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Author:Every year, FEMA and the United States Coast Guard meet to discuss the past year’s hurricane response efforts and to plan for future storms. It may not sound extraordinary, but it’s not only one of the best opportunities for FEMA to engage with the Coast Guard on our joint mission to protect the homeland, but it also brings together multiple FEMA Regions (representing the states most at risk from hurricanes) to discuss how we can better prepare for future storms.
This annual gathering allows us to learn how the Coast Guard is securing and reconstituting U.S. ports, conducting maritime operations, and fulfilling requests for search and rescue both at sea and in response to a major storm. Most importantly, it provides us lessons in leadership to take back to our organizations on how to do better for future storms and improve our decision-making processes.
The 2019 Senior Leadership Seminar took place June 26 – 27, 2019 in Norfolk, VA. In addition to recapping our operational posture and response to Hurricanes Florence and Michael, we discussed our emergency support functions for hazardous materials and search and rescue. Each of these brings FEMA and the Coast Guard closer together, as we swap stories, experiences, and lessons learned from past storms.
We also looked at the mission, where FEMA has often partnered with the Coast Guard to respond to hazardous material and oil releases and conduct search and rescue operations during contingencies. Throughout the 2017 and 2018 Hurricane Seasons, we worked together to protect communities and carry out our mission. The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season is no different. By talking about the challenges facing our communities and the areas of opportunity for positive impacts in our response, FEMA and the Coast Guard are better prepared for the next hurricane.
The seminar allows us to collaborate even with the differences across our regions. Each response to hurricanes is unique, but they can inform how we do things and how to do them better. Lessons from hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, Michael, Florence, and beyond are changing the way we train staff, engage our states, and build capabilities to respond to an emergency. They impact every community differently, but our mission doesn’t change: helping people before, during, and after disasters. Each day, we’re making decisions to help prepare our communities and partners for the next storm, which is always different than yesterday’s response. It’s one of the most important aspects of our work with the Coast Guard, too, in that we can and continue to do better so we can serve our communities when they are most in need.
In each of our Regions and at the Coast Guard, we are identifying innovative approaches to future storms with the dual goals of reducing their impact on communities and improving our ability to respond to them.
In Region II, we are engaging industry partners to address our complex logistical challenges and improve supply chain redundancies, implementing a mentoring program to support capacity building, and collaborating with local partners to strengthen infrastructure resilience. In Region III, we are not only adapting our timelines for response but increasing our logistics capability, talking about debris missions, and expanding our FEMA Integration Team Program. In Region IV, we have instituted readiness visits with the region’s and states’ emergency management leadership where concerns specific to each state’s unique needs and capabilities are discussed transparently, effectively, and consistently during on-site visits. Each meeting has produced specific, measurable tasks and timelines which support the state’s training, staffing, logistics, and programmatic capabilities. In Region VI, we continue to hold regular exercises and quarterly Regional Interagency Steering Committee meetings to gather our state, local, federal and tribal partners in one room to discuss how our capabilities have changed and what to expect during the next disaster.
Following a storm, the Coast Guard supports FEMA and state agencies in a variety of missions, including search and rescue, and works with federal, state and local partners to reconstitute the Maritime Transportation System in the impacted port quickly to prevent disruption to the flow of commerce.
We’re making decisions in support of these initiatives and more, knowing that our communities, states, and the public across the nation are counting on us. Our job, our responsibility, and our charge as leaders is to ensure we are ready. This seminar is one example of the steps we are taking to ready ourselves, our Region, and FEMA to respond to the next hurricane.
Posted: July 15, 2019, 2:05 pmAuthor:
The Puerto Rican community of Toro Negro is located in the central, mountainous municipality of Ciales. The isolation and privacy of this small community has been cherished by its residents for over 100 years. It was in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, however, that the remote nature of the community proved to be a challenge.
Its seclusion—the closest town is a 35-minute drive—reduced access to basic services such as garbage pickup and mail delivery. As the hurricane’s aftermath worsened, the limited basic services created pollution and raised public health concerns.
The 32-household community quickly realized they needed to become more self-sufficient in order to recover from the hurricane. They began to take initiatives to expand infrastructure and minimize dependency on outside services.
Toro Negro installed donated solar panels and battery storage system to generate its own electricity. They rebuilt roads and bridges to improve the basic services they had lacked following the storm. They even made plans to create a community aqueduct.
Another Toro Negro community project that has started to take shape is the “Mapa Madre,” or “Mother Map” in English. This project identifies archaeological sites, garbage collection points and ongoing reforestation efforts in bodies of water that cross the municipalities of Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Ciales, Corozal, Florida, Jayuya, Manatí, Morovis and Orocovis. Once all the information is gathered, the “Mapa Madre” will be the ideal mechanism to develop strategies to protect the area’s watershed.
As of July 5, 2019, FEMA has obligated about $2.5 million through its Public Assistance program to the Municipality of Ciales, where the community of Toro Negro resides. The funds have reimbursed disaster-related expenses for emergency protective measures and debris removal. These emergency protective measures are actions taken to eliminate or lessen immediate threats either to lives, public health or safety, or significant additional damage to public or private property in a cost-effective manner.
While this type of aid is essential to recovery, it is communities like Toro Negro that have proven that disasters like Hurricane Maria are no match for empowered community members.
Posted: July 10, 2019, 4:50 pmAuthor:
When the flames started in an LA family’s kitchen, two parents were able to extinguish it with baking soda. It was a technique their 11-year-old son had taught them only weeks before, after his second MySafe: LA class. These classes are funded by the Assistance to Firefighters Grants, specifically the Fire Prevention & Safety Grant. MySafe: LA was awarded in part to help fund a 3-part fire and life safety training. The training is intended to spread fire safety awareness, as well as to inspire kids to want to grow up and become firefighters. When younger students graduate from the training they receive Junior Fire Inspector I.D. cards.
Another key component to this FEMA funded program is installation of fire alarms. In just the first 6 months of the program, 5,000 new 10-year fire alarms were installed in houses. On average, 4 alarms were installed in each 3-bedroom home. More than half of inspected houses had no working alarms, and in those that did, the alarms were more than 10 years old and no longer reliable.
When the public officers are in homes to conduct inspections and install new 10-year smoke alarms, they also take time to teach any children in the home about basic fire safety steps, including evacuation. Public officers will get down on their hands and knees and practice the “Get low and go” drill with kids.
Programs such as these, help to significantly reduce fatalities and injuries caused by fire, especially in the wildfire prone areas of California.
For more information on Assistance to Firefighters Grants, visit the FEMA website.
Posted: July 8, 2019, 5:19 pmAuthor:Amid rushed evacuations, strong winds, and approaching floodwaters of a disaster, chaos often ensues, forcing families to make impossible decisions about the animals that are part of their families. It’s never easy to leave a pet behind but often, there is no choice.
These situations may not always be preventable but having a plan in place can give your pets their best chance. Keep that plan, and the tools needed to implement it, within an emergency kit tailored specifically to your pet.
Here’s the top 10 items recommended for your kit:
- Food. At least a three-day supply in an airtight, waterproof container.
- Water. At least three days of water specifically for your pets.
- Medicines and medical records. Most boarding kennels, veterinarians and animal shelters will need your pet’s medical records to make sure all vaccinations are current.
- Important documents. Registration information, adoption papers and vaccination documents. Talk to your veterinarian about microchipping and enrolling your pet in a recovery database.
- First aid kit. Cotton bandage rolls, bandage tape and scissors; antibiotic ointment; flea and tick prevention; latex gloves, isopropyl alcohol and saline solution. Including a pet first aid reference book is a good idea too.
- Collar or harness with ID tag, rabies tag and a leash.
- Crate or pet carrier. Have a sturdy, safe crate or carrier in case you need to evacuate. The carrier should be large enough for your pet to stand, turn around and lie down.
- Sanitation. Pet litter and litter box if appropriate, newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags and household chlorine bleach.
- A picture of you and your pet together. If you become separated, a picture of you and your pet together will help you document ownership and allow others to assist you. Add species, breed, age, sex, color and distinguishing characteristics.
- Familiar items. Familiar items, such as treats, toys and bedding can help reduce stress for your pet.
Visit Ready.gov’s Pets and Animals Preparedness page for more information.
Posted: June 13, 2019, 4:08 pmAuthor: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 am - Food. At least a three-day supply in an airtight, waterproof container.
