This message was sent to ##Email## To advertise in this publication please click here November 11, 2021 .IAEM CONFERENCE NEWS Annual Conference & EMEX sponsor of the week: DataCapable® IAEM Struggling to keep up with safety threats due to limited resources and an overworked staff? With the right tools, your team could prepare for and respond to threats with the time it currently spends discovering them. Learn how the DataCapable® Platform empowers emergency management teams and professionals like you to be the first to know about high-impact events through real-time alerts and situational awareness so you can take action while keeping stakeholders in the loop. .IAEM-CANADA COUNCIL NEWS Splitting public safety, emergency preparedness post a sign future disasters are 'top of mind' for feds The Hill Times Splitting the public safety and emergency preparedness portfolio into separate cabinet files comes in anticipation of more frequent natural disasters and emergencies—and is a move long in coming due to the unwieldy nature of such a big job, say politicos and experts. Liberal MP Bill Blair has managed both portfolios since Nov. 20, 2019, but was tapped to lead emergency preparedness when Prime Minster Justin Trudeau unveiled his 38-member cabinet on Oct. 26. READ MORE .IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS DHS seeks input on the 2022 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review and the DHS Strategic Plan IAEM The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is conducting a strategic review of the threat environment and DHS essential mission functions to inform development of the 2022 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) and the FY2022-2026 DHS Strategic Plan. As part of this review, the DHS is seeking input on how it can best secure our nation against current and emerging threats. Emergency managers are encouraged to respond through an IdeaScale where thoughts, ideas, or comments may be submitted. You may also reply to input from others. FEMA requires on-campus students be fully vaccinated IAEM In order to provide a safe and healthy learning environment, effective Nov. 27, only students who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be permitted to attend in-person, on-campus training/education on FEMA campuses, at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Alabama, and the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This will provide a safer working and learning environment for students, staff, and contractors, while allowing for the expansion of the number of students to meet increasing training demand. Accepting only fully vaccinated students will provide the ability to greatly expand participation/attendance for classes and reduce the significant backlog of applicants waiting for entrance into courses. FEMA will notify students or others traveling to any agency campus of the requirements in writing prior to their arrival. Anyone arriving on campus will need to show proof of vaccination. FEMA will also continue to require the wearing of a face mask or cloth face covering by all personnel when inside any of its buildings as well as social distancing throughout campus. Bills seek to reform federal wildfire disaster response Homeland Preparedness News U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, and Alex Padilla, D-California, introduced last week two bills to address the government’s wildfire response and equitable distribution of natural disaster resources. The FIRE Act would revise the Stafford Act governing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), ensuring the agency’s disaster preparedness and response initiatives address the unique nature of wildfires and their impacts on communities. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by Veoci Answering Your Citizens’ Requests: Don’t Let Them Fall Through the Cracks Connecticut Schools Manage COVID-19 Absenteeism with Veoci Bring Information and People Together with Veoci's Whole Community Solutions How Do You Run Your Weekly Ops Meeting? Modernized Emergency Management for Higher Education FEMA changing rules that have historically deprived African Americans of crucial aid NNPA Newswire via The Atlanta Voice In the past, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – relied on deeds to prove that land belonged to disaster victims before sending relief funds. However, those guidelines proved to deny aid to many African American applicants whose homes or land were inherited informally without written wills. But, as first reported by NBC News, the rules quietly have changed. READ MORE .EM NEWS The 1,800-plus 'young' volcanoes in the U.S. Southwest Homeland Security News Wire The landscape of the southwestern U.S. is heavily scarred by past eruptions of monogenetic volcano, a type of volcanic hazard that can pose important dangers despite an ephemeral existence. A new study marks a step toward understanding future risks for the region. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Innovative Strategies for Resilient, Prepared Communities For over 36 years, IEM’s team of nationally recognized emergency management, disaster recovery, and crisis response leaders have applied their expertise, experience, and innovative solutions helping communities prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against disasters, public health emergencies, and other hazards. No matter the crisis, #TeamIEM is prepared to take on the challenge. How can we help you create a more resilient future? LEARN MORE Physical attacks on electricity infrastructure: extremist messaging, plots, and action* Homeland Security Today This week’s revelation about a drone’s close encounter with a Pennsylvania power substation joins other troubling indicators of the physical threat to energy infrastructure as expressed by extremists of varying ideologies. A Joint Intelligence Bulletin from DHS, FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center to law enforcement said that on July 16, 2020, a small, four-rotor off-the-shelf drone was discovered on the top of a building next to the power substation. READ MORE .UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE/SCHOOL EM ISSUES Help schools stay secure and resilient during Infrastructure Security Month IAEM In recognition of Infrastructure Security Month, the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse is shining a light on key resources and actions that organizations and individuals can take to make K-12 schools more safe, secure, and resilient. These include strengthening preparedness plans for a variety of security risks and threats, conducting site assessments to identify vulnerabilities, and building strong partnerships across school communities. Download a one-pager that provides information on a variety of physical security resources to assist school administrators, safety personnel, and other members fo the school community in preventing and preparing for potential threats.  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by Ethos Preparedness Over 5,000 Facilities Trust Med Sled® Evacuation Equipment | See Why Patient Surge Cots | Scaling Up Care Fast with Ethos FREE WEBINAR | How Earthquake Early Warning Will Change Your Prep Plans Bomb threats evacuate Ivy League campuses after similar calls to Miami University, Ohio University* Homeland Security Today Multiple Ivy League college campuses were evacuated on Sunday following reports of bomb threats, days after several Ohio universities received similar threats. Cornell, Columbia, and Brown Universities all issued emergency alerts after receiving bomb threats Sunday afternoon. They each evacuated buildings and cautioned students to stay away from campus. READ MORE Suburban schools emerge from the pandemic with new resilience Governing As the nation continues to emerge from the worst effects of the pandemic, leaders in suburban school districts are using a range of strategies to restore and strengthen connections with students and communities. READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Homeland Security Master of Professional Studies The master’s degree in Homeland Security provides a comprehensive, full field view of both current and emerging threats, as well as a cutting-edge graduate curriculum in homeland security studies that examines relevant national and information security policy and practices in the public and private sectors. LEARN MORE .HEALTHCARE EM UPDATE DHS HQ Academic presents 'Part I of Info Series for Faculty and Admin' IAEM The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is offering a two-part “Informational Session for University Faculty and Administrators.” The sessions will be presented by DHS HQ Office of Academic Engagement. The first session will be held Nov. 18, 2021, 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST, via Adobe Connect. Discussion will highlight job announcements in line with Secretary Mayorkas’ top priorities. To participate, RSVP to DHSacademic@hq.dhs.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. EST on Nov. 16, 2021. Additional information will be provided once an RSVP is received. .CLIMATE/WATER/WEATHER UPDATES Poll shows just how far COVID-19 misinformation has traveled* The Hill Almost 8 in 10 U.S. adults believe or are unsure of at least one false statement about COVID-19, according to polling data published Monday. The poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that 78 percent of U.S. adults surveyed said they believe or were unsure of at least one of eight false COVID-19 statements that the organization tested. READ MORE  FEATURED ARTICLE   Upgrade The Earthquake Safety And Functionality Of Your Building Promoted by Optimum Seismic Inc Does your apartment building meet today’s standards for seismic safety and interior layout? If built before the mid-1970s, it could benefit from an upgrade of both. LEARN MORE   Extreme ice melting in Greenland raises global flood risk Homeland Security News Wire Global warming has caused extreme ice melting events in Greenland to become more frequent and more intense over the past 40 years, raising sea levels and flood risk worldwide. Over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice has melted from the surface of the island and flowed downhill into the ocean. READ MORE NOAA, University of Maryland, ASCE to advance climate-smart construction Homeland Security Today The NOAA Climate Program Office has forged a partnership with the University of Maryland (UMD) Center for Technology and Systems Management and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) to accelerate the development of climate-smart engineering codes and standards. The partnership is being announced as nations gather in Glasgow, United Kingdom, for the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). READ MORE  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Disaster Recovery. Simplified Deloitte’s Close as You Go (CAYG) is a secure cloud-based software platform built to help agencies manage recovery documentation for procurement and contracting, model policies and procedures, and plan for disaster. Developed alongside specialists in preparedness and response, CAYG helps you prepare, so you can focus on recovery. LEARN MORE East Coast flooding is a reminder that sea level is rising as the climate warms — Here's why the ocean is pouring in more often* The Conversation The U.S. East Coast has been experiencing hurricane-like flooding in recent days, with Georgia and the Carolinas getting the latest round. High tides are part of the problem, but there’s another risk that has been slowly creeping up: sea level rise. Since 1880, average global sea levels have risen by more than 8 inches (23 centimeters), and the rate has been accelerating with climate change. READ MORE This is what the world looks like if we pass the crucial 1.5-degree climate threshold* NPR There's one number heard more than any other from the podiums at the United Nations climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland: 1.5 degrees Celsius. That's the global climate change goal world leaders agreed to strive for. By limiting the planet's warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, by 2100, the hope is to stave off severe climate disruptions that could exacerbate hunger, conflict and drought worldwide. READ MORE .EM RESOURCES FEMA releases Hazus Loss Library IAEM FEMA has released the Hazus Loss Library, an online searchable collection of risk assessment information for planners and emergency managers. The Hazus Loss Library provides studies and results to support all phases of emergency management at the local, state, and federal levels. Hazus is a loss estimation software that identifies places prone to floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis for every U.S. state and territory. Additionally, Hazus estimates the physical, economic, and social impacts of disasters. The release of the library provides the first open and authoritative collection of Hazus risk assessment studies to be shared publicly. As a public collection of risk assessment information, it will expand accessibility and use of Hazus-generated data, removing technical-, time-, and cost-related barriers. The application is free and easy to navigate for both technical and non-technical users. Economic losses, building damage and social impacts from both historic disasters and planning scenarios are available for download in spatial formats or as spreadsheets. FEMA manages Hazus to provide nationally standardized risk modeling methodology for emergency managers to determine potential losses from disasters, identify effective mitigation actions, and assist in response and recovery. FEMA releases Community Resilience Guide IAEM FEMA released the 2021 Long-Term Community Resilience Exercise Resource Guide. The guide is a one-stop-shop for any jurisdiction or organization looking to conduct a climate-focused exercise. The guide offers the latest Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program's guiding principles, new discussion prompts specific to climate change and social justice, and noteworthy resources from across the interagency. Exercises provide an effective forum for the public to develop a common understanding of risk, assess existing capabilities, and identify preparedness gaps and other needs to be addressed through future planning.  PRODUCT SHOWCASE Online Executive Program from Harvard The online executive program Promoting Racial Equity in the Workplace runs from Feb 28 - March 4, 2022. Learn effective strategies for increasing diversity, inclusion, and racial equity within your organization while building your network. Apply today. Reach Your Prospects Every Week Thousands of industry professionals subscribe to association news briefs, which allows your company to push messaging directly to their inboxes and take advantage of the association's brand affinity. Connect with Highly Defined Buyers and Maximize Your Brand Exposure   LEARN MORE   .NEW INSIGHTS 'It's a lonely neighborhood': How flood buyouts changed one Newport News community* At A Crossroads Robert Murray is proud to live in the Wilson community of Newport News. The area is predominantly Black, a few miles from downtown with both rental housing and family homes passed down through generations. Murray takes walks through the neighborhood and keeps in touch with the families around him. He’s been there for over five decades. But his attitude quickly sours if you ask him about the creek running through the area — Salters Creek. Surrounding it is a swampy thicket with lots of tall wild grasses, overgrown shrubs. The marsh often smells of dead fish, and Murray has no shortage of ways of lambasting it. READ MORE Tulane professor explains the study of disasters in new book Tulane News How do disasters come to be known as disasters and how are they used as tools of politics? Those are just two of the questions that Andy Horowitz, an associate professor of history at Tulane University, aims to answer in Critical Disaster Studies (University of Pennsylvania Press), a book he co-edited with Jacob A.C. Remes, an associate professor of history at New York University. READ MORE .DISASTER TECHNOLOGY NEWS Critical interoperable messaging capability for first responders Homeland Security News Wire "With no dedicated public safety messaging and collaboration platform, many public safety and emergency response officials are leveraging non-secure, consumer-grade messaging tools," says DHS's Kathryn Coulter Mitchell. The address this problem, DHS ST has awarded more than $1.5 million to advance the development of the Bridge 4 Public Safety (Bridge4PS) messaging and collaborating platform for first responders. READ MORE Flood sensors to support NYC real-time flood monitoring, response Homeland Security News Wire In the face of climate change, which is likely to increase the frequency and severity of floods, NYC needs access to real-time data providing critical information on when and where flooding occurs. READ MORE Can artificial intelligence help improve wildfire recovery? Governing The Western Fire Chiefs Association, a nonprofit that started in California during the 1800s, sees much potential in a new tool that can save substantial time and manpower in wildfire recovery missions. READ MORE .CERTIFICATION UPDATE 2021 Recertification Applications are due by Dec. 31 IAEM Candidates due to recertify as an AEM® or CEM® this year are reminded to submit the recertification application through the online portal documenting continuing education/training and professional contributions. The submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. EST, Dec. 31, 2021. Specific requirements based on the recertification year as well as current recertification fees can be found on the IAEM website. Keep in mind that the recertification fee must be applied to the candidate’s account before submitting the application. Payments made online are processed the next business day so plan accordingly. .GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FEMA opens applications for Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program IAEM On Nov. 8, FEMA opened the application period for $414 million in funding available through the Fiscal Year 2021 Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. The application period will close at 5:00 p.m. EST, Dec. 17, 2021. Assistance to Firefighters Grants focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The program provides financial assistance directly to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations, and state fire training academies for critical training and equipment. To support the fire community in the application process, FEMA is offering webinars throughout November, including some specifically for tribal nations. Information on the webinars, including sessions for tribal nations, is available at FEMA.gov. .EM CALENDAR Emergency management leadership webinar scheduled for Nov. 17 IAEM On Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST, Daniel Rector and John Walsh, Ph. D., will present “Leadership Development & Span of Control in Emergency Management.” This webinar will discuss leadership topics around building a training program for leadership development, the risks to organizations of not having one in place, the importance of continuity within an organization, and how training your replacement makes for a more stable organization. Register here for this event. Join DHS S&T for a webinar on Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month Homeland Security Today With the country facing a nationwide cyber workforce shortage, we’re working to develop the next generation of professionals. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is partnering with the Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute (CIRI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for a webinar on “Training a Resilient Workforce in Support of Critical Infrastructure.” READ MORE Use a special code to receive free registration to next week's Natural Disaster & Emergency Management Expo IAEM Taking place Nov. 17-18, 2021, at the Javits Center in New York City, the Natural Disaster & Emergency Management (NDEM) Expo is a comprehensive trade event and online resource dedicated to the preparation, response, and recovery of physical and human assets of public and private organizations. NDEM will help your organization gain the knowledge, discover the tools, and connect with the individuals necessary to make your organization more secure and resilient, all while minimizing operational disruptions and ensuring public safety in this ever-changing world. Natural Disaster & Emergency Management Expo will also be co-located with ISC East – qualified professionals who register for NDEM Expo will be granted access to both events. Register today for free, saving up to $150! .IAEM-ASIA NEWS Flood disasters in China affect 58.9 million people with 590 dead or missing this year: emergency management authority Global Times Flood disasters from January to October this year in China have affected 58.9 million people, with 590 people dead or missing, 3.5 million people needing emergency relocation and 203,000 houses collapsing, resulting in direct economic losses of 240.6 billion yuan. READ MORE Extreme weather and earthquakes need greater attention when examining Nepal's landslides University of Plymouth via Phys.org The 2015 Gorkha earthquake caused devastation across vast areas of Nepal, killing almost 9,000 people and leaving 3.5 million homeless. However, it also triggered thousands of landslides that caused additional destruction to communities and infrastructure—and prompted landslides in the subsequent monsoon season to occur at steeper and higher hillslopes than in average years. READ MORE .IAEM-EUROPA NEWS Greeks fear megafires could be the new normal for Mediterranean Homeland Security Today World leaders at the COP26 summit in Glasgow are under pressure to respond to global warming, and intense heatwaves and frequent forest fires are becoming an increasing threat around the Mediterranean. This summer alone Greece was hit by thousands of wildfires, fanned by its worst heatwave in decades. Turkey, Italy and Spain all witnessed dramatic fires in recent months and the fire on the Greek island of Evia was the biggest in Greece since records began. READ MORE .IAEM-JAPAN NEWS Japan prepares for earthquakes and tsunamis with disaster drills WBTS-TV Japan had disaster drills that focused on escaping the dangers of earthquakes and tsunamis on Nov. 5, which is designated World Tsunami Awareness Day by the United Nations. READ MORE Japan gov't to train volunteers for disaster evacuation centers Kyodo News Japan's government will start offering training for would-be volunteers at disaster evacuation centers from the fiscal year beginning in April next year to improve the quality of such places and cut down on the mortality rate of those taking shelter. With the program, which will start on a trial basis, the government is hoping to compile a database of those who have completed the training so they can be dispatched to areas that have been hit by disasters and help maintain the hygiene and living conditions at evacuation centers, officials said. READ MORE .AROUND THE WORLD Spain's La Palma Island volcano eruption enters eighth week VOA The eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma entered its eighth week Monday, powerful as ever and showing no signs of stopping. From its official Twitter account, INVOLCAN, the Canary Islands Volcanology Center, reported lava and huge plumes of smoke and ash have been spouting from the crater all day. READ MORE Houston concert deaths spur calls for independent review* The Associated Press The Houston police and fire departments were deeply involved in safety measures for the music festival where a surging crowd killed eight people, playing key roles in crowd control measures, on-site security staffing and the emergency response. The police chief even says he met with the headlining performer before the show. Now the city’s police department is leading the criminal investigation into how the deadly chaos erupted during Friday night’s performance by rapper Travis Scott. READ MORE Thirteen people rescued from rubble after building collapses in Turkey AFP via EuroNews Thirteen people have been rescued after a commercial building collapsed in the Turkish city of Malatya. The provincial governor Aydın Baruş had told reporters that "around 20 people" were in the building when it collapsed on Tuesday evening. Local officials reported that 13 people have been pulled from the rubble by Tuesday evening, but said more were still trapped. READ MORE Fuel tanker blast in Sierra Leone leaves 99 dead Dawn At least 99 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the capital of Sierra Leone late on Friday when a fuel tanker exploded following a collision, local authorities said. Fuel still appeared to be leaking from the wrecked tanker on Saturday morning as police and soldiers tried to clear large crowds of onlookers from the street, according to a reporter. READ MORE Magnitude 5.5 earthquake felt widely throughout central New Zealand RNZ A magnitude 5.5 earthquake has struck 70km north-east of Collingwood and has been felt widely throughout central New Zealand. GeoNet reports the quake was at a depth of 190km. Collingwood is at the top of the South Island, near Farewell Spit. READ MORE Chennai comes to a standstill as heavy rains flood city Reuters via CNN India's manufacturing capital Chennai came to a standstill on Sunday, with many areas flooded after the southern Indian coast was battered by heavy rainfall overnight, prompting authorities to issue warnings and evacuate people from low-lying areas. Local media showed footage of cars submerged under water, uprooted trees and people being rescued on rubber boats in various parts of Chennai, the largest city in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and often called 'India's Detroit' due to its large car-making industry. READ MORE   IAEM Dispatch Connect with IAEM Hailey Golden, Director of Publishing, MultiView, 469-420-2630 | Download media kit Bob Kowalski, Executive Editor, MultiView, 469-420-2650 | Contribute news 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. 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