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$28 Million in FEMA Region 6 Preparedness Grants Awarded in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas

DENTON, Texas – A total of 180 local fire departments, emergency medical service (EMS) agencies and state training facilities for fire departments in five Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 6 states are sharing more than $28 million in preparedness grants this year.

The funding is part of FEMA’s 2012 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) and includes financial assistance for equipment, vehicles, wellness and fitness programs, modifications to facilities, personal protective equipment, fire prevention projects, and the hiring, recruitment and retention of firefighters in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

There are three grant categories under this program – Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response Grants (SAFER) and Fire Prevention & Safety Grants (FP&S). The AFG awards are designed to enhance the ability of eligible entities to protect the public and fire service personnel from fire and related hazards; SAFER awards provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase the number of trained, front line firefighters available in their communities; and FP&S grants support projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and related hazards.

Some of the larger 2012 grants included a $3.3 million SAFER grant to the Corpus Christi Fire Department in Texas, a $2.7 million communications grant to the McAllen Fire Department in McAllen Texas, a $1.6 million grant to the Albuquerque Fire Department in New Mexico to purchase 50 Automated External Defibrillators, nearly $1 million to the Centerville, Louisiana Volunteer Fire Department for a variety of communications equipment, and a $549,000 SAFER grant to the Rogers Fire Department in Arkansas. In addition, the Louisiana Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigation (IAAI) in New Iberia, the Oklahoma Assistive Technology Foundation in Stillwater and the Austin, Texas Fire Department each received more than $200,000 for fire prevention programs.

The 2013 application period for SAFER grants has already closed, while the period for AFG and PF&S grants is expected to open soon. For more information on these preparedness grants, visit www.fema.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program. Follow links on the website to see a full list of 2012 grants.

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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 R6 Preparedness website at www.fema.gov/region-vi/region-6-preparedness

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$28 Million in FEMA Region 6 Preparedness Grants Awarded in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas

Federal Law Enforcement Personnel Learn New Emergency Management Skills from FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute

EMMITSBURG, MD – Thirty three law enforcement officers and staff from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Justice Department’s Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) graduated from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Foundations of Emergency Management course. The law enforcement personnel acquired the basic skills and knowledge to help them meet challenges in the field of emergency management.

The Foundations of Emergency Management course (L-101) was delivered by FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) at ATF Headquarters in Washington, D.C., from July 22 through August 2, 2013. The course is one of five in the National Emergency Management Academy and covers legal issues, intergovernmental and interagency context, influencing, organizing, serving the whole community, managing stress, collaboration, preparedness, team building, protection, prevention, mitigation, response, ethical decision-making, recovery, technology, administration, and the future. The course also requires prerequisite independent study courses to be completed.

“Law enforcement is an integral part of emergency management before, during and after disasters,” said EMI Superintendent Tony Russell. “Law enforcement personnel who attend EMI’s Foundations of Emergency Management course take what they learn and apply the basics of emergency management to their specific law enforcement roles in the field to help them provide better community assistance during emergencies.”

EMI and ICE signed a Memorandum of Agreement to initiate a cooperative training effort to provide courses for law enforcement officials whose positions include responsibilities in the field of emergency management during disasters.

“Law enforcement is an important part of successful emergency management and this EMI course demonstrates a true whole community approach for training and educating law enforcement personnel,” said Roberto Hylton, FEMA’s Senior Law Enforcement Advisor. “We strive to help law enforcement to be better prepared when disasters strike as they work to protect and serve the people in their communities and respond in times of national emergencies.”

The National Emergency Management Academy offers the tools for students to develop a comprehensive set of basic skills needed in emergency management. For those who are new to emergency management or transferring from another profession, this Academy provides a unique opportunity to build camaraderie and establish professional contacts. Students also learn to understand the roles, responsibilities and legal boundaries associated with emergency management.

The Academy is part of FEMA’s new Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP). The EMPP curriculum is designed to support life-long learning for emergency managers and includes the entry-level Academy; a Specialized and Technical Training program to develop specific skill sets; a Leaders Academy to develop the next generation of emergency management leaders; and an Executive Academy for federal, state, tribal and local agency officials at a senior policy and strategic level.

FEMA is linking training and career development programs to an established set of competencies through a progressive training and education system. EMI develops training objectives based on the Emergency Management competencies agreed to by the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), and state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management professionals.

For more information on FEMA’s training courses and the Foundational, Leaders and Executive Academies, go to: http://training.fema.gov/empp/.

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Federal Law Enforcement Personnel Learn New Emergency Management Skills from FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute

New Grassroots Campaign to Increase Community Preparedness

National campaign encourages public to practice specific preparedness actions

WASHINGTON – The growing impact of disasters underscores the need for a new approach to preparing our communities. Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) unveiled America’s PrepareAthon! SM, a nationwide, community-based campaign for action to increase emergency preparedness and resilience.

The strategy and structure for America’s PrepareAthon! isbased on new social science research conducted by FEMA and presented in Preparedness in America: Research Insights to Increase Individual, Organizational, and Community Action, also released today.

“The Preparedness in America study is an extensive analysis of national household data on preparedness,” stated FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “Motivating families to prepare is an ongoing challenge. The study highlights the benefit of whole community collaboration to increase preparedness.”

Findings from the report include:

• The simple act of talking about preparedness with others has a very strong positive relationship with preparedness behaviors such as having a plan, knowing about alerts and warnings, and participating in trainings or drills, yet less than half of the respondents report talking about preparedness in the previous two years.

• The survey data indicated that the workplace, schools, and volunteering are effective channels for preparedness outreach. People who were encouraged by their employer to have a plan or to participate in training were 76 percent and 86 percent more likely to take these actions, respectively.

• The data identified show clear differences in how people think about different hazards: respondents believed preparing for a natural hazard is helpful, but believed terrorist acts, hazardous materials accidents, and disease outbreaks were less likely and that preparedness would not be as helpful.

America’s PrepareAthon! providesa national focus for millions of individuals, organizations, and communities to take action to improve their level of preparedness. Twice a year—in the spring and fall—schools and universities, faith-based organizations, businesses, and civic organizations across the country will organize community days of action to discuss, practice, and train for relevant hazards. The campaign will feature preparedness materials on hazards such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, extreme heat, earthquakes, wildfires, hazardous materials and severe winter weather.

The goal of the campaign is to increase the number of people who: understand the hazards most relevant to their community; know the corresponding protective actions, mitigation measures and community plans; practice actions that increase their preparedness; and contribute to whole community preparedness planning. America’s PrepareAthon! provides a consistent and coordinated communication and outreach strategy around the national vision for resilience for the general public while establishing a platform for interagency and public-private partner coordination for preparedness and resilience metrics.

Like most great American successes, building a more resilient Nation will depend on the whole community working together to increase resilience by household, by community, and through partnerships between communities, businesses, and state, local, tribal, territorial and federal agencies. To date, the following national organizations have pledged their commitment to America’s PrepareAthon!: The American Red Cross, the International Association of Emergency Managers, Target, the Corporation for National and Community Service, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, and the Resilient Communities for America.

For more information about America’s PrepareAthon!, please visit www.fema.gov/prepareathon or email FEMA-Prepareathon@fema.dhs.gov. Join the twitter discussion @PrepareAthon.

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New Grassroots Campaign to Increase Community Preparedness

Get Ready: National Preparedness Month Launches September 1

CHICAGO –September is National Preparedness Month, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages everyone to act now and make their families’ preparedness for disasters a priority.

“National Preparedness Month serves as a reminder that we all need to prepare for disasters and emergencies,” said Regional Administrator Andrew Velasquez III. “Make disaster readiness manageable by taking one step at a time— start by learning your specific risk, gathering supplies for an emergency kit, and developing a family communications plan. By taking these small, but critical, steps over time, you can be prepared for disasters.”

Severe weather and other emergencies can strike with little or no warning and can have disastrous impacts. Already this year, the Midwest has experienced several waves of destructive severe storms, including the devastating tornadoes in Moore, Oklahoma. Additionally, other parts of the country are currently fighting intense wildfires, flooding and other emergencies that threaten the infrastructure people depend on every day. Whether at home or on the go, everyone should learn the steps necessary to make preparedness part of their everyday life.

“As a nation we are seeing disasters increase in their size and complexity, and they are occurring with greater frequency,” said Velasquez. “The impacts of these events are a reminder that everyone should be prepared for the hazards faced in their communities or even while traveling. Make preparedness a priority for your family today and help encourage a culture of preparedness in your community.”

An emergency supply kit should have at least three days of basic emergency supplies, such as water, food, flashlights, batteries and medications that you or your family may need on a daily basis. You can make collecting these items more affordable by gradually adding supplies to your kit until it is complete.

Throughout the month, FEMA will offer tips to help you be disaster ready. Follow FEMA Region V online at twitter.com/femaregion5 and www.facebook.com/fema, to receive the latest preparedness updates.

For detailed information about how to be ready for severe weather in your area, including a list of items you will want to have in your emergency kit, visit http://www.ready.gov/, or our Spanish site at http://www.listo.gov/.

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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, FEMA, 312-408-4455

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Get Ready: National Preparedness Month Launches September 1

September 1 Marks the Start of National Preparedness Month; Citizens invited to ‘Be a Hero’ All Year Long

FEMA Region VII’s “Be A Hero, Preparing Means Caring” campaign

calls on all Americans to exercise an inclusive approach when preparing for emergencies

KANSAS CITY, MO –Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Captain America bring very familiar images to mind. This September, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Ready Campaign and FEMA Region VII, in partnership with Citizen Corps and the Ad Council call on all Americans to embrace their own heroic powers to prepare themselves and others for disasters.

“Like so many of the superheroes we grew up watching, the overarching concept behind being a ‘hero’ is helping others, particularly those who may not be able to help themselves or may need some extra assistance,” said FEMA Region VII Administrator Beth Freeman.

On September 1, National Preparedness Month Community members across the nation will respond to the call to help prepare their families, businesses and communities for emergencies of all kinds. This spring’s deadly tornado in Moore, OK, summer flooding in the Midwest, and the not-so-distant Hurricane Sandy which struck the Eastern Seaboard in 2012, demonstrate that disasters can happen anywhere at any time.

This year’s National Preparedness Month campaign slogan, “You Can Be the Hero”, seeks to transform awareness into action by encouraging all Americans to be the heroes in their own homes, businesses, schools and other common places, taking the necessary steps to ensure their communities and the people within those communities are prepared for emergencies of all kinds.

Localizing the national theme with an emphasis on issues true to the Nation’s Heartland, FEMA Region VII will launch its regional campaign, Be A Hero, Preparing Means Caring, in conjunction with National Preparedness Month. The initiative includes extensive outreach throughout the Region VII states of Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.

Freeman said “Our goal in adopting a regional focus for National Preparedness Month is to promote the importance of taking an inclusive approach to disaster preparedness because everyone, regardless of abilities, has something to offer when it comes to preparedness.

“We can be heroes by learning what it takes to prepare, by understanding the variety and complexity of needs in our communities – particularly for people with access or functional needs and to ensure the well-being of pets – and by exercising a few simple activities now to ensure everyone within our community circles is prepared.”

Through FEMA Region VII’s Be A Hero, Preparing Means Caring campaign, information will be distributed on a variety of topics and issues to consider when practicing preparedness including: caring for the elderly and those with disabilities, ensuring your business is resilient and accessible, and building an emergency supply kit to care for pets.

As the baseline for all FEMA emergency preparedness information, the campaign focuses on starting preparedness with four simple steps:

Be informed about emergencies that could happen in your community, and identify sources of local information that will be helpful before, during and after an emergency.
Make a plan for what to do in an emergency.
Build an emergency supply kit.
Get involved.

Although a majority of the Campaign’s information and outreach will be distributed throughout National Preparedness Month in September, FEMA Region VII is using the initiative as a kick-off effort to taking a more focused, long-term approach to engaging with citizens and community partners throughout the year.”

Preparedness is a shared responsibility; it takes a whole community. To join the National Preparedness Community or to make a pledge to learn more, get involved and Be A Hero in your own community, visit http://community.fema.gov. Information is also available at 1-800-BE-READY, 1-888-SE-LISTO or TTY 1-800-462-7585.

Follow FEMA online at http://blog.fema.gov, 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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September 1 Marks the Start of National Preparedness Month; Citizens invited to ‘Be a Hero’ All Year Long

FEMA Braces for Fires, Floods, Earthquakes and other Natural Disasters, Emphasizes need for citizens to plan to Survive for 3 days

OAKLAND – September is National Preparedness Month and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is partnering with communities in Arizona, California, Nevada and Hawaii to encourage citizens to encourage families, individuals and businesses to act now to increase preparedness throughout the U.S.

FEMA Region 9 Administrator Nancy Ward will participate in an event with the Arizona Division of Emergency Management (ADEM), American Red Cross, City of Chandler, and the business community to kick-off National Preparedness Month in Arizona with a press conference and expo on Wednesday, September 4th at the Chandler Wal-Mart located at 1175 South Arizona Avenue. ADEM will share samples of a recipe found in the Emergency Kit Cook-off (www.EmergencyKitCookOff.org) that is inspired by the contents of the 72-hour emergency food kit.

“Preparedness is a shared responsibility. It takes a whole community and this is why you see federal, state, and county government agencies partnering with local municipalities, non-profits, and private businesses to spread the message about the importance of being prepared for emergency situations,” said Nancy Ward, FEMA Region IX Administrator. “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.”

National Preparedness’ Month is a nationwide, month-long effort hosted annually by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, that encourages households, businesses and communities to prepare and plan for emergencies. One of National Preparedness Month’s key messages is: being prepared in the event an emergency means being self-reliant for three days without utilities and electricity, water service, access to a supermarket or local services, possibly without available response from police, fire or rescue. Preparing for such disaster realities can start with four important 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

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 to http://community.fema.gov/connect.ti/READYNPM

For a list of public events being hosted in FEMA Region 9 please visit: https://www.fema.gov/NPM2013Events

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FEMA Braces for Fires, Floods, Earthquakes and other Natural Disasters, Emphasizes need for citizens to plan to Survive for 3 days

Federal Aid Programs for Karuk Tribe

Main Content

Release date:

August 29, 2013

Release Number:

HQ-13-093 Factsheet

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama’s major disaster declaration issued for the Karuk Tribe.

Assistance for Tribal Governments Can Include as Required:

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for removing debris from public areas and for emergency measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health. (Source: FEMA funded, Tribe administered.)

Payment of not less than 75 percent of the eligible costs for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities, such as roads, bridges, utilities, buildings, schools, recreational areas and similar publicly owned property, as well as certain private non-profit organizations engaged in community service activities. (Source: FEMA funded, Tribe administered.)

Payment of not more than 75 percent of the approved costs for hazard mitigation projects undertaken by tribal government to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural or technological disasters. (Source: FEMA funded, Tribe administered.)

How to Apply for Assistance:

Application procedures for the Tribal governments will be explained at a series of federal/Tribal applicant briefings with locations to be announced in the affected area by recovery officials. Approved public repair projects are paid through the Tribe from funding provided by FEMA and other participating federal agencies.

Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema ; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.

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Last Updated:

August 29, 2013 – 23:43

State/Tribal Government or Region:

Karuk Tribe and

Region IX

Related Disaster:

Karuk Tribe Wildfire

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Federal Aid Programs for Karuk Tribe

President Declares Major Disaster for Karuk Tribe

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to the Karuk Tribe and ordered federal aid to supplement the Tribe’s efforts in the area affected by a wildfire during the period of July 29 to August 2, 2013.

Federal funding is available to the Karuk Tribe and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the wildfire.

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

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

Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema ; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.

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President Declares Major Disaster for Karuk Tribe

FEMA and SBA Extend Disaster Assistance Deadlines in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Survivors of the spring floods now have until Wednesday, Sept. 25 to register for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and return Small Business Administration disaster loan applications.

People with flood-related losses can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov. Registration is also available by calling 800-621-3362, TTY 800-462-7585 or 711/VRS.

FEMA disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

The simplest way to complete an SBA application is online by using the electronic loan application. Go to DisasterLoan.SBA.gov/ELA. More information is available by calling the SBA customer service center at 800-659-2955 or TTY 800-877-8339. SBA disaster loans are the largest source of federal recovery funds for individuals with property or content losses. For more information, go to SBA.gov/Disaster.

Through Aug. 27, nearly $2.7 million has been approved for survivors through FEMA’s Individual Assistance program and about $3.4 million in SBA disaster home loans has been approved.

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FEMA and SBA Extend Disaster Assistance Deadlines in Alaska

Spink County Now Eligible for Disaster Aid

Watertown, S.D. – Spink County is now eligible for federal assistance from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred during the period of June 19 to June 29, 2013.

Spink County joins the seven previously declared South Dakota counties eligible for FEMA Public Assistance, which may include assistance for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.

The counties now designated for FEMA Public Assistance include: Beadle, Codington, Deuel, Grant, Hamlin, Hughes, Kingsbury and Spink counties.

FEMA’s Public Assistance is a reimbursement program that helps communities deal with the financial burdens imposed by a disaster. The federal share of assistance is 75 percent of the eligible cost for emergency measures and restoration of disaster damaged public facilities. The state of South Dakota will pay 10 percent of the total eligible cost share with the applicant responsible for supplying the remaining 15 percent

All counties in the State of South Dakota are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Hazard Mitigation assistance may enable counties to implement measures to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property for natural hazards, before a disaster strikes.

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Spink County Now Eligible for Disaster Aid

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