Charleston, Wv. – State and federal officials say that more than $6 million in federal assistance has been delivered to the State of West Virginia to help cover the costs of the severe winter storm, flooding, landslides and mudslides March 3-14, 2015, that damaged infrastructure in 32 counties.

 FEMA has provided a total of more than $6 million to the State thus far including roughly $50,000 for emergency protective measures to safeguard lives and property while responding to the disaster. More than $5 million of these funds are for permanent repair work, primarily to West Virginia Division of Highways.

“The severe March weather caused more than $30 million in damage and response costs, mostly to roads,” said State Coordinating Officer Jimmy Gianato. “FEMA is providing 75 percent of those costs and the State is providing the remaining 25 percent.”

“FEMA continues to support West Virginia to ensure that applicants receive all of the assistance for which they are eligible,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Suzann Cowie. “Funding for Hazard Mitigation efforts, statewide, is also available.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance Programs provide state and local governments and eligible private non-profit organizations, in designated counties, with federal funds to pay 75 percent of the approved cost of debris removal, emergency services related to the disaster, and for repairing or replacing damaged public facilities such as roads, bridges, buildings and utilities. Hazard Mitigation funding is for cost-effective measures that would prevent or reduce the threat of future damages.

The State, which distributes the FEMA funds to local governments and qualified non-profits, must review Public Assistance projects, along with FEMA, to ensure compliance with regulations.

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


Media Contact: FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov

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More Than $6 Million in Federal Assistance Provided to West Virginia

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is pleased to announce the members of the 2015-2016 National Youth Preparedness Council (Council).

Created in 2012, the Council brings together youth leaders from across the country that are interested in advocating on behalf of preparedness and making a difference in their communities. The Council supports FEMA’s commitment to involving youth in preparedness-related activities. It also provides an avenue to engage youth by taking into account their perspectives, feedback and opinions.  Council members will meet with FEMA staff members throughout their term to provide input on strategies, initiatives and projects.

Preparedness education empowers youth to keep themselves and others safe in an emergency; encourages them to share preparedness information with their families, schools and communities; and reduces anxiety about potential disasters.

The six new members of the Council were selected based on their dedication to public service, community involvement and potential to expand their impact as national advocates for youth preparedness. The members selected in 2015 are:

  • FEMA Region III: Angelo DeGraff (Maryland)
  • FEMA Region VI: Ty Zaunbrecher (Louisiana)
  • FEMA Region IX: Kiahna Lee Espia (Guam)
  • FEMA Region IX: Divakar Saini (California)
  • FEMA Region X: Hailey Starr (Washington)
  • FEMA Region X: Megan Stutzman (Oregon)

The returning Council members are:

  • Council Chairperson: Obie Jones (FEMA Region VI, Texas)
  • Vice Chairperson: Weston Lee (FEMA Region VIII, Utah)
  • FEMA Region I: Bridget Smith (Connecticut)
  • FEMA Region II: James Collins (New Jersey)
  • FEMA Region III: Sahara Duncan (Pennsylvania)
  • FEMA Region IV: Matthew Mayfield (Alabama)
  • FEMA Region IV: Jonathan Salazar (Florida)
  • FEMA Region V: Isaiah Garcia (Michigan)
  • FEMA Region VII: Austin Witt (Iowa)

Each Council member will participate in the Youth Preparedness Council Summit, where they will:

  • Share their ideas, opinions and questions about youth disaster preparedness with the leadership of national organizations working on this critical priority;
  • Determine their legacy project; and
  • Meet with FEMA Community Preparedness staff, who will be their ongoing support contacts and mentors.

To learn more about the FEMA Youth Preparedness Council, please visit: www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness-council.

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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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FEMA Announces 2015 Youth Preparedness Council Members

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

Main Content

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

Link – 

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

PHILADELPHIA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its regional office in Philadelphia has kicked off the 2014 Petpared Initiative to encourage pet owners to be more resilient in the face of disasters. 

The goal of the Petpared Initiative is to increase the number of citizens who understand the hazards that are most relevant to their family and pets; know the corresponding protective actions to take, and to encourage everyone to practice a real-time action to increase their preparedness.

In support of America’s PrepareAthon!, FEMA Region III will be promoting the #Petpared Twitter Challenge that will run throughout the month of April. To participate in the challenge, pet owners should complete a preparedness action to increase their pet’s preparedness, then tweet a picture of their action using the hashtag #Petpared. Successful actions will be retweeted on May 5, 2014, National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day.

On April 17, 2014 at 12:30 p.m. EDT, FEMA Region III will coordinate the #Petpared Twitter Chat with pet experts from organizations such as the American Humane Association, ASPCA, American Red Cross, PetSmart Charities, Red Paw Emergency Relief Team, Schuylkill CART, Virginia Search and Recuse Dog Association, and others to help pet owners understand what they need to do to prepare for disasters and encourage them to take action.

There are simple steps pet owners can take to increase both their own and their pet’s preparedness. Through the use of social media platforms, pet owners will have access to the information they need through a variety of different mediums to increase their preparedness. This will also give pet owners an opportunity to engage and share their experiences with the pet community.

Having a pet emergency supply kit is just one way to prepare; there are also simple steps you can take now to be prepared for all hazards such as developing a family emergency plan, having an emergency supply kit ready to go, and learning about your risks. Other resources to prepare your pet and your family for disasters are available at Ready.gov/caring-animals.

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

Media Contact: FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov or 215-931-5597

Originally posted here:

FEMA Region III Promotes Pet Preparedness in April

PHILADELPHIA – The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its regional office in Philadelphia, Pa., continues to work in close coordination with the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to support state and local efforts to ensure public health and safety, in response to emergency conditions resulting from a chemical spill in Charleston, West Virginia on Thursday.

This morning, President Barack Obama signed an emergency declaration making federal disaster assistance available to West Virginia to supplement state and local response efforts in Boone, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam and Roane counties to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Earlier today, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson spoke with West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin to convey concern for those impacted by this incident and to make sure there were no unmet needs as the response continues.

FEMA has identified a regional staging area in Charleston, West Virginia.  FEMA will deliver more than a million liters of water, which is currently on its way from FEMA’s distribution centers in Cumberland and Frederick, Maryland, to the area for use by the state as needed.

In support of state and local response efforts, a FEMA liaison and an Incident Management Assistance Team are on site in Charleston, and a Mobile Emergency Response team is en route to help coordinate assistance to the state as needed.  In addition, FEMA’s Regional Response Coordination Center in Philadelphia is activated to support coordination efforts and assist in mobilizing resources. 

“We urge those in the affected area to continue to follow the direction of local officials,” FEMA Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney emphasized. “Monitor local radio and TV reports for the latest emergency information.”

Residents can follow The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management at www.twitter.com/wvdhsem and www.facebook.com/WVDHSEM .

At all times, FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States that are available to state and local partners if needed and requested. 

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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FEMA Supporting West Virginia Response Efforts Urges Residents in Affected Area to Listen to Local Officials

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Emergencies can be scary for people of every age; they can be especially scary for youth because they generally have little control over how their family or community has prepared, and how they will respond.  Too often youth are viewed as a liability rather than an asset, when instead they have so much to offer their families and their communities if only they were better prepared and better engaged.

“Involving youth in the preparedness process teaches them about what to do, who to contact, and what the plan is,” said Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney, “it also reduces some of the fear associated with an emergency, but most importantly, youth have excellent ideas that can help everyone prepare for a disaster.”

FEMA recognizes the value that youth can provide, and for that very reason established the Youth Preparedness Council last year.  The Council provides an avenue for FEMA to engage the youth population, taking into account their perspectives, feedback and opinions. 

Just a few of the accomplishments from this year’s Youth Preparedness Council include designing a “Be Prepared Day” for the community to educate everyone on disaster preparedness, establishing a neighborhood response team, and conducting health and wellness checks.  Talk to youth in your community about any ideas they may have and help them where you can. 

Young people are capable of playing an important role in emergency preparedness, and have the unique potential to help their communities be safe, stronger and more resilient before, during and after a disaster.  As such, we all have a vested interest in engaging and empowering youth to become active participants in individual, family, and community preparedness.

You can engage the youth in your family and your community by teaching them about what hazards are common in your area, explaining to them the warning signs are, and what to do if a certain hazard should strike.  When you develop your Family Emergency Plan, make sure to have your children at the table with you so they understand the plan, can ask questions, and can provide ideas for what to do in a disaster.

By teaching youth about how to communicate if your family is separated in a disaster you can build the resiliency and capability of your entire family.  Other skills like teaching youth safety skills such as first aid, CPR, and how to safely use a fire extinguisher gets them involved in the process and makes everyone better prepared.  Talk to youth that you know about what programs they would like to be involved in and encourage them to explore options like Teen CERT teams.

Youth of any age can be involved in the emergency preparedness process; figure out what’s right for your children and invite them into the process.  You could be very surprised by the ideas they have and how much they can help your family and your community in an emergency.

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

 

Media Inquiries: FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov or 215-931-5597

Excerpt from:

Preparing and Engaging Youth

PHILADELPHIA – September is National Preparedness Month and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is hosting a live Twitter chat on campus readiness to discuss how colleges and universities throughout the nation can prepare for disasters, alert students and faculty during emergencies and share best practices. 

FEMA, in partnership with DePaul University, Boston College, Virginia Tech and Florida State University will pose questions and provide answers that highlight innovative ways that campuses can prepare for disasters and respond during emergencies, encouraging a nationwide conversation. 

Experts from these schools will answer questions regarding their emergency preparedness methods, best practices and lessons learned. Colleges, universities, students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in the online chat. Everyone can follow the conversation and contribute using the #EDUprepChat hashtag on Twitter.

What: Live Twitter Chat on Emergency Preparedness for Colleges and Universities

Date: Wednesday, September 18th

Time: 1:00 – 2:00pm EDT

FEMA Twitter Handle:@FEMAlive
Conversation Hashtag:#EDUprepChat

 

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

Media Inquiries: FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov or 215-931-5949

Link: 

FEMA Hosts Live Twitter Chat on Emergency Preparedness for Colleges and Universities

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Preparing a community for an emergency or disaster can be a daunting task; there are so many people, each with unique needs, and so many aspects that need to be addressed.  If such a monumental task is left to just one group of people such as local officials, it’s sure to remain just that, monumental.  When the Whole Community comes together to provide input, complete tasks, and take responsibility though, it becomes a very manageable undertaking.  Pitching in to help your community prepare for the next disaster has a very large impact, the kind that can make you a local hero.

“Too often we rely upon local officials and first responders to prepare for and respond to a disaster;” said Regional Administrator MaryAnn Tierney, “there are so many ways that everyone can come together and make their community more resilient.”

Citizen Corps brings together the power of individuals through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues, and disasters of all kinds.  Citizen Corps has many councils throughout the country at the state and local level, and you can find your nearest council for more information or to sign up at ready.gov/citizen-corps/find-your-nearest-council.

Citizen Corps has many affiliates that offer communities resources for public education, outreach, and training; represent volunteers interested in helping to make their community safer; or offer volunteer service opportunities to support first responders, disaster relief activities, and community safety efforts. Visit ready.gov/citizen-corps-affiliate-programs for more information on Citizen Corps’ affiliates.

In addition to their affiliates, Citizen Corps also has partner programs which give citizens the opportunity get involved. Citizen Corps’ federally sponsored partner programs help build capacity for first responders through the use of volunteers.  These programs can be very specific in what they support, such as the Fire Corps which supports fire departments, the Medical Reserve Corps which supports medical needs, and the Volunteers in Police Service which supports law enforcement; or they are more broad in their service, such as the Community Emergency Response Teams or the Corporation for National and Community Service. More information on Citizen Corps’ partners is available at ready.gov/citizen-corps-partner-programs.

There are many community and faith-based organizations that support communities before, during, and after a disaster.  Whatever your level of interest, your skill set, or your time, there is a program out there that you can join to support your community.  Reach out to organizations that you are already involved in and see what they’re doing or talk to your local officials for ideas.

However you choose to get involved with your community and prepare for the next disaster, know that your work makes a difference to everyone, but for you it can be the difference between being a resident and being a local hero.

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.

 

Media Inquiries

FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov     215-931-5597

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You Can Be a Local Hero

SMYRNA, Del. — More than $1.2 million in federal funding has been awarded thus far for Hurricane Sandy recovery in Delaware, the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today.

As DEMA and FEMA continue to partner in Hurricane Sandy recovery, additional funding will be forthcoming following state and federal review and approval.

Recent obligations include projects totaling more than $816,877 in Public Assistance funding, bringing the total amount of FEMA dollars awarded thus far to $1,266,857.  

Public Assistance is for infrastructure recovery. Public Assistance covers eligible emergency protective measures and restoration of damaged roads, bridges, utilities and other elements of the infrastructure. 

Public Assistance was made available for the counties of Kent, New Castle and Sussex on Nov. 16, 2012 when the President declared a Major Disaster for Delaware due to Hurricane Sandy.

Visit FEMA.gov for more information on the Public Assistance program, including a complete list of Public Assistance categories.

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, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.  Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion3.

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Latest Funding for Hurricane Sandy Brings the Total for Delaware Recovery to $1.2 Million

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Hurricane Sandy Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation briefing is scheduled for Wyoming County, according to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Date, time and location of the briefing is as follows:

DATE:

Tuesday, Feb. 5

TIME:

10 a.m.

LOCATION:

Wyoming County Emergency Operations Center 

3880 State Route 6 East

Tunkhannock, PA 18657

At the briefing, officials from state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations will receive information about applying for federal assistance to recover from Hurricane Sandy during the period from October 26 to November 8, 2012.  

FEMA manages the Public Assistance program, approves grants and provides technical assistance to the Commonwealth and applicants. The Commonwealth educates potential applicants, works with FEMA to manage the program and is responsible for implementing and monitoring the grants awarded under the program. Local officials are responsible for identifying damage, providing information necessary for FEMA to approve grants and managing each project funded under the program.

For more information about the Public Assistance process, including a list of frequently asked questions, see http://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-frequently-asked-questions.

Federal funding is also available through the Public Assistance program on a cost-sharing basis for Hazard Mitigation measures in all counties of the Commonwealth.

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, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.  Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/femaregion3.

 

 

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Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Briefing Set for Wyoming County

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