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2024 FMA and BRIC Deadlines
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The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant sub-applications were due to DEMA by February 01, 2024. The Hazard Mitigation team is currently reviewing between 15 to 20 mitigation subapplications for possible submittal to FEMA. No further applications will be accepted at this time.
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2024 Hazard Mitigation Partners Virtual Workshop
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Date: February 5-8, 2024
Time: 12:00 – 4:45 PM
Location: Virtual
Registration is now open for the Hazard Mitigation (HM) Partners Workshop. The Hazard Mitigation Partners Virtual Workshop will bring together over 800 federal, states, local communities, tribes and territories, as well as private sector entities, private non-profit organizations, and individuals who work in emergency management, floodplain management and hazard mitigation positions. This year's workshop, All Together for Climate Resilient Communities, will run virtually:
- February 5th: Equity: Whole Community Successes Through Working Together
- February 6th: Partnerships Come Together in Climate Resilience
- February 7th: Building Skills to Foster Action: Capability and Capacity
- February 8th: Hazard Mitigation and Floodplain Management Training Sessions
To see event details and daily agendas, please visit: FEMA
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FEMA is seeking volunteers from state, local, tribal and territorial governments and other federal agencies to participate on the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) virtual national review panels. Participation in these panels will strengthen the BRIC review process by ensuring it is transparent, equitable and inclusive.
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FEMA Region 3 Coffee Break Webinar
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 FEMA Region 3 hosts a webinar series for anyone interested in reducing risk in their community. These hour-long “Coffee Breaks” are held every other month and share mitigation best practices. Coffee Breaks are open to anyone in the hazard mitigation, resiliency or risk reduction planning fields. This work can be in the public or private sectors. Attendees include community planners, emergency and floodplain managers, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technicians, government officials, contractors, NGOs, and professionals from the private sector.
March 27, 2024- Elevating Dam Safety Through Hazard Mitigation PlanningDam failure can cause flooding risks that may be major threats in some Region 3 communities. These risks require monitoring and planning to help to keep the public safe. This may include safety programs, data collection, and non-localized mitigation measures. This webinar will explore the High Hazard Potential Dam (HHPD) Grant Program, the latest hazard mitigation planning requirements, and effective planning partner outreach.
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Public Assistance Announcements
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FEMA Region 3 PA Roadshow: will be held at DEMA on February 5th. FEMA Region 3 Public Assistance Officers will visit DEMA to discuss the PA priorities for Delaware during 2024 and ways to support DEMA’s efforts to closeout the open disasters and enhance coordination between FEMA and DEMA PA Teams.
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FEMA FY24 Public Assistance Virtual Summit will take place between February 27th and 29th. The Summit is an opportunity to gather State Public Assistance partners and FEMA Public Assistance staff, supporting Divisions, and leadership for three days of collaboration and planning. While this Summit will be virtual, the overall objectives remain the same, to strengthen working relationships, share updates and information, and improve the approach and delivery of the PA program.
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Public Assistance Grant Program Resources For All Disasters
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FEMA Reforms Disaster Assistance Program
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Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced that FEMA is reforming its federal assistance policies and expanding benefits for disaster survivors to cut red tape, provide funds faster and give people more flexibility.
FEMA developed these new forms of assistance based on direct feedback from survivors and in response to threats the nation faces due to our changing climate. The changes will create more equitable outcomes for all communities by increasing accessibility and eligibility for post-disaster support.
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FEMA has collected feedback from disaster survivors, communities, and stakeholders for decades, including public comments the agency solicited in 2021 on improving the Individual Assistance program. State partners and members of Congress have echoed these concerns and pressed for simpler, more straightforward programs to assist individuals across the country as they recover. Those shared experiences serve as the foundation of FEMA’s updates.
To learn more about how FEMA is helping people before, during and after disasters, visit FEMA.gov and the Individual Assistance Reform Fact Sheet.
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Delaware Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (DEVOAD)
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The DEVOAD serves as an umbrella organization to encourage collaboration, communication, and cooperation of volunteer organizations in response to State disasters. If you are thinking of donating to a worthy charity, consider donating to the Delaware VOAD. If you would like to donate to the DEVOAD, visit www.devoad.org. Click on the "Donate" button at the bottom of the page. Any donation is appreciated!
The DEVOAD is always seeking new members! If you or your organization are interested in joining, please email delawarevoad@gmail.com.
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DEVOAD Updates and Leadership Elections
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On Monday, January 22nd, the DEVOAD conducted their Quarterly/Annual meeting at DEMA. Over 35 people from the various DEVOAD member groups attended both in-person and virtually, along with DEMA, FEMA, and County Emergency Management staff. The theme for the meeting centered around The Role of Volunteers in Disaster with speakers from DEMA, New Castle County Office of Emergency Management, American Red Cross, Team Rubicon, and DHSS sharing their perspective from State, County, and volunteer agency viewpoints. Additionally, official DEVOAD business was conducted in the second half of the meeting which included the election of a new DEVOAD Executive Board. The results were as follows:
- Chair - Vacant
- Vice Chair - Chad Robinson, Food Bank of DE
- Secretary - Brandon Olenik, Kent County Emergency Manager
- Treasurer - Sarah Carter, United Way of DE
- At-Large - Trevor Turner, Food Bank of DE
We would like to welcome and congratulate the new executive board!
During this time, we would also like to express our gratitude by thanking the last Executive Leadership Team which includes Toby French, Marty Brett, Chad Robinson, and Celeste Peart for their volunteerism these past four years. Going above and beyond, their efforts were instrumental in helping communities across Delaware recover from multiple disasters ranging from tropical storms, flooding, tornadoes, and wind events to name a few. Our communities appreciate and recognize all of your hard work and commitment to assisting the people of Delaware. Thank you!
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Regional Conference by the Mid-Atlantic VOADs
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Date: April 8th - April 9th, 2024
Time: Noon to noon
Location: Cacapon Resort State Park Lodge in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
Conference Fee: $130 (Does not include hotel room)
Register: Here
Conference Brochure: Here
Registration closes and reservations MUST be complete by March 24th. This is a hard deadline.
The Mid-Atlantic Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (DC VOAD, DE VOAD, MD VOAD, PA VOAD, VA VOAD and WV VOAD) in partnership with FEMA Region III, invite you to join us for our inaugural conference.
The theme of this year’s conference is: How Can VOADs Better Understand the Science Behind and Effectively Respond to the Increasing Number of Undeclared Disasters. The conference will explore the climatology and metrological science and data that provide insight into the increased frequency and intensity of storms and will examine how the VOAD member organizations can effectively respond to the increasing number of disasters that fail to qualify for a federal disaster declaration.
Conference Fee: $130, includes conference registration as well as lunch, break, and dinner on Monday and breakfast and break on Tuesday. Spouses/significant others are welcome to participate in meals. Purchase a meals-only ticket online during registration.
Registration: To register, please click on the Conference Registration link.
Sponsorship: To allow these voluntary organizations to reserve their funding for disaster recovery efforts, the Mid-Atlantic VOAD Committee is seeking sponsors to help offset the cost that collaborative events, such as this conference, often incur. If you would like to be a sponsor for this conference, please contact Tara Wilbur at tara.wilbur@delaware.gov, or Bruce Morgenstern at treasurer@marylandvoad.org.
Questions: Should you have any questions, please contact Bruce Morgenstern, Conference Registration Committee, at treasurer@marylandvoad.org
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If you or your organization wishes to volunteer, the DEVOAD will arrange work to fit the skills and number of volunteers available.
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Type Of Work:
- Yard and alley cleanup with debris removal
- Removal of drywall, insulation, and carpets
- Replacing molding and baseboards
What You Need:
Long pants, sturdy shoes, and safety glasses. Depending on the work, heavy work gloves and a respirator mask (P100 Recommended) may also be needed.
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Economic Guidance for Coastal Management Professionals
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Date: February 28, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM
Register: Here
Location: St. Jones Coastal Training Center
818 Kitts Hummock Rd.
Dover, Delaware
Overview
Coastal managers often need economic valuation information for project proposals, assessments, or funding applications. The following modules provide information about approaches for economic analysis, relevant examples, and guidance on how to conduct basic benefit-cost analysis and ecosystem service valuation. Economists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will present a training event focused on economic analysis and how to use it to show the value of healthy ecosystems.
Agenda
- 10am – 11:30am Module 1
- 11:30am – 12:30pm Lunch
- 12:30pm – 2pm Module 2
- 2pm – 4pm 30 min. technical assistance time slots
Module 1: Introduction to Economic Analyses and Valuation
This module provides an introduction to economic analysis terminology related to benefit-cost analysis, economic impact analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, benefit valuation methods, and more. Understanding these basics will help participants identify the most appropriate approach and the data needed.
Module 2: Pathways to Valuing Ecosystem Services
This module provides an overview of three common paths used to estimate the value of ecosystem services: site-specific studies, benefits transfer, and tools with built-in benefits. Each path will include information on its strengths and limitations, and on relevant support tools such as BlueValue (for benefits transfer) and the FEMA Benefit-Cost Analysis Toolkit (for tools with built-in benefits).
Registration
The training and technical assistance are free, but pre-registration is required.
To register for a 30-minute technical assistance session, contact Lynne Pusey at lynne.pusey@delaware.gov or at 302-735-3417.
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WEBINARS, TRAINING, & CONFERENCES
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FEMA Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program Issues Updated Guidance
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In December 2023, FEMA completed a guidance update to ensure the safety and health of individuals who live near commercial nuclear power plants. The 2023 version of the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program Manual is a comprehensive guide for the agency's Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program and is updated on a four-year schedule. The updated Manual offers specific guidance following a complete revision in 2019. After its final approval process, the 2023 update will be published on the REP Program Manual webpage and the FEMA Preparedness Toolkit.
External partners are encouraged to participate in webinars to learn more about the 2023 updates. Webinars will be held throughout April and May. Look for dates and times for the webinars on FEMA.gov.
For questions, email FEMATHDPolicy@fema.dhs.gov.
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Youth Preparedness Council
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The FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Division is accepting applications for the Youth Preparedness Council. The online application process is open to students in grades eight through 11. Students must apply by March 4. Students interested in applying for the Council can learn more about the process and have their questions answered in the following webinars:
- Session 2: Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. ET. Register in advance at Webinar Registration - Zoom. The webinar will walk students through the application process and give applicants a glimpse of what it’s like to be on the Youth Preparedness Council.
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During their one-year term, council members collaborate virtually with each other to develop projects that promote preparedness on a local and national scale. Members will also attend the council summit in July 2025 and engage with top leaders within FEMA, the federal government and national non-profit organizations. If you know a teen interested in preparedness and community service, encourage them to apply.
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February
- February 08: Incident Command System/Emergency Operations Center Interface
- February 27-29: Intermediate Emergency Operations Center Functions
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Stay Connected & Share With Your Networks!
Want to add someone to the distribution list, have a story to share, or are experiencing issues receiving this newsletter because of firewalls or spam filters, please add Stephanie Swisher (Stephanie.Swisher@delaware.gov) to your email contact lists. You can review any past newsletter editions here.
We Hope You Are Well & Thank You For Reading!
Brought to you by the Recovery and Outreach Team at the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), in partnership with Delaware Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (DEVOAD).
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