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| This Citizen Corps News Digest is provided by FEMA's Individual & Community Preparedness Division to highlight community preparedness and resilience resources and activities recently announced by federal agencies and Citizen Corps partners. |
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DHS -FEMA Updates
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FEMA Releases 2012 Community Resilience Innovation Challenge
The application period for the 2012 Community Resilience Innovation (CRI) Challenge is now open! The CRI Challenge seeks to foster community resilience nationally by identifying needs, mobilizing partners and creating innovative, motivational and effective solutions that can be grown, sustained and replicated. FEMA recognizes that a government-centric approach to disaster management is insufficient to meet the challenges posed by a catastrophic incident. To meet our preparedness goals, the Whole Community must be actively involved in all phases of the preparedness, response and recovery cycle.
Citizen Corps Councils and CERT programs should apply to receive funds for enhancing existing or starting new resilience initiatives. U.S. agencies, institutions, business entities, associations, organizations or groups operating within the local jurisdiction where the project will be conducted are also eligible to apply for up to $35,000 in funding. Awards will be made to those that demonstrate innovation with respect to collaborative partnerships, public engagement and other activities that are sustainable, successful and can be easily replicated in other communities.
To apply, please visit www.ResilienceChallenge.org and submit your application no later than October 26, 2012 by 11:59 p.m. PDT .
FEMA looks forward to seeing how you plan to engage the Whole Community in building a more resilient nation!
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DHS -FEMA Updates
Activate Your Inner Preparedness Champion and Participate in a Drill!
Sure you may know your local hazards and you may even have a disaster preparedness kit ready to go in the event of an emergency. But have you ever actually practiced what you will do if the unexpected occurs in your hometown? Drills and exercises are a great way to take the next step in your efforts to better prepare yourself, your family and your community in advance of an emergency incident. Citizen Corps, with 65 percent of its Councils supporting local drills, and its partners can help you as you prepare for this endeavor with many tools and resources. Check out the Citizen Corps webinar library for recorded discussions and presentations like the following which may assist you as you plan for a drill and/or exercise:
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program with its many local teams across the nation routinely practices drills and exercises and you can find great information, tools and resources on its Drills and Exercises page ! Drills and exercises are great opportunities for CERT programs to engage their volunteer members and to practice, assess and improve their program's emergency response capabilities. A great opportunity is coming up for you to get engaged with earthquake drills when the Great ShakeOut comes to 12 states, two U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia on October 18, 2012 at 10:18 a.m. local time.
Is your community planning a drill and/or exercise? We'd love to hear what you have planned – let us know by posting your event or a description on the National Preparedness Coalition Website !
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How Prepared is Your Cyber Infrastructure?
October marks the ninth annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) and is a great time to act in making sure you are prepared online! NCSAM is designed to engage and educate public and private sector partners through events and initiatives with the goal of raising awareness about cyber security and increasing the resiliency of the nation in the event of a cyber incident. Our friends from the Stop.Think.Connect. campaign offer great tips for ensuring you're safe when operating online. Unlike physical threats that prompt immediate action – like stop, drop and roll in the event of a fire – cyber threats are often difficult to identify and comprehend. However, they can be just as dangerous. Cyber preparedness can be as simple as setting up the proper controls such as the ones listed below to increase your chances of avoiding cyber risks:
- Only connect to the Internet over secure, password- protected networks.
- Do not respond to online requests for personal information; most organizations – banks, universities, companies, etc. – do not ask for your personal information over the Internet.
- Limit who you are sharing information with by reviewing the privacy settings on your social media accounts.
- Trust your gut; if you think an offer is too good to be true, then it probably is.
- Do not use the same password twice; choose a password that means something to you and you only; change your passwords on a regular basis.
For more information on how to prevent a cyber-attack on your systems check out some helpful guidance from the Ready Campaign .
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Taking Action to Mitigate Against the Effects of Earthquakes
We all know earthquakes can happen anywhere and at anytime. Over the next few weeks FEMA and its partners will be hosting a series of events to help you mitigate the effects of earthquakes and prepare for any unexpected incidents. Check out the following events:
- What : Webinar: FEMA E-74: Reducing the Risks of Nonstructural Earthquake Damage
When: Monday, October 15 2:00 pm EDT
Log-in Information: Link: https://fema.connectsolutions.com/nehrp-webinar/
Audio: 1(877) 241-4296
Code: 34167944
Recommended Pre-requisite: IS-325—Earthquake Basics: Science, Risk, and Mitigation
- What: Webinar: FEMA 395: Earthquake Safety and Mitigation for Schools (FEMA 395)
When: Tuesday, October 16 2:00 pm EDT
Log-in Information: Link: https://fema.connectsolutions.com/nehrp-webinar/
Audio: 1(877) 241-4296
Code: 34167944
Recommended Pre-requisite: IS-325—Earthquake Basics: Science, Risk, and Mitigation
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Another Community Based Partnership for Preparedness!
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation (UNCFSP) recently announced a new partnership to coordinate mutual engagement on job opportunities, preparedness, response and recovery. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and UNCFSP Interim President and Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Hester signed a Memorandum of Agreement and discussed ways that FEMA and UNCFSP, which has a constituency of over 300 minority institutions of higher education, can work to broaden opportunities in emergency management and ensure that disaster preparedness includes the community as a whole.
The new agreement between the organizations seeks to facilitate greater knowledge, individual participation and career opportunities in emergency management. Among the terms of the agreement, FEMA will participate in lectures, conferences and other events at minority institutions. UNCFSP will work with FEMA to distribute messaging, tools, training and other educational and organizational resources available to support community-based disaster preparedness efforts. This partnership is a great opportunity for Citizen Corps Councils to work with those minority college institutions in and around their communities to spread preparedness messaging and engage young, new leaders in emergency management and preparedness.
If you're a member of a minority college institution and you're interested in getting involved in preparedness efforts, find your local Citizen Corps Council by entering your zip code here: https://www.citizencorps.gov/cc/searchCouncil.do?submitByZip .
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Share Your Think Tank Inspired Projects
A year ago, Deputy Administrator Serino announced his vision for the FEMA Think Tank—a platform to engage a nationwide audience in discussions about emergency management practices. On October 30, 2012, Deputy Administrator Serino will host the next FEMA Think Tank call to discuss the most innovative projects, partnerships or initiatives that were inspired from the Think Tank during the past year, and paving a path for tomorrow's innovation. Throughout this effort, we heard a range of good lessons learned, including some from the tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri, as well as Hurricane Irene in Vermont. We also reinvigorated partnerships with emergency managers and HAM radio operators, and held discussions that led to the creation of the Youth Preparedness Council.
Now we are inviting you to share your story about how these conversations have inspired you to improve the emergency management community. Please help us drive the next conversation by submitting a short narrative about your project or solution to the Online Forum by Tuesday, October 9. We will select 2-3 innovative emergency management projects and solutions—final or in development—to highlight on the October call.
We are excited to hear what you have developed from your participation in these discussions and look forward to your participation on October 30 th .
If you have any further questions please email your questions to FEMA-Think-Tank@fema.dhs.gov .
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Dates for Your Calendar!
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