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FEMA Awards $11 Million to Increase Preparedness Through the Continuing Training Grants Program

Release date:

September 26, 2014

Release Number:

HQ-2014-81

WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today awarded six training grants for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Continuing Training Grant (CTG) program totaling $11 million. These awards will result in trained and certified members of the whole community to include first responders, emergency managers, technical specialists, community leaders, and tribal and local governments, and it will help prepare them for all types of disasters. The period of performance for the FY 2014 CTG program is 36 months.

The FY 2014 CTG program focuses on the following six areas: Hazardous Materials (HazMat)/Weapons of Mass Destruction; Cybersecurity; Countering Violent Extremism; Maturing Public-Private Partnerships; Medical Readiness/Immediate Victim Care at Mass Casualty Events; and Rural Training.

Rural Training includes the following topics: HazMat; Mass Fatality Planning and Response; Crisis Management for School Based Incidents; Development of Emergency Operations Plans (EOP); Bioterrorism Awareness; and Media Engagement Strategies for First Responders.

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

International Association of Fire Fighters: $2,170,106
Norwich University Applied Research Institutes: $2,379,124
University of Maryland Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism Consortium: $799,966
Frederick Community College: $1,172,276
George Washington University: $1,308,422
Center for Rural Development: $3,170,106

Information on the FY 2014 CTG program can be found on www.grants.gov by searching under Homeland Security Grants, CFDA #97.005.

Last Updated:

September 26, 2014 – 12:25

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FEMA Awards $11 Million to Increase Preparedness Through the Continuing Training Grants Program

FEMA Mitigation Experts Continue Outreach in Wenatchee at Home Depot and Lowe’s

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mitigation experts will be available this week at home improvement stores in Wenatchee and next week in Moses Lake to provide information about ways to rebuild or remodel that can reduce the risk of damages from wildfire, flooding, flash flooding, and other disasters.

They will also be there to answer questions about FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.

Rebuilding or repairing a home after a disaster can be a daunting task – but, with the right information, homeowners can build back safer, smarter and stronger.

Homeowners and contractors can learn more at the following locations in Wenatchee from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 through Sunday, Sept. 14:

Home Depot, 1405 Maiden Lane, Wenatchee, WA 98801
Lowe’s, 1200 Walla Walla Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801

Next week, FEMA mitigation experts will be in Moses Lake from Tuesday, Sept. 16 through Sunday, Sept. 21. They will be at these locations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:

Home Depot, 980 W. Central Drive, Moses Lake, WA 98837
Lowe’s, 1400 E. Yonezawa Blvd., Moses Lake, WA 98837

Online help is also available at the following websites:

www.floodsmart.gov

The official site of the National Flood Insurance Program.

www.fema.gov/rebuild/recover/build_safer.shtm

For low-cost measures to reduce risk from natural disasters, building and retrofitting tips.

The Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division is responsible for administering federal disaster recovery programs on behalf of the state. The Department’s mission is to minimize the impact of emergencies and disasters on people, property, environment, and the economy of Washington State; provide trained and ready forces for state and federal missions; and provide structured alternative education opportunities for at-risk youth.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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FEMA Mitigation Experts Continue Outreach in Wenatchee at Home Depot and Lowe’s

President Declares Disaster for Guam

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the Territory of Guam to supplement territory and local recovery efforts in the area affected by Tropical Storm Halong during the period of July 28 – 31, 2014.

The President’s action makes federal funding available to territory and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Tropical Storm Halong.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Territory of Guam.

Kenneth K. Suiso has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Suiso said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the territory and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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President Declares Disaster for Guam

FEMA Awards $187,500 Grant to Gasper Township: Hazard Mitigation funds will be used to construct a tornado safe room

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $187,500 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to Gasper Township, Ohio, for the construction of a safe room at the Boys Scouts of America’s Woodland Trails Camp in Preble County.

“The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program enables communities to implement critical mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate the risk of loss of life and property,” said FEMA Region V acting administrator Janet Odeshoo. “The construction of this safe room will protect the lives of vulnerable citizens by providing a secure location to seek shelter from tornados and other high wind events.”

“The safe room project is a clear example of disaster prevention. The effort of local, state and federal government working together for the benefit of citizens is what saves lives,” said Nancy Dragani, executive director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.

HMGP provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. Through HMGP, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the $250,000 eligible project cost. The remaining 25 percent of the funds, $62,500, will be provided by the Miami Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America and the state of Ohio.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: Cassie Ringsdorf, (312) 408-4455

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FEMA Awards $187,500 Grant to Gasper Township: Hazard Mitigation funds will be used to construct a tornado safe room

One Year After Historic Colorado Flooding: Disaster Unified Review Team Expedites Environmental Recovery

DENVER – One year after devastating historic flooding, a team of specialized recovery partners is working together in a unified approach to environmental and historic preservation. The top objective of the team is to help expedite long-term recovery in the Centennial State – and in ways that will also benefit recovery after future disasters.

As part of their ongoing partnership in recovery with the State of Colorado, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) branch initiated a Disaster Unified Review Team (DURT). The team was developed as a think tank of local, state and federal partners working to identify measures for creating an easement for environmental and historic resource preservation regulatory requirements. The main priority of the DURT is to enhance and simplify the creation, review and maintenance of environmental and historic preservation documents.

FEMA Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Dan Alexander established the role of the Environmental and Historic Preservation Advisor to lead the team, which is comprised of federal and state partners, including the: Colorado Department of Transportation (CDoT); Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA); Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW); Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB); Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS); State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO); U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); U.S. Department of the Interior (DoI); U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

“This kind of unified approach we are taking is critical to a full, successful recovery here – and our mission will go a long way in helping to lay the groundwork for recovery after future disasters in any community,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Alexander. “When multiple agencies work hand-in-hand, sharing an engaged role in the recovery process, a whole community naturally grows, and the momentum that is built can help better sustain recovery for the long-term.”

All of the partner agencies are involved on multiple levels. Some highlight potential upcoming hurdles or challenges, while others facilitate environmental data exchange or contribute technical advisory support.

The team has already made great strides in its top priority, which is to harmonize records for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review. In one initiative, an online GeoPlatform was established as a secure utility for sharing geospatial data among DURT partners. The tool is called the DURT Viewer. It is being used to depict project areas and classifications among various partners and agencies. This includes project locations, descriptions, impacted areas, dollar amounts and revisions. This project information is then overlaid with environmental and historic resource data, which is also being shared. Using the shared data allows for greater efficiency in identifying areas with high federal grant program investment. This aspect is critical in streamlining areas with the greatest need for NEPA documentation, or other higher level environmental focus.

The team is also focused on Programmatic Environmental Assessments (PEAs). PEAs can help expedite funding for disaster-related debris in streams, and repair of roads, bridges, trails and other elements of the infrastructure. For instance, in the town of Jamestown, Colo., review is underway to assess disaster-related repairs and expansion or relocation of damaged infrastructure. The document that has been produced by FEMA’s EHP branch will remain on file where it will be retrievable to help cover baseline NEPA documentation in the event of future disasters in the town of Jamestown. The PEA for roads, bridges and trails was written to address damage caused by the 2013 flooding, but can be applied to future events in Colorado. It is intended to help streamline the ability of local municipalities to qualify for federal funding, while at the same time promoting the development of more resilient projects.

The unified approach of the DURT team is just one of the many highlights of the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act, which President Obama signed into effect on January 29, 2013.

The DURT team will continue to meet monthly as steady progress in recovery continues in Colorado.

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One Year After Historic Colorado Flooding: Disaster Unified Review Team Expedites Environmental Recovery

FEMA Hires Local Residents During Colorado floods

In the aftermath of the 2013 Colorado floods, FEMA and other agencies brought in personnel from all over the country to assist. At the other end of the spectrum were 54 local residents that FEMA hired to support response and recovery efforts. Following a disaster declaration, FEMA frequently hires local residents to work in various positions, augmenting existing staff. By hiring locals, the agency gets a unique perspective and critical local knowledge. Madison Taylor, Philip Holmes and Colleen Cunningham are three such local hires that were hired for the Colorado floods late last year.

Holmes was hired in December 2013 as a Recovery Support Function (RSF) Specialist, assisting in the Community Planning and Capability Building (CPCB) RSF. In short, he helps support and build recovery capacities and coordinates community planning resources of local, county and state governments affected by the last year’s floods. Where there is a recovery need identified or gap in resources, CPCB finds a group, person or organization to help fill that gap or address that need.

“I was part of a team that helped the State connect with organizations such as AmeriCorps, a national volunteer organization who provides assistance to communities in need, to assist Colorado businesses who needed help in writing grants,” said Holmes.

When Holmes and other members of CPCB along with Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs determined that many small business owners needed help in writing grants to get some funding for their business, his team supported the State in putting together a funding workshop to link volunteers, non-profits and other organizations to assist with grant writing and submission. The AmeriCorps volunteers addressed these issues and came to their aid.

“I work to assist with preparedness efforts of the State of Colorado and communities for disaster recovery before a disaster, as well as tools and resources for planning, managing and implementing recovery post-disaster,” said Holmes, who has lived in Colorado Springs for six years. He is a retired Army military police officer with more than 20 years of service and drives to Denver every day to work at FEMA’s Colorado Recovery Coordination Center, based in Lakewood.

Taylor was hired in November 2013 as a Public Assistance Reports Specialist. Some may describe this job as mind numbing, but she loves what she does, based on her bachelor’s degree in statistics. “I am in charge of tracking all the grants/projects and pull together any information (e.g. numbers) that may be needed for reports on the Public Assistance Program,” said Taylor.

Currently, she is tracking the status of an estimated 1,200 grants for the September2013 Colorado floods. The status of grants is continually tracked throughout the disaster for management and budgetary purposes. Taylor started with FEMA about 18 months ago when she signed up to participate in FEMA Corps, a program supported through AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, which recruits young adults 18-24 to assist FEMA during disasters with recovery efforts. After completing her 10-months with FEMA Corp, Madison was hired on as a local hire because of her knowledge in the field of Public Assistance and her experience with FEMA Corps.

Cunningham holds a position that is integral to the rebuilding of communities after disasters. She works as an Environmental and Historical Prevention Specialist, where she works hand-in-hand with the cities, counties and states to make sure they are aware of any environmental impacts to the ecosystem in that area when rebuilding or building at new sites.

“I make sure that FEMA, the State of Colorado and the applicant comply with federal regulations to protect the fish, wildlife and vegetation during the disaster recovery process,” said Cunningham. “There are other local staff members that monitor the regulations for historical buildings and land.” She has lived in Golden/Denver for three and has worked in the field of environmental protection for 13 years.

By hiring locals, this is one of many ways that FEMA gives back to the communities where there has been destruction, and for FEMA to follow through on its commitment to support citizens in need.

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FEMA Hires Local Residents During Colorado floods

Arkansas and Louisiana Receive Nearly $2.5 Million in FEMA Preparedness Grants

DENTON, Texas — Fire departments in Arkansas and Louisiana and been awarded more than $2.49 million in preparedness grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In Arkansas, the grants total more than $1.3 million and cover a variety of items including:

• Firefighting equipment for the Williams Junction Volunteer Fire Department in Perryville, the Valley View Fire Protection District in Jonesboro, the Bauxite Fire Department and Crawford County Fire District One in Rudy;
• A tanker vehicle for the Jacksonport Volunteer Fire Department;
• A water tender vehicle for the Burnt Ridge Volunteer Fire Department in Shirley;
• A manufacturer burn simulator for the Butterfield District 5 Volunteer Fire Department in Van Buren;
• A pumper vehicle for the Galla Rock Rural Volunteer Fire Department in Centerville;
• A brush truck for the North Pulaski Fire Protection District 15 in Jacksonville; and
• Radio equipment for the Hensley Volunteer Fire Department.

In Louisiana, the grants total more than $1.1 million and pay for firefighting equipment for the Oakdale Fire Department and the Melville Volunteer Fire Department; health screenings and fitness equipment for the Ruston Fire Department; communications equipment for the Spearsville Fire Protection District LA; and two vehicles — a pumper vehicle and a water tender vehicle — for St. Tammany Parish Fire District 9 in Bush.

The federal grants are part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program. The primary goal of the AFG is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders get critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

For more information on the AFG program, visit http://www.fema.gov/assistance-firefighters-grant.

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Arkansas and Louisiana Receive Nearly $2.5 Million in FEMA Preparedness Grants

FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Utah Anaconda Fire

DENVER – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Anaconda Fire in Tooele County.

FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Tony Russell approved the state’s request for a Federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) upon receiving the request at 9:07 p.m. MDT Monday evening. At the time of the request, residents of approximately 100 homes in the community of Lincoln were under a mandatory evacuation. The 300-acre fire was within a quarter mile of the community and was five percent contained.

The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state’s eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

FEMA Authorizes Funds to Fight Utah Anaconda Fire

Federal Grants to Local Fire Departments Offer Up-to-Date Equipment and Training to Stations Large and Small

New York, NY — The Atlantic City Fire Department has some 250 full-time firefighters and six fire stations serving a southern New Jersey population of 40,000. The department received last month a federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) of almost $490,000 to replace personal protective equipment ravaged by Hurricane Sandy and years of on-the-job use. The local share of the grant brought the total to $543,400.

This week, the Milmay Volunteer Fire Company, in an unincorporated community of 1,500 in Buena Vista Township, also in Atlantic County, was awarded a similar bounty. It received $9,168 (local share $482) to replace its deteriorated personal protective equipment for its 20 volunteers: boots, helmets, hoods, gloves, coats, and pants, all at least 15 years old. Fire Chief Eric Hensel said, “the rubber on the boots was cracked, the helmets outfitted with non-adjustable headbands, straps frayed, and the gloves contaminated with soot or grease.”

Chief Hensel added that, “not only was our equipment old, but we were suffering financially from a straight-line wind storm that occurred several years ago. It tore the roof off of our 70-year-old fire house, and caused some $500,000 in damage.” Insurance helped, he said, but it left the department with little cash.

The Director of Grants for Region II of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Dale McShine, announced the Milmay grant at regional headquarters here today. FEMA administers the AFG program, she said, “and it is most gratifying that these awards help firefighters protect their communities, of whatever size, and whether or not they are full-time or volunteers.”

“All of our firefighters are volunteers and we have a small community and a small budget,” Chief Hensel said. “And regardless of a fire company’s size, you still face the same issues: one person’s injury or life lost is the same. This grant will help us do our jobs,” he added.

FEMA’s AFG program has been aiding firefighters and other first responders since 2001. “The program provides critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards,” said Tania Hedlund, FEMA’s Grants Branch Chief. In 2012, the AFG provided funding of $25,340,000 for FEMA’s Region II (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).

For further information, please contact William H. Douglass at FEMA: 212-680-3665 or 917-561-3223.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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Federal Grants to Local Fire Departments Offer Up-to-Date Equipment and Training to Stations Large and Small

Recent Report Highlights Need for Greater Focus on Preparedness Planning for Households

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Ad Council release new PSAs
as part of the national Ready campaign to encourage families to create a plan

WASHINGTON – Fifty percent of Americans have not discussed or developed an emergency plan for family members about where to go and what to do in the event of a local disaster, according to a 2014 national survey conducted by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA and the Ad Council launched a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) today as an extension of their national Ready campaign to encourage parents to develop an emergency preparedness plan. The new PSAs are unveiled in time for the 11^th annual National Preparedness Month (NPM), which begins on September 1.

“The first step to preparing for disasters is simple and it’s free – talk to your family and make a plan,” said Craig Fugate, FEMA administrator. “Do you know how you’ll reunite and communicate with your family during an emergency? Through our continued partnership with the Ad Council, this year’s campaign illustrates how making a plan can keep families together and safe during a disaster.”

Created pro bono by New York-based advertising agency Deutsch Inc., the new creative includes English- and Spanish-language TV, radio, outdoor, print and digital PSAs that depict the aftermath of a disaster and show two families: one family who have all found each other safely at a shelter they earlier designated as their meeting place, and one set of parents who are frantically searching for their son. Through these PSAs, families are faced with the harsh reality of what can happen when you do not have an emergency plan in place before a disaster or emergency strikes. The PSAs direct audiences to know where to find their families when a disaster strikes and to start their emergency plans at Ready.gov and www.Listo.gov, which have extensive resources for preparing for emergencies.

“Our Ready campaign with FEMA exemplifies the power of advertising in influencing both awareness and behavior change,” said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council. “While we have significantly increased the numbers of families who have taken key steps to be more prepared, there are still too many who do not have a plan in place. These conversations about what to bring and where to go are integral and can impact your family’s safety in the event of an emergency or disaster.”

Since its launch in 2003, the campaign has received more than $1 billion in donated media. The campaign has also helped to generate over 71 million unique visitors to Ready.gov.

“We are excited to continue our work with the Ad Council and FEMA to create conversations and encourage people to have a plan in place in case of an emergency,” said Val DiFebo, CEO, Deutsch NY. “This year’s campaign will elicit heart-stopping reactions from parents—and that is our goal—to motivate parents into action to create emergency plans for the safety of their families. Speaking as a parent, there is nothing more frightening than being apart from your family in an emergency situation. We are honored to be part of this very important mission.”

Managed and sponsored by the Ready Campaign, National Preparedness Month is designed to raise awareness and encourage Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools, organizations, businesses and places of worship. In partnership with Citizen Corps, emergency preparedness officials and the Ad Council, National Preparedness Month is an opportunity to disseminate emergency preparedness information and host sponsor activities across the country to help Americans understand what it truly means to be ready. This year, each week throughout September will have a different theme, which will focus on emergency preparedness topics such as how to plan for specific needs before a disaster, how to build an emergency kit, how to practice for an emergency and this year’s PSA campaign theme—how to reconnect with a family after a disaster. This year’s campaign culminates with a day of action, National PrepareAthon! Day on September 30, when people in communities across the nation will practice what to do in advance of an emergency. Practicing a preparedness action in advance of a disaster makes you better prepared to handle any emergency you may encounter.

The Ad Council is distributing the new PSAs to media outlets nationwide this week, and the PSAs will run and air in advertising time and space donated by the media.

More information on the campaign and National Preparedness Month is available by visiting Ready.gov/September or by following the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

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Recent Report Highlights Need for Greater Focus on Preparedness Planning for Households

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