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Author:The children sat in rapt attention, their faces upturned, hanging on the words being read aloud from the book, “Molly and the Earthquake.”
Tilting the book so all could see the pastel-colored illustrations, the woman continues to read.
“Children, it feels like we’re having an earthquake. Get under the table. Remember: Drop, cover, and hold on,” said Miss Chris calmly, but firmly. The preschoolers slid back their chairs and got under the table, just like they’d practiced in their earthquake drills, but Molly started to cry and headed for the door.”
“Molly and the Earthquake” is one of four books by Hannah C. Watkins that tell the story of a child’s experience with a natural disaster.
In two sessions one recent Saturday afternoon, FEMA employees read from the 20-page book to groups of children ranging in age from preschoolers to high school teens. Parents of the younger children sat beside them on tiny benches.
They heard the story of how Molly and her classmates at Happy Hearts Preschool crouched under tables as their classroom began to shake, how they watched as pretzels tumbled from their cups, the hamster cage crashed to the floor and books slid off the shelves.
The book weaves a tale of bravery as Molly experiences an earthquake for the first time.
The reading was held at a Barnes and Noble store in Anchorage which sponsors a monthly Book Fair hosted by neighboring schools. This was FEMA’s opportunity to teach the children that bravery doesn’t mean a lack of fear. Instead, bravery is a decision to be courageous in the face of fear.
For Molly, being brave meant deciding she and her classmates would follow the directions of their teacher, Miss Chris.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake jolted parts of Alaska last Nov. 30, and the aftershocks have not stopped. In the five months since then, the Municipality of Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Kenai Peninsula Borough have experienced over 7,800 aftershocks.
The parents and kids who listened to Molly’s story had a chance to ask questions of the FEMA employees and take home handouts, from coloring books to construction tips, that matched their age group.
At the end of the reading, a FEMA employee asked the kids if they remembered what they should do during an earthquake. The response came from a shy 7-year-old boy.
“Get under the table,” he said.
A wise reminder to us all.
Did you know?
Alaska has more earthquakes per year than the other 49 states combined.
The moon has earthquakes, too!
Earthquake magnitude tells how much energy is released.
This energy is measured by a seismograph.
Do you know what to do if the earth starts shaking?
Visit Ready.gov/earthquakes for more information.For more information on Alaska’s disaster recovery, visit FEMA.gov/disaster/4413, Twitter.com/FEMARegion10 and Facebook.com/FEMA.
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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has faced discrimination, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362 (FEMA), voice/VP/711. Multilingual operators are available. TTY users may call 800-462-7585.The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955. TTY users may also call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visit SBA at www.SBA.gov/disaster.
Posted: May 1, 2019, 5:30 pmAuthor:Over the past several years, our state, local, tribal, and territorial partners have experienced, first hand, destruction caused by floods in communities across the country. In fact, for the 2017 and 2018 hurricane seasons combined, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) paid its policyholders more than $11 billion to assist in their recovery efforts. And yet, that amount doesn’t touch the thousands of others with flood losses who weren’t insured.
The state of Virginia was no exception. Tropical Storm Michael and Hurricane Florence impacted the Old Dominion with back-to-back flood events in September and October of 2018. Neither flood event reached the level of a presidential disaster declaration, leaving many Virginians without individual federal assistance to rebuild and repair their homes and businesses.
Those Virginians who had flood insurance policies received a total of $7,927,742 in claims as of January 31, 2019. This vital assistance helped them rebuild their lives and businesses.
Unfortunately, only three percent of Virginians have flood insurance. Virginia has committed to address this financial vulnerability. This year, the state of Virginia proclaimed the second week of March Flood Awareness Week, which focused on closing the insurance gap and encouraging residents to purchase flood insurance.
Virginia isn’t alone in appreciating the need to close the flood insurance coverage gap. Oklahoma has experienced numerous historical flood events. For example, the May 1943 flood damaged several communities along the Arkansas River. Over the past 50 years, the NFIP has paid nearly $200 million to impacted Oklahomans. To recognize the value of flood insurance, Oklahomans celebrate Flood Insurance Awareness for the entire month of March.
Often, after severe weather events, I visit flooded communities, meet claims adjusters, and talk with disaster survivors whose lives have been turned upside down. The power of Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me, although I am beginning to see the tide change from a nation of disaster response and recovery to a disaster resilient and insured nation.
Movements start at the grassroots level. Like Virginia and Oklahoma, states can lead the way by informing their citizens the value and benefits of flood insurance and by encouraging them to take action.
In the years to come, I’m hopeful that this movement will transform communities and lead to more insured disaster survivors, quicker recovery, and less disaster suffering. The measure of success will be meeting with individuals who are on the road to recovery more quickly because they’ve protected their homes and belongings through flood insurance after a severe weather event.
For more information about the value of flood insurance, visit www.Floodsmart.gov or call 1-800-427-4661.
Posted: April 18, 2019, 1:58 pmAuthor:
I recently took a vacation to Japan. On our last day, my group chartered a boat to snorkel, hike and enjoy a beautiful chain of islands off the coast of Okinawa. On our way back, our boat was overcome by rough seas and capsized – everyone on board had to abandon ship.
Words cannot express what it feels like to literally fight for your life.
I’m sharing this story for a few reasons. By no means did I do everything right, nor was I a hero. Everyone I was with had their own strengths and by working together we ultimately made it out alive. But as I look back, I realize this event was the perfect example of why it’s important to be prepared. I want to share some important preparedness actions we took.
Make a Go-Bag: Preparing a modified and quick go-bag for myself each time we went on an excursion was the best decision I’ve ever made. It was a “just-in-case” bag. I’m thankful I was already wearing my lifejacket, so I didn’t have to spend time searching for one and was able to use the few seconds I had to grab my go-bag. In my go-bag I had two large canteens of water, protein bars, a small first aid kit and my water proof cell phone. I grabbed my bag because it was the only thing I had onboard and it was quickly accessible – a key part of having a go-bag. The water proof cell phone in my go-bag was used to call the Japanese Coast Guard. My go-bag wasn’t originally intended to keep me alive in the middle of the ocean, but that day it did. Having a go-bag saved my life.
Wear a Lifejacket: The U.S. Coast Guard says, “The best lifejacket is the one you will wear.” It doesn’t matter if you’re an Olympic swimmer – lifejackets save lives. It saved ours. The boat capsized in a matter of seconds. That’s not enough time to find out where the captain has stored them. If you want to survive, not wearing a lifejacket isn’t an option. You can exhaust yourself swimming and eventually your body will fail you. A lifejacket to give you buoyancy, so you can focus on saving yourself. It is also important to make sure your lifejacket is functioning appropriately before you set sail. I didn’t do that and mine would not zip shut. It made paddling very difficult. In the future, I will ensure my lifejacket zips before setting sail. In addition to the lifejackets, we also used a large floating seat cushion from the boat for extra buoyancy.
Have a Plan: I always identify emergency exits and mentally develop my own personal emergency plan. Whether it’s a concert, a sporting event or a trip to the mall, I am constantly thinking through my next move if something happens. Visualizing actions to take in an emergency is critical in helping mentally train your mind and body to be calm during an incident. I can honestly say that my many years in various emergency management capacities helped me navigate the hectic situation and stay in the right head space – it helped save me.
Emergencies don’t just happen where you live or work, they can happen anywhere. Did you know that emergency services contact numbers are not universal? Japan’s standard emergency number is 119 for land emergency services (ambulance, fire department) and 118 for sea emergencies. More than familiarizing yourself with emergency contact information, make sure you do research on the place you’re visiting beyond the attractions you want to see. Can you use your insurance abroad? Where are the hospitals? Do you need vaccinations? Do you have the appropriate documentation to travel with medical items? Certain items aren’t permitted and could be confiscated at customs in foreign counties.
I walked away and returned safely home with a story to tell: I lived through a shipwreck. This incident will not stop me from loving the ocean or getting on a boat, but it did remind me that nature is a powerful force I cannot control. I’ll continue to be prepared as I can be.Posted: January 31, 2019, 3:38 pmAuthor:When it comes to disasters, mother nature does not discriminate. People from all income levels and backgrounds have experienced the challenges of rebuilding their lives after a natural disaster or an emergency.
FEMA’s 2018 National Preparedness Report found, that while federal agencies have made efforts to streamline disaster recovery assistance:- Businesses continue to face challenges navigating post-disaster economic recovery programs;
- Communities often struggle to effectively communicate and coordinate with the private sector; and,
- Financial disruptions from disasters can disproportionately affect less-resourced communities, prolonging their return to economic viability.
Value of an AFC® (Accredited Financial Counselor®)
We are thrilled to partner with FEMA to support the development of training that will help not only our financial professionals, but also ALL financial professionals better serve their clients, while also reaching individuals and families who otherwise may not have access to this critical information.
AFC® professionals are as diverse as the communities in which they serve.- They work in military/government, private practice, nonprofit organizations, banks/credit unions, research, and higher education.
- They work in every state and even worldwide at military installations across the world.
- They serve individuals both young and old, people with disabilities, those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and minorities across gender, race, and ethnicity.
Together with a membership community that includes financial counselors, coaches, planners, therapists, and educators, our professionals span the full continuum of financial care.
AFC® professionals have the knowledge, skills, and experience to help individuals and families build a strong financial foundation – a foundation that is critical to helping more people be prepared to effectively respond to financial emergencies and get back on their feet faster following a disaster.
Affecting Change. Creating Impact.
In 2017, FEMA took important steps to enhance disaster preparedness. They worked with federal partners from the Financial Literacy Education Commission (FLEC) and other community partners to compile resources that help you strengthen your home, your job, and your communities’ ability to be financially prepared. In March of 2018, they announced the updated Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK), a joint publication from Operation Hope and the FEMA Citizen Corps; you can use it to identify important documents, medical records, and household contracts in preparation for a disaster.AFC® professionals work with individuals and families every day – helping them create a strong foundation to weather life’s storms. Through our partnership with FEMA, we are excited to expand our reach to aid in FEMA’s efforts to improve disaster preparedness. If you are a financial professional, we invite you to join us in these efforts! Visit afcpe.org and sign up for our mailing list to be notified as training opportunities become available. Financial professionals should go to ready.gov/financial-preparedness for more information. Together we can create tremendous impact in communities nationwide, because “preparedness is the calm before, during, and after the storm.
Rebecca Wiggins, Executive Director of the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education® (AFCPE®)
Posted: December 18, 2018, 5:32 pmAuthor:Forty-four percent of Americans do not have $400 on hand to cover an emergency expense. These Americans will be ill-prepared to care for themselves and their families in the wake of a disaster.
I was pleased to join Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Acting Director Mick Mulvaney recently at a public meeting of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC). I shared FEMA’s vision for financial preparedness, specifically discussing our efforts to close the insurance gap (the difference between what is currently insured and what is insurable) and individual preparedness activities we are supporting.
You might be surprised to learn that the U.S. currently has the largest insurance gap among all countries globally. Of the total estimated natural catastrophe losses in the U.S. of $55 billion annually, the annual expected uninsured losses total more than $30 billion according to the global reinsurer Swiss Re. This means that more than half of these losses won’t be covered by insurance.
For flood insurance specifically, the insurance gap is even worse. In North Carolina where Hurricane Florence caused catastrophic flooding throughout the state, only three percent of households have flood insurance. FEMA and other federal agencies may provide assistance to those without insurance, but these programs were never intended to replace insurance coverage. FEMA’s average disaster payment is only a few thousand dollars. This is far short of what most homeowners would need to rebuild, yet few understand the limited scope of FEMA’s assistance programs.
We at FEMA have made closing the insurance gap a top priority in our strategic plan. We’re working to simplify flood insurance policies and educate the public on the role all types of insurance play in disaster preparedness. Spend two minutes to watch our video and see why you might need to rethink insurance. I also encourage you to check out my friend, Sean Kevelighan’s PrepTalk on Understanding the Value of Insurance – just released today.
To support financial preparedness actions, we have partnered with a nonprofit organization, Operation HOPE, to develop the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit. It’s a toolkit that helps individuals and families organize critical financial, medical, and household information and includes a checklist of important documents and forms to compile your relevant information.
As part of Financial Capability Month in April, FEMA, in partnership with FLEC, led a social media campaign to reach the public with practical and actionable tips and resources to improve their financial future. This reached over 28 million Americans.
As a result, orders for our financial toolkit have doubled, showing people want and need this information. It’s now the most requested item in the FEMA library—more requested than our preparedness materials on hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes.
Of course, financial preparedness isn’t just for adults. If we want to build a true culture of preparedness, it must start with our kids. From the time they get their first allowance, or earn their first paycheck, we should be teaching them about the value of money and the vital importance of saving.
FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council promotes knowledge and action among high school students. I have been continually impressed with these young adults as they work to change their communities. At this year’s annual summit, one of the participants made a comment that is particularly relevant to our question about what we’re teaching our children. She said, “We are taught that the mitochondria is the power house of the cell, but I am going off to college not knowing how to balance a checkbook or save money.”
We have to do better. The more financially prepared we are as a nation, the more resilient we will be to disasters.
You can watch my remarks at FLEC (I spoke at 1:01:45).
Posted: October 16, 2018, 2:20 pmAuthor:View in FEMA Multimedia Library
The time to prepare for Hurricane Florence is now. This powerful storm is expected to bring powerful winds, flooding, storm surge, and dangerous rip currents. Storm tracks can change swiftly, so it’s important to prepare now.
Basic services, such as cell service, power, and water, may be disrupted for an extended period of time.
Here are some steps you can take:
- Fill up your gas tank and stock your vehicle with supplies with food that does not need to be stored in a refrigerator and drinking water. Get refills of your medications now for any needed prescriptions.
- Banks may be closed and ATMS may not work after the hurricane. Make sure you have cash on hand for basic needs.
- If you are told to evacuate by local officials, do so immediately. If you are sheltering in place, move to a small, interior, windowless room for the best protection.
- Know your evacuation route and shelter locations. To locate the nearest open emergency shelter, text SHELTER and your zip code (i.e. SHELTER 12345) to 4FEMA (43362). Message & data rates may apply.
- Sign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio both provide emergency alerts, as does the FEMA app. (www.fema.gov/mobile-app)
- Keep important documents in a safe, water-proof place or create password-protected digital copies that can be accessed remotely.
- Before the storm, take pictures the inside and outside of your home to provide proof that your home and property was undamaged prior to the disaster.
Be sure to visit www.Ready.gov/hurricanes and download the FEMA App to get more information and safety tips.
Posted: September 12, 2018, 12:01 amAuthor:
FEMA and Mexico’s National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED) conducted a 3-day summit on emergency management training and education on the EMI campus. With support from USNORTHCOM, FEMA and CENAPRED will be entering into a long-term collaboration to strengthen emergency management training and education in both countries. Download OriginalBuilding a “Culture of Preparedness” and readying a nation for disaster isn’t limited to the United States.
A three-day summit at the Emergency Management Institute that focused on emergency management training and education continues the collaboration between FEMA and Mexico’s National Center for Disaster Prevention.
Supported by the U.S. Northern Command’s Humanitarian Assistance Branch, the two agencies agreed to a six to 10 year project that will strengthen emergency management training and education in both countries. They committed to sharing knowledge in emergency management training, exercises, and education to support and enhance the capacities of the each nation.
These bilateral engagements will support the development of civil preparedness/emergency management career roadmaps, standards, certifications, and resource typing in Mexico and provide expanded training materials and opportunities in the United States.
This will prepare officials in civil preparedness and emergency management, and related professions to be capable of leading disaster preparedness, risk reduction, and response operations at the federal, state, and municipal level in Mexico and the United States.
The United States and Mexico have collaborated on a wide variety of emergency management issues since 1980. U.S. Northern Command has often served as a vital enabler of these engagements, bringing resources and expertise to bear on common problems.
Recent meetings in Mexico City provided our leadership with an awareness and understanding of many of the highly advanced systems that Mexico has developed over the past eight years.
Mexico has one of the most advanced earthquake early warning systems in the world, and developed a web-based national risk assessment system, the Disaster Risk Atlas, to help emergency managers understand the risks and vulnerabilities in a specific community. It is also public-facing, allowing the general public to better understand the risk specific to their communities.
In a joint final statement, Center for Domestic Preparedness Superintendent Tony Russell and Mexico’s National Center for Disaster Prevention Director Dr. Carlos Valdes said,
“We view this inaugural meeting as the beginning of a lasting relationship that will foster great benefit for both nations and the region in emergency management and civil preparedness training, education and exercise preparedness.”
Posted: August 8, 2018, 7:57 pmAuthor:On Aug. 1, 1968, the U.S. Congress implemented the National Flood Insurance Act that created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Federal Insurance Administration within the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide flood insurance in communities that voluntarily adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances, which meet minimum NFIP requirements.
A lot has happened since the inception of the NFIP.
Durin
g the last 50 years, the program has identified flood hazards by mapping over 1 million miles of riverine and coastal areas; provided over $1 billion dollars in mitigation assistance grants, paid over $64 billion dollars in claims losses, and assisted states and territories to help their communities lower flood risks, increase resilience, and build capability through grants of more than $10 million annually. In addition, over this time, 1,466 communities have taken actions and achieved higher than minimum standards for flood protection by participating in the Community Rating System. The NFIP supports 5 million policies in over 22,300 communities, providing $1.27 trillion dollars in coverage. Last year, in the aftermath of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, the NFIP received more than 125,000 flood insurance claims and paid out more than $9.1 billion dollars. That’s real money in the hands of survivors, allowing them to stay in their communities, repair their homes, and get back to work.
Over the past 50 years, the NFIP has been and continues to be committed to building a culture of preparedness by providing insurance coverage to close the insurance gap across the nation. Simply put, flood insurance is the best way for homeowners, renters, and businesses, to financially protect themselves from losses caused by floods.
As we celebrate the NFIP for its accomplishments, we also look forward to reaching FEMA’s Moonshots of doubling insurance coverage across the nation and quadrupling mitigation investments by 2022. This is an ambitious goal, and lots of works still needs to be done, but we are up for the challenge. More insured survivors, means individuals and communities can recover faster.
Congratulations, NFIP, on 50 years of service to the American people!
Posted: August 1, 2018, 9:20 pmAuthor:View in FEMA Multimedia Library
August 1st marks the 50th anniversary of the National Flood Insurance Act, the guiding legislation of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The program provides flood insurance coverage to millions of households and small businesses in over 22,000 communities and also provides floodplain management and building codes to protect those communities from future flooding. We talk to David Maurstad, FEMA’s chief executive for the National Flood Insurance Program, about the history of the program and reflect on the public service of federal employees and private sector support that the program depends upon to support the American people.
Posted: August 1, 2018, 5:02 pmAuthor:After every disaster, no matter where or what size, there is a marked difference between insured disaster survivors and disaster survivors without adequate insurance. The insured survivor can begin to repair and rebuild their home or business. The survivor without a flood insurance policy may face a far more uncertain future. While FEMA or other government or non-profit agencies may provide some assistance, it is typically geared toward immediate survival needs. The uninsured survivor may use up their savings, incur debt, or even lose their home or business.
Simply put, flood insurance is the best way for homeowners, renters, and businesses to financially protect themselves from losses caused by floods. However, across the nation many homes remain underinsured. For example, during Hurricane Harvey, nearly half of all flood insurance claims in the Houston area came from homes outside of the high-risk flood area. Approximately 80 percent of households impacted by the storm did not have flood insurance. This is why the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is laser focused on building a culture of preparedness across the nation.
As part of our risk management strategy, earlier this year, we secured $1.46 billion in traditional reinsurance coverage from 28 companies to cover any qualifying NFIP flood losses that occur in 2018. Reinsurance provides payouts when powerful storms like Hurricane Harvey strike. This reduces FEMA’s need to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to pay flood insurance claims.
In theory, this business decision is similar to an individual taking the responsible step of purchasing homeowner’s and auto insurance to manage their financial risk. They do not plan to experience a fire or car accident, and they probably won’t, but purchasing insurance meaningfully improves their financial security.
To complement the NFIP’s existing reinsurance coverage, FEMA recently secured additional reinsurance through a transaction that, for the first time, engages the capital markets. FEMA obtained this reinsurance coverage from Hannover Re, which transferred $500 million in NFIP risk to capital markets investors.
Combined with the January 2018 traditional reinsurance placement, FEMA has transferred $1.96 billion of the NFIP’s flood risk for the 2018 hurricane season to the private sector. This additional coverage is effective on August 1, for a period of three years. FEMA will pay $62 million in premium for the first year of coverage.
Whether or not a catastrophic flood event happens in a given year, purchasing reinsurance transfers NFIP risk to the private sector, improving long-term financial outcomes for FEMA, the U.S. Treasury, and federal taxpayers.
Ultimately, we are building a culture of preparedness. We are making all of our communities and nation more resilient. In securing reinsurance, FEMA is strengthening the NFIP’s financial framework so that the program can continue helping Americans take the critical step of securing flood insurance. Our ambitious goal is to double the number of properties covered by flood insurance by 2022. As Administrator Brock Long says: “Insurance is the first line of defense for disaster recovery.”
Posted: July 31, 2018, 1:39 pm
