Region II
September 18, 2019 Volume 4, Issue 17
Preparedness and Resilience Bulletin:
Empowering People and Communities
Week 3: Youth Preparedness
Emergencies and disasters can happen at any time, often without
warning. Disaster planning, response, and recovery efforts must
take into account the unique needs of children, who make up
roughly a quarter of the U.S. population. These efforts should
also engage the unique strengths children bring to emergency
preparedness:
• Children are positive influencers. Children can
effectively bring the message of preparedness home to
their families.
• Children can become leaders. Participating in youth
preparedness programs empowers children to become
leaders at home and in their schools and communities.
• Children can be confident during an emergency.
Children who are prepared experience less anxiety and
feel more confident during actual emergencies and
disasters.
Developed by FEMA, the U.S. Department of Education, and the American Red Cross, the National Strategy
for Youth Preparedness Education presents nine steps communities and organizations can take to help build a
Nation of prepared youth. The steps focus on building partnerships to enhance youth preparedness learning
programs; connecting young people with their families, communities, first responders, and other youth; and
increasing preparedness at school.
9 Priority Steps for Creating a Nation of Prepared Youth
1. Elevate the importance of youth preparedness learning programs at the national, state, and local levels.
September is National Preparedness Month
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 2
2. Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of existing and new youth preparedness programs.
3. Support the implementation of youth preparedness learning programs.
4. Create positive relationships between youth and the first responder community.
5. Link youth preparedness to family and community participation, especially in communities where
English may not be the first language spoken (or understood) among adults, in other underrepresented
communities, and inclusive of individuals with access and functional needs.
6. Make school preparedness a key component of youth preparedness.
7. Build and strengthen productive partnerships among stakeholder agencies and organizations.
8. Identify opportunities to embed youth preparedness in youth culture.
9. Design a sustaining, locally driven model for developing, designing, and delivering programming.
Starting or getting involved with a youth preparedness program is a great way to enhance a community’s
resilience and help develop future generations of prepared adults. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
offers numerous resources that can help. Visit www.Ready.gov/youth-preparedness for the latest offerings and
information.
Week 4: Get Involved in Your Community’s Preparedness
Every community has volunteer organizations
that work in the disaster space. Since 1993,
Community Emergency Response Teams
(CERT) have impacted communities across the
country, building essential skills and capabilities
to prepare for and respond to any disaster. There
are now CERT programs in all 50 states,
including many tribal nations and U.S.
territories; each unique to its community but all
essential to building a Culture of Preparedness
and there are spots waiting for you to join.
CERT volunteers are trained to respond safely, responsibly, and effectively to
emergency situations, but they can also support their communities during non-
emergency events as well. There are over 2,700 local CERT programs nationwide,
with more than 600,000 individuals trained since CERT became a national program.
Through hands-on practice and realistic exercises, CERT members:
• Learn how to safely respond to man-made and natural hazards
• Help organize basic disaster response
• Promote preparedness by hosting and participating in community events
You can find out more about the CERT program at
https://www.ready.gov/community-emergency-response-team or find other
volunteer efforts at https://www.nvoad.org/.
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 3
Summer is the season for camps. With beautiful weather and time off from school, many youths fill their
summertime with various camp experiences in areas like arts, dance, sports, science, technology, and education.
Several states around the country have also started to provide valuable opportunities for youths to enhance their
preparedness and leadership skills through youth preparedness camps. Hosted through partnerships between
various state and local organizations, these preparedness camps bring youth together to help them strengthen the
resilience of their schools and communities against disasters.
Throughout these programs, youth participants of middle and high school age learn life-saving skills, participate
in emergency simulation exercises, have hands-on experience with equipment such as fire extinguishers and
medical supplies, and interact with other peers. They engage in discussions with subject matter experts and local
emergency responders about disaster response mechanisms and the different professions in the field of
emergency management. Participants also have the chance to receive full Community Emergency Response
Team (CERT) trainings, which include lessons on first aid, search and rescue, fire safety, disaster medical
operations, terrorism, disaster psychology, and they receive CERT certification upon completion.
Several of these youth preparedness camps are taking place within Region VI. Inspired by the Texas School
Safety Center’s Youth Preparedness Camp, which has been encouraging children in St. Marcus, TX, to help
their communities prepare for disasters for nearly a decade, FEMA Region VI decided to help expand the
program in 2016. Region VI provided invitational travel funds and contract money to bring youths from other
states and tribes in the region to the camp. Since then, several of these preparedness camps have popped up
across the region; the students and families motivated by their experience brought the idea to their own
communities, and more than 13 preparedness camps in total took place this year alone. Bill Bischoff of FEMA
Region VI recalled, “The investment for a couple of years has paid off…The idea spreads like wildfire, with or
without you.”
In addition, FEMA Region VI recently held the
first-ever tribal youth preparedness camp in
Oklahoma. The preparedness camp took place at the
Otoe-Missouria Cultural center at Red Rock, OK,
for 5 days between July 14th and 18th. The Intertribal
Emergency Management Coalition, the Youth
Warrior CERT, and the Choctaw nation worked
closely with each other to bring together youths
from several tribal nations. A couple of the youths
from Otoe-Missouria who participated in the
original camp in St. Marcus also joined this event as
instructors for some of the sessions. One of the
event’s greatest standout was its flexibility. When
the funding mechanism changed mid-event, the
locals contributed their skills and time to fill the
gaps. “The camp was built out of the heart and soul
and resources of those in Otoe-Missouria,” said Bill.
“[For instance,] the ladies from the tribes cooked
traditional staples known for being delicious and
low-cost!” Entertainment sessions were also
Youth Preparedness Camps
Region VI Youth Preparedness Camp. Source/Twitter #r6prepares
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 4
improvised for kids that arrived earlier than others, given the fact that many youths were traveling from far
away. The success of the event was evident in the inspired kids, who were determined to have camps and youth
councils in their own communities.
Region X also held their Youth Preparedness Summer
Camp last month. 40 students in grades 8 through 12
gathered in Stanwood, Washington, to learn about
tactics to assist in the immediate aftermath of disasters
from subject matter experts and local emergency
responders. Students also participated in a variety of
leadership and team-building opportunities and
traditional camp activities. “Apathy is one of the
biggest threats we face as a nation today, and these
youth bring the empathy needed to turn that around,”
said Region X Administrator Michael O’Hare. “Their
enthusiasm for preparedness and the initiative they’ve
shown to attend the camp and give back to their
communities gives me a lot of hope.”
Opportunities for preparedness camp are also available
in Region II. New Jersey Burlington County held their
youth preparedness camp for the second time this year. The program originated from Rutger University’s My
Preparedness Initiative (MyPI), which is a youth preparedness educational program that teaches FEMA-
certified teen CERT training and corresponding modules. Modeling MyPI’s curriculum, the Burlington Youth
Preparedness Camp consisted of a series of courses taught by professionals in emergency management and fire
service, as well as those from the Department of Homeland Security terrorism department. The participating
youths also had the opportunity to receive training on CPR and receive official certificates. Like Region VI’s
experience, Kevin Shoppas from Burlington County OEM also saw great value in the ability of the youths to
raise awareness about disaster preparedness in their own neighborhoods. “After they are done and receive their
certificates, they will go talk to five others about being prepared,” he said. “Their parents, their neighbors… The
kids continue to put the word out, and we expand our reach through them.” Although these camps last just a
couple of days, the impact extends far beyond.
These states recognize the importance of connecting with youths early and building disaster resiliency with and
through them. The preparedness camps will enable the kids to not only acquire knowledge on disaster
preparedness but also build strong leadership skills and have the confidence to make a difference in their
communities. But most importantly, each preparedness camp is unique; the camps are designed to empower the
youths in their specific contexts. There are many more opportunities for more localities to bring youth
preparedness camps to their areas. To learn more about the recent preparedness camp in Oklahoma, contact
[email protected]. Learn more about Region X’s recent camp by emailing fema-r10-
[email protected]. Contact [email protected] for additional information about the
Burlington preparedness camp.
Region X Youth Preparedness Summer Camp. Source/FEMA
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 5
.
Develop
Region II Staff in Your Neighborhood!
Sept 10 – Debbie Costa spoke to
CERT volunteers about a “blue sky”
mission during the Program Manager
course provided by NJOEM in Passaic
County. FEMA/Debbie Costa
Sept, 12 – FEMA has developed a
positive partnership with Claro, a
major cellphone provider in Puerto
Rico. The text message (above) was
sent to 900,000 clients on the island
and promotes preparedness planning.
Visit:
www.fema.gov/es/disaster/4339/pre
paracion-huracanes)
FEMA/Fritzmarie Cesar
Develop a family
communication plan with a
meeting place and contacts.
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 6
to
Coming Soon to Region II
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 7
2018 National Survey Results on Individual and Community Preparedness This September, FEMA will release the results from the 2018 National Household Survey (NHS). Every year,
FEMA surveys the American public to assess how the culture of personal disaster preparedness and resilience
has changed over time. The NHS also measures individuals’ attitudes and behaviors regarding preparedness and
assesses what influences them to begin preparing for a future hazard. Estimates from the 2018 NHS suggest
that an increasing percentage of the American public are actively preparing for disasters. Read more here.
FEMA PrepTalks Live in Washington, DC September 19th is the next PrepTalks Symposium in Washington, DC. Learn
from subject-matter experts and thought leaders who will spread new ideas
in emergency management, spark conversation, and promote innovative
leadership. The event is from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM at George Washington
University. Limited seats are available so register now.
PrepTalk Speakers for September are:
• David Kaufman: “Future Evolutions in Emergency Management”
• Jan Peelen: “Living with Water – How the Netherlands Prevents Flood Disasters”
• Dr. Carolyn Kousky: “Closing the Insurance Gap”
• Dr. Howard Kunreuther: “Human Biases – Why People Underprepare for Disasters”
• Kate Konschnik: “Left in the Dark – Power Outages in an Interconnected World”
• Aaron Titus: “Elegant Solutions to Responding and Preparing with the Community”
Visit the PrepTalks website to learn more about PrepTalks and view videos of past speakers.
FEMA Podcast Episode 45: FEMA’s CBRN Office In this episode, we recognize an organization within FEMA with a unique
mission to plan for the dangerous man-made events that we hope the world
may never face. Join us as we talk to experts from FEMA’s Chemical,
Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) office. We’ll gain a better
understanding of their work through an in-depth scenario-based discussion
focused around how FEMA and other federal agencies would deal with an
improvised nuclear device detonation.
The FEMA podcast is an audio program series available to anyone interested in learning more about the
Agency, hearing about innovation in the field of emergency management, and listening to stories about
communities and individuals recovering after disasters.
FEMA Releases Revised Continuity Guidance FEMA released the updated “Devolution Plan/Annex Template and Instructions” document for use by the
continuity planning community. The document incorporates the concepts found in FEMA "Federal Continuity
Directive 1 and Continuity Guidance Circular” into a template for individuals tasked with the creation of
continuity plans which support their organization’s (government, or non-government, public or private sector)
continuity program. The template may be helpful to organization planners but is not mandatory. Organizations
are encouraged to tailor their devolution plan to meet their specific operational needs. To view the document,
the references listed above, and for additional information about continuity and continuity planning, please visit
the continuity toolkit. Once in the toolkit, click on “Templates” to view the document.
FEMA News
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 8
FY19 Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)
On August 26, FEMA announced the Fiscal Year 2019
Application cycle for the PDM and FMA grants. Both are
grants that are given to state, local, and tribal governments to
help minimize the impact of future disasters through
mitigation projects and plans. The application period is from
September 30, 2019 through January 21, 2020. The Notice of
Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has been posted on
www.grants.gov.
PDM Grants are awarded annually for projects and plans that
reduce risk to any natural hazard and is not exclusively for
flooding. In FY19, $250 million will be available nationwide
and on a competitive basis to all eligible applicants. Eligible
activities include property acquisition, relocation, floodproofing, transportation, dry floodproofing of non-
residential structures, small localized flood reduction projects, safe room construction, resilient infrastructure, soil
stabilization, hazard mitigation planning, and advanced assistance (project scoping). Federal funding is available
for up to 75% of all eligible costs, except for small and impoverished communities that may be eligible up to 90%
cost chare.
FMA Grants, as the name implies, are intended to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to
buildings and structure insurable under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). $160 million will be
available on a competitive basis in order of the agency’s priorities for the Fiscal Year 2019 FMA grant program.
Two particular priorities of the program are to reduce what is considered “Repetitive Loss” (RL) and “Severe
Repetitive Loss” (SRL) properties. RL properties refer to those that have “induced flood-related damage on two
occasions, in which the cost of the repair, on the average equaled or exceeded 25 percent of the market value of
the structure at the time of each such flood event; and at the time of the second incidence of flood-related
damage, the contract for flood insurance contains ICC coverage.” SRL Properties are defined as properties that
“have incurred flood related damage that for which four or more separate claims payments (includes building
and contents) have been made under flood insurance coverage with the amount of each such claim exceeding
$5,000, and with the cumulative amount of such claims payments exceeding $20,000. Or for which at least two
separate claims payments (includes only building) have been made under such coverage, with the cumulative
amount of such claims exceeding the market value of the insured structure.” A bonus of this program is that
federal funding can cover 90% of the costs for RL properties, and 100% of SRL. To be eligible, however, the
property must be covered by the NFIP.
Remember that individuals cannot apply for these grants themselves. If you want to get involved in a non-
disaster grant, you should contact your local community officials to let them know of your interest. In addition,
it may help to contact your local emergency management agency so that they can better coordinate with your
community. For New York, this would be the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services; New
Jersey is the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management; Puerto Rico is the Governor’s Authorized
Representative Office; and the Virgin Islands is the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency.
For further reading: FY19 PDM Fact Sheet FY18 FMA Fact Sheet
Mitigation Matters
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 9
Public Comments about Information Collection
FEMA recently listed a Federal Register Notice for public comments about
information collection, in regards to mitigation grant programs. In accordance with
federal law and as part of the Code of Regulations, part 80, this notice seeks
comments concerning grants for the property acquisition and relocation for open
space. Acquisition and relocation of property for open space use is one of the most
common mitigation activities.
Federal grant funds are available for eligible activities in FEMA’s three mitigation
grant programs: Flood Mitigation Assistance, Hazard Mitigation Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program. These programs require all properties acquired with FEMA funds to be deed restricted and maintained
as open space in perpetuity. This requirement ensures that no future risks from hazards occur to life or
structures on that property, and that no future disaster assistance or insurance payments are granted as a result of
damages to that property. Comments are collected via the Federal Register until Oct. 8.
Nonprofit Security Grant Program
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
has been released. FY 2019 NSGP will provide $60 million to support security related investments and
activities for nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack. Eligible nonprofit organizations
must apply for FY 2019 NSGP through their State Administrative Agency (SAA). A list of SAA points of
contact is available at: http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/28689?id=6363. Nonprofit
organizations may not apply directly to FEMA for FY 2019 NSGP funds. The FY 2019 NSGP Notice of
Funding Opportunity and all related documents are available at: https://www.fema.gov/media-
library/assets/documents/178521. For more information, please contact [email protected].
Insider Threat Awareness Month The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) partnered with the
National Insider Threat Task Force, the National Counterintelligence
and Security Center, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of
the Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence), and the Defense
Counterintelligence and Security Agency to designate September as
“Insider Threat Awareness Month.” This Month will emphasize the importance of safeguarding our nation from
the risks posed by insider threats and to continue to work diligently to mitigate these risks. Past compromises of
national security information have made America less safe because our adversaries have used knowledge
obtained from insiders to change tactics to avoid detection and learn where we are vulnerable. These actions,
couple with incidents of senseless violence perpetrated by insiders ,have highlighted the need for a uniformed
approach to protect our people and our critical information, while preserving privacy and civil liberties. Please
take a moment to review potential risk indicators and how insider threats can be reported. Proactive reporting
can provide early warning, intervention, and assistance for individuals at risk. Such reporting can reduce acts of
harm, prevent the loss or compromise of classified information, and minimize damage to national security.
Other News
Important Deadlines
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 10
EM Higher Education Community Conference Call Friday, September 20th, from 2-3 PM ET, 880-320-4330, PIN: 376368
Please join the next Emergency Management Higher Education Community Conference Call on Friday,
September 20th. Learn from the emergency management academic community about what is new and exciting
in their world. Find out about ongoing projects and discuss higher education community needs that the Higher
Education Program can address. Contact Wendy Walsh at [email protected], with you discussion
topics.
National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference December 2–5th , 2019 , Hilton Americas, Houston, TX The National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference highlights best practices of health care coalitions
across the U.S. and provides opportunities for attendees to network with peers, share ideas, and learn about
building and sustaining effective health care coalitions. For additional details, click here. For info on AAP
disaster preparedness/response initiatives, see http://www.aap.org/disasters or e-mail [email protected].
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 11
Emergency Preparedness Tips
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 12
Green Brook CERT
The Green Brook CERT has been awarded a trailer by the state for
their hours of volunteer work. The trailer will also be loaned to the
town for local functions and to be used as an Incident Command
Center, if the need arises. The trailer contains various equipment for
dealing with emergencies disasters.
Camden County CERT Training Friday, September 20, 2019, 7 PM – 10 PM
Saturday, September 21, 2019, 8 AM – 4 PM
Sunday, September 22, 2019, 8 AM – 4 PM
Mount Ephraim Fire Department, 200 Bell Road, Mount Ephraim, NJ 08059
The Camden County Emergency Response Team is an
all-risk hazard training. This valuable course is
designed to help protect yourself, your family, your
neighbors and your community in disaster
preparedness and response skills. CERT members will
receive 20 hours of initial training provided FREE of
charge. The course is taught with classroom
instruction, practical exercises along with training that
includes types of hazards, disaster medical operation,
fire safety, light search and rescue, lift and carries,
debris removal techniques, and door breaching. Once
you have completed the initial training, you are
eligible for additional skills training year-round.
If you would like to be a part of the CERT, please register to [email protected]. Participants under the age
of 18 must have parent/guardian permission to attend.
CERT Corner
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers
about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them
in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team
organization, and disaster medical operations. CERT offers a consistent, nationwide
approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely
on during disaster situations, which allows them to focus on more complex tasks.
Through CERT, the capabilities to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters
is built and enhanced.
If you have events you would
like to share please email them
Camden County CERT/Facebook
Green Brook CERT/Bob Longo
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 13
National Emergency Management
Executive Academy (NEMEA)
Overview/FY20 Application Process
The National Emergency Management Executive Academy (NEMA) is a component of the
Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP). The Emergency Management
Institute (EMI) created the NEMA to provide a comprehensive and cutting-edge curriculum
as the setting for senior emergency management executives to come together to explore
contemporary emergency management challenges. The program hones strategic leadership and critical thinking
for senior executives involved with multi-jurisdictional, national, and international emergency management
policy development and decision-making responsibilities.
The program is a competency-based executive education experience that requires working collaboratively on
projects and participating in activities with a capstone team to address some of the wicked problems in the
emergency management field. Suggestions for a specific emergency management challenge to be addressed by
an executive cohort as an Executive Academy capstone project may be submitted to:
https://training.fema.gov/empp/executive.aspx.
For more information, visit our Emergency Management Professional Program (EMPP) website
(https://training.fema.gov/empp/executive.aspx).
E0389 Master Public Information Officer Program – Part Three (MPIOP)
This is a three-course series that prepares public information officers for an expanded role in delivering public
information and warning using a strategic whole community approach. Read more Training Opportunity 1487.
Multiple Dates, 2020, Emmitsburg, MD.
L0110 National Emergency Management Basic Academy Train-the-Trainer
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognizes the need to tie training programs to an
established set of emergency management competencies and to a career development program through a
progressive training and education system that includes the Basic Academy. The Emergency Management
Institute (EMI) is offering the opportunity to students who are experienced in emergency management and adult
training to take a step toward becoming qualified as an instructor for the Basic Academy courses. Read more in
Training Opportunity 1524. September 23-26th, 2019, Washington D.C.
L0363 Multi-Hazard Emergency Management for Higher Education
This Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) course is designed to be delivered to teams of campus
personnel who are responsible for managing and supporting emergency plans. The target audience for this
course is people who have traditional response or strategic experience, but minimal experience in emergency
management planning. The three-day course is primarily interactive presentations coupled with numerous
individual and group activities and exercises. Read more in Training Bulletin 1548. 2020 Host Application
deadline is September 30, 2019.
Educational/Training Opportunities
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 14
EMI Weekly EMI e-Forums Wednesday, September 18, 2019, 3 PM – 4 PM EST
Wednesday, September 25, 2019, 3 PM – 4 PM EST
EMI e-Forums are 1-hour, moderated, webinar discussion forums that provide
an opportunity for EMI and the emergency management community to discuss
matters of interest on national preparedness training. EMI e-Forums facilitate
a discussion of whole community-presented beest practices. The panel
members are whole ocmmunity, with topics relevant to whole community.
These exchange of ideas are free of charge and available to anyone who
wishes to participate. Use Adobe Connect or call in at 880-320-4330, PIN: 107622.
Webinars
Training Calendars FEMA: https://training.fema.gov/emicourses/schedules.aspx NJOEM: http://ready.nj.gov/training/schedule.shtml
NJOHSP: https://www.njhomelandsecurity.gov/calendar
NYDSES: http://www.dhses.ny.gov/training/calendar/ DHSOBP: https://cdp.dhs.gov/obp
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 15
FEMA FY 2019 NOFO Application FEMA has posted the Fiscal Year 2019 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcements for the Flood
Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grant programs on www.grants.gov. FEMA
will offer a series of webinars in September and October on the FY 2019 NOFOs prospective applicants and
how to use Mitigation eGrants, the system that FEMA will use to accept and process all grant applications.
Please call 1-800-320-4330 with PIN 338559 or click the links below.
• eGrants for Beginners
Wednesday, September 18, 2019, 9 AM EST
Thursday, September 19, 2019, 5 PM EST
Wednesday, October 16, 2019, 5 PM EST
Monday, October 21, 2019, 9 AM EST
• Avoiding Application Pitfalls
Tuesday, October 8, 2019, 2 PM EST
Tuesday, October 15, 2019, 2 PM EST
Making Mitigation Work: A Webinar Series The Natural Hazards Center—in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency—will soon
launch a new webinar series, Making Mitigation Work. These free, one-hour webinars will feature innovative
speakers and highlight recent progress in mitigation policy, practice, and research.
• Moving Mitigation Forward: The Past, Present, and Future of Mitigation Assistance
Tuesday, October 8, 2019, 1-2 PM EST
• Disaster Spending and Mitigation: A State-by-State Story
Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 1-2 PM EST
Stop the Bleed This eight-minute training video is intended for educational institutions (Pre-K through higher education) to
raise awareness about training that may stop life-threatening bleeding following natural and man-made disasters
and from everyday accidents. It seeks to empower leaders, employees, and others to do something about
uncontrolled bleeding for injured students, employees, volunteers, and guests before first responders arrive at
the scene, in order to prevent more serious injuries and even death.
Mass Violence in America: Causes, Impacts and Solutions This 96-page report provides insights into the link between mental illness and mass
violence, examining the reasons, contributing factors, and actionable solutions
surrounding mass violence in America through the lens of behavioral health. It
examines the research on mental illness, substance use disorder (SUD), and mass
violence, noting that people with serious mental illness are responsible for less than
four percent of all violence and less than one-third of mass violence. It also provides
a series of recommendations for improving risk assessment and violence prevention.
Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States
Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National Survey
on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) summarizes key findings from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and
Must Reads
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. 16
Health (NSDUH) for indicators of substance use and mental health among people aged 12 years old or older in
the civilian, non-institutionalized population of the United States. View a video presentation of the NSDUH
data findings by Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Elinore F. McCance-Katz, M.D.,
Ph.D.
Be a Superhero During Food Safety Education Month September is Food Safety Education Month. Learn how to Be a
Food Safety Superhero! Watch Center for Disease Control and
Prevention’s (CDC) food safety superheros take steps to help prevent
food poisoning and show others how to keep food safe. Every year,
an estimated 48 million Americans get sick and 3,000 die from
eating contaminated food. Join CDC in sharing information about
handling and cook safely. You’ll find videos (also in Spanish), tips to
prevent food poisoning, and social media graphics on CDC’s food
safety website. Use #FoodSafetyHero and #FSEM to join the
conversation on social media.
Hazardous Materials Incidents: Guide for SLTT and Private Sector Partners
This 30-page document provides state, local, tribal, and territorial officials with information and resources to
improve resilience to hazardous materials incidents. It provides an overview of hazardous materials
characteristics; hazardous materials incident response; planning for hazardous materials incidents; and practices
to mitigate further damage to communities from hazardous materials.
2019 Wildfire Guide Wildfire smoke events can occur without warning – but we can be prepared. This Guide is intended to provide
state, tribal, and local public health officials with information they need to be prepared for smoke events and,
when wildfire smoke is present, to communicate health risks and take measures to protect the public. Although
developed for public health officials, the information in this document could be useful to many other groups
including health professionals, air quality officials, and members of the public. Click here to read more.
Preparación para Todos: LISTOS Educates the Whole Community September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. This month recognizes the important
contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. One program known for such contributions is LISTOS.
LISTOS was recently featured at the California For All CERT and LISTOS Conference. Based in California,
LISTOS is an emergency preparedness course tailored to Spanish speakers. Translated from Spanish, “listos”
means “smart,” “ready,” or “prepared.” This program addresses barriers Spanish speakers might face, even
beyond language. For example, some people may feel intimidated when they interact with emergency
responders. Additionally, cost and time to prepare can also be barriers. Read more here.
Emergency Kit Checklist for Kids and Families An emergency kit has all of the things that you and your family may need during an
emergency in which you may have to stay inside for longer than usual or the electricity
could go out. Making a family emergency kit can be fun for the family to do together. Here
is how to have a family emergency kit treasure hunt.
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