tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43876356904649839392024-03-13T20:20:13.452-07:00AHC Emergency Management ConsultingSteve Davis is President of All Hands Consulting, an emergency management firm focused on Comprehensive Emergency Management, Business Continuity, Homeland Security, and Disaster Recovery -- activities that share a common mission: they are all aimed at reducing the impact of disasters on our lives and our operations.Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-45663948483083421572021-01-25T08:08:00.001-08:002021-01-25T08:08:46.626-08:00Understanding Hate and Violent Extremism as a Long-Term Domestic Terrorism Threat<p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">Violent extremism has been on our radar
for a long time; however, the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on
January 6, 2021 brought the threat of domestic terror into sharp relief. This
should not have been surprising to those who reviewed the October 2020 U.S.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Homeland Threat Assessment which concluded
that “racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists—specifically white
supremacist extremists (WSEs)—will remain the most persistent and lethal threat
in the Homeland.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">How did we get here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The U.S. has a long sordid history of
domestic terrorism. However, for the past four decades, we have been more
focused on international terrorism. The October 23, 1983 truck bombings of U.S.
and French military barracks in Beirut, Lebanon claimed a total of 295 lives.
This shocking attack stood as the most deadly act of terrorism at the time. In 1988,
the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 and the resulting crash in Lockerbie Scotland
gave the world a shocking reminder of the degree of violence extremist were
capable of. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">On February 26, 1993, a bomb exploded
in a parking garage of the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City. This
event, now referred to by many as the “First World Trade Center Attack”, was
the first indication that international terrorism was evolving from a regional issue,
largely impacting those outside of the U.S., to a transnational concern, now
reaching its tentacles into the states.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">The pace of incidents picked up with
the Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack which happened on March 20, 1995. This domestic
terrorism attack was led by members of the Japanese Aum Shinrikyo cult. They
executed five coordinated attacks, releasing Sarin on three lines of the Tokyo Subway.
The attack, carried out during rush hour for maximum effect, killed 13 people, injured
5,500 others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Domestic terrorism struck the US on April
19, 1995 when Timothy McVeigh, an ex-Army soldier, parked his bomb-laden, rented
Ryder truck in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
This act of domestic terrorism and mass murder was carried out by one of our
own, against our own.</span> Another infamous home grown terrorist attach
happened <span style="line-height: 107%;">on July 27, 1996 when Eric planted a
backpack containing a bomb in crowded Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta,
Georgia. A woman was killed and more than 100 others were injured in the blast.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">Preparing to enter the new millennium,
both domestic and international terrorism were of great concern. We began a period
of increased federal funding for preparedness against terrorist acts when
the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Defense Against Weapons of Mass
Destruction Act of 1996 (PL 104-201, September 23, 1996), also known as Nunn Lugar-Domenici,
provided the key congressional findings regarding threats, risks, and
shortfalls in response capabilities related to weapons of mass destruction
(WMD) and related materials and technologies. Thus began over 20 years of
preparedness funding and activities carried out at the federal, state, and local
levels. Mostly over fears of rough state actors. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">Of course, the terrorist attacks of 9/11,
a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda on the morning of
Tuesday, September 11, 2001 was a real awakening of concern about international
terrorism impacting the U.S. The attacks resulted in 2,977 deaths, over 25,000 injured,
and significant and on-going long-term health consequences affecting many first
responders and others who were in or near “ground zero”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the deadliest terrorist attack in
human history and the single deadliest incident for firefighters and law
enforcement officers in the history of the United States, with 343 and 72
killed, respectively, and countless more suffering and dying from the long term
consequences. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">As a result of 9/11, a Department of
Homeland Security was created and, in 2002, increased funding for homeland security
began to flow to state and local governments. In June 2003, DHS launched the FY
2003 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) which reflected the intent of
Congress and the Administration to enhance the preparedness of the nation to combat
terrorism. The funding was designed to provide assistance to “build an enhanced
and sustainable capacity to prevent, respond to, and recover from threats or
acts of terrorism” and focused on select urban areas. Other funding was channeled
to states to help localities prepare. Today, the Homeland Security Grant
Program (HSGP) continues to fund state and local preparedness to include private
sector partners.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">This injection of funding started two
decades of preparedness activities focused (mostly) on the threat from
abroad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, all along, those of us
in the preparedness field knew that there were threats from within as well as
demonstrated in Oklahoma City. The threat of homegrown domestic terrorist was
real and enduring but not at the forefront of prepares activities. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">At the same time, white supremacy was
a growing concern. The Charleston Church Massacre, a mass shooting on June 17,
2015, resulted in the death of nine African Americans during a Bible study
class at the Emanuel AME Church. The attacker, 21 year old white supremacist Dylann
Roof was found to have targeted members of this church because of its history
and stature. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">In April 2016, DHS published “Countering
Violent Extremism – Developing a Research Roadmap”. The DHS Science &
Technology Directorate (S&T), created a Countering Violent Extremism (CVE)
Framework to “guide evidence based research intended to meet policy,
operational, and public needs”. The Framework was structured around diverting
individuals on the pathway of radicalization to violence; preventing
individuals from carrying out attacks and targeting locations; mitigating the
impact of extremist events; and developing individual and community resilience
to violence inspired by extremism. Previous interest in CVE was largely
targeted to the Muslim community living in the US. In 2014, DHS named Boston as
a site for a pilot program CVE program. CVE quickly became controversial with
many expressing concerns about the civil rights, civil liberties, and public
safety implications of adopting this seemingly discriminatory approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 2016 literature review did acknowledge rightwing
extremists are also the result of radicalization, and recent studies of
rightwing extremism were included in the report. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">Rightwing extremism became more of a
concern when, during early August 2017, the “Unite the Right Rally” was held in
Charlottesville, Virginia. This rally, seen by many as a white supremacist
rally, included members of the far-right and alt-right, neo-Confederates,
neo-fascists, white nationalists, neo-Nazis, Klu Klux Klansmen, and various
right-wing militias. The marchers chanted racist and anti-Semitic slogans to
include “Blood and Soil” a Nazi Germany nationalist slogan expressing ideal of
a "racially" defined national body ("blood") united with a
settlement area ("soil"). These protestors carried weapons and Tiki Torches,
while displaying Nazi and neo-Nazi symbols and Confederate battle flags. The
organizers' stated goals were to unify the American white nationalist movement
as well as opposing the proposed removal of the statue of General Robert E. Lee
from a local park. The events became violent, culminating in a car ramming
incident where a white nationalist rammed counter protesters, killing one and
injuring 19. The events resulted in a backlash against white supremacist groups.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #666666;">On October 22, 2020, the Center for
Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) issues a brief reporting white
supremacists and other like-minded extremists conducted two-thirds of the
terrorist plots and attacks in the United States in 2020. Anarchists, anti-fascists,
and other like-minded extremists orchestrated 20 percent of the plots and
attacks, though the number of incidents grew from previous years as these
extremists targeted law enforcement, military, and government facilities and
personnel. While issues of domestic extremists have historically been politicized,
it was becoming obvious that right wing extremism was a real threat.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">Only two and a half months later, on January 6, 2021 a mob of right wing extremists were storming the Capitol. We
now see that the White House has ordered an assessment on violent extremism in
U.S. The order for the evaluation comes as the justice system grapples with
hundreds of suspects in the insurrection. Federal
investigators say they have arrested several alleged members of extremist and
white supremacist groups who participated in the events at the U.S.
Capitol, including multiple participants in an alleged conspiracy to overthrow the election. The
alleged participants in the insurrection included members of Proud Boys, Three
Percenters, Oath Keepers, and other self-described Nazis and white supremacist
group. Some of these were actually present or former military and first
responders according to federal investigators. This event highlighted how
various extremist groups, with members throughout the country, coalesced to
support then-President Trump and his spurious claims that the election was
stolen..<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">While new assessments are
warranted we already know that we have a problem with extremists, both right
and left of center. Hopefully, the issue can be de-politicalized and assess all threats fairly. But where do we go from here? How do we reduce the threat? Community
outreach and engagement programs can enhance trust between government and
communities as well as foster cooperation and partnerships to advance a range
of local interests but much work is needed. Sustained dialogue can help us understand the reasons behind actions by
government and other entities. These should not be singular events, but consistent and
regular engagements on topics such as civil rights and civil liberties,
education, economic stability, and other issues important to communities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">Violent
extremism is one of many issues important to local stakeholders and must be
addressed. Discussions about violent extremism should inform the public, build
trust between government and local communities, and facilitate partnership
among stakeholders. As with many other local challenges, such dialogue and
partnerships will likely result in new ideas and initiatives that address
specific needs related to preventing recruitment and radicalization to violence
in a given location. Technical assistance may be provided to inform and enable
the resulting ideas and initiatives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; overflow: hidden; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">When
engagements focus on violent extremism and efforts to counter it, that focus
should be clear and transparent. Neither broad engagement nor CVE-specific
discussions are conducted for intelligence gathering purposes. Consistent with
current policy, Federal law enforcement agencies have safeguards in place to
ensure there is an appropriate separation between community outreach and
intelligence gathering or criminal investigations. Federal departments and
agencies can assist state and local law enforcement in developing similar
policies and practices as needed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">Resources:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)
is the leading non-profit organization monitoring the activities of domestic
hate groups and other extremists – including the Ku Klux Klan, the neo-Nazi
movement, neo-Confederates, racist skinheads, antigovernment militias,
Christian Identity adherents and others. Each year since 1990, the SPLC has
published an annual census of hate groups operating within the United States.
The number is a barometer of the level of hate activity in the country. The
hate map, which depicts the groups' approximate locations, is the result of a
year of monitoring by analysts and researchers and is typically published every
January or February. It represents activity by hate groups during the previous
year. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;">See the <a href="https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map">SPLC hate map</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.allhandsconsulting.com/" target="_blank">All Hands Consulting</a> supports federal,
state and local government <a href="https://www.allhandsconsulting.com/services/homeland-security/all-hands-homeland-security-program/">homeland
security programs</a>.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-71039117145689871912017-06-19T07:35:00.003-07:002017-06-19T07:35:39.788-07:00What is a "Potential Tropical Cyclone"<br />
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A new weather term entered the lexicon this week when the National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued its first-ever Potential Tropical Cyclone (PTC) advisory Sunday afternoon, highlighting the threat of a strong tropical wave in the central Atlantic that is likely to affect the Windward Islands as a tropical storm. Another system in the northwest Caribbean remains on track to move into the Gulf of Mexico, where it could affect areas from Texas to Florida as a tropical storm later this week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DsXYksEu9Yhop_aIV_-vbLF9xSTkAWq_rtZH6wou8RWOyjHfnFmvJql9AAYD53csrhVqSb2IPSHcQR7SV6jxiUzkwduiZnzoQ1A8ixajOY73aopC5zTLU7jeF0XvT1pdsRR2ShY95-DM/s1600/at201614_sat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DsXYksEu9Yhop_aIV_-vbLF9xSTkAWq_rtZH6wou8RWOyjHfnFmvJql9AAYD53csrhVqSb2IPSHcQR7SV6jxiUzkwduiZnzoQ1A8ixajOY73aopC5zTLU7jeF0XvT1pdsRR2ShY95-DM/s320/at201614_sat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hurricane Matthew</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The new Potential Tropical Cyclone advisories will provide more detailed guidance on systems that are not yet at depression strength but that have a chance of intensifying and bringing tropical storm or hurricane conditions to land areas within 48 hours. In their announcement of this and other service changes for 2017, NHC said: “Under previous longstanding NWS policy, it has not been permitted to issue a hurricane or tropical storm watch or warning until after a tropical cyclone had formed. Advances in forecasting over the past decade or so, however, now allow the confident prediction of tropical cyclone impacts while these systems are still in the developmental stage. For these land-threatening ‘potential tropical cyclones’, NHC will now issue the full suite of text, graphical, and watch/warning products that previously has only been issued for ongoing tropical cyclones.”<br />
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Potential tropical cyclones will be assigned numbers as part of the same chronological list that includes tropical depressions. Thus, the current system is PTC 2, even though it is the first PTC ever to be classified, because it follows Subtropical Depression 1 (which later became Tropical Storm Arlene).<br />
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A potential tropical cyclone will retain its PTC number should it intensify to TD strength.<br />
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Source: <a href="https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/nhc-unveils-new-product-potential-tropical-cyclone-atlantic" target="_blank">Weather Underground Category 6 </a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/about-us" target="_blank">All Hands Consulting is an emergency management consulting firm</a> with an extensive history of supporting public and private sector clients with emergency management consulting, continuity of operations planning, and homeland security planning, training, and exercise services.Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-88971261026581013002017-05-07T10:52:00.001-07:002019-04-24T05:24:10.540-07:00Emergency Management Consulting Projects<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In part two of our blog "<a href="http://davislogic.blogspot.com/2017/05/what-is-emergency-management-consulting.html" target="_blank">What is an Emergency Management Consulting Firm?</a>", we take a look at what a typical <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/about-us/clients/" target="_blank">emergency management consulting project</a> looks like.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLLKsrUmvC2a8a8Rkn4eOQeu425PIB-Gyg5kgeiS56ivYnSPozYpDhQMTTzP8idbSX5saRlFfmVTcLP2jFh-7cJ_nSU7ZJ_g0u5CEqfvYydVIEi0Rd2gPH8OEHyMBzkRQh6C8Rwq77YL1/s1600/DC+Fire+near+Capitol+Cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLLKsrUmvC2a8a8Rkn4eOQeu425PIB-Gyg5kgeiS56ivYnSPozYpDhQMTTzP8idbSX5saRlFfmVTcLP2jFh-7cJ_nSU7ZJ_g0u5CEqfvYydVIEi0Rd2gPH8OEHyMBzkRQh6C8Rwq77YL1/s320/DC+Fire+near+Capitol+Cropped.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our typical emergency management consulting projects are
designed to help <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/about-us/clients/" target="_blank">local agencies or businesses</a> prepare through a cycle of planning,
training and exercises. We help our clients prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AUv3ToCbkFwhQe9VTc-5TKfQlHOYvhGOX-vYw37cCGKTI1xO5fOuexlGxr-Nlmh8K8KpQbTuZoUXG80jXas0DDUlq87Q84KRNl-5O1NDuHLmU8bp3WUdpkHNxZ2fmt72UKrEI_mLgX6m/s1600/5cycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AUv3ToCbkFwhQe9VTc-5TKfQlHOYvhGOX-vYw37cCGKTI1xO5fOuexlGxr-Nlmh8K8KpQbTuZoUXG80jXas0DDUlq87Q84KRNl-5O1NDuHLmU8bp3WUdpkHNxZ2fmt72UKrEI_mLgX6m/s320/5cycle.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All Hands Consulting's "Cycle of Preparedness"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We also evaluate how well response and recovery plans
work through after action reviews and improvement plans to address areas
needing improvement. After Action Reports (AARs) and improvement planning is
typically done after a real life emergency or an <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/services/exercise-services/" target="_blank">exercise</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">All Hands helps our clients develop and implement <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/services/emergency-management/" target="_blank">Comprehensive Emergency Management Programs and Plans</a> through
a series of steps including Emergency Management Program Review, Capability and
Gap Assessments, and Strategic Planning. We then help close identified gaps often
by developing or updating a <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/services/emergency-management/development-of-a-comprehensive-emergency-management-plan-cemp/" target="_blank">Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan</a> (CEMP)/Emergency
Operation Plan (EOP) and associated annexes and guides. The CEMP addresses all of the elements of a
community Emergency Management program: mitigation, preparedness, response and
recovery. As part of the emergency
management planning process, we encourage and develop standard operating
procedures (SOPs), response guides, operational manuals and job aids for
departments, agencies, organizations and individuals. It is important that all
CEMP stakeholders have the “tools” they need to carry out their ‘in time of
emergency and recovery’ responsibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We specialize in “whole
community emergency management”. This comprehensive emergency management program
approach involves everyone in the community. The entire community decides what
the program (blueprint) should be, establishes work plans, defines the emergency
management tasks to be done and the expected end products, and decides who is
responsible for the accomplishment and maintenance of each task.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQskb9DTgAqgv2LwT93_rC0AdUUGM1HLBFdONTbVunCP6M_ba-AIQRM0yBi2AOmz9JbzmXlfdUqB6MohjrpBrzmXKZ_AqASHwNPDtEUQPXP0vi40CyAijOgkta1Sh7k_w59JQ7gB6XfTZ/s1600/ahc_circle_rev_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQskb9DTgAqgv2LwT93_rC0AdUUGM1HLBFdONTbVunCP6M_ba-AIQRM0yBi2AOmz9JbzmXlfdUqB6MohjrpBrzmXKZ_AqASHwNPDtEUQPXP0vi40CyAijOgkta1Sh7k_w59JQ7gB6XfTZ/s320/ahc_circle_rev_a.jpg" width="294" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whole Community Emergency Management System</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We also specialize in conducting <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/services/eoc-support/" target="_blank">Emergency Operation Center</a>
(EOC) review and EOC Design workshops as well as in developing EOC Organizations,
EOC Manuals, and Staff Action Guides for each EOC Position.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Working hand-in-hand with <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/about-us/clients/" target="_blank">our clients</a>, we engage
stakeholders and foster a collaborative atmosphere among all planning partners
to achieve widespread buy-in and support of the final product - enhancing
organizational relationships and resulting in a plan that can be executed when
necessary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our emergency management planning approach is used to help
out clients find better ways manage information and meet the challenges of
managing emergencies and disasters. Our professionals bring subject matter
expertise in emergency management, <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/services/homeland-security/" target="_blank">homeland security</a>, and <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/services/business-continuity-planning/" target="_blank">continuity ofoperations</a> to every planning project.</span></div>
Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-80157690228471582742017-05-07T08:53:00.000-07:002017-05-07T10:33:59.966-07:00What is an Emergency Management Consulting Firm?<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What is an <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/" target="_blank">Emergency Management Consulting Firm</a>?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am often asked what I do.
When I answer that I am an <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/about-us/steve-davis/" target="_blank">Emergency Management Consultant</a>, I typically
get an odd look (unless I am talking to an Emergency Manager). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I typically explain that we help governments,
businesses, communities, and people prepare for disasters. But emergency management is complex and
should involve the whole community. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCP1LogypnvAKExGteFHGjW30wqaHj1ipm5iE23CuqbOl6gQbqeIxMkfu5GBgm0N4TaOYx6fiLsweYh4OLao5Yrw9XbLh9uCCkmbukfcfCDFo6P2AqLIhQ0JsRxJLWWTPeh-sVa6-_SHzu/s1600/AHC-GEM+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="All Hands is an Emergency Management Consulting Firm" border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCP1LogypnvAKExGteFHGjW30wqaHj1ipm5iE23CuqbOl6gQbqeIxMkfu5GBgm0N4TaOYx6fiLsweYh4OLao5Yrw9XbLh9uCCkmbukfcfCDFo6P2AqLIhQ0JsRxJLWWTPeh-sVa6-_SHzu/s200/AHC-GEM+Logo.jpg" title="All Hands Emergency Management Consulting" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Hands, an Emergency Management Consulting Firm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today’s blog is an attempt to answer the
question:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What is Emergency
Management Consulting?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/about-us/" target="_blank">Emergency management consulting firms</a>, and emergency
management consultants, help clients with their emergency management
programs. Emergency management is
defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as “The managerial
function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce
vulnerability to <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/services/threat-assessment-planning/" target="_blank">threats/hazards</a> and cope with disasters.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We describe emergency management as a <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/services/emergency-management/" target="_blank">comprehensive program</a>
to prevent and mitigate hazards and to prepare for, respond to, and recover
from incidents, emergencies and disasters. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Broad definitions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Incident</b>: (An
unpleasant and unintended happening that routine emergency response agencies
can handle. Or, describes an event, expected or unexpected, involving shortages
of time; that place life or property in danger; for which normal police, fire,
emergency medical services, or utility response is adequate; that does not
require more extensive government or community response effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/STEVED~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="The goal of Emergency Management is: “To save lives and protect property by developing programs and emergency operational capabilities that mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from, any emergency or disaster--whether in peacetime or a situation of national security.”" border="0" height="191" hspace="12" src="file:///C:/Users/STEVED~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.png" style="cursor: move;" title="The Goal of Emergency Management" v:shapes="Text_x0020_Box_x0020_2" vspace="5" width="270" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Emergency</b>: An
unexpected event involving shortages of time and/or resources which places life
and/or property in danger, and which requires immediate response; requires
response beyond normal incident response resources. Normally a single incident
site.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Disaster</b>: When the
resources available are exceeded; or an Event in which a community undergoes
severe danger and incurs losses so that the social structure is disrupted; and
the fulfillment of all or some of its essential functions is prevented. A
disaster situation is comprised of multiple incident sites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The goal of Emergency Management is: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>
“To save lives and protect property by developing
programs and emergency operational capabilities that mitigate, prepare for,
respond to, and recover from, any emergency or disaster--whether in
peacetime or a situation of national security.”<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preparing for emergencies and
disasters is a government and business responsibility (and also and individual/family responsibility). As <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/" target="_blank">emergencymanagement consultants</a>, we help government and business mitigate hazards and
prepare to respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters when they
occur. At the local level, municipal officials have a legal and moral mandate
to ensure that their community is prepared to respond quickly and effectively
to emergencies and disasters, especially in the initial phase of a disaster
before the county, state or federal governments provide supplemental
assistance. Local government must be
able to execute <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/services/emergency-management/development-of-a-comprehensive-emergency-management-plan-cemp/" target="_blank">emergency and recovery plans</a> and functions effectively.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-73625603342159242412014-12-14T16:55:00.001-08:002014-12-14T16:55:56.457-08:00Radical Islam: An Escalating Threat<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
This article by <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-r-powers/2/460/134" target="_blank">John Powers</a> addresses the escalating threat posed by radical Islam and the safe havens that support the movement.</div>
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<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
This was originally written as an Op-Ed. The opinions expressed are those of the author.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Excerpt: <a data-mce-href="http://all-hands.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/An-Escalating-Threat.pdf" href="http://all-hands.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/An-Escalating-Threat.pdf" title="An Emerging Threat">An Escalating Threat</a></div>
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<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
"We have ignored warnings of serious threats before that resulted in extreme consequences. The 1930’s are a good example. In many respects the current threat of radical Islam is much more serious as it could easily become irreversible if we fail to act decisively.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
"The reason for such a dire prospect is that the number of safe havens that serve as centers for recruitment appear to be multiplying exponentially. Forty years ago, radical Islam seemed fairly limited and the threat was mainly in the background until the bombings in 1983 (Beirut Embassy) and 1993 (World Trade Center). Today, the numbers of recruits flocking to ISIS is a bit frightening and is best viewed as an indicator of the rate of growth of this threat. For perspective, we only need consider the damage done by Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen prior to his death in 2011 to understand the potency of these safe havens.</div>
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<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
"Radical Islam was not seen by most as a serious threat until al Qaeda brought down the twin towers and the Taliban took over Afghanistan. While the Taliban was not welcomed by the majority of Afghanis, little was done until it was believed that Osama bin Laden was offered sanctuary there."</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Download a PDF of the full article <a data-mce-href="http://all-hands.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/An-Escalating-Threat.pdf" href="http://all-hands.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/An-Escalating-Threat.pdf" title="Radical Islam: “An Escalating Threat”">here</a>.</div>
Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-65086681451732103082014-08-18T07:02:00.002-07:002014-08-18T07:38:29.549-07:00FY2014 DHS Preparedness Grant Programs Allocation for #UASI<div style="color: #444444; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<strong style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">FY 2014 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)</strong></div>
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According to the Grant Programs Directorate (GPD), a component of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the HSGP is one tool among a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by the Administration to help strengthen the Nation against risks associated with acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events. The FY 2014 HSGP plays an important role in the implementation of the National Preparedness System (NPS) by supporting the building, sustainment, and delivery of core capabilities essential to achieving the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient Nation.</div>
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The FY 2014 HSGP supports core capabilities across the five mission areas of Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery based on allowable costs. HSGP is comprised of three interconnected grant programs:</div>
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State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)*. SHSP provides $401,346,000 to support the implementation of the NPS to address planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events. SHSP also provides funding to implement initiatives that address shortfalls and deficiencies identified in the State Preparedness Report (SPR).</div>
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Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)*. The UASI program provides $587,000,000 to address the unique planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density urban areas, and assists them in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events.<br />
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Operation Stonegarden (OPSG). OPSG provides $55,000,000 to enhance cooperation and coordination among local, tribal, territorial, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in a joint mission to secure the United States’ borders along routes of ingress from international borders to include travel corridors in states bordering Mexico and Canada, as well as states and territories with international water borders.</div>
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Per the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–296), Title XX, § 2006, as amended by the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-53) (hereafter “9/11 Act”), Title I, §101, August 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 280, 6 U.S.C. § 607, states are required to ensure that at least 25 percent (25%) of the combined HSGP funds allocated under SHSP and UASI are dedicated to law enforcement terrorism prevention activities (LETPA) linked to one or more core capabilities within the National Preparedness Goal (the goal). The LETPA allocation can be from SHSP, UASI, or both.</div>
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Allowable Investments made in support of the HSGP priorities as well as other capability-enhancing projects must fall into the categories of planning, organization, exercises, training, or equipment. Grant funds cannot be used to purchase general use equipment including weapons and ammunition. Full details on allowable cost are provided in FEMA grant guidance.</div>
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There are 21 allowable prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery equipment categories and equipment standards for HSGP which are listed on the Authorized Equipment List (AEL) on the <a href="http://llis.gov/" target="_blank">Lessons Learned Information System</a>. Unless otherwise stated, equipment must meet all mandatory regulatory and/or DHS-adopted standards to be eligible for purchase using these funds. In addition, agencies will be responsible for obtaining and maintaining all necessary certifications and licenses for the requested equipment.</div>
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UASI has been providing funding to urban areas since 2003. The dollar amount and number of locations has changed annually as shown below. For 2014, 39 urban areas are receiving UASI grant funding. Amounts vary drastically with New York City getting $178,926,000 and most urban areas getting $1-5.5 million.</div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">- See more at: <a href="http://urbanareas.org/blog/fiscal-year-2014-dhs-preparedness-grant-programs-allocation/" target="_blank">UrbanAreas.org</a></span>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-26940289081857455322014-08-03T17:50:00.000-07:002014-08-03T17:53:10.680-07:00Free “How to Search” Training Guides are Now Available for SAR Personnel<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wanted to make everyone aware of a free resource (with no commercial agenda) that is now available to the Search and Rescue (SAR) community. This is a project that was developed by members of the SAR community who simply have the
desire to make SAR personnel more effective searchers. The web site is supported through an endowment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>International Search and Rescue (ISAR) Alliance Training
Library</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Frank Parker Training Library<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4387635690464983939#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
is made up of a set of structured instructional modules designed to be used by
Training Officers to help them to train personnel in “how to search”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These modules have been crafted by Dave Perkins and Pete
Roberts, the fathers’ of “critical separation” and other innovative search
field skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All the documents in this training library are free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Visit the ISAR Alliance web site at <a href="http://www.isaralliance.com/">ISARAlliance.com</a> and click on “<a href="http://www.isaralliance.com/training-library/">Training Library</a>”:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The aim of these training modules are to achieve certain
“how to search” proficiencies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These
proficiencies include:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Understanding of the different phases of an incident, and an awareness of the type of searching used in each phase</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Overview of the fundamentals of the visual process</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Awareness of the effect of an object’s color in searching for that object in daylight and at night</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Appreciation of the different types of lighting used for searching at night, and an understanding of how they should be used</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Understanding of the individual skills and the group skills required to search a route as a member of a small field team in daylight and at night</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Understanding of how to find Critical Separation in the field, to be aware of what affects it has, and to understand how to find a suitable location for its determination</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Understanding of grid searching, an understanding of the skills required to operate as a member of a grid search team, and an awareness of its limitations</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Appreciation of why purposeful wandering is necessary, and an understanding of how to do it</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Appreciation of why sub-sectoring can be necessary, and an understanding of how to be a member of a small search team that uses it</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4387635690464983939#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> This
training library was made possible by a donation from the estate of the late
Frank Parker.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-86317320110188070182012-11-22T13:29:00.000-08:002012-11-22T13:29:11.081-08:00LIVING THROUGH SANDY<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I saw this on Google+ and wanted to share it. I do not know Frantz but I'm thankful for his sharing it. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. - Steve</span><div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> LIVING THROUGH SANDY</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">by Frantz Ostmann on Saturday, </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">November 17, 2012 at 7:13am </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">1. The excitement and coolness wears off around day 3</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">2. You are never really prepared to go weeks without power, heat, water etc. Never!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">3. Yes it can happen to you.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">4. Just because your generator runs like a top, does not mean its producing electricity.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">5. If you do not have water stored up you are in trouble.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">a. A couple of cases of bottled water is “NOT” water storage</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">6. Should have as much fuel as water</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">a. Propane</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">b. Gas</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">c. Kerosene</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">d. Firewood</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">e. Firestarter, (kindling, paper, etc)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">7. Even the smallest little thing that you get from the store should be stocked up.. (spark plug for the generator, BBQ lighter, etc)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">8. If you are not working, chances are nobody else is either.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">9. I was surprised how quickly normal social behavior goes out the window. I am not talking about someone cutting in line at the grocery store.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">a. 3 people were killed at gas stations within 50 miles of my home.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">b. I did not say 3 fights broke out, 3 people were killed.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">10. Cash is king (all the money in your savings means nothing)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">11. Stored water can taste nasty.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">12. You eat a lot more food when you are cold</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">13. You need more food than you think if your kids are out of school for 2 weeks</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">14. Kids do not like washing their face in cold water.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">15. Your 1972 honda civic gets to the grocery store as well as your 2012 Escalade… but the Honda allows money left over for heat, food, water, a generator, fire wood, a backup water pump, you get the idea..</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">16. The electrical grid is way more fragile than I thought.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">17. Think of the things that are your comfort, your escape, a cup of hot chocolate, a glass of milk and a ding dong before bed, .... etc. Stock up on those too. You will need that comfort after day 3.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">18. You quickly become the guy in the neighborhood who knows how to wire a generator to the electrical panel, directly wire the furnace to a small generator, or get the well pump up and running on inverter power or you are the guy whose Master’s degree in Accounting suddenly means nothing. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">19. A woman who can cook a fine meal by candle light over the BBQ or open fire is worth her weight in gold. And women, whose weight in gold, would not add up to much, usually die off first. Sorry skinny women.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">20. It takes a lot of firewood to keep a fire going all day and into the evening for heat.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">21. All the food storage in the world means nothing if your kids won’t eat it.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">22. You might be prepared to take care of your children and their needs, but what about when the neighborhood children start to show up at your door?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">23. Some people shut down in an emergency. There is nothing that you can do about that.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">24. Your town, no matter how small is entirely dependent on outside sources of everything.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">a. If supply trucks stop rolling in due to road damage, gas shortages or anything else you could be without for a long time.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">25. In an emergency Men stock up on food, Women stock up on toilet paper.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">26. I was surprised how many things run on electricity!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">27. You can never have enough matches.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">28. Although neighbors can be a great resource, they can also be a huge drain on your emergency storage. You need to know how you are going to handle that. It is really easy to be Bob the guy who shares on Day 3, not so easy on Day 11. Just reality.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">29. Give a man a fish he eats for that day, teach a man to fish and he will never be hungry again.. Now I get it.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">30. All of the expensive clothes in the closet mean nothing if they don’t keep you warm.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">31. Same goes for shoes… Love you Honey!!!!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">32. You cannot believe the utility companies. They are run by politicians!! Or so it seems,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">33. Anything that you depend on someone else for is not available anymore.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">34. Quote “A man with a chainsaw that knows how to use it is a thing of beauty” hahaha</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">35. Most folks don’t have any emergency storage. They run to Wal-Mart and get water and batteries and then fill their tubs with water. That is it. A lucky few will get a case of Ramen and a box of Poptarts. That will be your neighbors supply. (especially if you live outside of Utah)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">36. Fathers, all the money you have ever made means nothing if you can’t keep your kids warm.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">37. Mothers, everything you have ever done for your kids is forgotten if your kids are hungry. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">38. You really do not want to be the “Unprepared Parents” The kids turn on you pretty quick.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">39. Small solar charging gadgets will keep you in touch. Most work pretty well it seems.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">40. Most things don’t take much power to operate.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">a. Computers,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">b. Phones</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">c. Radios</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">d. TV</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">e. lights</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">41. Some things take a ton of power to operate.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">a. Fridge</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">b. Toaster</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">c. Freezer</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">d. Hot plate</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">e. Microwave</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">42. When it gets dark at 4:30pm the nights are really long without power.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">43. Getting out of the house is very important. Even if it is cold. Make you home the semi warm place to come home to.. not the cold prison that you are stuck in.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">44. Someone in your family must play or learn to play guitar.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">45. Things that disappeared never to be seen again for a very long time.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">a. Fuel, of all kinds</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">b. Matches, lighters of any kind etc.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">c. Toilet paper</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">d. Paper plates, plastic forks and knives</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">e. Batteries, didn’t really see a need for them. (flashlights??? I guess)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">f. Milk</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">g. Charcoal</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">h. Spark plugs (generators)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">i. 2 stroke motor oil, (chainsaws)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">j. Anything that could be used to wire a generator to the house.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">k. Extension cords</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">l. Medicines (Tylenol, Advil, cold medicine etc)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">46. There was a strange peace to knowing all I had to do each day was keep my family safe, warm, and fed, but my peace was someone else’s panic.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">There were also many things that were not learned from Hurricane Sandy, but reinforced. Those things were the importance of my family and their love and support, especially my lovely wife, that my Heavenly Father is really in charge, period, and finally that I am very thankful for the upbringing and experiences that have taught me and brought me to where I am .. Wherever that is…hahahaha..</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">God Bless!!!</span><br /><br /></div>
Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-39694167016958079142012-11-10T08:07:00.000-08:002012-11-10T08:07:04.283-08:00The Emergency Management Daily<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It has been a busy year. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Too busy to spend much time blogging.... </span><span style="font-size: large;">obviously...</span><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">However, we have been busy micro blogging. In other words, we are pumping stuff out on <a href="https://twitter.com/AllHandsDotNet" target="_blank">Twitter </a>and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AllHandsDotNet?ref=hl" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. Twitter provides an easy way to send more information through a more effective and manageable medium. For instance with the use of <a href="http://davislogic.blogspot.com/2011/08/twitter-hashtags-and-emergency.html" target="_blank">hashtags</a> (such as #Hurricane, #HSEM or #UASI), we can tag stories as being relevant to the topic at hand. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As a result of this shift to Twitter, we are sending fewer posts to our mail lists and doing much less blogging. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, if you are interested, we have a daily paper that takes our Twitter posts and those of others in the Emergency Management field, and aggregates them in a paper format. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The<a href="http://paper.li/AllHandsDotNet/em#" target="_blank"> Emergency Management Daily</a> is generated automatically and provides an easy way to browse the posts of the day. You can subscribe to the paper and receive a daily message on the updated posts.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://paper.li/AllHandsDotNet/em#" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj640E9rDoqSq_pk9HBrF0_b0aEI8_uc2ABhnCY3ItN0HtQGSMMlD0CRvPPkhk02aeVrVcb2zPwz0oXtn0V4vedueagN75A-OiwmAyTeyiMzTJD3KIX8WZKCy9fSaepbShYTrgTqjAgmtyu/s320/EMDaily.png" width="320" /></span></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://paper.li/AllHandsDotNet/em#" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Emergency Management Daily</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'd encourage you to subscribe to this daily paper if you are interested in emergency management and homeland security topics. </span><br />
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<script>Paperli.PaperWidget.Show({pid: '94439560-82ee-012f-25ad-12313d16b843', width: 200, background: '#FB0000'})</script><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-63096421497552447062012-08-05T11:26:00.000-07:002012-08-05T11:28:31.362-07:00All Hands Consulting Completes Several Projects<br />
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<a href="http://all-hands.net/blog/all-hands-consulting-completes-several-projects/" rel="bookmark" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Permalink to All Hands Consulting Completes Several Projects"><cufon alt="All " class="cufon cufon-canvas" style="display: inline-block !important; font-size: 1px !important; height: 25px; line-height: 1px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: middle !important; width: 34px;"><cufontext style="display: inline-block !important; height: 0px !important; overflow: hidden !important; text-indent: -10000in !important; width: 0px !important;"></cufontext></cufon><cufon alt="Hands " class="cufon cufon-canvas" style="display: inline-block !important; font-size: 1px !important; height: 25px; line-height: 1px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: middle !important; width: 74px;"><canvas height="29" style="height: 29px; left: -1px; position: relative !important; top: -3px; width: 95px;" width="95"></canvas><cufontext style="display: inline-block !important; height: 0px !important; overflow: hidden !important; text-indent: -10000in !important; width: 0px !important;"></cufontext></cufon><cufon alt="Consulting " class="cufon cufon-canvas" style="display: inline-block !important; font-size: 1px !important; height: 25px; line-height: 1px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: middle !important; width: 122px;"><canvas height="29" style="height: 29px; left: -1px; position: relative !important; top: -3px; width: 143px;" width="143"></canvas><cufontext style="display: inline-block !important; height: 0px !important; overflow: hidden !important; text-indent: -10000in !important; width: 0px !important;"></cufontext></cufon><cufon alt="Completes " class="cufon cufon-canvas" style="display: inline-block !important; font-size: 1px !important; height: 25px; line-height: 1px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: middle !important; width: 121px;"><canvas height="29" style="height: 29px; left: -1px; position: relative !important; top: -3px; width: 142px;" width="142"></canvas><cufontext style="display: inline-block !important; height: 0px !important; overflow: hidden !important; text-indent: -10000in !important; width: 0px !important;"></cufontext></cufon><cufon alt="Several " class="cufon cufon-canvas" style="display: inline-block !important; font-size: 1px !important; height: 25px; line-height: 1px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: middle !important; width: 83px;"><canvas height="29" style="height: 29px; left: -1px; position: relative !important; top: -3px; width: 104px;" width="104"></canvas><cufontext style="display: inline-block !important; height: 0px !important; overflow: hidden !important; text-indent: -10000in !important; width: 0px !important;"></cufontext></cufon><cufon alt="Projects" class="cufon cufon-canvas" style="display: inline-block !important; font-size: 1px !important; height: 25px; line-height: 1px !important; position: relative !important; vertical-align: middle !important; width: 85px;"><canvas height="29" style="height: 29px; left: -1px; position: relative !important; top: -3px; width: 102px;" width="102"></canvas><cufontext style="display: inline-block !important; height: 0px !important; overflow: hidden !important; text-indent: -10000in !important; width: 0px !important;"></cufontext></cufon></a></h2>
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PRESS RELEASE</div>
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COLUMBIA, MD – August 6, 2012 - <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com//" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_self">All Hands Consulting</a> (AHC), a leading provider of <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/services/emergency-management" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">emergency management consulting</a> services, has completed several projects recently as part of a busy 2012. The balance of 2012 has many exciting projects on the books.</div>
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Despite the sluggish economy, the business of preparing for emergencies goes on. So far, 2012 has been an exciting year of steady work for AHC. All Hands consultants kept busy working with many returning clients and a few new clients. Our <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/clients/clients" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">client list</a> has grown to over 150 while our team of consultants has climbed well past the 1,100 mark.<span id="more-164" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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We successfully built several large teams of very qualified consultants to staff national exercise and planning programs as well as response teams who are standing by to respond to catastrophic disasters. This includes a <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/press-releases/march-30-2010-all-hands-consulting-is-recruiting-for-on-call-disaster-response-reservists" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">cadre of disaster responders</a> for support to <a href="http://www.fema.gov/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">FEMA</a>’s <a href="http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=28685" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Individual Assistance Technical Assistance program</a> and other federal, state, and local deployment contracts for Incident Management Teams and surge capacity for training and exercise deliveries.</div>
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Most of our efforts continue to support local emergency management officials. AHC supported <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/training-exercises-and-drills" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">planning, training and exercise</a> (PT&E) projects across the USA, from tabletop to functional, to full scale exercises. In addition to local emergency managers, we have supported exercises at transit agencies and airports. We also provided supplemental staffing support to large firms in a variety of PT&E efforts.</div>
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We have been working for two new clients who represents our ninth and tenth Urban Area Security Initiative (<a href="http://www.urbanareas.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">UASI</a>) regions where we have been providing emergency management planning and strategic planning including a Comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan, a Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and a Planning, Training and Exercise Plan (PT&EP), as well as a variety of other services including Field Operating Guides, Special Event Plans, and Tactical Response Plans.</div>
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Our work included projects from Florida to Washington, from Louisiana to Minnesota, and from Arizona to New York. We helped with <a href="http://allhandsconsulting.com/go/emergency-management/development-of-a-comprehensive-emergency-management-plan-cemp" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_self">comprehensive emergency management plans</a> (CEMPs), and developed <a href="http://allhandsconsulting.com/go/policies-and-procedures" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">operational procedures</a>, guidebooks and playbooks. We conducted multiple organizational and <a href="http://allhandsconsulting.com/go/homeland-security-and-homeland-defense/urban-areas-security-initiative-uasi-services" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_self">capabilities assessments</a> and workshops.</div>
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We continue to support the <a href="http://www.regionalcatplanning.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">NY-NJ-CT-PA Regional Catastrophic Planning Team</a> with a third project; one which paves to way to establish a large Joint Field Office in the wake of a catastrophic event. We also helped design Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) in Georgia and Florida. We continue to do a lot of work in Florida, and have continued to support local jurisdictions with planning and exercises.</div>
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In May, we attended the annual National homeland Security Conference (this is the former <a href="http://urbanareas.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">UASI</a> Conference that we supported for seven years). This year we were not organizers, but our President Steve Davis attended and presented three sessions. These included the THIRA work in Arizona (<a href="http://urbanareas.org/blog/resources/?did=4" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">see presentation</a>) and the JFO Project (<a href="http://nationaluasi.com/dru/Resources/General/NHS%20Conference%20Mega%20JFO%20FINAL.pdf" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">see presentation</a>).</div>
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In addition, AHC supported several <a href="http://www.allhandshttp//www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/services/business-continuity-planning" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Continuity Plan</a> projects for federal and private sector organizations.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Social Media</strong></div>
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We continue to be active in social media, and shifted from our long term work to establish an on-line toolbox for emergency managers to being more of a participant in the grand discussion taking place via social media. We took down the All Hands Community website (<a href="http://www.all-hands.net/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">www.all-hands.net</a>) and redirected our efforts to 2.0 communications channels such as <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/AllHandsDotNet" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AllHandsConsulting" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/all-hands-consulting" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a> and we continue to <a href="http://all-hands.net/blog/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">blog about emergency management</a> and the <a href="http://urbanareas.org/blog/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Urban Areas Security Initiative</a>. Our long term efforts to communicate with our community by e-mail continue. For instance, our “<a href="http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Emergency-Management/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Emergency Management Discussion</a>” group has hosted over 20,000 messages.</div>
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Our websites continue to lead the way in information sharing as evidenced by a total of over eight million hits this year across the enterprise of <a href="http://www.allhands.us/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">All Hands web sites</a>.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A Look Ahead</strong></div>
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As we move towards the last quarter of 2012, the future appears to be promising with current and new projects on the schedule. We will continue to do municipal and county CEMPs in Florida, Louisiana, and Wisconsin and elsewhere as well as designing and conducting exercises in Montana while we complete a federal <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/services/business-continuity-planning" target="_blank">COOP </a>project in South Carolina. Our on-going work in Arizona, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Louisiana, and Florida should also continue into the future. We plan to support other firms with various emergency management consulting and training projects. In addition, we are currently working on several opportunities to do <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/Emergency%20Operations%20Center%20design" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #df0000; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Emergency Operations Center design</a>, operational planning, training and exercise work.</div>
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For more information contact:</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Steve Davis, President<br />
All Hands Consulting<br />
Telephone: 410.730.5677</div>
</div>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-31940888704940387522012-07-16T11:12:00.000-07:002012-10-15T06:38:11.170-07:00Conducting THIRAs<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment
(THIRA) is a new process that, according to FEMA,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">allows a jurisdiction to understand its
threats and hazards and how the impacts may vary according to various community factors. The idea behind a
THIRA is that this knowledge will help a jurisdiction establish informed and
defensible capability targets.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Unlike the previous Target Capabilities List (TCL) which prescribed national levels of preparedness, the THIRA process uses the new Core Capabilities and a process which lets a local jurisdiction or state "right size" the capabilities to a level which they feel is prudent to prepare for.</span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>In other words, how bad of a disaster do you want to
prepare for, and how prepared do you need to be?</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">FEMA released its Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 201
(CGP 201) in April 2012; the guide, and related technical assistance, describe how to conduct a THIRA. The THIRA must be submitted by December 31, 2012 using the FEMA PrepCAST (</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Compliance Assessment System Tool) </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">system to enter THIRA data as part of the State Preparedness Report (SPR).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While the <a href="http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?fromSearch=fromsearch&id=5823" target="_blank">CPG 201 document</a> is straightforward, it leaves some aspects of the process up to interpretation
by the jurisdiction performing the THIRA.
Having just gone through the process twice, I thought that I would share some
thoughts on the subject.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Not Rocket Science </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The prescribed process is not that complicated. While
some have criticized the lack of any scientific process, FEMA did make it easy relatively for us. I restated the process steps in
a recent <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CFQQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnationaluasi.com%2Fdru%2FResources%2FTHIRA%2F5-5%2520THIRA%2520for%2520UASICON%2520Davis-Hansen.pptx&ei=DhUDUIbSFqfH6wGCsrncBg&usg=AFQjCNFER59QIDcBqJrVIbNv9FlTSQ_-ng" target="_blank">presentation</a> as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. Assesses your
threats and hazards of concern.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. Describe you vulnerability to those hazards by giving them context.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. Estimate the
consequences of those threats and hazards impacting the community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4. Establish
capability targets based on these </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">consequences</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">5. Use the THIRA
and apply its results it to update your Homeland Security Strategy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">THIRAs Make Sense</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Most states and large urban areas have been doing threat
assessments, capability assessments, analyzing gaps, and updating their
Homeland Security Strategies for almost 10 years now as part of FEMA's
Preparedness Grants program. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While there may have been varying degrees of success and some room for improvement, grantees were or should have been doing this work as part of sound project management. Now FEMA has given us a process to use in carrying out these important responsibilities.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Your THIRA should include the capability estimation and gap analysis that
is part of the approach. This will
provide a sound basis for annual updates to grantee's Homeland Security
Strategies which in turn guide grant expenditures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Based on this, it makes sense for the THIRA to be part of
the grant lifecycle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Validating THIRAs</span></h4>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">FEMA will be validating THIRAs and combining them into
regional and national assessments. As
stated in a recent <a href="http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do;jsessionid=64BA33C6741D3E31701B64EDFC3F5F8B.Worker2Library?fromSearch=fromsearch&id=6198" target="_blank">THIRA FAQ</a>, FEMA Regions will review all THIRAs through a collaborative effort with the
states, territories, and urban areas. The Regional Federal preparedness
Coordinator (FPC) will review all grantee THIRA </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">submissions in their area of responsibility. This review
is intended to ensure that the submitted THIRAs were </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">developed in alignment with CPG 201. The FAQ states that
the FPC will be seeking to answer the following questions to test the alignment
of the submissions to the guidance:</span></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Did the jurisdiction provide description statements of
the threats and hazards of concern?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Did the jurisdiction provide outcome statements for
all 31 core capabilities from the National </span><span style="background-color: white;">Preparedness Goal?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Did the jurisdiction provide estimated impacts for all
threats and hazards of concern in relation to the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">31 core capabilities?</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Did the jurisdiction provide capability targets for
all 31 core capabilities?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Did the jurisdiction provide an affirmation that their
submittal is in alignment with CPG 201?</span></span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While there is a toolbox available, the process leaves
room for some interpretation and creative approaches as long as the key points
above are addressed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Breakdown</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Let's break this down. The validation points, and a suggested approach for accomplishing each, are described below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>1. Provide description statements of the threats and
hazards of concern. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is simple enough, you should look at your local
Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) to gauge the natural hazards
of concern, this should already be done for you for the most part. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But what about terrorist threats? The best approach is to meet with those
"in the know" and discuss the current threats that you are aware of
and gauge each threat to see which are areas of concern. This later step will
be somewhat subjective as there is no historical record to base probability on
but your experts will know what it is you should be preparing for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There are additional data sources mentioned in the CGP 201
and its companion toolbox. You can also use the measures from the 2011 SPR as a
basis to select a target level for each threat/hazard selected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>2. Provide outcome statements for all 31 core
capabilities from the National Preparedness Goal.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You are asked in Step 2 to give each of these threats and hazards context. A table is provided in the toolkit for this purpose. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Step 3 asks each jurisdiction to use the descriptions
developed in Step 2 to assess how each threat and hazard may impact the
community and what level of the core capabilities will be needed to meet those impacts
(your desired outcomes). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The impacts, along with core capabilities and desired
outcomes, should be used to gain an understanding of what is needed to manage your
jurisdiction's risk. Desired outcomes are required for each core capability. The CPG 201 Guide and Toolkit offer example
outcome statements.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>3. Provide estimated impacts for all threats and hazards
of concern in relation to the 31 core capabilities.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Being responsive to this requirement is simply a matter
of charting out the impacts against the core capabilities and examining the
capabilities using the Threats and Hazards. (In other word, assess capabilities
based on threat.) The toolbox includes a chart that is pretty hard to work with. You can build a </span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">matrix</span> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">that includes all of the capabilities charted against the highest threats and hazards to be responsive to this requirement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>4. Provide capability targets for all 31 core
capabilities.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The desired outcomes should explain what the jurisdiction
wants to achieve for each core capability. This will need to include setting targets
levels for each core capability. This is not a numerical rating, this is a
narrative description of what your jurisdiction will need to be able to accomplish
based on your estimation of threats and hazards. Establish the level of capability that you
believe that you need to achieve based on the threats and hazards identified.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>5. Provide an affirmation that their submittal is in
alignment with CPG 201.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The only thing missing at this point is that you need to
"apply the results." You
should use the results to update your Homeland Security Strategy and to drive
spending decisions. Look at your gaps based on your desired vs. your current capabilities. Analyze how close you are to having the
capabilities needed to address the threat and hazards that you have identified.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You should make this a part of your annual grant
lifecycle as the THIRA must be used to support Investment Justifications. If an
Investment Justification is not linked to THIRA results, projects may not be
funded. And, you should use this process to measure improvements in
capabilities over time, something that is a critical factor in grant programs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-32415364810684280622012-05-19T10:40:00.001-07:002012-05-20T08:23:05.978-07:00Congressional Appropriators Side with Local Stakeholders, First Responders on Homeland Security Grants<br />
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Both the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
marked up legislation recently that rejected the National Preparedness Grant Program
(NPGP). See National League of Cities article below. </div>
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Senator Mary Landrieu summed it up in saying
that “… major stakeholders wrote to us asking us not to include these reforms.”</blockquote>
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The Senate is to do mark-up on Tuesday. The Senate draft only funds "the big four
grant programs" and is $1.4 Billion so less than the House version. Other grant programs, such as
MMRS are not included but would be eligible and would need to apply to states to get funded. </div>
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The Senate's proposed funding levels are less than the House version. These will be reconciled in Conference Committee at a later date.</div>
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The Senate bill provides $1.41 billion for state and local grant
programs, $369 million above the comparable fiscal year 2012 level. The bill
does not include grant reform as proposed in the President’s budget request due
to the lack of specific detail regarding how funds would be distributed. The
Department is directed to continue working with stakeholders and the
authorizing committees on a reform proposal. Included in the total is:<o:p></o:p></div>
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– $415 million for State Homeland Security Grants;<o:p></o:p></div>
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– $55 million for Operation Stonegarden;<o:p></o:p></div>
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– $664 million for the Urban Area Security Initiative;<o:p></o:p></div>
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– $13 million for Non-profit Security Grants;<o:p></o:p></div>
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– $119 million for Transit and Rail Security Grants;<o:p></o:p></div>
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– $13 million for Amtrak security; and<o:p></o:p></div>
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– $132 million Port Security grants.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The bill also provides funding for the following
programs:<o:p></o:p></div>
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– $337.5 million each for the fire equipment grant
program and the firefighter hiring grant program ($675 million total), additionally,
the Secretary may waive certain provisions of the firefighter hiring program,
if conditions warrant;<o:p></o:p></div>
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– $350 million for Emergency Management Performance
Grants;<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Senate version also specifically rejects the NPGP.
Which is the gist of this NLC article below.</div>
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May 21, 2012</div>
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by Mitchel Herckis</div>
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In what can be considered a victory for first responders
across the nation, last week both the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations marked up legislation that rejected an Obama Administration
proposal to consolidate 16 State and Local Homeland Security Grant Programs
into one state-centric grant program called the National Preparedness Grant
Program (NPGP).</div>
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Proposed in the President’s FY 2013 budget, the NPGP
would have required states to only pass funding to Urban Area Security
Initiative recipients; the remainder of the funds -- of which more than 80
percent is currently required to be passed directly to local jurisdictions --
would have gone to the state to be distributed based on state and national
threat and risk assessments. This includes grants for transit and port
security, urban search and rescue, metropolitan medical response, pre-disaster
mitigation grants, and a number of other standalone programs that targeted
funds at specific threats.</div>
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Since the consolidation was proposed, NLC and several
colleague organizations have urged key stakeholders in Congress and the
Administration to take a more inclusive and deliberative approach to reform
that includes the voices of local governments and first responders.</div>
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Responding to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's
(FEMA) lack of detail on how grants would be implemented and no assurances that
the needs of localities would be met under NPGP, NLC sent a series of letters
to both Congress and the Administration. In the letters, NLC urged Congress to
maintain the reforms implemented last year to gauge their effectiveness, and
asked FEMA to begin to work with all its stakeholders to find a clear path
forward on additional reforms to the program.
In addition to its concerns with the proposal, NLC and its allies put
forward principles that FEMA should consider in any future efforts to reform
the program.</div>
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The House and Senate Appropriations Committees agreed
with the arguments made by the coalition and made direct points of rejecting
the Administration’s proposal in their spending bills. In denying the
Administration the authority to create the NPGP, the House Appropriations
Committee cited the lack of detail required and explained in the committee report
that “… the Committee met with and heard testimony from numerous stakeholders
that expressed concern not just with the grant proposal but also with the lack
of stakeholder outreach prior to the program’s introduction. The Committee
considers this lack of outreach concerning and it should be addressed.”</div>
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Similarly, in an opening statement, Senator Mary Landrieu
(D-La.), chair of the Committee on Appropriation’s Subcommittee on Homeland
Security, stated that “… the grant reform proposal from the Department simply
lacked the specificity I needed for its implementation, and in addition, the
Authorizing Chair and Ranking Member … and major stakeholders wrote to us
asking us not to include these reforms.”</div>
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NLC appreciates Congress’ efforts to ensure that the Administration
take a thoughtful approach to state and local grant reform and work directly
with local stakeholders to ensure any future reform puts our local first
responders first.</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.nlc.org/news-center/nations-cities-weekly/articles/2012/may/congressional-appropriators-side-with-nlc-first-responders-on-homeland-security-grants">http://www.nlc.org/news-center/nations-cities-weekly/articles/2012/may/congressional-appropriators-side-with-nlc-first-responders-on-homeland-security-grants</a></div>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-44818528547401619742012-04-07T05:49:00.000-07:002012-04-07T05:49:17.566-07:00Finally! THIRA is Here!<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After months of waiting, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released the much anticipated guidance for conducting "Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments (THIRAs). The THIRA process provides a common way to more fully understand all of the risks communities face and is now required for homeland security and emergency management grantee states and Urban Areas under the UASI program. The process ties the risk of a threat or hazard to capabilities to look at gaps as part of a comprehensive preparedness cycle. (See links below.)</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">FEMA's Deputy Administrator Tim Manning authored the following blog to help announce the new guidance which is formally known as Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 201.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here is Tim's Blog on THIRA:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">At FEMA, we’ve been working hard to ensure that our nation continually strengthens its resiliency and becomes as prepared as it can be against all hazards. Today we took another step forward in that ongoing effort with the release of the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 201: Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment. The THIRA process builds on the progress we’ve achieved so far with the National Preparedness Goal and the description of the National Preparedness System. Ultimately, the THIRA process provides a common way to more fully understand all of the risks communities face – thus helping the emergency management team make wise decisions to keep people safe. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">What makes the THIRA unique is that it doesn’t just look at natural hazards or terrorist threats. Instead it takes into account the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk to a community—regardless of the cause. The preparedness guide lays out a five-step process on how to do that, and it is adaptable to the needs and resources of our local, tribal, territorial, and state homeland security and emergency management partners. The five steps are: </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /></span><br />
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2.5em; padding-right: 2.5em; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><strong>Identify the threats and hazards of concern</strong> - <em>What could happen in my community?</em></span></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2.5em; padding-right: 2.5em; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><strong>Give the threats and hazards context</strong> - <em>Describe how a threat or hazard could happen in my community, and when and where it could happen. </em></span></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2.5em; padding-right: 2.5em; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><strong>Examine the core capabilities using the threats and hazards</strong> - <em>How would each threat or hazard affect the core capabilities identified in the National Preparedness Goal?</em></span></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2.5em; padding-right: 2.5em; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><strong>Set capability targets</strong> - <em>Using the information above, set the level of capability a community needs to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from its risks.</em></span></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 2.5em; padding-right: 2.5em; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><strong>Apply the results</strong> - <em>Use the capability targets to decide how to use resources from the Whole Community.</em></span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Throughout the THIRA process, our goal is for communities to find out what data and information they should check regularly and keep updated so that they can recognize when their community’s threats and hazards change. THIRA helps jurisdictions focus on key information about their community and how that jurisdiction and community interacts with its partners at all levels – local, state, and federal. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">And it’s important to note that while the THIRA will be used to inform resource allocation and planning, the THIRA will not replace hazard mitigation plans. In fact, the THIRA will take into account the Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments that have already been written by local and state governments for the last decade. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">To learn more about our overall preparedness efforts, we encourage you to read up on </span><a href="http://www.fema.gov/ppd8" style="background-color: white; color: #00568f; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><end blog=""></end></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">See more information here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">http://blog.fema.gov/2012/04/understanding-our-risk-comprehensive.html</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You can download the guidance here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=5823</span><br />
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</div>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-81391802964129340062012-01-04T04:16:00.000-08:002012-01-04T04:16:52.852-08:00Proposal for a Comprehensive Preparedness Grants StructureAfter what they described as more than six months of meetings, conference calls, and over 20 drafts, the <a href="http://nemaweb.org/">National Emergency Management Association </a>(<a href="http://nemaweb.org/">NEMA</a>) issued a <a href="http://urbanareas.org/toolbox/4f0394cb8fe7f/Grants_Reform_Package_Fugate_01-03-12.pdf">report </a>that documents their examination of the suite of homeland security and emergency management grants which include the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program and the Homeland Security Grants Program (HSGP).<br />
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The report, a “<a href="http://urbanareas.org/toolbox/4f0394cb8fe7f/Grants_Reform_Package_Fugate_01-03-12.pdf">Proposal for a Comprehensive Preparedness Grants Structure</a>” follows last summer’s NEMA report titled “<a href="http://www.nemaweb.org/index.php?option=com_pollydoc&format=raw&id=2642&view=doc" target="_blank">The Homeland Security Grant Program – Keeping a Promise to the Nation</a>.” According to the <a href="http://nemaweb.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=220&Itemid=402">NEMA web site </a>, this effort was spurred by a desire to provide an alternative to calls to Congress to “please don’t cut funding”. <div><br />
</div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq">The calls to not cut funding fell on deaf ears as Congress proceeded to cut the budget sharply. Homeland security grants were targeted for a disproportionate level of cuts, down nearly two thirds from FY 2010.NEMA and the <a href="http://iaem.com/">International Association of Emergency Managers </a>(IAEM) have consistently lobbied rather successfully for maintaining EMPG funding levels while not lobbying for HSGP.</blockquote><br />
The NEMA document indicates that they intended to focus on principles and values with a suggested concept for grant reorganization . This was, according to the report, to provide grantees “increased flexibility and more comprehensive accountability to Congress”. Under the proposal, states would be awarded three allocations from DHS: Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG), a new homeland security “cadre grant”, and a project-based “investment and innovation grant.”</div><div><br />
</div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq">“The state is awarded three allocations from DHS, including one for EMPG, one for the new homeland security cadre grant, and one for the new investment and innovation grant.”</blockquote><br />
The NEMA document goes on to state that the outcome of this new system will result in several advantages over the existing system. “All current grant applicants remain eligible to receive funding including ports, nodes of transportation, and urban areas. This new system ensures all grantees are integrated within the state and local THIRA process as well as national priorities.”<br />
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The recommended changes include putting these grants in the hands of state officials to allocate. Homeland Security Advisors (HSAs), State Administrative Agencies (SAAs), and emergency management directors have, according to the report, “far more visibility on allocation of funds within the state and how projects and jurisdictions are working together for maximum efficiency of the taxpayer dollars.”<br />
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You will need to read the report to get the full picture but we’ve taken a look and have some observations.<br />
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<b>Grant Life Cycle</b><br />
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The proposal keeps much of the core homeland security grant planning process (life cycle) including the state homeland security strategy, a comprehensive Threat Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (THIRA) and assess ment s of current capabilities to determine requirements and evaluate recent progress. However, the recommendation does not seem to stress risk or capabilities-based decision making regarding allocations.<br />
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<b>Cadre-Based Allocation</b><br />
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While this may be a stretch on the <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cadre">definition of cadre</a>, the cadre grant would maintain the existing EMPG program (helping staff emergency management offices).<br />
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The proposed reorganization would result in the first two allocations received by the state being for staff -based activities such as planning, assessments, grant administration, and other homeland security and emergency management functions. The emergency management responsibilities would continue to be administered through EMPG. The homeland security cadre-based grant would be very similar to EMPG in construct and administration, but managed through the HSA.</div><div><br />
</div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq">“Just as EMPG has been proven to reduce the reliance on federal assets during disaster response, this new construct would achieve the same benefit in the prevention of terrorism.”</blockquote><br />
<b>Investment Grants</b><br />
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A majority of the funding through this proposed system would go toward investment grants made through a single allocation to the state. Unlike the current system which the NEMA report describes as “narrowly focused” and “uncoordinated”, the proposed system would be project-based. The SAA and local governments would apply for funding based on their THIRA and preparedness strategy. These applications would be reviewed by a multi-disciplinary advisory committee, and the SAA makes awards as appropriate.<br />
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This last step of SAA making awards removes this responsibility from FEMA and places it at the state. This, the report says, will provide “stability for jurisdictions currently operating in the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), ensuring a city can never again “fall off the list.”<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">But the report treats Tier 1 UASIs differently. “Due to their significant security issues, Tier 1 UASI’s would continue to be funded directly. This will ensure every urban area will be part of the THIRA and application process and no one is left out.”</blockquote><br />
In the end, this report appears to have merit but more discussion and stakeholder involvement is warranted before the system is overhauled. With grant guidance due out in February, it is unlikely that any changes, not already in the works at <a href="http://www.fema.gov/">FEMA</a>, will be made for the next cycle. Even without changes, the State Homeland Security Grant Program can address many of the goals laid out in the report.</div>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-59614800197145455832012-01-02T06:12:00.000-08:002012-01-02T06:12:17.824-08:00Looking for a Job in Emergency Management?We know that the economy is bad: Budgets are being reduced, grants are being cut, and competition is fierce. We assume that many in the <a href="http://all-hands.net/" target="_blank">All Hands Community</a> may be looking for work and we want to help.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/" target="_blank">All Hands Consulting</a> tries to help place as many people as possible but we have g<a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/press-releases/december-31-2011-all-hands-consulting-reviews-2011-has-positive-outlook-for-2012" target="_blank">rown to over 1,000 consultants</a> and there is no way of keeping everyone busy.<br />
<br />
We often get requests to either help fill jobs or to share information about job openings. We often do this on our various lists but we do not want to load up general mail lists with job announcements. For that reason, we focus on sharing job openings on a mail list designed for just this purpose: The Emergency Management Employment Yahoo! Group at <a href="http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/EmergencyManagementJobs/" target="_blank">EmergencyManagementJobs</a>. If you are looking for a job, I would encourage you to join this list as that is where I will be posting job openings.<br />
<br />
Another great resource for job seekers is the <a href="http://www.iaem.com/resources/Career/Job_bulletin_board/cgi-bin/dcboard.pl" target="_blank">IAEM Job Board</a> - you should check the board often. Steve Detwiler keeps up a steady stream of job postings there along with a few others.<br />
<br />
Finally, I would encourage networking as it seems to be the best way to find out about opportunities. Feel free to join our social media efforts as well. A complete list of our accounts are on the <a href="http://www.allhands.us/">www.allhands.us</a> web site.<br />
<br />
Regards,<br />
<br />
Steve Davis, <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/" target="_blank">All Hands Consulting</a>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-78875406482211966492011-12-31T05:21:00.000-08:002012-07-16T14:43:07.721-07:00All Hands Consulting Reviews 2011, Has Positive Outlook for 2012<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Happy New Year's Eve everyone. I prepared the following as an update on AHC activities past, present and future.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/">All Hands Consulting</a> (AHC) is ending another successful year: its twelfth since rebranding <a href="http://www.davislogic.com/go/">DavisLogic</a> as <a href="http://allhands.us/network/">All Hands</a> in early 2000. 2012 will be the thirteenth year of operations for this unique <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/about-us/mission-a-history" target="_blank">emergency management consulting firm</a>. AHC is starting off the New Year with many exciting projects on the books. The 2012 outlook is positive despite the sluggish economy and cut backs in <a href="http://urbanareas.org/blog/category/grants-funding/">homeland security grants</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Reflecting on 2011</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is the time of year to reflect on our past accomplishments and keys to success. We want to thank everyone who has been a part of All Hands including our consultants, clients and partners. Despite the recession, 2011 was a year of steady work for AHC. All Hands consultants kept busy working with many returning clients and a few new clients. Our <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/clients/clients">client list</a> has grown to over 150 while our team of consultants has climbed well past 1,000.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">AHC supported <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/services/exercise-and-drills" target="_blank">planning, training and exercise</a> (PT&E) projects across the USA, both as prime and as sub–contractors. We also provided supplemental staffing support to large firms in a variety of PT&E efforts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our contracts included several projects across the northern tier of states. We helped with <a href="http://allhandsconsulting.com/go/emergency-management/development-of-a-comprehensive-emergency-management-plan-cemp">comprehensive emergency management plans</a> (CEMPs), and developed <a href="http://allhandsconsulting.com/go/policies-and-procedures">operational procedures</a>, guidebooks and playbooks. We supported several exercises, taught classes on <a href="http://allhandsconsulting.com/go/command-and-control">incident command</a> and <a href="http://safetytrainingandconsultations.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=318:tacmedic-tactical-combat-causality-care&catid=35:todays-highlights">Tactical Combat Casualty Care</a> (TCCC), and conducted multiple organizational and <a href="http://allhandsconsulting.com/go/homeland-security-and-homeland-defense/urban-areas-security-initiative-uasi-services">capabilities assessments</a> and workshops in Butte, MT and Saint Paul, MN.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Back east, we supported the <a href="http://www.regionalcatplanning.org/">NY-NJ-CT-PA Regional Catastrophic Planning Team</a> with both an <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/press-releases/january-2-2010-all-hands-supports-ny-nj-ct-pa-regional-catastrophic-planning-efforts">Executive Catastrophic Playbook</a> and a Best Practices for Large-Scale Evacuations document. We also helped design Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) in Georgia and Florida. We continue to do a lot of work in Florida, and have developed CEMP and <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/business-continuity-planning">Continuity of Operations</a> (COOP) plans for Miami Dade College and tested the plans by conducting two exercises. We also supported Miami Beach with planning and exercises and started a project in Palm Beach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">On the west coast, 2011 saw the sixth Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Conference that we supported. The 2011 conference was in San Francisco. All Hands President Steve Davis supported San Francisco as Planning Chief and organized the program for what was the largest conference ever. This was the final year of transition to a non-profit organization which will now organize the conferences in the future. We also helped with EOC design services in Brookings, OR.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We are also supporting a state-wide assessment of schools using the Automated Critical Asset Management System (ACAMS). AHC staff have been in the field collecting data through a series of site assessments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In addition to the PT&E work, we did a couple of After Action Reports on real-world events and supported the response to the BP Oil Spill. We have been maintaining a “ready reserve” <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/press-releases/march-30-2010-all-hands-consulting-is-recruiting-for-on-call-disaster-response-reservists">cadre of disaster responders</a> for support to <a href="http://www.fema.gov/">FEMA</a>’s <a href="http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=28685">Individual Assistance Technical Assistance</a> program and other state and local deployment contracts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our efforts on <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/disaster-preparedness-response-and-recovery">disaster response</a> during 2011 included catastrophic planning efforts, workshops and interviews as well as IMT staffing. In addition, AHC supported several <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/business-continuity-planning/business-continuity-planning-plan-development">Business Continuity Plan</a> projects for private sector organizations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We continue to be active in social media, and our presence and reach grew considerably during 2011. Our long time efforts to communicate by e-mail continue. For instance, our "<a href="http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Emergency-Management/">Emergency Management Discussion</a>" group has 2,372 members and has hosted over 20,000 messages. We have fully embraced the use of <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/AllHandsDotNet">Twitter</a> where we are nearing 2,000 followers on our <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/AllHandsDotNet">@AllHandsDotNet</a> account. We have integrated our Tweets with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AllHandsConsulting">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/all-hands-consulting">LinkedIn</a> and our various web sites and we continue to <a href="http://all-hands.net/blog/">blog about emergency management</a> and the <a href="http://urbanareas.org/blog/">Urban Areas Security Initiative</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our websites continue to lead the way in information sharing as evidenced by a total of over eight million hits this year across the enterprise of <a href="http://www.allhands.us/">All Hands web sites</a>. Together, our various websites and social media outlets have put the <a href="http://allhands.us/network/">All Hands Network</a> at the forefront of <a href="http://allhandsconsulting.com/go/press-releases/august-1-2011-%E2%80%93-all-hands-consulting-has-launched-a-new-corporate-website">social media based information sharing</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Look Ahead to 2012</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/Steve/Documents/1-All%20Hands/December%2030%202011%20Press%20Release.docx#2012">2012</a> appears to be promising with many new projects already on the schedule. We will be doing municipal and county CEMPs in Florida, Louisiana, and Wisconsin and elsewhere as well as designing and conducting a transit exercise in Florida and a federal <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/business-continuity-planning/continuity-of-operations-and-continuity-of-government">COOP</a> project in South Carolina. Our on-going work in New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, West Virginia, Louisiana and Florida should also continue during the year. We hope to keep supporting other firms with PT&E projects as well as pursuing opportunities focused on hazard assessments, recovery planning, disaster response, supplemental staffing and other projects. In addition, we are currently working on several opportunities (both foreign and domestic) to do <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/command-and-control/emergency-operation-center-design">Emergency Operations Center design</a>, operational planning, training and exercise work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thanks again to every who is a part of All Hands and a part of our continued success.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Steve Davis</span></div>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-26472836041587591422011-11-21T10:40:00.000-08:002011-11-21T10:40:16.404-08:00FEMA's new Think Tank Project<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>A New Collaboration Community</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">FEMA has created a new "Collaboration Community" where stakeholders can come to a forum-type website and view, contribute and comment on conversations about emergency preparedness, disaster response and recovery, and other emergency management topics. They are calling this the "</span><a href="http://fema.ideascale.com/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">FEMA Think Tank</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The FEMA web page giving background information on the Think Tank is at <a href="http://www.fema.gov/thinktank">www.fema.gov/thinktank</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The site has gotten off to a great start since being announced at the IAEM conference last week. As of today, the usage statistics show that 72 ideas have been posted with 199 comments and 613 votes from 389 users. The ideas are very interesting, some are a bit off topic, some are venting, and some are a bit redundant. However, I am sure that FEMA is getting a lot of good ideas from the stream of consciousness presented on the site already.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How does it work?</b><br />
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<div class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The site is built to run on user ideas and votes. Users submit their ideas, then the community discusses and votes for ideas and the best ideas "bubble up to the top". I am not sure exactly how this will work but each idea can be voted on as "I agree" or "I disagree" and then each can receive comments and the comments can receive votes and comments in a nested forum structure. How all this ends up as a way to have ideas "bubble up" is beyond me. I am not sure that a "like or dislike" option is the best way to go here.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As I have worked with this <a href="http://ideascale.com/" target="_blank">IdealScales</a> site, which I think is wonderful and robust (although it was slowed to a crawl this morning), I have been somewhat frustrated by the binary nature of giving ideas and comments either a thumbs up or thumbs down. It is not always that simple. And, I hate to say that I dislike someone' s ideas. I do not want to vote "I disagree" to someone's idea when I am really trying to say it is not as important as some of the other ideas.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Prioritization vs. Voting "Up or Down"</b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I tried to add this to the discussion on the Think Tank site but it was found to be "off topic" so I will do it here. My idea is that we need to prioritize what will eventually be a very large list of ideas if we really want the best to bubble up to the top.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It seems to me that a better approach might be to ask for a score on a five or ten point scale to help identify priorities for further research and implementation. I'm not sure if this is possible but I don't think that a number of people that "like" something is equivalent to the value of the idea. It is more important how much people think the idea is valuable. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So, I'm suggesting that the site change over to some form of value voting. That is my thought for the day...</span><br />
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</div>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-21529677882383892162011-11-16T09:51:00.001-08:002011-11-16T10:09:27.695-08:00National Disaster Recovery Framework Based on ERI / All Hands Consulting Best Practices<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I found this little bit of history interesting... Good work "back in the day" by my good friend and business partner <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/go/company-info/patrick-rick-lavalla">Rick LaValla</a> was the basis of the new FEMA doctrine for recovery. Rick did not get any credit for this groundbreaking work but the story below helps set the record straight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><b>Reviewing the Origins of the National Disaster Recovery Framework</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The basis for the newly released <a href="http://www.fema.gov/recoveryframework/">National Disaster Recovery
Framework</a> is the concept of "Recovery Support Functions” (RSFs). The original
idea and concepts of RSFs was born in Cape Coral, Florida in 2001-2002. This
pioneering work was the result of Rick LaValla, President of <a href="http://www.eri-intl.com/">ERI International</a> and Co-Founder and Vice
President of <a href="http://www.allhandsconsulting.com/">All Hands Consulting</a>,
done under on contract with the <a href="http://www.capecoral.net/">City of
Cape Coral</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mr. LaValla conducted recovery
workshops and focus groups with Cape Coral Fire Chief and Emergency Manager William
“Bill” Van Helden in 2001 and 2002 which led to the development of the recovery
function concept. Rick recalled that “It was late one evening that the epiphany
occurred; we were staring at the walls and reviewing the work of the focus
group when suddenly it occurred to me that if we use ESFs for response, then
why not use RSFs for recovery?". Bill and Rick quickly brainstormed and
developed a recovery framework based on RSFs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This pioneering work was then
utilized in Hilton Head Island, SC and Jefferson County, AL; many other local
jurisdictions, and ultimately in Monroe County, FL. FEMA uses the Cape Coral
Recovery Plan at EMI and its RSFs are a case study and best practice in their
Disaster Recovery Planning courses. Out of all this sprang the newly released
National Disaster Recovery Framework. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Many AHC clients are now using
the RSF framework in their CEMP Recovery Annex and in their Recovery Plans and
procedures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>Emergency
Support Functions and Recovery Support Functions<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Local government response to and
recovery from emergencies and disasters begins with activation of Emergency
Support Functions (ESFs). ESFs represent groupings of types of assistance activities
that local government citizens and visitors are likely to need in times of
emergency or disaster. A lead agency/department for each ESF is indicated, and
is responsible for coordinating the delivery of that ESF to the emergency area.
The lead agency/department is responsible for identifying the resources within
the ESF that will accomplish the mission, and will coordinate the resource
delivery. During emergencies, the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
determines which County ESFs are activated to meet the disaster response needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Recovery planning also begins
when the EOC is activated. Recovery planners begin an assessment of the
disaster impacts and determine which Recovery Support Functions (RSFs) will be
activated to meet the local government’s recovery needs. Just like ESFs,
Recovery Support Functions represent groupings of types of recovery activities
and programs that the local government and its citizens/visitors are likely to
need following disaster. Some ESFs will become RSFs as their scope changes from
“emergency” to “recovery.” An example is the "ESF: Public
Information". During the emergency phase, this ESF is concerned with the
issuing of warning, emergency instructions and information. As the emergency
phase ends and the recovery phase begin, this function becomes RSF: Public Information,
and is now concerned with providing recovery information, post disaster health
and safety information, and so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Just like ESFs, a “primary”
agency/department for each RSF is indicated, and will be responsible for
coordinating the implementation of the recovery activity or programs. The
primary agency/department will be responsible for identifying the resources
(support departments and organizations) within the RSF that will accomplish the
post disaster activities. The primary agency/department is also responsible for
coordinating the resource delivery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Schedule of RSFs<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While the
NDRF describes six federal RSFs that can be activated to support state and
local governments, there are many more RSFs to consider. Disasters are owned by
local governments and they have many more recovery tasks to consider than the
federal government does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Local
government RSFs can include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 1 Impact Assessment (Disaster Assessment)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 2 Continuation of Government<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 3 Public Information; Community Relations<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 4 Human Services (Short–term)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 5 Individual Assistance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 6 Volunteers and Donations<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 7 Unmet Needs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 8 Debris Management<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 9 Reentry, Security<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 10 Health<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 11 Safety<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 12 Repair and Restoration of Public Infrastructure, Services,
Buildings <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 13 Building Inspections and Permits<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 14 Rebuilding, Construction, Repairs, Restoration<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 15 Housing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 16 Redevelopment (Planning and Community Development)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 17 Economic Restoration and Development<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 18 Environmental Concerns<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 19 Mitigation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">RSF # 20 Recovery Administration and Finance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-58720260057192788462011-09-22T08:14:00.000-07:002011-09-23T05:06:44.992-07:00Many DHS Grants are Effective and Have Proper Oversight<br />
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Today's blog takes a twist on a recent piece that was
published on the Homeland Security Newswire and repeated on several UASI and Emergency Management mail lists and <a href="http://urbanareas.org/blog/?p=370">blogs</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The title of this piece was "<a href="http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/many-dhs-grants-ineffective-lack-proper-oversight">Many DHS grantsineffective, lack proper oversight</a>" and it was based on an interview with
David Muhlhausen, a research fellow in empirical policy analysis at the
<a href="http://www.heritage.org/">Heritage Foundation</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As our blog's title clearly indicates, we do not agree
with this premise. And, we question the
Heritage Foundation's constant criticism of homeland security grants and
efforts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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First some background on where this is coming from. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heritage_Foundation">Heritage Foundation</a> is a conservative
American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to
"formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the
principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom,
traditional American values, and a strong national defense." <o:p></o:p></div>
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The foundation is considered to be one of the most
influential conservative research organizations in the United States. While
this blog strives for neutrality, some people could surmise that homeland
security grants do not fit the hardcore conservative profile of "limited
government" which the Heritage Foundation promotes. This may explain a history of anti-homeland
security grants opinion which has been pumped out by this foundation. One could surmise that, since the UASI
program is focused on urban areas, which typically skew to the left and are
mostly run by Democrats, that the right is not enthralled with the idea of
pumping government money to these areas. But clearly, this outfit has an agenda
which does not support the UASI grant program. So, one should take what they
have to say with a large grain of salt.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RfNAmucYgwl1inAkiaBvGfCO3WL9vqEmncvllJpm62rBuBNP9RQUQ4qSatHyjDcRKuuO_F3b916_Z4GmUtjKhROSEhfxHNLvTx65o8e5iH_nD1Ji6-0G22y70ougI_MfbQhrYH3ycEjE/s1600/5cycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RfNAmucYgwl1inAkiaBvGfCO3WL9vqEmncvllJpm62rBuBNP9RQUQ4qSatHyjDcRKuuO_F3b916_Z4GmUtjKhROSEhfxHNLvTx65o8e5iH_nD1Ji6-0G22y70ougI_MfbQhrYH3ycEjE/s200/5cycle.jpg" width="192" /></a>Now, to the point of the article, it is the opinion of the
writer, and of many UASI grantees, that the DHS grants are very effective and
may even have too much oversight. While
some examples of poor choices will be easy to find, for the most part, great
things have been done with UASI money.
We have all shared examples of these at UASI conferences where we
showcase programs based on planning, organizing, equipping, training and
exercising to enhance capabilities to fight terrorism. While we know that all of the grant programs
suffer for a shortage of effective measurement devices, we know that these
programs have increased our effectiveness.
We have a good documented history of preventing terrorism; many
incidents have been avoided. Non-terrorism disasters, from the I-35 bridge
collapse to the recent natural disasters, have shown how much better we are at
preventing, responding to, and recovering from disasters.</div>
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UASIs need to do a better job of documenting this
effectiveness; but, we all know with certainty that the UASI program worked. We
are better prepared on all fronts for all types of disasters.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-85583194968419207422011-09-08T08:20:00.000-07:002011-09-08T08:20:49.256-07:00UASI 2012: An Alternative Future<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One of my "UASI Friends" asked why the proposed 2012 UASI funding of $400 million couldn't be shared among the 2011 UASI awardees. It could obviously. That approach would amount to about 60% of the current award. An updated curve graphic of what this would look like is shown below. This is one alternative future, the money could be spread over more or less UASIs based on the decision of the Homeland Security Secretary.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0SDRHG0x4ENeifaDLL_GIU0LbltYUMqt_2330EeNV6pvhvl3P_Y7YEmN7jO75pLEeylWoEX7f58GSzYlKBsTl0rVgeGMr514DVJZndixPW_9igp-zOo9CcBz2ypbguCdxLrdc1a3tisA/s1600/2012+Funding+Scenario+60+pct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0SDRHG0x4ENeifaDLL_GIU0LbltYUMqt_2330EeNV6pvhvl3P_Y7YEmN7jO75pLEeylWoEX7f58GSzYlKBsTl0rVgeGMr514DVJZndixPW_9igp-zOo9CcBz2ypbguCdxLrdc1a3tisA/s400/2012+Funding+Scenario+60+pct.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The "Sixty Percent Solution"</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You can click on this image to get a larger version which you may be able to actually read.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just a note, this is all obviously very speculative. UASIs should consider what is realistic to expect given the funding and the previous clear desire to fund the most at-risk cities over those less at-risk. However, the argument can certainly be made that all of the cities currently receiving UASI dollars are at-risk and worthy of funding. I expect this will be a debate as the budget is finalized and finally implemented.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-33007274917411633962011-09-07T06:13:00.000-07:002011-09-07T06:14:07.754-07:00Why $400 Million Will Not Save Tier II UASIs<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuv1AasHzqQKrAMIL0k9Xeiy6FsOniV7xDHPfAGIUZSDu-pwIBPSHjGBa771hpGtI4eLn08lknr94jDr7Hf5nm1zH6Xw_qlbWnjKbSgnK9nNAWEDRZ4UdgDDM9kTOPA2ImuHqmiuHX4j_/s1600/Fundingchart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuv1AasHzqQKrAMIL0k9Xeiy6FsOniV7xDHPfAGIUZSDu-pwIBPSHjGBa771hpGtI4eLn08lknr94jDr7Hf5nm1zH6Xw_qlbWnjKbSgnK9nNAWEDRZ4UdgDDM9kTOPA2ImuHqmiuHX4j_/s200/Fundingchart.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yesterday’s <a href="http://davislogic.blogspot.com/2011/09/fy-2012-homeland-security.html">blog provided a chart</a> that shows how the <a href="http://appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=657ba3e6-b6da-46e3-80f3-4865726d8889">Senate’s proposed FY 2012</a> Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) budget compared to
previous years.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> While the chart shows a
steep decline, you may think that $400 million is still a lot of money. It certainly is a lot of money, and it is
better than what the House bill would have provided, but the chart belies the
impact on what DHS calls “Tier II” UASI cities.
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Today’s blog looks at the impact of the proposed funding
level on UASI cities.</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Background<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The total number of UASI cities grew to 64 in FY 2010 but
saw a dramatic decrease in FY 2011 when it was cut down to 31 due to a 21%
decrease in funding. One can only guess
at this point how many FY 2012 UASIs there will be; but, an educated guess is
that there will be no more than ten or eleven.
Eleven is the current number of Tier I cities, while ten is a number
that has been thrown around by both legislators and grants managers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Tier I cities have historically received the “Lion’s
Share” of the UASI funding based on a DHS formula that allocated the majority
of the funding to these high-risk and heavily populated regions. With less
money available, and a desire to keep funding the most high-risk cities, one
can assume that only the top cities will be funded in 2012.</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">By The Numbers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In round numbers, the Senate’s proposed 2012 UASI allocation
is 40% less than FY 2011 and only half of the FY 2010 funding amount. Due to
the funding curve, where smaller, lower risk cities get smaller amounts, you
need to drop a lot of smaller cities to maintain funding for the larger higher
risk cities. The 2011 awards dropped 33 of the smaller cities, many of them
relatively large cites like Kansas City.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Assuming that the strategy will be to keep as much funding
going to the top ten cities, the following chart demonstrates the impact on the
other larger high-risk cities. The top
ten, if funded, would share funding which totals only 79% of their current
funding levels. While these cities would see significantly reduced funding, all
of the other cities would be dropped off the list. This means that 54 previously funded cities
would be dropped. The largest of these is Miami, while Boston is currently
ranked higher based on Risk.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5-X2AhPzovfPhDGeOR3380FHe7SKj0h8gDWL_kbIv6SD5bYQc5uwomv-DbACpAbGJaTEB1PtOn1-MUAQ1Se6TVYctFnNc8kqMRL6HuhtP2epilFMe_vcC7ci2FM2_ooQVIpXd_T25m2o/s1600/2012+Funding+Scenario+top+ten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5-X2AhPzovfPhDGeOR3380FHe7SKj0h8gDWL_kbIv6SD5bYQc5uwomv-DbACpAbGJaTEB1PtOn1-MUAQ1Se6TVYctFnNc8kqMRL6HuhtP2epilFMe_vcC7ci2FM2_ooQVIpXd_T25m2o/s400/2012+Funding+Scenario+top+ten.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Theoretical 2012 UASI Allocations Compared to Previous Years</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Of course, this is all conjecture. It could end up that the
final budget is more or less. The number
of cities could be less; DHS could opt to go back to the original seven UASI I
cities that were the first funded after 9/11. If the House prevails, homeland security
funding will be a block grant. If the FEMA disaster funding impacts the budget,
as many think it will, the budget could be cut further. The states are
currently proposing grant reforms which may totally change the funding process.
The future is uncertain to say the least.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But for now, based on what the Senate Appropriations Committee
is voting on today, it seems safe to assume that only seven to eleven UASIs
will be funded in 2012.</span></div>
Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-23768104333664967842011-09-06T17:29:00.000-07:002011-09-06T17:30:24.938-07:00FY 2012 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Senate bill provides $2.58 billion for state and local grants - $557 million above the House level. </i></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland
Security approved a <a href="http://appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=657ba3e6-b6da-46e3-80f3-4865726d8889">Fiscal
Year 2012 funding legislation</a> bill on September 6<sup>th</sup>. The
legislation, which still needs to go through the conference committee process
and be signed by the President before it becomes law, totals $41 billion in
discretionary budget authority, $2.6 billion below the President’s request, and
$666 million (-1.6%) below FY 2011. </span></div>
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<blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The good news for DHS and grantees is that this is $408
million above the House-passed bill. </span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Senate rejected the House approach to grants.
In particular, The bill rejects the House proposal to eliminate the Urban Area
Security Initiative, Port Security Grants, and Transit Security Grants and
other programs and replace them with a block grant.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The bill provides $2.58 billion for state and local
grants, which is $557 million above the House level. The bill rejects the
House proposal to eliminate the Urban Area Security Initiative, Port Security
Grants, and Transit Security Grants and other programs and replace them with a
block grant. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Included in the total are the following amounts:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>State Homeland Security Grant Program - $430
million. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">o<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Within
the total, Operation Stonegarden - $50 million</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Urban Area Security Initiative - $400 million</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Emergency Operations Centers - $15 million</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Port Security Grants - $200 million</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Transit Security Grants - $200 million</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">No specific funding is provided for Citizens Corps,
Driver’s License Security, Buffer Zone Protection Program, Metropolitan Medical
Response System and Interoperable Emergency Communications grants. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Activities previously funded under these programs are
eligible in the funded programs; – $10 million to help state and local
communities cover law enforcement and other costs associated with hosting
National Special Security Events such as the Asia Pacific Economic Conference</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The bill provides $350 million for Emergency Management
Performance Grants, $11 million above the FY 2011 level.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The following graphic displays the level of UASI funding
since the inception of the program.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuv1AasHzqQKrAMIL0k9Xeiy6FsOniV7xDHPfAGIUZSDu-pwIBPSHjGBa771hpGtI4eLn08lknr94jDr7Hf5nm1zH6Xw_qlbWnjKbSgnK9nNAWEDRZ4UdgDDM9kTOPA2ImuHqmiuHX4j_/s1600/Fundingchart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuv1AasHzqQKrAMIL0k9Xeiy6FsOniV7xDHPfAGIUZSDu-pwIBPSHjGBa771hpGtI4eLn08lknr94jDr7Hf5nm1zH6Xw_qlbWnjKbSgnK9nNAWEDRZ4UdgDDM9kTOPA2ImuHqmiuHX4j_/s400/Fundingchart.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While this continues a steep decline in funding, the good
news is that the cuts were not as much as proposed by the House of
Representatives. It is not clear at this point what the number of UASI
grantees may total. Last year, the <a href="http://davislogic.blogspot.com/2011/05/fy-2011-uasi-awards-leave-many-on.html">number
of UASIs was reduced from 64 to 31</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> – with the level of funding proposed,
this is an additional 40% cut to the program.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i>This may leave additional UASI cities
off the list for FY 2012. </i></b></span></div>
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<br />Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-13847701400962695812011-08-27T08:56:00.000-07:002011-08-27T09:59:01.104-07:00Tales of Irene: Did we over react?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">August 27, 2011 1100 hrs EDT (Maryland)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have been watching Irene with interest, both as a resident of the east coast and as an emergency management practitioner. I have been impressed with the planning and preparation so far, surprised by some of the doom and gloom, and now listening to those that think that everyone overreacted. So, I am prompted to impose my opinions on my readers once again...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8tPkdEvcjWivR3q6ONVsv5A7a1uNCUfmqbBM2Lln_VJTCYR8qNZcpmJCPju9O3AeT6Aw11kuoI0c0ggJvcb0zLnn3ffTe8dh3s2jguQkVJBJNd_TXNlRsQXDSczJtVEMMKMuoVc0UBhQw/s1600/Irene082611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8tPkdEvcjWivR3q6ONVsv5A7a1uNCUfmqbBM2Lln_VJTCYR8qNZcpmJCPju9O3AeT6Aw11kuoI0c0ggJvcb0zLnn3ffTe8dh3s2jguQkVJBJNd_TXNlRsQXDSczJtVEMMKMuoVc0UBhQw/s320/Irene082611.jpg" width="314" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The short answer to the question of overreactions is, IMHO, that it was not overreacting based on what the emergency managers had in the way of a forecast. Hurricanes are unique, and preparedness officials are blessed, in that there is a lot of warning with tropical systems - almost too much it seems. The problem is there is not as much certainly as we would like. Forecast tracks change all the time and forecast strength is also seldom correct. But you need to work with what you have.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Evacuations are a tool to save lives. Getting people out of the impact zone is a no-brainier but when and how many is the tough decision facing emergency managers. It takes a long time to evacuate resorts and metropolitan areas. If you pull the trigger too fast (and the threat does not play out) you may have caused some unnecessary disruption to business and vacations. If you pull the trigger too late, you might put more people in harm's way, causing huge traffic jams and more suffering. The forecast was dire and the track was a worst case scenario; so, emergency managers had to weigh these factors and that is what lead to evacuations from the OBX up to New England. </span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Too Much Hype?</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Almost everyone dislikes the hyperbole that politicians and newscasters seem to enjoy so much. I personally wish there was more of a "just the facts" approach to public information. I understand that it is a tough job to get people to pay attention to warnings and to react to government advice, so a little hype is understandable. You need to do something to get people's attention, denial and inertia are normal and a lot of people do not listen but the over-the-top hype seems to have a negative effect on many.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My pet peeve and dismay is reserved for the the weatherman on the beach, or in the street, watching the destruction. There they stand, crouched down against the wind, dodging flying debris, etc., all while warning everyone to stay inside! The hypocrisy is unbelievable! They set a bad example for everyone. If they can be on the beach why can't we?</span><br />
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</span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Making Tough Decisions</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With the storm weakening and the damage appearing to be minor (at this hour), I am sure that people are wondering if it was worth shutting down the entire eastern seaboard for this so called "storm of the century". I applaud the emergency managers and politicians for making the tough decisions and announcing them far enough in advance to work. The evacuations that I saw carried out went very smoothly. Ocean City and the State deployed buses which came down and fetched the international student workers, who do not have cars normally, and took them up to Baltimore to stay in a University. That was a good plan and well executed. It appears to have gone off without a hitch.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya8GrBdGYikgJLfDUgvyPk66L-gHdJUoVPOvwRqIGJTg4BWOXuf7FsKke1oUjPXOhEv1YLPaQ5mXWxNyTsEoB6hwPltGY2z46Jo17T67WBIkRGEuyVue2ADY6p7nuJBqYeIDsMYmIujgS/s1600/Car_Bch_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya8GrBdGYikgJLfDUgvyPk66L-gHdJUoVPOvwRqIGJTg4BWOXuf7FsKke1oUjPXOhEv1YLPaQ5mXWxNyTsEoB6hwPltGY2z46Jo17T67WBIkRGEuyVue2ADY6p7nuJBqYeIDsMYmIujgS/s400/Car_Bch_1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Irene impacts Surf Beach, North Carolina (Rick Paxton photo)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I was faced with a personal evacuation "decision dilemma" myself as I was enjoying some time at the beach. I immediately started weighing my options when the forecast track got close to my location. It would be easy to move in the deck furniture and leave. Part of me wanted to stay as I enjoy a good storm. I grew up at the beach and never evacuated before. As a fire fighter I went out and ran calls in storms and I must say I found it invigorating. However, with family and pets to think about, and having no first responder role to play, I decided to leave and then went to work trying to talk my family members who live there into leaving. </span></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I left early and had no traffic. As soon as I got home the evacuation orders started so I would have needed to leave anyway. As for my family, and other "locals" I know, none of them wanted to go and many of them stayed. They wanted to watch over their property; even after evacuations were ordered and it was announced that water and sewer would be shut off. I hope that they all make out alright and I am watching closely to see how bad they get it.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Lessons to Learn</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As with any disaster, or near disaster, there are lessons to learn. We will be watching for after action reviews and recommendations. I hope that no one thinks this was a "crying wolf" situation. When the next one comes, the threat may be worse and the issues will be the same. Bottom line, have a plan, be prepared, and remember it is better to be safe than sorry.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Looking forward to getting back to the beach to see if the roof is still on the condo!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Steve</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-64039838562033863602011-08-25T13:47:00.000-07:002011-08-25T13:47:51.637-07:00Preparing for Hurricane Irene<br />
I wanted to share this"Preparing for Hurricane Irene" letter from Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano to his constituents on Long Island. I think they have done an excellent job of communicating with the local residents in advance of Irene.<br />
<br />
Dear Neighbors,<br />
<br />
With hurricane Irene heading toward our coast, we urge all Nassau County residents to prepare appropriately for the storm. Below please find a list of precautions to take and items to have in your home to prepare you.<br />
<br />
1. Select a safe place for the family to weather the storm. This may be a location in your home - consider a windowless room on the bottom floor. If your home doesn't have a safe area, you should know the locations of at least two emergency shelters near your home. If you have special medical needs and don't think you'll be able to get to the shelter on your own, contact the county in advance to make prior arrangements.<br />
<br />
2. Stock up on food and water. You should have enough non-perishable food and water in your home to last the family for at least a week. If your stock of supplies is old, be sure to refresh it. You might want to purchase new canned goods every few years and rotate the rest through your pantry. Water should be replaced annually.<br />
<br />
3. Prepare other disaster supplies. You'll need to stock up on batteries, flashlights, rope, tarps, plastic bags, bad-weather clothing and other essentials to help you through the aftermath of a bad storm.<br />
<br />
4. Get your home ready. If you have hurricane shutters, make sure that you have all of the parts and have some extra screws/washers handy. If you don't, have a supply of plywood precut to fit your windows. Gather anything loose from your yard and store it in the garage. Watch the news when a storm is approaching and protect your home when advised by local authorities. If you wait until the rain starts, it may be too late.<br />
5. Develop a family communications plan. You might become separated before or after the storm. It's a good idea to have an out-of-state contact (a relative up north?) to act as the point of contact for all family members in the event of an emergency. Make sure everyone in the family knows who that person is and carries their phone number in their wallet or purse.<br />
<br />
6. Check your insurance coverage. Companies stop writing coverage when a storm is approaching. Ensure that your homeowner's insurance has enough windstorm coverage to rebuild your home in today's market. Also, remember that standard insurance doesn't cover flooding. You'll need special flood insurance from the federal government.<br />
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7. Plan for the family pets. Shelters will not accept pets. However, there will be Pet Shelters in close proximity to the Human shelters for your pets. The best idea is to evacuate early to a friend's home that's located in a safe area.<br />
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8. Keep your vehicles gassed up to at least half a tank at all times throughout hurricane season. When a storm approaches, lines WILL get long (up to five hours!) and gas stations will run out of gas before the storm hits. You need to have enough gas to safely evacuate if the situation warrants.<br />
<br />
<u>Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:</u><br />
<ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/water.html">Water</a>, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation</li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/food.html">Food</a>, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">batteries for both</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Flashlight and extra batteries</li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/firstaidkit.html">First aid kit</a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Whistle to signal for help</li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/cleanair.html">Dust mask</a>, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Local maps</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger</li>
</ul><br />
<u>Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:</u><br />
<ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal">Prescription medications and glasses</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Infant formula and diapers</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Pet food and extra water for your pet</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Cash or traveler's checks and change</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. You can use the <a href="http://www.ready.gov/america/redirect.html?url=http://www.operationhope.org/images/uploads/Files/effak2.pdf">Emergency Financial First Aid Kit</a></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ready.gov/america/redirect.html?url=http://www.operationhope.org/images/uploads/Files/effak2.pdf">(EFFAK)</a> - PDF, 277Kb) developed by Operation Hope, FEMA and Citizen Corps to help you organize your information.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from <a href="http://www.ready.gov/">www.ready.gov</a>.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Fire Extinguisher</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Matches in a waterproof container</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Paper and pencil</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children</li>
</ul><br />
<a href="http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/emergency/index.html">Find out how to keep food safe during and after an emergency by visiting FoodSafety.gov.</a><br />
<br />
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Stay safe.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
<a href="http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/CountyExecutive/index.html"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><img alt="Ed Signature" border="0" id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/CountyExecutive/Images/clip_image002.jpg" style="height: 70px; width: 203px;" /></span></a><br />
Edward P. Mangano<br />
County Executive<br />
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Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4387635690464983939.post-18900053380930150842011-08-22T18:45:00.000-07:002011-08-22T18:45:24.628-07:00A Picture is Worth a Thousand WordsSometimes you just need to share a good picture. This is one of my pet peeves....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDHSGw8K2tP-oASSee85VlisIcA46vUF4qD_vShUu6Bey39amvYtRGnfxTAN_ltarJpZ_4ZpFu4E6e-dLDQcUf5bDA15K_AgRS_5Rsw46RhOYtKvZtSeXsV-gWbkJqxiAXS7tfvMOxGRf/s1600/fastlane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDHSGw8K2tP-oASSee85VlisIcA46vUF4qD_vShUu6Bey39amvYtRGnfxTAN_ltarJpZ_4ZpFu4E6e-dLDQcUf5bDA15K_AgRS_5Rsw46RhOYtKvZtSeXsV-gWbkJqxiAXS7tfvMOxGRf/s400/fastlane.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Steve Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05581327835765577849noreply@blogger.com0