January 2020 Chapter Meeting - FEMA Planning and Community Preparedness
January Chapter Meeting – ACP at FEMA!
Each year our Colorado Rocky Mountain Chapter engages with FEMA for a program to keep our members informed of the ongoing work in Region VIII. This month we heard from Michael Brinkman, Regional Continuity Manager for the region as he discussed Operations Planning; i.e., the Region’s five-year plan, All Hazards Planning, and preparations for the upcoming flood season. Their strategic objectives are to build a culture of preparedness, ready the nation for catastrophic disasters, and reduce the complexity of FEMA. See Michael’s full planning presentation here. Be sure to access the final few slides that include excellent resources for your own awareness and training.
Michael’s presentation also provided information on the menu of options for the programs, training, and technical assistance that can be provided by the entire FEMA organization. It supports individuals, organizations, and communities with ICP (Individual and Community Preparedness) programs, research, tools, and best practices to promote, build, and sustain preparedness and resilience for any disaster or emergency.
In his role as Community Preparedness Officer, Michael helps to facilitate these FEMA or partner-hosted initiatives while continuing to create new and sustainable partnerships that allow them to innovate and remain flexible. Click here for the presentation on Community Preparedness. Check below for three additional topics shared during this valuable meeting with FEMA.
1. Community-Based Organizations
For a handout on Community-Based Organizations, click here. CBO’s are often the go-to service providers that families and individuals rely on in times of need. They are one of the first lines of defense that help communities fully respond to and recover from disasters. Without CBOs functioning at their full capacity in times of emergency, marginalized individuals are further exposed to hardship.
2. ICP Awards
Individual and Community Preparedness (ICP) Awards are the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) premiere opportunity to acknowledge innovative local practices and achievements by recognizing individuals, communities, and organizations that have made outstanding contributions towards making their communities better prepared for hazards.
Since its inception in 2009, FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division has received and reviewed hundreds of applications and formally awarded 101 winners with the ICP Award, including acknowledging 507 honorable mentions from communities Nationwide.
3. Ready Business
The Ready Business program helps small businesses and community-based organizations identify their risks, develop a plan, and take action to mitigate and prepare through hazard-specific toolkits and local workshops. In 2016, there were over 220 participants in events that focused on preparing for high winds and tornado, flood, and power outage. In 2017, there were over 440 individuals who participated in preparedness workshops that focused on preparing for earthquake, high winds and tornado, flood, and power outage.