with all sessions at 12:00-5:00 p.m. EDT. The goal is to train accreditation managers, assessors, and program staff on the 2019 EMAP Emergency Management Standard in a safe environment during COVID-19. Each training session is four weeks in length, requiring the participation of attendees for one afternoon session and small group work weekly. At the completion of the training, participants may be certified as an accreditation manager and/or assessor. The registration fee is $250. Those interested in participating should complete the online survey. Direct questions to emap@emap.org. For dates of the October and November training sessions, see the IAEM Calendar.

IAEM-ASIA NEWS

Money from PM-CARES can't be transferred to National Disaster Response Fund, rules Supreme Court Jagran The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that money from the PM Cares Fund cannot be transferred to the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF). Hearing a petition by an NGO called Centre for Public Interest Litigation, seeking transfer of all funds collected under the PM CARES to NDRF, the top court said that these are entirely different funds of charitable trusts. READ MORE

Sichuan ups flood response level to highest China Daily Sichuan province raised its flood-control response to Level I on Tuesday morning, the highest of its four-tier emergency response system. This is the first time the province has triggered a Level I response for floods. READ MORE

IAEM-EUROPA NEWS

Coronavirus: Ireland at 'tipping point' as COVID-19 cases rise* BBC News The Republic of Ireland's cabinet has reversed some of its lockdown relaxation measures as it attempts to deal with rising Covid-19 case numbers. Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: "We are at a tipping point." READ MORE

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AROUND THE WORLD

Monday storm impacted an estimated 37.7 million acres of Midwest farmland* Reuters A storm packing hurricane-force winds on Monday impacted 37.7 million acres of farmland across the Midwest, including 14 million in Iowa, the Iowa Soybean Association said on Friday, citing estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. READ MORE

Amazon blazes burn forest, farmland and threaten homes* Reuters Residents and firefighters in northwestern Brazil are battling fires that are raging in the Amazon, destroying farmland and threatening their homes. The blazes, that occur every year in the dry season, sent clouds of smokes billowing into the sky that could be seen and smelt from the capital of Rondonia state 24 miles (38 km) away. READ MORE

Floods in Sudan kill 63 since July: interior ministry AFP via Yahoo News Sudan on Sunday said floods caused by torrential rains have killed 63 people since July, with thousands more forced from their homes by the seasonal storms. Over 14,000 homes and 119 public buildings were destroyed, while more than 16,000 homes have been badly damaged, government civil defense organizations calculate, according to a statement from the interior ministry. 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

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Two months of monsoon: 231 die, 77 go missing Khabarhub The past two months of the active monsoon took heavy toll on human life and destroyed huge property in the country. Already the COVID-19 pandemic on the one hand and the active monsoon on the other, the monsoon caused disaster took the lives of 231 in two months, while 77 persons have gone missing in the floods and landslides occurred in various parts. READ MORE

Strong quake in Philippines kills 1, damages houses, roads ABC News A strong earthquake jolted the central Philippines on Tuesday, killing at least one person, injuring dozens, and damaging houses, two buildings used for coronavirus quarantine, bridges and a port. READ MORE

China battles 'once a century' floods as Typhoon Higos bears down Nikkei Asian Review Parts of China were hit by what officials are calling "once in a century" flooding on Tuesday, with a typhoon hurtling toward the country and expected to make landfall during the daytime on Wednesday. Days of heavy rain have already broken dikes and inundated towns in the central province of Sichuan, state media reported -- triggering fresh warnings around the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, which flows into the Three Gorges Dam. 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