FEMA Bulletin Week of May 10, 2021

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FEMA BULLETIN

Week of May 10, 2021

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In this Edition:

Important Dates & Reminders

May 12

Exercise Starter Kit Webinar

FEMA Seeks Public Feedback for Programs

 

FEMA is seeking public comments for programs that deal with climate change and underserved populations.

 

FEMA posted in the Federal Register a Request for Information on programs, regulations and policies. The feedback will assist FEMA in identifying specific action that will better address climate change and underserved communities and populations. The comment period will be open through June 21.

 

President Joseph R. Biden issued three executive orders, 13985, 13990 and 14008, requiring agencies to assess programs to determine the following:

 

  • If agency programs and policies perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunities and benefits for people of color and other underserved groups.
  • If additional agency actions are required to bolster resilience to climate change.
  • If agency programs, policies and activities address the disproportionately high and adverse climate-related impacts on disadvantaged communities.

 

Comments can be submitted through June 21 via the Federal eRulemaking Portal, Docket ID: FEMA-2021-0011. Please follow the instructions on the page and contact the Regulations.gov Help Desk if you have technical issues.

 

FEMA encourages public comment and responses to these questions. For additional information on the request for information, visit FEMA.gov

RFI Image

FEMA Updates COVID-19 Food and Nutrition Roadmap

 

FEMA updated the COVID-19 Food and Nutrition Resource Roadmap to assist state, local, tribal and territorial partners with the unprecedented challenges associated with food and nutrition support during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the CARES Act, version 2.0 of the roadmap includes resources that were identified in the Consolidated Appropriations Act and American Rescue Plan Act.

 

These roadmaps are part of a series that FEMA developed last year to assist state, local, tribal and territorial partners in identifying potential sources of funding and other resources to assist with the pandemic recovery.

 

The five roadmaps, food and nutrition, housing, healthcare, education and economic recovery were developed in partnership with nearly 30 federal interagency partners, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Commerce. Each roadmap identifies potential solutions to address specific challenge areas and describes how supplemental and certain annual appropriated funds can be used to implement recovery solutions.

 

All of the COVID-19 Resource Roadmaps can be found on FEMA.gov.


FEMA Seeks Feedback for Resource Typing

 

The FEMA National Integration Center is seeking public feedback on six resource typing documents. The 30-day national engagement period will conclude at 5 p.m. ET on June 10.

 

The national engagement period provides an opportunity for interested parties to comment on the draft document to ensure that it is relevant for all implementing partners.

 

The resource typing documents include:

  • Structural collapse search team.
  • Structural collapse search team leader.
  • Structural collapse search technician.
  • Structural collapse rescue team.
  • Structural collapse rescue team leader.
  • Structural collapse rescue technician.

 

These resource typing documents will facilitate the sharing of deployable resource types at all jurisdictional levels. To provide comments on the drafts, complete the feedback form on FEMA.gov and submit the form to fema-nims@fema.dhs.gov no later than 5 p.m. ET on June 10.


Application Period for Preparedness Grants Closes May 14

 

The application period for six competitive preparedness grant programs, with $500 million available in funding, will close at 5 p.m. ET on May 14.

 

Part of the DHS Preparedness Grants portfolio, the grant programs provide funding to state, local, tribal and territorial governments, as well as transportation authorities, nonprofit organizations and the private sector.

 

Preparedness grants improve the nation’s readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. The grants reflect the Department’s focus on funding for programs that address our nation’s immediate security needs and ensure public safety in our communities.

 

The application period closes at 5 p.m. on May 14 for the following six competitive programs, which will be awarded this summer:

 

  • Operation Stonegarden
  • Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program
  • Nonprofit Security Grant Program
  • Port Security Grant Program
  • Transit Security Grant Program
  • Intercity Bus Security Grant Program

 

The funding notices for all preparedness grant programs can be found at grants.gov and FEMA.gov. Final submissions must be made through the non-disaster grants system.

 

Further information on DHS’s preparedness grant programs is available at DHS.gov.


Upcoming Deadlines and Reminders

webinar

FEMA Hosts Exercise Starter Kit Webinars

 

FEMA’s National Exercise Division has developed exercise starter kits with sample documents to assist organizations in planning and conducting tabletop exercises aligning with the updated National Exercise Program 2021-2022 Principal's Strategic Priorities.

 

FEMA will host webinars for whole community exercise practitioners. The webinars will introduce the new exercise starter kits, providing stakeholders with an overview of the kits along with how to use them. The webinars are scheduled for:

 

  • Noon ET, May 12.
  • 5 p.m. ET, May 20.
  • 1 p.m. ET, May 28.
  • 9 a.m. ET, June 7.

 

Each webinar will present the same content and a recording will be made available later on FEMA.gov. Visit the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program Webinar webpage to register.

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Week 2

May is Building Safety Month

 

The International Code Council launched the Building Safety Month initiative each May more than 40 years ago.  The annual educational campaign raises awareness about the importance of building codes to ensure safety in the spaces in which we live, work and learn. 

 

This year’s weekly themes emphasize “Prevent, prepare, protect. Building Codes Save.” With ongoing social distancing and safety measures in mind, all planned events during the month will be held virtually. The weekly themes for the 2021 Building Safety Month are:

 

 

More information about Building Safety Month, including details regarding virtual events, can be found at: www.buildingsafetymonth.org.  In addition, initiatives throughout the month will be highlighted on using the hashtag #BuildingSafety365.

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