FEMA, Arizona Host Leadership Conference to Discuss Emerging Trends in Emergency Management, Collaborate with Public, Private Sector before Next…

For Immediate Release:  February 19, 2014

Media Contact:  Mary Simms, mary.simms@fema.dhs.gov

 

FEMA, Arizona Host Leadership Conference to Discuss Emerging Trends in Emergency Management, Collaborate with Public, Private Sector before Next Disaster
Microsoft, Verizon, Facebook to Attend along with Many More

Phoenix, Ariz., — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in concert with the Arizona Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) will today host its third annual FEMA Region 9 Public-Private Sector Leadership Conference in Phoenix, Ariz. The theme of this year’s symposium is “Perception vs. Reality.” 

“Engaging with partners to share thoughts and tactics on how to improve government and private sector collaboration benefits community preparedness while also protecting economic resilience,” said Nancy Ward, Regional Administrator for FEMA Region 9.  “The ability to initiate and strengthen linkages to the often untapped resources of the ‘Whole of Community’ is of paramount importance.”

The Public-Private Sector Leadership Conference affords representatives of the public, private and nonprofit sectors the opportunity to network, share best practices, and generally learn and benefit from the emergency management experiences of the “Whole Community.” Administrator Ward and ADEM Director Wendy Smith-Reeve will deliver this year’s keynote addresses.

“Events like this conference are an important outreach to our present and future partners,” said Director Smith-Reeve. “We want to inspire the public, private and nonprofit sectors to actively engage in Whole Community emergency management.”

“Whole Community” is an approach to emergency management that reinforces the fact that FEMA is only one part of our nation’s emergency management team; that we must leverage all of the resources of our collective team in preparing for, protecting against, responding to, recovering from and mitigating against all hazards; and that collectively we must meet the needs of the entire community in each of these areas. This larger collective emergency management team includes, not only FEMA and its Federal partners, but also local, tribal, state and territorial partners; non-governmental organizations like faith-based and non-profit groups and private sector industry; to individuals, families and communities, who continue to be the nation’s most important assets as first responders during a disaster.

Today’s conference aims to improve public and private sector capabilities to integrate, collaborate and work together.  Another primary goal is to provide a networking framework in order to develop relationships prior to a crisis throughout Region 9. 

The event is being held today, Feb. 19, 2014 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Allen Readiness Center, 5636 E. McDowell Rd, Phoenix, Arizona, 85008. 

For those unable to attend the conference in person, Cisco WebEx will webcast the event at  https://fedgov.webex.com/fedgov/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=994177562. The password to attend the event is: welcome. 

To view the agenda and additional event details please visit:  http://goo.gl/NuyCz6.  The event hashtag is #PPP2014AZ.

Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/femaregion9. 

 

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FEMA, Arizona Host Leadership Conference to Discuss Emerging Trends in Emergency Management, Collaborate with Public, Private Sector before Next…

Five Months Remain Before Smith Co, TX Flood Maps Become Final

DENTON, Texas –– In five months, on Wednesday, April 14, 2014, new flood maps for Smith County, Texas will become effective.  Before that date, state, local and federal officials are encouraging everyone to view the maps to understand their flood risk and consider purchasing flood insurance.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of a flood. Floods can place people at risk of uninsured loss to their businesses, homes and personal property if they don’t have either a private flood insurance policy or coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the United States and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “Where there is rain, there could be flooding,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Everyone lives in a flood zone.

To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, residents can contact their local floodplain administrator.  

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat:

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. Participation in the NFIP can assure a faster recovery in the event of a devastating flood. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their area.

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.  Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6.  

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Five Months Remain Before Smith Co, TX Flood Maps Become Final

Five Months Remain Before Lee County, Texas Flood Maps Become Final

DENTON, Texas –– In five months, on Wednesday, April 14, 2014, new flood maps for Lee County, Texas will become effective.  Before that date, state, local and federal officials are encouraging everyone to view the maps to understand their flood risk and consider purchasing flood insurance.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of a flood. Floods can place people at risk of uninsured loss to their businesses, homes and personal property if they don’t have either a private flood insurance policy or coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the United States and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “Where there is rain, there could be flooding,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Everyone lives in a flood zone.

To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, residents can contact their local floodplain administrator.  

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat:

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. Participation in the NFIP can assure a faster recovery in the event of a devastating flood. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their area.

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.   Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6.  

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Five Months Remain Before Lee County, Texas Flood Maps Become Final

New Disaster Recovery Center Open in Colorado Springs

DENVER – A new El Paso County Disaster Recovery Center in Colorado Springs opens for six days beginning Monday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day, and closes permanently on Saturday, Nov. 16.

EL PASO COUNTY

Norris-Penrose Event Center

1045 Lower Gold Camp Rd.

Colorado Springs, CO 80905

Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., MST, Monday through Saturday, Nov. 16, when it closes permanently.

DRCs are operated by the Colorado Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), county and local governments.

Representatives from FEMA and the SBA are among the agencies represented at each DRC to explain assistance programs and help survivors apply for disaster aid.

Survivors with disaster losses will save time by registering with FEMA before going to a DRC.

Register with FEMA by phone, 800-621-3362, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., MST, seven days a week.  Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA Helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages. People who have a speech disability or are deaf or hard of hearing may call (TTY) 800-462-7585; users of 711 or Video Relay Service can call 800-621-3362.

Register online:  DisasterAssistance.gov or by Web-enabled device, tablet or smartphone: type m.fema.gov in the browser.

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New Disaster Recovery Center Open in Colorado Springs

The Importance of Being Self-Sufficient

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – After an emergency happens resources can be strained quickly and you may have to do without electricity, water service, telephone service, and access to a grocery store just to name a few.  That’s why it’s so important for everyone to have the ability to be self-sufficient after an emergency occurs.

“One of the best ways people can help their community and first responders is to be self-sufficient after a disaster;” said Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney, “by being self-sufficient, people can take a lot of pressure and strain off of vital resources.  Additionally, resources may not be able to reach you for a variety of reasons so you should be prepared by having important items already on hand.”

One of the easiest ways to be self-sufficient is to build an emergency supply kit.  These kits are simply a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.  You should assemble your kit well in advance of an emergency because you may not have time to search for the supplies you need or shop for them.  Keeping your kit organized in some sort of container also ensures that if you have to evacuate you can quickly take your kit with you.

There are a number of basic items that should go into your kit that you probably already have around the house, like water, food, a flashlight, a first aid kit, a can opener, and a radio.  There are other items that you may not have thought of or may not have at home, like dust masks, moist towelettes, garbage bags, or a sleeping bag.

Don’t forget to take into account the needs of everyone, that thinking of things like diapers, formula, medications, contact lenses and supplies, special food, or coloring books or activities for kids.  You can get a full listing of what should go in your emergency kit and how you can maintain it at ready.gov/build-a-kit.

While building your emergency supply kit can seem like a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be.  When you go out to the store, see what’s on sale that you need and pick up a few things at a time, that way you don’t break the bank.  Another tip is rather than buying bottled water; you can disinfect empty 2-liter bottles and fill them with water.  Can’t think of what you want for a birthday or holiday; why not suggest people buy you preparedness supplies, that way you get something you’ll actually use. 

There are many tips and tools to help you become self-sufficient after an emergency, go to ready.gov to learn more.

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. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.  Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema.   Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.

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The Importance of Being Self-Sufficient

September is National Preparedness Month

NEW YORK – September is National Preparedness Month, a good time for all New Yorkers to take advantage of resources that are available to help prepare for the next disaster or emergency.

The event, now in its ninth year and hosted by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, encourages households, businesses and communities to prepare for emergencies.

FEMA urges New Yorkers to be prepared to be self-reliant during an emergency for three days without utilities and electricity, water service, fuel, access to a supermarket or local services, or maybe even without response from police, fire or rescue.

Preparing can start with four steps:

1. Be informed about emergencies that could happen in your community, and identify sources of information in your community that will be helpful before, during and after an emergency.

2. Make a plan for what to do in an emergency.

3. Build an emergency supply kit.

4. Get involved.

To assist with these efforts, FEMA will be sharing planning resources on the New York Sandy Web page (www.fema.gov/SandyNY) throughout the month. The documents should be shared with family, friends and community organizations.

Preparedness is a shared responsibility; it takes a whole community. This year’s National Preparedness Month focuses on turning awareness into action by encouraging all individuals and all communities nationwide to make an emergency preparedness plan. Preparedness information and events will be posted at http://community.fema.gov/connect.ti/READYNPM. Information is also available at 1-800-BE-READY, 1-888-SE-LISTO or TTY 1-800-462-7585.

For more information from New York State on preparedness, visit www.nyprepare.gov/aware-prepare. 

For more information on New York’s recovery from Hurricane Sandy, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy, www.fema.gov/blog.

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September is National Preparedness Month

Five Months Remain Before Flood Maps Become Final for Areas of Ponca City, Kay County and Osage County in Oklahoma

DENTON, Texas –– In five months, on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013, new flood maps for specific areas bordering the Arkansas River in Ponca City, Kay County and Osage County in Okla. will become effective.  Before that date, state, local and federal officials are encouraging everyone to view the maps to understand their flood risk and consider purchasing flood insurance.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of a flood. Floods can place people at risk of uninsured loss to their businesses, homes and personal property if they don’t have either a private flood insurance policy or coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Flooding is the number one natural disaster in the United States and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events.

“Where there is rain, there could be flooding,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Everyone lives in a flood zone.”

To review the new flood maps, residents can contact their local floodplain administrator.  FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat:

• To use the live chat service, visit http://go.usa.gov/r6C.  Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
• To view the Preliminary Interactive Flood Map Index online visit http://riskmap6.com/documents/Meeting_246/40071CIND0B_hyperlink.pdf
• To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.

Participation in the NFIP can assure a faster recovery in the event of a devastating flood. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their area.
                                              
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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.  Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6, and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Five Months Remain Before Flood Maps Become Final for Areas of Ponca City, Kay County and Osage County in Oklahoma

Keeping Your Family Safe During a Disaster

TRENTON, N.J. ─ With another hurricane season approaching, now is the perfect time to develop a plan that will help keep your family safe and in touch should normal life be disrupted by a hurricane or other natural or man-made disaster.

Working together to plan and prepare for a potential disaster can help you and your family remain calm and to cope efficiently when an emergency occurs.

There are many things you can do to become better prepared for the unexpected. Here are a few things to consider as you design your family preparedness plan:

Take Advantage of Technology:

  • Update your contact lists in your phone, email and social media. This will make it easy to reach out to the right people quickly to get information and supply updates. Consider creating a group list serve of your top contacts.
  • Learn how to send updates via text and internet from your mobile phone to your contacts and social channels in case voice communications are not available. Text messages and the internet often have the ability to work in the event of a phone service disruption.
  • Keep extra batteries for your phone in a safe place or purchase a solar-powered or hand-cranked charger. These chargers are good emergency tools to keep your laptop and other small electronics working in the event of a power outage. If you own a car, purchase a car phone charger because you can charge your phone if you lose power at your home.
  • Program “In Case of Emergency” (ICE) contacts into your cell phone so emergency personnel can contact those people for you if you are unable to use your phone. Let your ICE contacts know that they are programmed into your phone and inform them of any medical issues or other special needs you may have.
  • If you have a traditional landline (non-broadband or VOIP) phone, keep at least one non-cordless receiver in your home because it will work even if you lose power.
  • If you are evacuated and have call-forwarding on your home phone, forward your home phone number to your cell phone number.
  • If you do not have a cell phone, keep a prepaid phone card to use if needed during or after a disaster.
  • Prepare and distribute a family contact sheet with names, relationships and phone numbers. This should include at least one out-of-town contact that may be better able to reach family members in an emergency.

Store your financial and other critical records “in the cloud” or on a flash or jump drive.

  • Important documents such as personal and financial records can be stored now in a password-protected area in the Cloud or on a secure flash or jump drive that you can keep readily available. A flash drive can be kept on a key ring so it can be accessed from any computer anytime, anywhere.
  • Remember important documents, such as personal and property insurance, identification including Driver’s license/passport (for family members, as well) and banking information.

Prepare a Disaster Supply Kit

  • Plan to stock enough non-perishable food and other supplies to last your family three days without outside assistance
  • Customize your kit to meet your family’s specific needs such as prescription medications, infant formula and diapers and pet supplies.
  • Plan to store one gallon water per person per day for drinking and sanitation
  • Include a battery-powered radio, a NOAA weather radio and extra batteries
  • Flashlights and extra batteries
  • First Aid supplies
  • A whistle to signal for help
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  • Dust masks or cotton t-shirts to help filter the air
  • Plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter in place
  • A tool kit that includes a wrench and pliers to turn off utilities
  • A manual can opener
  • A sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
  • Clothing appropriate to the climate that includes one complete change of clothing per person

Maintain Your Kit

It’s important to make sure that your disaster supplies are in good condition and ready to use. Periodically use or discard the supplies you’ve stored and replace them so that they are ready for use when disaster strikes.

  • Keep canned food in a cool, dry place
  • Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers to protect from pests and to extend its shelf life
  • Throw out any canned goods that become swollen, dented or corroded
  • Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in front.
  • Change stored food and water supplies every six months
  • Review your disaster kit every year to make sure that it fits your family’s changing needs.

In advance of a storm or other anticipated emergency:

  • Make sure your automobiles are fully fueled: gas stations may run out of fuel or be unable to operate gas pumps if the power goes out
  • Make sure you have enough cash on hand to cover emergency purchases. ATM machines may not be working.

For more tips on developing a family disaster plan, visit www.Ready.gov.

 

FEMA Region II News Desk: 877-434-4084

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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.

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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Keeping Your Family Safe During a Disaster

Emergency Preparedness for Kids: Never Too Early

SAN JUAN, PR – What happens if there is an emergency and your children are not around? Will they be ready? The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages families to have their children prepared for an emergency as early in their childhood as possible, making them smarter and more resilient as well as enhancing their opportunities to survive and help their communities recover faster from any type of disaster.

“Engaging children in the emergency preparedness process will automatically give them a sense of security and inclusion in such an important task. They will benefit from knowing what their family plans are and how things should work during this type of event, which can be a scary situation for them,” said FEMA’s Caribbean Area Division Director Alejandro De La Campa. “Kids can assist their parents when putting together an emergency kit and by taking care of the pets. It’s very important that they understand their roles in the family emergency plan.”

Every family needs an emergency communications plan that includes a list of phone numbers of key contacts to reach during an emergency; these can be written down in a piece of paper or card, for quick action. The list should include an out of town emergency contact that every family member can reach to inform where and how they are and when they will be able to reunite. Children should always keep a copy of this list in their belongings, such as school bag, luggage, sports bag and emergency kit.

During the upcoming vacation period, if kids will spend time in a summer camp, make sure you know the facility’s emergency procedures and adjust the family plan accordingly.

Another main component of any family emergency plan is an emergency kit. This should include enough supplies for at least three days, such as: Water, canned food, can opener, battery operated radio and additional batteries, first aid kit, flashlight, clothes, blanket, whistle, and any prescribed medicine. Kids can include personal items, such as their favorite toy or game.

Don’t forget that pets are part of the family and should be included in the emergency plan. Children can help by gathering enough pet food and water for at least three days; food should be kept in a waterproof container. Pets should wear a collar with a name tag and an extra collar should be included in the kit. If you haven’t done so already, consider acquiring a pet crate which is a safer to transport your pets. Do not forget any prescribed medicines, toys and supplies to clean up after the pet, such as; plastic bags, paper towels or newspapers. 

Seek additional disaster preparedness information and identify hazards that may impact those places where your family spends most of their time and get ready now. Involve your children, practice your emergency plan frequently and talk about emergency preparedness. Learn more about emergency preparedness and how to improve your community resiliency to emergency situations by visiting www.fema.gov or www.ready.gov.

FEMA News Desk (787) 296-3554, (787) 296-3560

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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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Emergency Preparedness for Kids: Never Too Early

Less than 3 Months Remain Before Greene Co, AR Flood Maps Become Final

DENTON, Texas –– In less than three months, on Thursday, May 16, 2013, new flood maps for Greene County, Arkansas will become effective.  Before that date, state, local and federal officials are encouraging everyone to view the maps to understand their flood risk and consider purchasing flood insurance.

Most property insurance policies do not cover the effects of a flood. Floods can place people at risk of uninsured loss to their businesses, homes and personal property if they don’t have either a private flood insurance policy or coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary protection program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Flooding is the #1 natural disaster in the United States and only flood insurance covers these unexpected, damaging and sometimes fatal events. “Where there is rain, there could be flooding,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “Everyone lives in a flood zone.

To learn if your community participates in the NFIP and to review the new flood maps, residents can contact their local floodplain administrator.  

FEMA map specialists and flood insurance experts also are available to answer questions. They can be reached by phone and online chat:

FEMA encourages communities not currently participating in the NFIP to look at the benefits of joining the program. Participation in the NFIP can assure a faster recovery in the event of a devastating flood. Contacting a local insurance agent is the first step to obtaining information about insurance. Folks can visit www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-888-379-9531 to locate an agent in their area.

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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.   Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion6  and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

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Less than 3 Months Remain Before Greene Co, AR Flood Maps Become Final

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