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• Coast Guard Improved Acquisition Portfolio Management Could Help Address Aging Assets and Capability Gaps Statement of Marie A. Mak, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives

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  "The Coast Guard, a component within DHS [Department of Homeland Security], is spending billions of dollars to acquire assets, such as cutters and aircraft. This portfolio of major acquisition programs is intended to help the Coast Guard accomplish its missions--including interdicting illegal drugs and search and rescue missions. GAO's [Government Accountability Office] extensive prior work on Coast Guard acquisitions has found that the Coast Guard's reliance on its annual budget process to manage its portfolio is a major management challenge. In the report issued today, GAO discusses particular challenges with the Coast Guard's approach in managing its acquisition portfolio, such as not performing a collective assessment of the portfolio to ensure affordability"

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2018-07-24
• Strategic Petroleum Reserve: Observations on the Emergency Stockpile, Statement of Statement of Frank Rusco, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Energy, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives

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  "Over 4 decades ago, Congress authorized the SPR [Strategic Petroleum Reserve]--the world's largest government-owned stockpile of emergency crude oil--to reduce the impact of disruptions in supplies of petroleum products. Since 2015, Congress has also mandated sales of SPR oil to fund the modernization of SPR facilities and other national priorities. DOE [Department of Energy] manages the SPR, whose storage and related infrastructure is aging, and has plans to modernize its facilities. As a member of the International Energy Agency, the United States is obligated to maintain reserves equivalent to at least 90 days of the previous year's net imports (imports minus exports). As of March 2018, the SPR held about 665 million barrels of crude oil, about 138 days of net imports. This testimony highlights GAO's [Government Accountability Office] May 2018 report on the SPR, including the extent to which (1) DOE has identified the optimal size of the SPR, and (2) DOE's plans for modernizing the SPR take into account the effects of congressionally mandated crude oil sales. GAO reviewed DOE's documents and studies and interviewed agency officials."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2018-07-24
• Coast Guard Acquisitions: Actions Needed to Address Longstanding Portfolio Management Challenges, Report to Congressional Requesters

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  "The Coast Guard spends billions of dollars on its major acquisition programs to meet its missions. GAO's [Government Accountability Office] prior work has identified the Coast Guard's reliance on its annual budget process to manage its acquisition portfolio as a challenge. GAO was asked to review the recapitalization of the Coast Guard's acquisition portfolio. This report assesses, among other topics, the extent to which the Coast Guard has made changes to how it manages its acquisition portfolio. GAO assessed Coast Guard's major acquisition programs to determine changes since GAO's 2014 portfolio review. GAO analyzed program baselines and interviewed Coast Guard officials. GAO analyzed the CIP [Capital Investment Plan] for fiscal years 2014 through 2018, and reviewed the EOC's [Executive Oversight Council] documentation."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2018-07
• Improvised Threats: Warfighter Support Maintained, but Clearer Responsibilities and Improved Information Sharing Needed, Report to Congressional Committees

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  "IEDs [improvised explosive devices] are one of the most lethal weapons available to terrorists and enemy combatants. DOD reported that between January 2007 and February 2018, approximately 9,000 IED incidents were targeted against U.S. and allied military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan resulting in about 23,000 casualties. The House Armed Services Committee included a provision in a committee report for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to assess JIDO's [Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization] transition under DTRA [ Defense Threat Reduction Agency]. This report: (1) assesses the status of JIDO's transition under DTRA; (2) describes how, if at all, the transition has affected JIDO's warfighter support; and (3) identifies what, if any, challenges could affect JIDO's continued efficiency and effectiveness. GAO examined DOD documentation including directives and plans, and met with DOD officials."

  United States. Government Accountability Office

  2018-07
• Active Shooter Incidents in the United States from 2000-2016

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  This resource provides a list of active shooter incidents that took place in the United States between 2000-2016. The methodology used in compiling this list is articulated in A Study of Active Shooter Incidents in the United States Between 2000 and 2013 (Blair, J. Pete, and Schweit, Katherine W. [2014]. Texas State University and Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. 2014).

  United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation

  2017-10-03
• Mississippi River and Tributaries Waterways Action Plan: Missouri River Annex 2017

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  "This appendix provides general information and target gages to be used as a guideline for a crisis on the Missouri River. Like a crisis on the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), it is the responsibility of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and River Industry representatives to meet and discuss conditions on the Missouri River and to annually review the actions specified in the plan. This annex will normally be reviewed in conjunction with the winter navigation meeting. In Section 4 of this annex, the Missouri River has Action Plan Tables for High Water, Low Water and High Current. An Action Plan Table for ice conditions is not included as navigation does not normally occur during the ice period mid December to mid March of each year. The tables are divided by river reaches with three action phases (e.g., Watch, Action, and Recovery Phases) described in the plan. Support tables of historical river flow discharges and river stage references, including recommended close and open watch stages, are included."

  United States. Coast Guard

  2017
• Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2015

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  "This report continues a series of annual studies by USFA of on-duty firefighter fatalities in the U.S. The specific objective of this study is to identify all on-duty firefighter fatalities that occurred in the U.S. and its protectorates in 2015 and to analyze the circumstances surrounding each occurrence. The study is intended to help identify approaches that could reduce the number of firefighter deaths in future years."

  National Fire Data Center (U.S.); United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; United States Fire Administration; National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (U.S.); United States. Department of Homeland Security

  2016-10
• MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 11, 2016

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  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This issue of MMWR contains the following: "Health Care, Family, and Community Factors Associated with Mental, Behavioral, and Developmental Disorders in Early Childhood -- United States, 2011-2012"; "Evaluation of a National Call Center and a Local Alerts System for Detection of New Cases of Ebola Virus Disease -- Guinea, 2014-2015"; "Update: Providing Quality Family Planning Services -- Recommendations from CDC and the U.S. Office of Population Affairs, 2015"; "Vital Signs: Preventing Antibiotic-Resistant Infections in Hospitals -- United States, 2014"; "Increase in Reported Prevalence of Microcephaly in Infants Born to Women Living in Areas with Confirmed Zika Virus Transmission During the First Trimester of Pregnancy -- Brazil, 2015"; "Notes from the Field: Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Meningoencephalitis from a Household Rodent Infestation -- Minnesota, 2015"; and "QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged 18-64 Years Who Delayed or Did Not Receive Medical Care During the Past 12 Months Because of Cost, by Year -- National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2005-2014." Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables from this issue can be accessed at the following link [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/index2016.html]

  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)

  2016-03-11T00:00:00.000
• LLIS Lessons Learned: Lessons Learned from Permanent Housing Construction Operations in Remote Areas

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  "During rebuilding efforts after severe spring flooding in Central Alaska in 2013, FEMA and state partners overcame significant challenges related to the region's unique operating environment. This document examines logistical, cultural, and coordination lessons learned during the successful Permanent Housing Construction (PHC) operation."

  Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS); United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2016-03-10
• LLIS Innovative Practice: Community Resilience: Using a Religious Literacy Primer to Improve Engagement with Faith Communities

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  "In 2014, the National Disaster Interfaiths Network (NDIN) and the University of Southern California Dornsife Center for Religion and Civic Culture (USC-CRCC) released 'Working with U.S. Faith Communities During Crises, Disasters, and Public Health Emergencies: A Field Guide for Engagement, Partnerships, and Religious Competency (the Field Guide) and the Religious Literacy Primer for Crises, Disasters, and Public Health Emergencies' (the Primer). The Field Guide provides best practices and guidance for government leaders and emergency managers on approaching and partnering with faith communities as part of emergency response and preparedness activities. The Primer provides information on 24 faith traditions in the United States, and emergency managers can use it as a guide to better partner with and serve faith communities."

  Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS); United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2016-02-09
• LLIS Lesson Learned: Consular Notification: The International Notification and Situational Awareness Working Group

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  From the Summary: "FEMA Region I, in close coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Region I and the Northeast Consulate General Offices of the United Kingdom and Canada, convened the International Notification and Situational Awareness Working Group (INSAWG) to improve the procedure of consular notification when foreign nationals and visitors are impacted by disasters. This notification process can help identify and provide appropriate healthcare and human services for foreign nationals and visitors. It can also assist these individuals in arranging translation services, notifying family members, and facilitating travel arrangements."

  Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)

  2016-01-11
• Sessions 2 and 4 - Training

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  This is the Department of Homeland Security's emergency preparedness training for operationalizing HSPD-8.

  United States. Department of Homeland Security

  Estes, Derek

  2016-01-11
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: Part 11 - Emergency Alert System (EAS)

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  "This part contains rules and regulations providing for an Emergency Alert System (EAS). The EAS provides the President with the capability to provide immediate communications and information to the general public at the National, State and Local Area levels during periods of national emergency. The rules in this part describe the required technical standards and operational procedures of the EAS for analog AM, FM, and TV broadcast stations, digital broadcast stations, analog cable systems, digital cable systems, wireline video systems, wireless cable systems, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) services, Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS), and other participating entities. The EAS may be used to provide the heads of State and local government, or their designated representatives, with a means of emergency communication with the public in their State or Local Area."

  United States. Federal Communications Commission

  2015-12-17
• LLIS Innovative Practice: Georgia's Disaster Resilient Building Construction Appendices

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  "After damaging windstorms in 2008, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) created the Disaster Resilient Building Construction (DRBC) appendices to the International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC), which form the basis for building codes in most U.S. jurisdictions. The DRBC appendices offer an affordable, flexible, and simplified approach to improving resiliency at the local level. The two 2008 Federal disaster declarations from storms in Georgia led to state and local efforts to better understand and improve building resilience. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded DCA a grant to examine the state's existing building code and develop new voluntary DRBC standards to improve disaster resilience statewide."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)

  2015-12-11
• LLIS Lesson Learned: Funding Housing Recovery from Localized Incidents in Tennessee

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  "On August 5, 2012, a severe storm inundated Eastern Tennessee with five to six inches of rain in the span of a few hours. The National Weather Service categorized the rainfall as a once in a 600- to 800- year event. Officials from Washington County--the most severely affected county in Tennessee--needed to identify resources and funding for nearly 150 households whose homes were either heavily damaged or destroyed by the flooding. While the impact to the affected communities was proportionally large, the total damage was not enough to trigger FEMA Individual Assistance funds. Tennessee did receive assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA) in the form of low interest loans to individual homeowners, small businesses, and non-profits. Communities can qualify for these loans at lower thresholds than FEMA's Individual Assistance programs. However, many of the displaced households were not able to qualify for SBA loans because their incomes were too low, meaning those most affected by the flooding received the least assistance. As a result, local officials sought alternate sources of assistance to support recovery operations."

  Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS); United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-12-11
• FCC Consumer Guide: VoIP and 911 Service

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  Portable interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services can be used from virtually any Internet connection anywhere, which raises challenges for the emergency services community in determining the location from which a 911 call has originated. You should be aware that: [1] VoIP 911 calls may not connect to the PSAP, or may improperly ring to the administrative line of the PSAP [Public Safety Answering Point], which may not be staffed after hours, or by trained 911 operators. [2] VoIP 911 calls may correctly connect to the PSAP, but not automatically transmit the user's phone number and/or location information. [3] VoIP customers may need to provide location or other information to their VoIP providers, and update this information if they change locations, for their VoIP 911 service to function properly. [4] VoIP service may not work during a power outage, or when the Internet connection fails or becomes overloaded."

  United States. Federal Communications Commission

  2015-11-02
• LLIS Innovative Practice: South Carolina's Safe Home Program: Increasing Resiliency Among Coastal Populations

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  " South Carolina created the Safe Home program as part of the State's 'Omnibus Coastal Property Insurance Act of 2007', passed in response to rising coastal insurance rates and significant losses suffered by insurance companies after Hurricane Katrina. The State designed the Act to make future events less costly by keeping insurance prices affordable for homeowners and improving resiliency for individual homes. To achieve this goal, South Carolina began disbursing grants through the Safe Home program in October 2007, primarily to low- and middle-income homeowners in coastal counties. The South Carolina Department of Insurance (DoI) administers the program. Grant funds, raised via premium taxes on wind insurance, total around $2.2 million per year. An advisory committee composed of 20 members provides grant approval, program updates, and subject-matter expertise. The Governor and Director of Insurance of South Carolina appoint members of the advisory committee, including local building officials, academics, representatives from the private sector, and other state agencies."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)

  2015-09-28
• LLIS Innovative Practice: Georgia Training Workshops for Disaster Resilient Building Construction Practices

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  "In 2011, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the Georgia DCA [Department of Community Affairs] a grant to identify opportunities to improve Georgia's existing building codes. The DCA assembled a task force of subject-matter experts that evaluated damages from severe storms in Georgia, starting with two declared disasters in 2008. The task force used those events to develop resiliency measures that formed the foundation of the DRBC [Disaster Resilient Building Code] appendices--optional construction codes that increased requirements for disaster resilient construction for jurisdictions to adopt or modify to fit their specific needs. The appendices were available for adoption starting January 1, 2013. As part of the HUD grant activities, and in order to increase awareness and understanding of the DRBC appendices, Georgia DCA developed DRBC training workshops. Georgia DCA held the first DRBC training workshops in December 2012 in the cities of Swainsboro and Waynesboro. DCA continued to hold training workshops through December 2013. Due to grant requirements, DCA could only hold the workshops in the regions affected by the 2008 declared disasters. However, attendance at these events was open to participants from across the state."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)

  2015-09-28
• LLIS Lesson Learned: Long Term Recovery Committees: Lessons Learned from the 2009 Georgia Floods

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  "Between September 18 and October 9, 2009, heavy rains in the Atlanta metropolitan area caused a 500-year flood event. Rising waters caused more than $500 million in damages, affected some 20,000 homes, businesses and other buildings, and killed 10 people. As a result, 23 Georgia counties received Federal disaster declarations. Following the floods, the State turned to Georgia VOAD [Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster], an umbrella organization that coordinates efforts between the voluntary organizations that comprise its membership. The 'Georgia Housing Strategy' gives Georgia VOAD the responsibility for standing up volunteer-staffed LTRCs [Long Term Recovery Committees]. Georgia VOAD establishes LTRCs, as needed, in localities affected by disaster. Depending on the size of the disaster there can be one or more LTRCs operational at the same time. These LTRCs carry out debris removal, damage assessments, and temporary and permanent housing repairs. A primary focus of LTRCs is to address the housing-related needs of families and individuals that insurance and disaster assistance programs do not meet."

  Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS); United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-09-28
• LLIS Lesson Learned: Alabama Long-Term Community Recovery Task Force

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  "On April 27, 2011, a storm system struck Alabama causing widespread damage and claiming the lives of 252 people. Three successive waves of tornadoes wreaked havoc on rural and urban communities alike, including two of the most powerful tornadoes ever recorded in Alabama. The American Red Cross estimated that the storms destroyed 23,553 homes and caused $1.1 billion in property damage. The April storms compounded Alabama's existing housing shortage."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)

  2015-09-28
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: SBA Helps Homeowner Reach New Heights

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  "When Michael Barnett purchased his house in Long Beach in 2000, it was with the understanding that the house had sustained flooding in the past. The house sits a short distance from Reynolds Channel, which connects with the Atlantic Ocean, and at high tide the water is usually only 25 feet from the rear wall. Damage from previous flooding was obvious. Some sections of the floor were warped and some of the doors stuck due to water damage. To initially deal with the flooding concerns, Barnett engaged in some minor mitigation around the property, including landscaping the yard to improve drainage, reworking the gutters, and raising the electrical outlets. As a precaution, he kept a supply of sandbags and plywood on hand for future flood situations. It wasn't until Tropical Storm Irene came in August 2011 that Barnett found all his previous efforts weren't enough. 'The water (from Irene) was the highest I've ever seen it since I moved in in 2000,' said Barnett. 'It just poured into my yard…I had 28 inches of water in my house.' When the water finally receded, Barnett realized it was time to do something about the problem. Having no intention of moving or losing his home to another flood in the future, he began looking into options to deal with the constant flooding. The obvious solution was to raise his house. Barnett received financial assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to accomplish his goal."

  Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS); United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-09-22
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Flood Control: A Piece of Mind for Some New Jersey Residents

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  "On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy swept across the New Jersey coast causing catastrophic surges and extreme damage to homes and businesses. Residents were preparing for the worst and the citizens of the Borough of Roselle feared severe flooding. The major flood control project was under construction and many hoped it would keep much of the flooding at bay. The current stage of construction helped hold back the flooding during Sandy. The year prior, Hurricane Irene brought more than eight and a half inches of rainfall that brought extreme flooding. Some residents had eight to ten feet of water in their homes. Residents in Roselle have had their share of flooding. Even before Hurricane Irene, structures along Morses Creek, which passes through the borough, would be inundated with flooding after every major rain event. After many years, a major storm water channel revitalization project was developed to lessen the problem. Many officials came together to form a committee to oversee the project's success. Roselle Councilwoman Christine Dansereau became a member of the borough's council in order to ensure something was done about the major flooding in her neighborhood."

  Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS); United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-09-22
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Relocating the Road Can Be a Cost Effective Mitigation Measure

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  "Catahoula Parish has had a tumultuous relationship with the Ouachita and Black Rivers as these rivers are prone to high-velocity flooding. Soil erosion occurs naturally, but certain factors such as water and wind can accelerate, and worsen, its effects. In the parish, floodwaters from the rivers damaged nearby roadways, prompting parish officials to seek mitigation measures to break the cycle of destruction and repair. 'We had fixed sections of Moody Road and Means Lake Road twice. The third time, we decided to really take major action,' said Catahoula Parish Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Ellis Boothe. 'It wasn't economically feasible to rebuild the roads in their original location. Yet I wanted the best fix within the allowable realm.' In 2009, heavy rainfall resulted in high-velocity flooding that undercut and washed away Moody Road's embankment right-of-way at four places near the Black River. The same flood event did similar damage to a large section of embankment on Means Lake Road beside the Ouachita River. A cost-benefit analysis showed relocating the roads would be significantly more cost effective than repairing the roads. The parish received funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Public Assistance 406 Mitigation Program to help fund the two roadway relocation projects."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-09-22
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Tested and Proven Success: Stormwater Improvement System Prevents Flooding

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  "Hurricane Fran overwhelmed much of eastern North Carolina with nearly 100 mph wind gusts and 8 to 10 inches of rain when it devastated the state in 1996. The storm caused an estimated $5 billion in damage in NC alone. River Bend, a town in Craven County, experienced massive flood damage so the town officials applied for Federal assistance for a project to relieve the town from future flooding. 'Fran was a wake-up call for our town,' said River Bend Mayor John R. Kirkland. River Bend town officials applied to the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management (NCEM) for funds from FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to assist with the project costs. River Bend's storm water system totaled $519,709 and FEMA funded $392,501, leaving the remaining $127,208 to the state. Under HMGP, eligible states and local governments can apply and be awarded grants for up to 75 percent of total project cost to complete mitigation measures following major disaster declarations."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-09-22
• LLIS Best Practice: U.S. Multi-Hazards Used in Support of Utah Seismic Safety Legislation

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  "The State of Utah has recently taken important steps to reduce the vulnerability of schools to damaging earthquakes, as well as addressing its Unreinforced Masonry (URM) building stock. U.S. Multi-Hazards (Hazus-MH) has played an important role in these initiatives. The model has sharpened the focus on the vulnerability of schools in this region to damaging earthquakes. Specifically, Hazus-MH has been used to estimate losses and potential casualties from scenario earthquakes in a region that is among the most susceptible in the U.S. to seismic activity. The Wasatch Front region of Utah is an extremely active seismic zone that experiences approximately 700 earthquakes per year. Though many of these temblors are less than 3.0 on the Richter magnitude scale, a 7.0 earthquake will occur roughly once every 350 years along the central portion of the Wasatch Fault. The last large quake along the fault occurred between 400 and 600 years ago. The Wasatch Front is home to Utah's most populous counties, including the counties of Salt Lake, Utah and Davis. More than 80 percent of Utah's population is located in areas that are subject to large earthquakes. Although Utah has been a national leader in incorporating seismic design into modern building codes, the seismic threat was not widely recognized in Utah until the mid-1970s. As a result, many (±185,000) of the buildings in the area are 'Unreinforced Masonry Buildings' or 'URMs,' which are brick and mortar structures that are not reinforced by steel, and tend to be brittle and inflexible during earthquake events."

  Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS)

  2015-09-22
• LLIS Lesson Learned: Using Exercises to Identify Whole Community Resources: South Carolina's 2013 Hurricane Table Top Exercise

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  "On July 16, 2013, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) hosted a six-hour tabletop exercise (TTX) for members of its Housing Solutions Task Force (SCHSTF) to test the South Carolina Disaster Housing Plan. The Plan was South Carolina's first attempt at formalizing a disaster housing response and officials had not tested it in an exercise or real-world disaster. The TTX revealed a number of capabilities that were available to the State but previously unidentified. South Carolina is using the results of the exercise to update the Plan and strengthen statewide disaster-housing response. […] The exercise simulated a Category 3 hurricane making landfall in Georgetown and Horry Counties and covered a 28-day time span, beginning 48 hours post-landfall. The exercise included simulated damages to over 27,000 homes and incorporated a mock Presidential Disaster Declaration and Governor-declared State of Emergency. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region IV, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and multiple state agencies participated. Representatives from several non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as three county-level emergency management departments, also took part in the exercise."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-09-04?
• LLIS Innovative Practice: Mass Care: Tracking Animals During the Black Forest Wildfire

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  "During the 2013 Black Forest Wildfire in Colorado, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) successfully utilized existing technology to develop a system that tracked and reunited evacuated animals with their owners. On June 11, 2013, the Black Forest Wildfire in El Paso County, Colorado, forced the mandatory evacuation of 500 homes, making it the single most destructive fire in Colorado history in terms of residential properties lost. Animal evacuation and reunification in such situations usually presents considerable logistical and organizational challenges. El Paso County and CDPHE adapted a patient tracking system designed for the Veteran's Administration (VA) to assist with tracking rescued animals. […] El Paso County and CDPHE successfully used the system to track rescued animals throughout the entire event, including back and forth between El Paso and Elbert Counties as the fire moved, and then reunite them with their respective owners during the disaster. Moving forward, CDPHE intends to make minor modifications to this existing system and proposes sharing this resource with local jurisdictions."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-09-04?
• LLIS Innovative Practice: Nashville Floods: Automated Building Permits

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  "In the aftermath of the 2010 Nashville floods, requests for rebuilding permits overwhelmed the city's Department of Codes and Building Safety. The Department repurposed an existing permitting system to expedite applicant requests, allowing the Department to focus on more severe cases. […] On May 1-2, 2010, the Cumberland River basin experienced a 1,000-year rainfall that resulted in a flood in excess of a 500-year event, inundating the Nashville Metropolitan area. The flooding damaged approximately 12,000 homes and claimed 11 lives. After the storm, an initial 9,000 requests for rebuilding permits overwhelmed the Nashville Department of Codes and Building Safety. To cope with the surge in requests, the Department repurposed its e-Permitting system for use by residential flood victims. This allowed individuals with minimally damaged homes to skip the lengthy in-person application process and self-issue their permits online."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-09-01?
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Nontraditional Wildfire Mitigation in Bastrop County, Texas

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  "On Sunday, September 4, 2011, a firestorm engulfed Bastrop County, Texas, destroying 1,688 homes, burning more than 34,000 acres, and claiming two lives. The Bastrop County Complex Fire was the most devastating wildfire in Texas' history and steps are being taken to protect residents and prevent history from repeating itself. Mike Fisher, Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management Coordinator, says fuel reduction is one action the county is taking to minimize the threat. As dead, fallen vegetative, and tree material accumulates on the ground, it creates a continuous source of understory fuel. When ignited, the resulting fire burns hotter, spreads faster, lasts longer, and covers more ground. When fuel is reduced, fires are less intense. […] The county received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to fund the hazardous fuels mitigation project. 'We targeted nearly 4,000 acres, which we are developing into a north project and a south project,' says Fisher. 'For each project, we conducted an in-depth study of the wildland urban interface to identify the line, area, or zone where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels.' He says the developed areas feature a mix of houses located on small, medium, and large lot sizes. […] The HMGP grant has a two-year performance period so Fisher says the county is focusing on what it can do in that timespan. With the funds, the county has designed a mechanical thinning process using skid steers, which are low-impact machines with a mulching head on the front with teeth. Operators grind up the understory and remove undesirable species growing under the tree canopy. In a wildfire outbreak, the fire stays on the ground and does not go into the trees."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-09-01?
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: A Mitigation Measure Designed to Save Lives

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  "Every year, approximately eight flood-related fatalities occur in the state of Texas, according to a report published by the Texas Department of Transportation Research and Technology Implementation Office. Seventy-six percent of those accidents involve vehicles washed away or motorists trapped in their vehicles. Hays County is in one of several Texas districts that have developed signing strategies to warn motorists of low-water crossings."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2015-09-01