This message was sent to ##Email## To advertise in this publication please click here December 16, 2021 .IAEM CONFERENCE NEWS Annual Conference & EMEX sponsor of the week: Everbridge IAEM When critical events put residents in danger, government agencies and municipalities rely on Everbridge. Reach and engage the community, establish situational intelligence, facilitate information sharing, and coordinate response and recovery efforts. Draw virtual boundaries around a critical event using GPS data to trigger automated notifications and alerts when a device enters that particular area. Integrate special needs registry data to message vulnerable populations. Get timely access to critical information from trusted sources through the Everbridge Network and risk intelligence data. Visit https://www.everbridge.com/. .IAEM-CANADA COUNCIL NEWS Thousands of Canadian websites offline over cybersecurity threat The Globe and Mail Amid warnings from Ottawa of a global online security issue, Quebec said Sunday that it has shut down almost 4,000 government websites as a preventative measure after receiving a cyberattack threat. At a news conference, Quebec’s minister of digital transformation said the province was made aware of the threat on Friday and has since been working to identify which websites are at risk, one by one, before putting them back online. READ MORE As seas rise, study sees need for national, natural approach to help Canadian coastal towns The Globe and Mail A study released by the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, based at Ontario’s University of Waterloo, found Canada lacks a national planning system or standard classifications compared to other countries. Such systems can be used to evaluate risks to coastal areas and plot the wisest path forward. READ MORE Federal and British Columbia ministers and First Nations hold meeting on disaster recovery and climate resilience Cision via Yahoo The governments of Canada and British Columbia, along with First Nations, are working together to ensure effective response and recovery following the impacts of severe weather experienced in British Columbia, while also enhancing climate adaptation and response measures. The Committee of British Columbia and Federal Ministers on Disaster Response and Climate Resilience (the Committee) held an initial meeting to build on efforts already undertaken by the province, First Nations and the federal government. READ MORE .IAEM-USA COUNCIL NEWS New FEMA Strategic Plan focuses on equity, expanded partnerships, climate resilience Homeland Security Today The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Strategic Plan for 2022-26 rests on a trio of “bold and ambitious” goals focused on improving equity for those affected by disasters in underserved communities as well as developing a diverse emergency management workforce, building climate resilience, and promoting readiness in the workforce and communities to face current and emergent threats. The roadmap reflects the priorities laid out by Administrator Deanne Criswell in her March confirmation hearing, where she stressed that the agency “must also support communities in preparing for future challenges in adapting to a changing world.” READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by Veoci First Responder Panel: Hear from Veoci’s Own Fire, Emergency Management and EMS Responders Keep Pace with Federal and State Vaccine Mandates Connecticut Schools Manage COVID-19 Absenteeism with Veoci Your Citizens are Calling! Your New Digital Call Logging Solution The Town of Guilford Drives Cost Savings and Efficiencies Through Automation and Innovation FEMA and USACE launch National Levee Safety Program IAEM The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and FEMA have launched a project to develop a new National Levee Safety Program. USACE and FEMA will lead a national discussion and develop an integrated framework for managing reliable levee systems and improving community resiliency in areas behind all levees throughout the nation. During the next two years, collaboration with stakeholders will be key to the program’s success. The goals for the stakeholder engagement process include understanding the needs of the stakeholders this program is intended to support, providing opportunities for meaningful input to shape decisions and outcomes on program design, components, and products, and ensuring that the unique challenges of disadvantaged communities and tribes are well understood and incorporated into solutions. Stakeholder engagement activities will be conducted in three phases, and the first phase is set to last from now until Mar. 31, 2022. During this phase, the program wants to understand stakeholder needs to help us shape the components of this program. All materials related to this program, including specific questions needing feedback, are available at www.leveesafety.org. There will be a series of in-person and virtual meetings to provide input. Interested stakeholders may sign up to receive email announcements on the project website. .EM NEWS Storm drains keep swallowing people during floods Homeland Security News Wire An alarming number of people (especially children) have drowned after disappearing into storm drains during floods. The deadly problem should be easy for federal, state and local government agencies to fix, but tragedy strikes again and again. 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 GAO: Better data would ensure disaster relief funds reach vulnerable populations Homeland Security Today Large-scale disasters, such as the 2017 hurricanes, have resulted in catastrophic damage and particularly have challenged vulnerable populations. Since 1993, Congress has provided over $90 billion in community development funding to help in the aftermath of natural disasters. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has reviewed how the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has used these funds to assist vulnerable populations, including people with low and moderate incomes, the elderly, racial minorities, and others. READ MORE Helping calculate likelihood of worst-case scenarios Homeland Security News Wire If you had to guess, what would you think is most likely to end all life on Earth: a meteor strike, climate change, or a solar flare? New statistical method could help accurately analyze low-probability, high-risk events such as earthquakes, pandemics, or meteor strikes. READ MORE  SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by George Washington University This is pioneering education on counter-terrorism, intelligence analysis, emerging security threats and relevant legislation. Professors are acknowledged leaders in the field who bring first-hand experience to class. Our program is a 36-credit master’s degree program that can be completed in as little as 16 months. .HEALTHCARE EM UPDATE New report shows countries around the world remain ill-prepared for another pandemic Homeland Preparedness News A new report from the Nuclear Threat Initiative has found that nations around the world remain “dangerously unprepared” to meet future epidemic and pandemic threats, The report – the 2021 Global Health Security (GHS) Index — measured the capacities of 195 countries to prepare for epidemics and pandemics. It found that all 195 countries have insufficient sustained health capacities, which leaves the world vulnerable to future health emergencies. READ MORE Minnesota hospitals warn they are 'overwhelmed' in full-page ad* The Hill Minnesota hospital leaders are warning in a full-page newspaper ad that they are “overwhelmed” amid a COVID-19 surge and are urging the public to take action. “Our emergency departments are overfilled, and we have patients in every bed in our hospitals,” write the leaders of nine hospital systems in the state, including the Mayo Clinic and North Memorial Health. The hospitals warn that because their capacity is strained, care for noncoronavirus medical events, like heart attacks, is also threatened. READ MORE  FEATURED ARTICLE   Is My Building Vulnerable In An Earthquake? Promoted by Optimum Seismic Inc Apartments and other buildings in the Los Angeles region, sit in the crosshairs of what experts agree could be the nation’s worst earthquake disaster. LEARN MORE   .CLIMATE/WATER/WEATHER UPDATES Tornadoes and climate change: what a warming world means for deadly twisters and the type of storms that spawn them Homeland Security News Wire The deadly tornado outbreak that tore through communities from Arkansas to Illinois on the night of Dec. 10-11, 2021, was so unusual in its duration and strength, particularly for December, that a lot of people including the U.S. president are asking what role climate change might have played – and whether tornadoes will become more common in a warming world. Both questions are easier asked than answered, but research is offering new clues. READ MORE Global weather disasters cost $101B in 2021 — Report Climate Wire For only the third time since 1970, insured losses from extreme weather events worldwide exceeded $100 billion, according to a report by Swiss Re, the global reinsurance company. Insured losses this year from storms, floods and other dangerous events are projected to reach $101 billion, with the damage occurring overwhelmingly in the U.S., Swiss Re said. 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 Why tornadoes are so difficult to predict* Reuters After a string of powerful tornados struck the U.S. Midwest and killed more than 100 people this weekend, attention has turned to the warning systems in place and why the movements of the fast-moving storms are so difficult to predict. A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. About 1,200 tornadoes hit the United States yearly. READ MORE FEMA chief says powerful storms 'new normal' in era of climate change* CNN Powerful storms like the ones that tore through parts of the central United States this weekend are the "new normal" in an era of climate change, the top federal emergency management official said. Deanne Criswell, the FEMA administrator, said her agency was prepared to bolster resilience in the face of more severe weather. READ MORE .CYBERSECURITY NEWS CISA holds inaugural Meeting of new Cybersecurity Advisory Committee Homeland Security Today The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) held its first meeting for newly appointed members of the Agency’s Cybersecurity Advisory Committee. Members discussed Committee objectives and initiatives, received a classified threat briefing, elected Committee leadership, and established subcommittees to focus on key objectives. CISA Director Jen Easterly chaired the meeting and was pleased to be joined by Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security John Tien and National Cyber Director Chris Inglis who helped kick off a discussion of the group’s core objectives and priorities. READ MORE DHS warns of critical flaw in widely used software CNN The Department of Homeland Security's top cyber official urged government and private-sector organizations to address a critical flaw in widely used software that hackers were actively using to try to breach networks. DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ordered federal civilian agencies to update their software. And Jen Easterly, the head of the agency, warned that the vulnerability was being widely exploited by "a growing set" of hackers. READ MORE .EM RESOURCES New tool pinpoints natural disaster risk down to county level Homeland Security News Wire NOAA has released an innovative mapping tool that provides county-level information on natural disaster hazards across the United States. This new feature provides significant enhancements to the state-level data on NOAA’s Billion-Dollar Disasters website. READ MORE .NEW INSIGHTS Developing a successful government disaster recovery plan GCN According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. has experienced 18 weather/climate disaster events in 2021, with losses exceeding $1 billion each. One of the many impacts of these disasters is data loss and corruption, which also happens as a result of hardware failures, human errors and cybercrimes. Thankfully, the federal government has taken steps to help agencies prepare for system failures from natural, criminal or unintentional events. READ MORE Smashed cars, burnt trees, soggy insulation: Post-disaster cleanup is expensive, time-consuming and wasteful* The Conversation Communities across the U.S. Southeast and Midwest will be assessing damage from the deadly and widespread tornado outbreak on Dec. 10-11, 2021 for some time. But it’s clear that the cleanups will take months, and possibly years. Dealing with enormous quantities of debris and waste materials is one of the most significant challenges for communities in the wake of natural disasters. Often this task overwhelms local waste managers, leaving waste untouched for weeks, months or even years. READ MORE .IAEM CERTIFICATION UPDATES Recertification reminder — 2021 deadline is 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. .IAEM MEMBER NEWS Nationally recognized executives join Witt O'Brien's to address growing demand for infrastructure and resilience solutions Seacor Holdings via Yahoo Witt O’Brien’s, LLC, a subsidiary of SEACOR Holdings Inc., announced the appointment of two veteran leaders to senior management roles in the Government Solutions practice. Steve Fruchtman joins as managing director of Readiness & Resilience, and Christian Montz, as managing director of Infrastructure Services. READ MORE .EM CALENDAR FEMA now accepting abstracts for 2022 hazard mitigation workshop IAEM FEMA now is accepting abstracts for its next annual hazard mitigation partners workshop, “Building Whole Community Resilience: Partners, Capability and Capacity,” May 2-5, 2022. The workshop will focus on building mitigation champions, driving community resiliency, providing technical assistance for grant programs, and supporting overall mitigation. Specific topic areas for discussion at the workshop include future conditions, including climate change and adaptation; nature-based solutions; equity in hazard mitigation planning and projects; building codes and standards; and capacity and capability building. To submit an abstract for consideration, email the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Division with the subject line "2022 HM Partners Workshop Abstract Submission." In your email, provide a title for your abstract and a paragraph about your abstract. Abstracts may be submitted until Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. National Engagement Webinar for Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation scheduled for Jan. 6, 2022 IAEM FEMA is holding a webinar on Jan. 6, 2022, 3:00-3:30 p.m. EST, to gather feedback on the latest Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation. The webinar will provide an overview of considerations, planning factors, and available resources, to craft a successful response plan for nuclear detonations. It will include updates on guidance for a wider range of nuclear detonations, including larger detonations and air bursts. Join the webinar at https://fema.zoomgov.com/j/1615793814#success using the passcode, 191048. .IAEM-ASIA NEWS Indonesia: Epidemiologists warn of high COVID risk at disaster shelters DW As a sprawling archipelago on the ring of fire, Indonesia frequently experiences strong earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. A 7.3-magnitude earthquake in the Flores Sea on Tuesday sent people running from the coast in panic, although a tsunami warning was called off and damage was reported to be minor. However, disasters in Indonesia can often be more serious. The sudden eruption of Mount Semeru in East Java earlier in December killed at least 46 people and sent hundreds to seek refuge in temporary shelters. READ MORE .AROUND THE WORLD Deadly tornado outbreak in Kentucky, other states causes numerous casualties and massive destruction Homeland Security Today A major nighttime tornado outbreak erupted across an area stretching from the South to the Midwest late Friday night and into the early-morning hours on Saturday. Tornadoes are feared to have killed more than 50 in Kentucky, the governor said, and police in Illinois confirmed multiple fatalities at an Amazon warehouse after a tornado struck, collapsing a wall the size of a football field and trapping workers. And in Arkansas, at least one person was reported dead after a nursing home sustained a direct hit from a tornado. READ MORE At least four dead after gas explosion in Sicily* NBC News At least four people died when several buildings collapsed in the Sicilian town of Ravanusa following a gas explosion late on Saturday, Italy’s Civil Protection said. Two people were found alive under the rubble of the collapsed buildings, the Sicilian arm of the body that deals with disasters and catastrophes on its Twitter account on Sunday. READ MORE Earthquake in eastern Japan shakes buildings in Tokyo* Bloomberg via Gulf News An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 5.0 shook buildings in Tokyo on Sunday, temporarily halting some train lines along Japan's eastern coastal region. The earthquake occurred in the southern part of Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture at about 12:30 p.m. local time, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. There is no threat of a tsunami, and train lines had resumed operations 15 minutes later, according to public broadcaster NHK. READ MORE Floods kill 10, displace over 20,000 in Brazil Khabarhub Ten people have been killed in the floods that that hit Brazil. Authorities have said 10 people were killed and some others have gone missing in the floods that have been occurring for the last six days. Similarly, over 20,000 citizens have been displaced by the disasters. READ MORE Strong, 7.3 magnitude earthquake creates panic in Indonesia; tsunami warning issued and lifted The Weather Channel A tsunami warning was issued for Indonesia after a strong earthquake of 7.3 magnitude on the Richter scale struck Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province on Tuesday. The United States Geological Survey reported that the quake struck at 0320 GMT, with the epicentre at 112 km north of Maumere town and at a depth of 18.4 km under the seabed. Although the warning has been lifted and no significant damage or deaths have been reported so far, authorities have urged caution. READ MORE Receding waters reveal 'heartbreaking' farm damage as Queensland floods wipe out entire crops ABC News Rotting and ruined crops and eroded riverbeds have left deep scars on farmland along the Queensland-New South Wales border rivers. Farmers are beginning to realize the extent of the damage as floodwaters start to recede in some areas. READ MORE At least 1 dead as swollen rivers flood streets in Spain The Associated Press via ABC News Swollen rivers burst their banks in north and northeastern Spain, with the flooding blamed Sunday for the death of at least one person. Emergency services said they retrieved the body of a 61-year-old man from inside the cab of his submerged van in a river in the Navarra region. READ MORE Intense storms cause flooding, bridge collapse in western Greece Greek Reporter Greece is facing severe weather this weekend causing widespread flooding and serious infrastructure damage in the western parts of the country. The intense weather phenomena hit particularly hard Epirus and Thessaly, however, they also affected Etoloakarnania, Achaia and the Ionian islands. READ MORE Tornadoes leave trail of devastation across six states, with scores dead The New York Times Dozens of people were feared dead, and communities across the Midwest and South were digging through rubble on Saturday after a string of unseasonably powerful storms and tornadoes swept across six states overnight. Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky said that at least 70 had been killed, and the state’s death toll could increase to more than 100. The state was hit by four tornadoes, he said, including one that stayed on the ground for more than 200 miles. 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. Shiley, CAE, IAEM Dispatch POC, IAEM Communications and Marketing Manager (703) 538-1795  |  Contact Us  |  www.iaem.org/ 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