|
| 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. |
|
|
DHS -FEMA Updates
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEMA Seeks Supervisory Program Specialist for Individual and Community Preparedness Division The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is looking for a new member to join the Protection and National Preparedness Team in the Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD). The supervisory program specialist position is ideal for a candidate interested in serving as a subject matter expert relating to community preparedness and resilience. FEMA ICPD will accept applications until 11:59PM EST on Monday, March 11, 2013 .
Typical assignments for this position will include:
- Developing and organizing functional short and long-range plans for community preparedness programs, including but not limited to: Citizen Corps Affiliate programs, Partner Programs and other voluntary organizations; advocacy organizations and constituency groups supporting underserved communities.
- Developing methodology and technology applications to measure national preparedness activities.
- Reviewing current and proposed compliance activities, available evaluation data or any other material that contributes in determining the effectiveness and adequacy of the preparedness activities.
- Coordinating partnerships for the Division and identify new potential relationships with organizations supporting the mission of community resilience.
- Establishing and communicating guidelines and performance expectations for staff, and conduct periodic performance evaluations through the employee performance system.
To apply online or for more information, visit USA Jobs .
For all applicants including veterans, apply using this link: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/338519500 .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEMA Major Disaster Declarations Updates
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
Major Disaster Declaration number 4103 on Mar 01, 2013 Navajo Nation Severe Freeze 03/05/2013 12:03 AM EST
Major Disaster Declaration number 4104 on Mar 05, 2013
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Severe Weather Preparedness
March 3-9, 2013 marks the second annual National Severe Weather Preparedness Week . Preparing for severe weather can be easy and simple with the help of technology. This issue features using every day technology like computers, mobile devices and social media to improve severe weather preparedness.
We ask you to take action this week and be a force of nature by sharing these opportunities with other individuals and organizations in your community. Be sure to follow @FEMA and @Citizen_Corps on Twitter for the latest information on severe weather.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***Webinar Reminder***
Ready for Spring Thaw: What to Do Before Floods Strike
Thursday, March 7
2:00 p.m. EDT
While spring brings the promise of warm weather, it also brings an increased flood risk due to conditions like severe weather, heavy rains and rapid snowmelt. Don't be caught off guard with spring thaw: get the facts and learn the risks by joining this flood preparedness webinar.
Participants will learn about:
- The importance of flood insurance, what it covers, how it works and where to purchase it.
- General flood insurance purchasing considerations and advice for consumers.
- How to use free FloodSmart tools to assess flood insurance needs.
Presenters include:
- Judy Marvel, a FEMA Insurance Marketing Specialist.
- Donald Waters, a FEMA Insurance Examiner.
- Mary Jo Vrem, the FloodSmart Program Manager.
Please use this link to register for the webinar: http://connect.hsin.gov/floods2013a/event/registration.html
Please use this link if you are already a registered HSIN user and simply need to log-in to the webinar: http://connect.hsin.gov/floods2013a/event/registration_login.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Severe Weather Preparedness: An App for that Too
Prepare for severe weather hazards with free mobile apps on your smartphone. The FEMA App contains disaster safety tips, interactive lists for storing your emergency kit and emergency meeting location information, and a map with open shelters and open FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers. The app is free to download through your smartphone provider's app store.
The Red Cross also offers a suite of hazard-based preparedness apps. Most recently, the Red Cross launched a mobile app for tornadoes . Download these apps today and be ready when severe weather strikes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life Saving Text Messages
Stay ahead of the severe weather curve with emergency text message alerts sent directly to your mobile phone. These alerts won't get backlogged and can be life-saving because they inform the public to take preventive measures immediately. To get emergency alerts, first check to see if your mobile phone is equipped to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts .
Be sure to also subscribe for alerts in your area through www.weather.gov/subscribe and local emergency management officials. For text message updates from FEMA (standard message and data rates apply), simply text PREPARE to 43362 to sign up and STOP to 43362 to unsubscribe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Get Tech Ready Before Power Outages
Power outages often accompany severe weather. Make sure you can stay connected with loved ones by using these technology tips:
- Keep extra batteries for your phone in a safe place or purchase a solar-powered or hand crank 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.
- Conserve your cell phone battery by reducing the brightness of your screen, placing your phone in airplane mode, closing apps you are not using and keeping phone calls brief.
- If you do not have a cell phone, keep a prepaid phone card to use if needed during or after a disaster.
For more information how to get ready before severe weather, visit http://www.ready.gov/get-tech-ready .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dates for Your Calendar!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spring Forward and Remember to Check Smoke DetectorsWhen you spring forward an hour for Daylight Savings this Sunday, it's also the perfect time to make sure you have a working smoke alarm in your home. Smoke alarms significantly increase the chances of surviving a deadly home fire . Take a few simple steps to get prepared including:
- Test and clean your smoke alarms monthly;
- Replace the batteries at least once a year;
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your residence, including the basement; and
- Replace the entire smoke alarm unit every 8-10 years or per manufacturer's instructions.
After you test your smoke alarm, let everyone know via Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to also share these tips with your family and friends.
For more information about smoke alarms and home fire safety, visit www.ready.gov/fires and www.usfa.dhs.gov/smokealarms . |
