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.ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS
EM goes virtual with world's largest retailer and other insights
IAEM
One of the IAEM Reimagined plenary speaker panels in November is the Global Walmart Emergency Management Team. Hear from Andrea Davis, CEM, Brandon Ivy, Lucas McDonald and Faith Newton on how they led the global transformation for the world’s largest retailer to a virtual emergency response infrastructure. Another featured conference speaker is Lori Peek, Ph.D., professor, Department of Sociology, and director, Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. She will be providing an overview of what we know about the effects of cumulative disaster exposure for children and adults, as well as the toll that responding to repetitive disasters can have on professionals. Hear more speakers talk about the EM feats they have accomplished and the insights you need at IAEM Reimagined, Nov. 16-18. There are three additional plenary sessions, and information on each is available online. Take a sneak peek at the attendee experience in our virtual platform by clicking here.
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Virtual EMEX sponsor highlight of the week: Millersville University
IAEM
Millersville University offers four-year, certificate, and master of science degree offerings in emergency management through the multidisciplinary Center for Disaster Research and Education. The programs include comprehensive theoretical and practical applications of emergency management and prepare graduates for a broad range of opportunities.
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.IAEM SCHOLARSHIP
Bid online before Dec. 1 to support the Scholarship Program
IAEM
The IAEM Scholarship Program 2020 IAEM Reimagined Online Auction is now open. The auction will close on Dec. 1, 2020, with proceeds to support IAEM’s mission to nurture, promote and develop disaster preparedness and resistance by furthering the education of students studying the field of emergency management, disaster management or a related program. New items are being added to the site daily. Some items open for bid include: challenge coins; Civil Defense era official booklets; Hurricane Irma and Harvey pins; Indonesian Red Cross collectibles, White House Christmas Ornament, and more. Visit the auction website to set up your Bidding For Good account. Items are still being accepted and may be added directly to the portal, or you may opt to make a cash donation through the portal. To request assistance, please contact IAEM Scholarship Program Director Dawn Shiley.
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Artificial intelligence can process billions of pieces of publicly available data to alert first responders to an emergency. First Alert, Dataminr’s product for the public sector, uses AI to deliver relevant, breaking news alerts as events are happening. Learn how AI is transforming emergency management in this critical webinar.
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.IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS
IAEM seeks participants for COVID after-action survey by today, Oct. 22
IAEM
The USA Council of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM-USA) is a member of the National Homeland Security Consortium (NHSC), which is developing an after-action report that will capture successes and lessons learned thus far from the COVID-19 pandemic response. The goal is to share and institutionalize new insights across all 22 member organizations of the NHSC—which represents an enormous body of thousands of local, state, and private sector professionals with responsibilities for the health, safety, and security of the United States—and inform policymakers. IAEM asks its U.S. members to please complete this survey to help IAEM's voice be heard.
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FEMA implements new policy as part of Disaster Reform Recovery Act
IAEM
FEMA announced the release of a policy to provide communities with resources to enforce building codes and floodplain management for up to 180 days following a major disaster declaration. The “Building Code and Floodplain Management Administration and Enforcement” policy will help governments speed the overall recovery from a disaster by providing resources to ensure compliance with codes and floodplain management. For the first 180 days following a major declaration, the policy can provide funding for:
- Hiring and training staff to conduct activities.
- Reviewing and processing building permits and occupancy and compliance certificates.
- Conducting building inspections.
- Reviewing disaster-related developments in the floodplain.
- Providing educational services to the public on floodplain requirements.
This policy, which is a result of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018, Section 1206, applies to all major disaster declarations declared on or after Aug. 1, 2017.
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.EM NEWS
Fire Science Critical for Combating Wildfires Out West
Homeland Security Today
Fires are a new year-round reality across much of the U.S. We know it’s not a question of “if” more fires will burn, but rather what we can do to be better prepared to manage them – including understanding the factors that influence where, when, and how fires burn, and what the consequences of fires are for humans and ecosystems. Science can provide these answers and, in the process, can also save lives, property and money.
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Columbia International University’s online Master of Arts in Disaster Relief and Emergency Management provides students the knowledge and skills necessary to respond to natural disasters and crises while demonstrating Christian compassion, service, and witness. Earn your degree in Disaster Relief & Emergency management entirely online in as little as 12 months.
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.UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE/SCHOOL EM ISSUES
Schools, Colleges Navigate the Challenges of COVID-19
Emergency Management
When COVID-19 began to hit the country hard in March, schools and colleges were forced to pivot into a distance learning mode that few, if any, were equipped to handle right away.
Seven months later, some schools and colleges are back in the classroom, while others are still distance learning at home and still others are participating in hybrid models. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy, but there is more knowledge for educators to glean and develop plans that fit their jurisdiction’s needs.
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COVID-19 Pandemic Intensifies Disaster Recovery Challenges for K-12 Schools
Homeland Security Today
Local education officials in natural disaster-affected areas told the Government Accountability Office that the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues and contributed to lost instructional time, staff burnout, delays in recovery projects, and financial strain in their communities.
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ReadyWise – Leader in Emergency Food Storage specializes in the production and distribution of high quality freeze-dried food designed to meet a range of disaster relief and emergency food support needs. We have extensive experience providing tailored solutions to a variety of government, healthcare, military and other institutional customers throughout the world.CALL US TODAY 800-393-2570 or email dmarsiglia@ReadyWise.com
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.HEALTHCARE EM UPDATE
Race to Evacuate Nursing Home Patients Put Lives at Risk
Emergency Management
Judy Daniel, 72, first saw the new residents in the smoking area. About two dozen people had abruptly moved from Attalla Health and Rehab to Trussville Health and Rehab in middle of July.
“We didn’t have any COVID for months,” Daniel said. “After they came here, COVID started spreading like wildfire. I mean, it spread fast.”
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.CLIMATE/WATER/WEATHER UPDATES
The World Is Woefully Unprepared for Climate-Driven Natural Disasters
WPR
As if COVID-19 were not enough to worry about, the global climate crisis is driving a “staggering rise” in natural disasters, the United Nations detailed last week in a new report, “The Human Cost of Disasters.” According to the U.N.’s Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, known as UNDRR, the number of natural disasters was 75 percent higher between 2000 and 2019 than in the previous 20 years.
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.EM RESOURCES
New preparedness grants training now available
IAEM
FEMA posted a video to teach grant applicants how to apply for preparedness or mitigation grants. The video, "Non-Disaster Grants: How to Submit an Application," demonstrates how to complete the two-step process of applying. The process begins in Grants.gov and continues in the Non-Disaster Grants Management System, otherwise known as ND Grants. The video also covers the communications grant recipients can expect to receive from FEMA, Grants.gov, and ND Grants during the application process.
Some of the grant programs that use Non-Disaster Grants include the Emergency Management Performance Grants Program, the Homeland Security Grant Program, and the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program. For a full list of grant programs that use the ND Grants System, Frequently Asked Questions, and instructional guides, please visit the Non-Disaster Grants Management System webpage on FEMA.gov.
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2018 NVDRS Restricted Access Database now available
IAEM
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recently updated its Restricted Access Database (RAD) to include 2018 data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). The NVDRS RAD consists of data from 38 states, 21 California counties, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The NVDRS RAD is a de-identified, multi-state, case-level dataset comprised of hundreds of unique variables. The data set is available to researchers who meet specific criteria. The RAD database also provides short narratives that describe the circumstances related to violent deaths, including descriptions from law enforcement and medical examiner or coroner reports. There is no cost for accessing the NVDRS RAD.
Response times to RAD user/applicant inquiries are typically within two business days, and applications are reviewed within three weeks. To learn more about these data, eligibility requirements, and the application process, visit the NVDRS web page.
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AppArmor creates custom branded apps with numerous features including an end user self-assessment and screening tool to help your people return to work safely.
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.NEW INSIGHTS
Natural Disaster Preparations May Help Businesses' Pandemic Response
Homeland Security News Wire
The economic impacts of COVID-19 have battered small and medium-sized enterprises, putting millions of jobs in the U.S. at risk. And a year rife with natural disasters has not done many struggling businesses any favors. A new survey found that nearly a quarter of businesses felt natural disaster preparations helped them address COVID-19.
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Living In Harm's Way: Why Most Flood Risk Is Not Disclosed
NPR
A growing body of research suggests that the lack of transparency and growing flood risk due to climate change are leading millions of Americans to put their safety and their financial futures in jeopardy. About 15 million properties have significant risk of flooding, according to recent estimates that take into account climate-driven weather.
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.DISASTER TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Massachusetts Using New Tool in COVID Fight: Phone Alerts for High-Risk Communities
WBTS-TV
People who live in or near some Massachusetts communities at high risk for COVID-19 transmission were getting alerts on their phones recently reminding them about coronavirus safety rules.
It's the first time a Wireless Emergency Alert is being sent about the coronavirus in Massachusetts, a Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center spokesman said.
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Disaster Preparedness in the Palm of Your Hand
Homeland Security News Wire
Natural disasters like tornadoes and earthquakes can devastate communities and bring uncertainty in their aftermath when it comes to safely accessing buildings or homes. In tragic situations like this, facility owners and emergency planners play a key role in taking swift action to evaluate the damage done.
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.EM CALENDAR
Third webinar in CHDS Shelter from the Storm series will take place on Oct. 23
IAEM
The third webinar in an October three-part series from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) will be held on Oct. 23, 2:00 p.m. EDT, on the topic of Management of Congregate Jail Populations During COVID-19. This CHDS series is co-hosted by IAEM, ASTHO, and NEMA. In this webinar, national experts will consider perhaps the most complex challenge of congregate housing during a pandemic – managing prison and jail populations. Panelists will examine the public health implications of dense jail populations during COVID-19 and the public safety considerations of jail de-densification and other alternatives to incarceration. Obtain details and register online.
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IBHS and the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign launch the joint natural hazards symposium series
IAEM
Following the success of the THWARTS (Tornado Hazard Wind Assessment and Reduction Symposium) held at the University of Illinois in 2018-2019, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is joining to cosponsor the upcoming series. Due to the current COVID restrictions, the symposium will be held through a series of monthly webinars until the in-person series can resume. The seminar series is focused on promoting research and collaborations in the field of tornado science and engineering. The inaugural lecture, “A Lifetime of Damage Survey” with live Q&A will be presented at 2:00 p.m. ET on Oct. 27 by Tim Marshall, the renowned veteran storm chaser, forensic engineer, and atmospheric scientist. Future events will encompass a variety of formats, including keynote addresses, student research presentations, and panel sessions. Online registration is open for the Oct. 27 webinar.
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Submit your resilience project for April 2021 meeting
IAEM
FEMA's Hazus Team invites abstract submissions for its upcoming virtual American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, Apr. 7-11, 2021. The Hazus session, titled Risk Communication and Resilience, will bring together presentations that address the integration of risk communication efforts like citizen science, crowdsourcing, interactive risk information, and policy implementation to build resilient communities. Abstracts must be submitted online by Thursday, Oct. 29. Anyone submitting an abstract should contact hazus-outreach@riskmapcds.com to inform Hazus of your desire to be included in the program.
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.AROUND THE WORLD
Vietnam floods and landslides displace 90,000 people as new cyclone nears
The Guardian
Floods and landslides in Vietnam are reported to have left at least 102 people dead or missing, while tens of thousands of people have lost their homes to rising water.
Two storms that hit central Vietnam in the first two weeks of October, Storm Linfa and Storm Nangka, brought six times higher than average rainfall, flooding 136,000 houses and forcing 90,000 people to evacuate their homes.
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Natural disasters leave 62 dead in Vietnam
Dhaka Tribune
Natural disasters have left 62 people dead and five others missing in Vietnam's northern and central regions over the past few days, the country's Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said.
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Small tsunami generated by magnitude 7.5 earthquake that prompted evacuation orders
CNN
The magnitude 7.5 earthquake near Sand Point, Alaska, generated a tsunami, Scott Langley with the National Tsunami Warning Center said Monday afternoon.
Langley said the tsunami sent two waves, each measuring 130 centimeters (4 feet, 3 inches) high. But observers onshore reported the waves appeared to be 1.5 feet (45.7 centimeters) and 2 feet (61 cm) over high tide.
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With nearly 1 million homes at risk, Washington is losing the wildfire fight
Investigate West
Fire — gentle, controlled fire — is exactly what experts say is needed to address the huge wildfires tearing through parched forests east of the Cascade crest. Filled with dead wood and brush, many forests are growing more combustible by the year because of climate change and a century of misguided fire suppression.
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 7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063
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