FEMA’s Higher Education Program Bits and Pieces

National Emergency Training Center, Emmitsburg, MD

26 September 2014

Higher Education Program News:

Hi Ed Symposium:

Mark your calendars for the 17th Annual Emergency Management Higher Education Symposium scheduled for June 1- 4, 2015 at the Emergency Management Institute, Emmitsburg, MD. Information will be posted to the website in the next few months.

Emergency Management/Homeland Security News:

3rd Annual Best Practices in Higher Education in Emergency Management Conference

The University of Louisville in partnership with University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is pleased to host the Best Practices in Higher Education Emergency Management Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.  We hope you will join us in the land of milk and honey (better known as bourbon and horses) for a great learning experience.

Please save the date for March 17-19, 2015, to join us in Louisville.   Attendance is encouraged for emergency management practitioners but also staff from various campus departments such as campus safety and security, risk management, non-emergency management staff, local agencies, state/federal partners, nonprofit and volunteer agencies, and independent companies that work with higher education are welcome. Please share this information with your state or conference associations!

Call for Presentations is now OPEN! As always, the BPHEEMC encourages and prioritizes presentations which capture and share real life application of best practices and lessons learned. The committee also encourages you to submit supplemental training aides and tools with your proposals for consideration.

We hope you will join us next March at U of L! Come network and share information with other higher education emergency management professionals from around the globe. We look forward to sharing great information and a great city with you.

Center for Infrastructure Protection and Homeland Security – Volume 13 Number 2

This month’s The CIP Report focuses on Risk and Risk Management.

The Limits of Insurance Risk Pooling for Large-Scale Loss Events Identifying Critical Infrastructures’ Vulnerability to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Freight Rail: Bakken Crude and the 9/11 Act Using Decision Analysis to Construct Risk Performance Indicators Risk Assessment of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Efforts

If you would like to be added to the distribution list for The CIP Report, please click on this link: http://listserv.gmu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=cipp-report-l&A=1

Disaster Information Outreach by Librarians, NLM/NIH – September , 2014

***As the West Africa Ebola outbreak continues, here’s a reminder of NLM resources that may be of value.***

All of these resources, and others, are listed on the guide “Ebola Outbreak 2014: Information Resources” at http://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov/dimrc/ebola_2014.html. The guide is frequently updated and now has a section on “Situation Reports” and has added links to “Free Resources from Publishers.”

Disaster Lit continues to add guidelines from CDC, World Health Organization and others; reports; government documents; factsheets and more. http://disasterlit.nlm.nih.gov/search/?searchTerms=ebola+OR+hemorrhagic&search.x=45&search.y=11&search=Search

The NLM Emergency Access Initiative, http://eai.nlm.nih.gov/, is available through October 17 for free access to 650 journals, 4,000 reference books and databases. Virology, epidemiology, and infectious disease textbooks have been the most popular.

*NEW* The “Virus Variation: Ebolavirus Resource” for genome and protein sequences is now available from the NLM National Center for Biotechnology Information. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/viruses/variation/ebola/

Ebola topic pages for the general public are available from MedlinePlus in English (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ebola.html) and in Spanish (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/ebola.html).

***NATIONAL CALL: ASPR/CDC Invites You----Webinar on Ebola Preparedness: Detailed Hospital Checklist, Monday, Sept. 29, 3-4 pm EST***You can access this webinar via the following call-in and URL information: Dial in numbers: 888-325-0345. Restrictions may exist when accessing toll free numbers using a mobile telephone. For Participants:URL: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join/Conference number: PW8836414Audience passcode: 9909990Participants can join the event directly at: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW8836414&p=9909990&t=cPlease note that this webinar will support the first 1,000 attendees, but the webinar will be recorded and available at www.phe.gov < http://www.phe.gov/preparedness/Pages/default.aspx >  for future reference.

***Is the Ebola outbreak a topic of interest in your communities or institutions? We’d like to get an anecdotal idea of the nature of requests (if any) you may be getting for Ebola-related information. Please send your observations to cindy_love@nlm.nih.gov, not the list, and I will summarize for sharing.***

You can reach the list moderator at DISASTR-OUTREACH-LIB-request@list.nih.gov. This forum is provided by the Disaster Information Management Research Center, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Emergency Management Issues, September 2014, Volume 6 No.

Monthly Video - Napa Earthquake 2014 Quadcopter Test Video - Interesting test video of the potential use of drones as damage assessment tools. A friend of mine uses one in his photography business and they're relatively simple to operate and fairly cheap. I'm not sure if they can geocode the location they're viewing but for a local assessment, that might not be an issue.

Featured Article - The Principles of Emergency Management: A practical application - The development of the Principles of Emergency Management in 2007 and their adoption by major emergency management professional organizations was a major step forward for our professionHowever, a set of principles must be more than just nice sounding words. It should provide a guide to how we conduct business on a day-to-day basis, both ethically and practically. If the Principles of Emergency Management are to be of any use to our profession, we must be able to translate them into concrete action. The question is how can we make practical use of the Principles?  Professional Development - How to conduct more exercises - Are you one of those who only does exercises when it's called for in your annual exercise plan? Do you limit yourself to one short exercise a year because of limited funding? Think tabletop exercises are only a precursor to functional exercises? You may be missing opportunities to greatly increase your number of exercises at little to no cost.

The answer is simple: short, frequent tabletop exercises, whenever the opportunity presents.

From the Bookshelf  - Apocalypse: Earthquakes, Archaeology, and the Wrath of Godby Amos Nur - In this somewhat controversial book, Dr. Amos Nur, a professor of geophysics at Stanford, argues for nothing less than a rethinking of ancient history. Dr. Nur believes that many of the collapses of civilizations in the ancient world resulted not from conflict with invaders as is commonly believed  but from earthquakes.

Blog Highlights  - The following are excerpts from my blog. The following are excerpts from my blogCanton on Emergency Management. Please visit my blog to see the rest of my articles.   

Why your solar-powered home won't work in a disaster09-11-2014There is a common misconception that installing a solar power system on your home makes you independent of the energy grid. The reality is different....» The most common earthquake hazard is also the least known09-04-2014Most homeowners are unaware that their biggest earthquake hazard is literally hanging over their heads....» Earthquake safety: Two myths that can get you hurt08-28-2014Well-meaning advice after an earthquake is sometimes based on bad information and can do more harm than good....»

Canton on Emergency Management. Please visit my blog to see the rest of my articles.   Why your solar-powered home won't work in a disaster09-11-2014

There is a common misconception that installing a solar power system on your home makes you independent of the energy grid. The reality is different....» The most common earthquake hazard is also the least known09-04-2014Most homeowners are unaware that their biggest earthquake hazard is literally hanging over their heads....» Earthquake safety: Two myths that can get you hurt08-28-2014Well-meaning advice after an earthquake is sometimes based on bad information and can do more harm than good....»

reprinted with permission ©Lucien G. Canton 2014. All rights reserved.

To Subscribe: http://www.luciencanton.com/newsletter.html

IAEM Dispatch, September 25, 2014

IAEM-USA NEWS

FEMA announces 'National Strategy for Youth Preparedness Education' IAEM The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Sept. 24 announced a new strategy to educate young people about disaster prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. The National Strategy for Youth Preparedness Education: Empowering, Educating and Building Resilience couples attention on emergency and disaster preparedness with community action that focuses specifically on youth readiness for disasters and related events. The National Strategy was developed in partnership with the American Red Cross and the U.S. Department of Education, and 26 public and private organizations — including IAEM — have affirmed their support. "Children who learn about emergency preparedness experience less anxiety during an actual emergency or disaster," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "This National Strategy will encourage communities to give children and their families the information they need to prepare for disasters." Complete details are available here.

FEMA senior leadership changes announced in Office of Response and Recovery IAEM The Senate confirmation of Joe Nimmich as FEMA deputy administrator created a vacancy with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Office of Response and Recovery (ORR). FEMA Chief of Staff Michael Coen, Jr., on Sept. 23 announced the appointment of Elizabeth Zimmerman as acting associate administrator and Robert Fenton as acting deputy associate administrator. In 2009, Zimmerman joined FEMA, serving as the deputy and principal advisor to the ORR associate administrator. In addition, she has years of state-level emergency management experience, including service to the States of Arizona and Utah. Most recently the assistant administrator of response, Fenton previously served as the director of disaster assistance and acting director of disaster operations with the FEMA Region IX Office. James Kish, who will serve as acting assistant administrator for response during Fenton's detail, has served as deputy assistant administrator for Response.

Letter to the editor: Department of Homeland Security has steady, able leadership The Washington Post The Sept. 22 front-page article "Turnover at the top has DHS unsettled" disregarded the present. In the

past nine months, there have been 12 presidential appointments to senior-level positions in the Department of Homeland Security. In fact, 90 percent of all positions at the senior, executive-service level and above across this 240,000-person department are filled.

IAEM-INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL NEWS

Register for the IAEM 2014 Middle East Resilience Conference, Dec. 10-11, Dubai, UAE IAEM As the first-ever IAEM event in the Middle East, the IAEM 2014 Middle East Resilience Conference will be held Dec. 10-11, 2014, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This unique event is being launched to address the need to better prepare company personnel, civilians and other officials throughout the Gulf for potential emergencies and disasters, both natural and man-made. This annual IAEM event will aim to arm emergency management, security, police, fire, and other safety officials and managers with both theoretical and practical experiences, including best practices and lessons learned case studies from events around the world. Key opinion leaders and experts will facilitate conference sessions, which will target a mixed corporate, government, business continuity, and public health audience. Complete details are available here.

SICUR-Latinoamérica 2014 offers training as well as exhibit opportunities IAEM In its second year after a successful inaugural event in 2013, SICUR-Latinoamérica 2014 will be held Oct. 14-17, 2014, in Santiago, Chile, offering information and products in three security cornerstones: safety and occupational health; security and prevention (public and private), and emergency and disaster safety. The parallel International Congress of Integral Security, "Safety: Old Threats and New Challenges," features a business roundtable that will promote a face-to-face business meeting between supply and demand, and also will offer technical and commercial talks, workshops, and demonstration exercises. IAEM is partnering with SICUR-Latinoamérica as its exclusive North American representative for exhibitors from the United States and throughout North America. Learn more here.

DISASTER TECHNOLOGY NEWS

How technology is changing disaster relief BBC News When the British government delivered emergency aid to people fleeing Islamic militants in northern Iraq, one of its primary concerns was how the refugees might charge their mobile phones. Alongside tents and drinking water, RAF planes dropped more than 1,000 solar-powered lanterns attached to chargers for all types of mobile handsets to the stranded members of the Yazidi religious community below. It is the first time the lanterns have been airdropped in such a relief effort, but humanitarian workers say it is part of growing efforts to develop technology designed to make a difference in disaster zones.

CEM® UPDATE

New CEM®/AEM ℠ exam to be released in January 2015 IAEM The new 100-question multiple choice CEM®/AEM℠ exam will be released in January 2015. A revised study guide with recommended study materials will be available in November on the IAEM website. Certification candidates who are preparing for the exam using the current study guide should make the necessary arrangements to sit for the test by December 2014. Information about making

arrangements for the exam with an approved proctor can be found on page 4-5 of the Study Guide. Questions should be directed to CEM® Administrator Kate McClimans.

Notice on CEM®/AEM ℠ diploma presentations at IAEM Annual Conference IAEM CEM®/AEM℠ candidates in the class of 2014 who are interested in receiving their diploma at the IAEM-USA Annual Conference during the awards ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 19 in San Antonio, Texas, must have their CEM®/AEM℠ credential application already approved and must take and return their completed exam to IAEM Headquarters by Oct. 10, 2014.

EM RESOURCES

LLIS.gov wraps up research on the cybersecurity core capability IAEM The Department of Homeland Security's Lessons Learned Information Sharing team (LLIS.gov) is now offering many new resources from its ongoing core capability research on cybersecurity. The team recently posted several new documents and webinars that capture information from emergency managers throughout the United States to help the emergency management community improve its cyber preparedness. A summary of all the documents and webinars produced by the LLIS.gov team can be found on the Cybersecurity Core Capability page. Included are resources in the areas of planning, coordination, incident response, prevention, and exercises.

NASA tech finds disaster survivors CNN Each time your heart beats, your entire body moves — even if you're unconscious and pinned under a pile of rubble. The vibrations are small, invisible to the human eye, and might just save your life after a major disaster. Researchers at NASA have developed a device that picks up these subtle movements through up to 40 feet of debris. Called FINDER (Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response), the tool was developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to help rescue crews find survivors quickly in a major disaster.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATE

Reserve your seat at the Oct. 8 IAEM members-only webinar on 'Navigating the IAEM Annual Conference' IAEM The IAEM-USA Conference Committee is hosting an IAEM members-only webinar on "Navigating the IAEM Annual Conference," Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014, 1:00-2:15 p.m. EDT. Space is limited, so interested IAEM members should register today. This year's conference has a lot going on and you will want to make sure you get the most out of it. How will you know where things are? What types of events are taking place? Is there anything you should attend on Saturday or Sunday? Will activities be planned for your friend or spouse, while you're attending plenary or breakout sessions? You will get answers to all of your questions in this webinar, making you better prepared to join IAEM members at the 2014 IAEM Annual Conference & EMEX, Nov. 14-19, in San Antonio, Texas.

Take a closer look at training courses available in conjunction with the IAEM 2014 Annual Conference IAEM Are you looking for that hard-to-find training course? Come to the IAEM 62nd Annual Conference & EMEX, Nov. 14-19, 2014, in San Antonio, Texas. Maximize your benefits at the IAEM Annual

Conference by considering the many courses we are offering in conjunction with the conference on various topics of importance to all emergency managers. Training courses range from DHS/FEMA offerings (such as continuity of operations planning, situational awareness, and homeland security exercise and evaluation programs) to the IAEM-USA Universities & Colleges Emergency Managers Practitioners Symposium and the 2014 Leadership Symposium: Strategic Leadership & Opportunities (Naval Post Graduate School). Take a course on presenting for emergency managers, pediatric disaster response and emergency preparedness, maximizing disaster cost recovery, or National Response Team (NRT) Joint Information Center training. For complete details, view our online program.

EM NEWS

Top-level turnover makes it harder for DHS to stay on top of evolving threats The Washington Post An exodus of top-level officials from the Department of Homeland Security is undercutting the agency's ability to stay ahead of a range of emerging threats, including potential terrorist strikes and cyberattacks, according to interviews with current and former officials. Over the past four years, employees have left DHS at a rate nearly twice as fast as in the federal government overall, and the trend is accelerating, according to a review of a federal database.

CDC: Ebola cases could reach 1.4 million within 4 months The New York Times Yet another set of ominous projections about the Ebola epidemic in West Africa was released, in a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that gave worst- and best-case estimates for Liberia and Sierra Leone based on computer modeling. In the worst-case scenario, the two countries could have a total of 21,000 cases of Ebola by Sept. 30 and 1.4 million cases by Jan. 20 if the disease keeps spreading without effective methods to contain it. These figures take into account the fact that many cases go undetected, and estimate that there are actually 2.5 times as many as reported.

Report: Ebola cases could cross 20,000 by November The Washington Post The number of Ebola cases in West Africa could quadruple to more than 20,000 by early November in the absence of monumental efforts to slow the rate of transmission, according to a team of researchers working for the World Health Organization. The report, outlined in the New England Journal of Medicine, also argues that if the disease isn't adequately contained, it could become endemic among the populations in countries hardest hit by the outbreak — Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Researchers study ways to protect power grid from solar storms Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Nobody knew what to call it in 1859, when the most dramatic solar storm on record shocked telegraph operators, set their paper ablaze and lit up the horizon with brilliant auroras. Sky watchers now know the sun can belch out dozens of solar flares and related eruptions every year, including one that put electricity grid monitors on alert this month.

USGS software visualizes evacuation scenarios GCN The spate of recent natural disasters, from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku, Japan, to this year's mudslides in Oso, Washington, have raised concerns — and the odds — that more people will need to evacuate a disaster zone at some point in their future. Beyond the direct physical threats posed by such catastrophic events, their shifting, unstable geographies present serious challenges for public safety officials directing evacuees to safety. A path to safety can turn into a barricade — or worse — in an instant.

Danger lurks underground from aging gas pipes USA Today via Detroit Free Press About every other day the past decade, a gas leak in the United States has destroyed property, hurt someone or killed someone, a USA Today investigation finds. The most destructive blasts have killed at least 135 people, injured 600 and caused $2 billion in damages since 2004.

NEW INSIGHTS

Is TV coverage of climate change too focused on disaster? Phys.Org TV news bulletins also gave much less air time to other potential focuses — the uncertainty surrounding climate change, the opportunities it presents and the explicit risks it presents, says the study published by Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University. Similarities and differences were examined between the six countries: Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India and the U.K. The researchers found that references to disaster appeared prominently in both the story and in the headlines. Even though the IPCC had strongly emphasized "risk management" in its communication efforts, risk was hardly mentioned.

Could earthquake warnings come from water? The Weather Channel Could the chemistry of your water predict an earthquake? An international team of researchers thinks so. Their study in the journal Nature Geoscience examines the proportion of stable isotopes from a well in Húsavík, Iceland. Assistants gathered samples from the well every week for five years. The scientists also looked at which elements were concentrated in that water.

EM CALENDAR

National Weather Service to offer Oct. 28 webinar on 'NWSChat 101 for Emergency Managers' IAEM The National Weather Service (NWS) has scheduled a webinar on Oct. 28, 2014, 1:00-2:00 EDT, on "NWSChat 101 for Emergency Managers." NWSChat is an instant messaging system that allows the National Weather Service to share critical weather information with emergency managers and other partners. With immediate and direct access to NWS during significant weather events, you can get clarification and information to assist you in your operations, and get your local information quickly and easily to your local NWS office. This webinar will introduce you to the basics of NWSChat, from requesting an account to using it in your daily operations. The webinar will also serve as a refresher for those who already have an account. Details and registration are available here.

AROUND THE WORLD

Fung-Wong storm: 200,000 displaced in Philippines BBC News Tropical storm Fung-Wong has brought flooding, heavy rains and high winds to the Philippines, forcing some 200,000 people from their homes. Five people were also killed in the storm, two of them electrocuted while wading through flood waters, an emergency official said. Manila and the northern provinces were worst hit, with residents being rescued from the roofs of flooded homes.

Hurricane Odile: Power outages still widespread in Los Cabos; 5 dead The Weather Channel

Nine days after Hurricane Odile slammed Mexico's Baja peninsula, the tourists may be gone, but the aftermath of the devastating storm remains. Only 19 percent of customers in Los Cabos, one of the areas Odile hit hardest, have seen their power restored. Nearly 27,000 people — mostly tourists — were airlifted out of the area on more than 200 special flights over the past week, but the heavily damaged Los Cabos International Airport will be closed until Oct. 8, the Tourism Department said.

Death toll mounts to 43 in India's flood-hit northeast Thomson Reuters Foundation At least 43 people have died and many are missing in floods and landslides caused by heavy rains that lashed India's remote northeast, officials said, in the second flood tragedy to strike the subcontinent this month. Officials in the mountainous state of Meghalaya said at least 25 people had been drowned or died in landslides, with 24 more reported missing in the Garo Hills district of the state.

Floods swamp parts of Texas, New Mexico USA TODAY Heavy rain has pelted much of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico over the past few days. Cities such as El Paso, Roswell and Carlsbad have seen some of the worst of the rain and flooding. A cluster of heavy rain parked over the north side of the El Paso metro area triggered deadly flash flooding, the Weather Channel's Jon Erdman reported. One drowning was confirmed by El Paso police.

Forest Service thinks California's drought caused a massive mudslide Los Angeles Times Jonathan Dove was patrolling Mt. Shasta on a clear, warm afternoon when a group of backpackers asked him if Mud Creek Canyon on the Northern California peak always flowed so heavily. The U.S. Forest Service climbing ranger scrambled up a ridge to investigate. He peered into the canyon below and found a small creek flowing like a brown river. There was a loud roar, and then a wave of boulders, mud and water 4 feet high.

Scientists capture stunning lava footage from Iceland's volcanic eruptions The Washington Post For the last month, scientists have been closely observing Iceland's volcanic activity, with the Bardarbunga volcano continually spewing lava and sending tremors across the island. According to the Iceland Review, at least 40 earthquakes were recorded from Vatnajökull glacier since Sept. 15. The strongest earthquake took place in August, recording a measured magnitude of 5.7. There was even an eruption that was beautifully framed underneath the Aurora Borealis.

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Natural Hazards Center - DR 633—Disaster Research News You Can Use – September 25, 2014

Disability and Disaster: Lawsuits Push for Better Emergency Planning Kashmir Flood Response Awash in a Deluge of Politics Natural Hazards Observer Editor Wanted!

Call Outs: Calls for Papers, Abstracts, Proposals, and More

Call for SpeakersAsia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum 2014UN WomenDeadline: As soon as possible

Call for ParticipantsWeb Site Usability StudyNatural Hazards CenterDeadline: September 30, 2014

Call for PapersDecentralized Disaster Governance in Urbanizing AsiaAsia Research InstituteDeadline: September 30, 2014

Some New Web Resources

Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst Ebola Outbreak 2014: Information Resources Nature Toolbox Save the Children 2014 Disaster Report Card TsunamiEvac Northwest Natural Disaster Mitigation Video

Conferences and Events - (For a comprehensive list of upcoming hazards-related meetings, visit our Web site at www.colorado.edu/hazards/resources/conferences.html.)

October 9-10, 2014Homeland Defense and Security Education SummitU.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Northern Command, and othersColorado Springs, ColoradoCost and Registration: $200, open until filled

October 12-14, 2014Normative Aspects of ResilienceGlobal Forum on Urban and Regional ResilienceArlington, VirginiaCost and Registration: Free, closes October 10

October 16-17, 2014Ready at a Moment’s Notice ConferenceVan Horne InstituteAlberta, CanadaCost and Registration: $400, open until filled

November 5-7, 2014Community Capitals Framework InstituteNational Drought Mitigation Center, the National Integrated Drought Information System, and others Lincoln, NebraskaCost and Registration: $150, open until filled

November 19-20, 2014Disaster Relief SummitAid and International Development Forum

Washington, D.C.Cost and Registration: $150 to $599, open until filled

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

Disaster Law CoordinatorInternational Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent SocietiesBeirut, LebanonSalary: Not ListedDeadline: September 29, 2014

Environmental Protection Specialist, GS-12Federal Emergency Management AgencyAtlanta, GeorgiaSalary: $72,620 to $94,404Deadline: September 29, 2014

Senior Disaster Operations SpecialistUSAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster AssistanceWashington, D.C.Salary: $89,924 to $116,901Deadline: October 6, 2014

Space Environment Risk Reduction LecturerInstitute for Risk and Disaster ReductionLondon, EnglandSalary: $67,652 to $86,634Deadline: October 10, 2014

Webinars, Training, and Education

WebinarHazard and Disaster Mitigation Professional Development SeriesOctober 2, 2014, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDTWilliam Averette Anderson Fund Student Advisory CouncilCost and Registration: Free, register in advance of the event

WebinarMaintenance and Operations Resilience: Improving System Management and Performance During Adverse and Extreme Weather EventsOctober 2, 2014, Noon to 2:00 p.m., EDTTransportation Research Board of the National AcademiesCost and Registration: $89 (free to TRB sponsors, affiliates, and media), open until filled

TrainingInternational Training Course on GIS for Disaster Risk ManagementOctober 27 to November 7, 2015Asian Disaster Preparedness CenterBangkok, ThailandCost and Registration: $3,175 including accommodation, register before September 28

To subscribe, visit http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/dr/.

NYC Citizen Corps Weekly News – September 26, 2014

Listen, Protect and Connect: Responding to Trauma and Creating Community Resilience Wednesday, October 15, 2014 - 6:30pm - 9:30pm

Listen, Protect, Connect (LPC) is a psychological first aid (PFA) model that was developed specifically for use by community members to enhance resilience. Listen, Protect and Connect helps to ensure that non-mental health responders have the skills and confidence to intervene with families, children, individuals and communities in the aftermath of traumatic events including both catastrophic events as well as more local traumas such as community violence. This model, when used by responders, can build community resiliency for community disaster victims and responder to responder peer support.  

In this training, participants will receive training on the Listen, Protect, and Connect PFA model. By the end of this session, participants will be able to apply and use Listen, Protect and Connect Psychological First Aid in their daily lives and in disaster response with patients, family members and other responders.

 Please click here to register. Please email citizencorps@oem.nyc.gov with any questions.   

NYC Citizen Corps and Other Initiatives

(NEW) Commodity Distribution Point Training Program

The Commodity Distribution Point (CDP) Program is a coordinated, City-led operation to distribute temporarily unavailable life-sustaining commodities such as food, water, ice, and baby formula to the public following an emergency or disaster that disrupts access to traditional supply chains. Primary CDP sites have been identified throughout the five boroughs, one in each community district, to use as points of distribution. OEM is looking to build a team of trained individuals who may be called upon to volunteer at one of these CDP sites during an emergency response. 

 NYC OEM will be hosting monthly CDP trainings for interested volunteers.  You only have to attend ONE session.  Please click this link to see available training dates.  The next available trainings will be held on October 29th, November 19th, December 17th.

Resources from NYC OEM's Partner in Preparedness Program Partners in Preparedness has released a brochure explaining the program, benefits of being a partner, and the steps to partnership.  A second brochure provides a wider explanation of NYC OEM programs for businesses and the unique role each has in supporting the City's resilience. Check out other resources for businesses on OEM's website.     

Know Your Zone - Hurricane Awareness CampaignNew York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has launched a new "Know Your Zone" hurricane awareness campaign to encourage New Yorkers to find out whether they live in one of the

city's six hurricane evacuation zones. We encourage everyone to spread the word about the Know Your Zone campaign by showing off badges to their websites and social media, requesting window stickers for display, and sharing this motiongraphic. For hurricane safety preparedness tips and information, or to request a Ready New York hurricane presentation, visit the Know Your Zone website or call 311.   

WANY Toolkits Now AvailableThe "The Storm" toolkit features 1 Facilitator Guide, 1 DVD of "The Storm", 5 Sets of Conversation Groups Pictures and Words, 30 Study Guides, and 30 Emergency "My Plan" workbooks, which allow people to write in their own personalized plans. Toolkits can be used by ESL instructors, conversation group leaders, and community groups interested in helping New Yorkers improve their English while learning how to plan, prepare, and get informed during emergencies. If you would like to order toolkits, click here.  If you are interested in learning more about this project, you can click here or email NYC Citizen Corps. EmergeNYCDuring Hurricane Irene and Sandy, thousands of volunteers spent time in one of the City's Evacuation or Distribution Centers. NYC Service is working with NYC OEM to recruit New Yorkers who can be called upon in case of an emergency to help staff Evacuation Shelters and Commodity Distribution Points. To find out how you can use your skills for good, visit EmergeNYC. 

Resources

(NEW) When The Sky Turns Gray: How (Un)Prepared Are You For Winter Storms?FEMA has released a new guide and video on preparation for winter storms as part of America's PrepareAthon on Tuesday, September 30th. To view the guide, click here. To view the video, click here. To learn more about America's PrepareAthon, please visit America's PrepareAthon: Be Smart, Take Park, Prepare.  Beyond the Go Kit: Empowering Older Adults in Disasters The New York Academy of Medicine has released a report regarding how to keep older adults safe during disasters. The report draws from lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy and recommends 12 action steps toward community preparedness, including establishing community planning hubs in each neighborhood, supporting landlords with large concentrations of older adults, enacting a pharmacy law for disasters, and consulting with home health care and hospice providers on emergency plans. For more information, click here.

Stronger Community, Better Response: Connecting Community Organizations During Disaster VideoRegional Catastrophic Planning Team has released a new video on connecting community organizations during disaster. To view this video, click here.

National Disaster Distress Helpline: Hurricane Sandy ResourcesThe national Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH), a program of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA-NYC), offers specialized crisis counseling and support for anyone struggling with emotional distress related to Hurricane Sandy. The DDH offers 24/7/365 toll-free, confidential and multi-lingual hotline (1-800-985-5990; "Press 1" for Hurricane Sandy) and SMS (text "TalkWithUs" to 66746; Spanish-speakers can text "Hablanos" to 66746) counseling, support, and referrals to local community-based resources. Calls and texts are answered by trained crisis counselors. For more information, click here or email Lauri Benblatt.

Sandy Recovery

The New York Recovery Network  Join the New York Recovery Network (NYRN) on MAX.gov, an online community where you will find tools and resources to help you with important work.  It includes news, reports, grant announcements, access to experts, conferences, training and programs.The NYRN was designed to link people from different governmental and nongovernmental agencies and organizations working on Hurricane Sandy recovery.  As a member of the NYRN you will be able to share ideas, updates and best practices with other professionals and volunteers working in all areas of recovery. To join the network, simply email NYRN@fema.dhs.gov to get sponsored, and complete your registration to MAX.gov using the link in the email that will be provided to you. iHelp Sandy Stress Relief As part of MHA-NYC, iHelp: Sandy Stress Relief is a new program that will provide internet based cognitive behavioral therapy to New York residents who are experiencing prolonged mental health effects of Superstorm Sandy. Cognitive behavioral therapy with telephone, text, and chat supports will be made available online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week free of charge. To access iHelp, visit mha.cobaltcbt.com or call 1-866-793-2765. For more information about the program, please contact Melany Avrut, MA, Ed.M at 212-614-6349 or via email.  Hurricane Sandy NY Resource ListCheck out these great tools to see some of the resources available to New Yorkers in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. NY Disaster Grants Resources Guide (UPDATED 4/23/14) NY State Recovery Resources Center (UPDATED 7/15/14)  

Upcoming Events

Sept. 29-30 - Volunteer Disaster Chaplain Training Course  ($145)The Metropolitan College of New York, Emergency & Disaster Management Program), through a training partnership with the National Disaster Interfaiths Network invites religious leaders and spiritual caregivers of all faiths to take this two-day Disaster Chaplain Training. This training is being co-sponsored by NYDIS (New York Disaster Interfaith Services) and Brooklyn Center for Quality Life. Each registrant must be endorsed for this training and/or currently serve as a chaplain, congregation staff and/or credentialed religious caregiver or leader. Emergency managers and disaster mental health professionals may register using their agency affiliation. To Register click here. To download our Training brochure click here.       September 30th- America's PrepareAthon! On Tuesday, September 30th, take part in America's PrepareAthon (AP!), a nationwide, community-based campaign to increase emergency preparedness and resilience. America's PrepareAthon! provides a national focus for individuals, organizations and communities to participate through drills, group discussions and exercises to prepare for local  hazards. Click here for more information about how you can get involved! October 7th - The Future of Campus Safety and Security (University of Pennsylvania)  Join Emergency Management and the Center for Digital Education at this thought-provoking event.  Topics will include: protecting the campus community through emergency preparedness, trends in campus safety and security, challenges: funding; planning, migrating and incorporating new

technologies; finding the right providers and partners; addressing liabilities, and other best practices. This event is free. To register, click here. October 15th - Listen, Protect, Connect: Responding to Trauma and Creating Community Resilience Listen, Protect, Connect (LPC) is a psychological first aid (PFA) model developed specifically for use by community members to enhance resilience. LPC helps to ensure that non-mental health responders have the skills and confidence to intervene with families, children, individuals and communities in the aftermath of traumatic events to build community resiliency and responder to responder peer support. This event is free. To register, click here.

October 29th - Commodity Distribution Point Training ProgramThe Commodity Distribution Point (CDP) Program is a coordinated, City-led operation to distribute temporarily unavailable life-sustaining commodities such as food, water, ice, and baby formula to the public following an emergency or disaster that disrupts access to traditional supply chains. Primary CDP sites have been identified throughout the five boroughs, one in each community district, to use as points of distribution. OEM is looking to build a team of trained individuals who may be called upon to volunteer at one of these CDP sites during an emergency response. NYC OEM will be hosting monthly CDP trainings for interested volunteers. You only have to attend ONE session. Please click this link to register.

Thank you and have a grand weekend,

Barbara

Barbara L. JohnsonHigher Education Program AssistantFEMA/EMI/NETCDepartment of Homeland Security16825 S. Seton Avenue, K016Emmitsburg, MD 21727 Ph: (301) 447-1452Barbara.Johnson3@fema.dhs.gov http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu

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