National Association of Regional Councils

Homeland Security

Updated May 8, 2008
NARC President Betty Knight Submits Testimony on Disaster Mitigation Grant Program
Click HERE to access the testimony.

Updated April 28, 2008
FEMA unveils its new 5 Year Strategic Plan
April 15, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has released the new Strategic Plan, covering Fiscal Years 2008 – 2013, today at its “All Hands” employee meeting.

The new Strategic Plan outlines a clear roadmap for building a stronger, dynamic, and innovative New FEMA that fulfills its vision of becoming the Nation’s Preeminent Emergency Management and Preparedness Agency. The Plan establishes strategic goals, objectives, and strategies that provide a solid framework that enables the FEMA workforce to work together regardless of program or geographic location in implementing FEMA’s vision. It also helps keep the Agency focused and on track in building an organization that is in close touch with America and valued across all jurisdictions as an engaged, agile, responsive, and trusted leader and partner.

The Strategic Plan sets five primary goals to build a strong and adaptable national emergency management system, which are as follows:

Leads an integrated approach that strengthens the Nation’s ability to address disasters, emergencies, and terrorist events;
Delivers easily accessible and coordinated assistance for all programs;
Provides reliable information at the right time for all users;
FEMA invests in people and people invest in FEMA to ensure mission success;
Builds public trust and confidence through performance and stewardship.

Ultimately, the Plan helps FEMA to build an emergency management system that better leverages existing national capabilities, emphasizes responsibility for individual preparedness and enhances public and private sector partnerships in mitigating all hazard risks.

The Plan and a “Plan-in-Brief” are available online at www.fema.gov/about/strategicplanfy08. Should you have any questions or special requests, feel free to contact Lara Worley, FEMA Intergovernmental Affairs, at 202.646.4520 or lara.worley@dhs.gov.

Updated April 10, 2008
Lessons From Katrina
A book review of lessons from Katrina for home preparedness planning and of hazard mitigation investment decision making is included in the March 2008 Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. To access the complete review, click here.

GAO Recommendations to Secretary of Homeland Security
GAO has made recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security to improve the information provided to decision makers; better inform future estimates by incorporating past experience; and improve the management of FEMA's disaster-related resources. Click here to download GAO Report (GAO-08-301)

Updated April 9, 2008
Emergency system rolled out for Philadelphia area
From The Philadelphia Inquirer

The City of Philadelphia and surrounding Pennsylvania counties yesterday rolled out a new text-messaging system that will help to answer the most pressing question during an emergency: Should I stay or should I go?

Click here to access the complete article.

FEMA Misses Second Deadline for Disaster Housing Plan
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has failed to meet an April 1st deadline to complete a congressionally mandated disaster housing strategy that was already overdue. Under a 2006 law (PL 109-295), FEMA in coordination with other federal agencies, governments and organizations was required to produce the National Disaster Housing Strategy by July 2007.

For additional details regarding the FEMA Disaster Housing Strategy, click here.

Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) responds: click here for the press release.

Report Notes “Moderate to Modest” progress at FEMA
In a report released by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Inspector General, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has not made substantial progress in key emergency preparedness areas. Instead, FEMA has made moderate to modest progress in eight of nine of the most important preparedness areas. According to the report, FEMA has made moderate progress in five areas: overall planning, coordination and support, interoperable communications, logistics and acquisition management. The agency has made modest progress in three areas: handling evacuations, providing housing for displaced persons, and building a workforce to deal with disasters.

To read the full report, please click here.

Updated March 14, 2008
Better Coordination, Information Sharing Key Lesson From Cyber-Exercise
From Congressional Quarterly

The Homeland Security Department says improved coordination and information sharing capabilities with private sector and government partners was “the most important lesson” learned during its second large-scale cybersecurity exercise.

Updated March 13, 2008
NARC Board Members Submit Two Applications to the FEMA National Advisory Council
Two NARC Board Members - Commissioner Patti Clapper (NARC Region XIII) and Commissioner Dave Danielson (NARC Region I) - have submitted applications to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Advisory Council (NAC). The NAC was established by the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PL 109-295) and provides advice and recommendations to FEMA on such topics as the National Response Framework (NRF), the national preparedness system and other areas. The NAC is currently composed of 33 members from around the country include officials, emergency managers and response providers from tribal, state and local governments, the private sector and non-governmental organizations.

Commissioners Clapper and Danielson are approaching their NAC applications from different points of view and, therefore, will not be competing with one another. Commissioner Clapper is looking to create a new “regional” category/seat on the NAC and Commissioner Danielson is looking to build upon his experience with public works and utilities as a piece of the “critical infrastructure” component and his work as Chair of the New Hampshire Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (WARN).

NARC will continue to keep you updated on this and any other developments that occur.

Overview of FY2009 Presidential Budget Request for Homeland Security
The President’s budget requests $37 million for the Transportation Security Administration’s surface transportation program (covering both mass transit and rail security), which is a decrease of nearly $10 million from the FY08 level.

The President’s request would drastically cut the budget for the Targeted Infrastructure Protection Grants Program, funding for rail, mass transit, trucking and port security, from the enacted FY 2008 level of $400 million to $175 million. In addition, the President’s request would slice funding in half for trucking security (down to $8 million) and port security grants (down to $210 million from the $400 million enacted for FY 2008.)

The President’s budget request for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) provides for an initial increase of $286.5 million over the FY 2008 enacted amount.

The President’s budget includes a colossal $750 million (79%) cut for the State Homeland Security Grant (SHSGP), which provides grants to first responders in all fifty states and U.S. territories to help them prevent, prepare for, and respond to an act of terrorism or other emergency. The President requests $200 million for FY09 compared to the enacted FY08 amount of $950 million.

The President’s budget requests $825 million for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program, a slight increase of $5 million over the enacted FY08 level.

The President’s budget reduces Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) program to $200 million, a significant difference from the enacted FY08 level of $300 million. The EMPG grants are the primary source of federal funding to state and local emergency management programs for planning, training, exercising, and hiring personnel for use in all hazards.

The President’s budget provides level funding for Citizen Corps programs at $15 million.

The President’s budget provides $110 million for a new National Security and Terrorism Prevention Grant program to provide competitive grants to state and local agencies to address national vulnerabilities.

The President’s budget eliminates funding for Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grants, the Buffer Zone Protection Program and the Interoperable Communications Grant program.

For FEMA mitigation programs, the President’s budget requests $75 million for the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Fund, representing a $39 million cut and $150 million for the Flood Map Modernization Fund, a $70 million cut. The Disaster Relief program will receive a $500 million funding boost to $1.9 billion.

DHS Releases Grant Application Guidance for Over $3 Billion in Programs
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released application guidance for 14 federal grant programs whose collective purpose is to strengthen prevention, protection, response and recovery capabilities at all levels of government. The Department uses the application guidance to set strategic priorities that the White House’s “National Homeland Security Strategy” and align with the Department's National Preparedness Guidelines and the recently released National Response Framework. Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 grant programs provide $376.3 million more than last year to enhance the nation’s ability to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.

Click HERE to access the Guidance.

Send NARC Applicants/Nominations for FEMA National Advisory Council Members

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is seeking applicants for its National Advisory Council (NAC). The NAC was established by the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (PL 109-295), the NAC provides advice and recommendations to FEMA on such topics as the National Response Framework (NRF), the national preparedness system and other areas.

The 33 members from around the country include officials, emergency managers and response providers from tribal, state and local governments, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. Last week, the council finalized its initial areas of focus and solidified its leadership structure. NAC Chairman G. Kemble Bennett approved subcommittees on housing, the Stafford Act, private-sector relationships and special needs groups. He also named chairmen of those subcommittees and the two mandated standing subcommittees on the NRF and National Incident Management System.

FEMA is encouraging current council members whose one year terms expire in June to reapply. Going forward, all terms will be for three years. There will be 11 openings in the areas of emergency management, emergency response, health scientist, standards setting, infrastructure protection, communications, disabilities, non-elected local government official and elected tribal official.

NARC would like to submit members as applicants to ensure that the regional voice is represented on the NAC. If you or someone from your organization is interested, please email Shannon Menard with a resume highlighting the NARC applicant’s experience in emergency management and related fields, along with letters of recommendation.

Submissions must be sent to NARC no later than COB Tuesday, March 11^th. Please contact me with any questions.

FEMA's National Advisory Council to Hold Inaugural Meeting
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Advisory Council (NAC) will hold its inaugural meeting over October 22-23, 2007, at the Crystal City Sheraton in Arlington, Virginia.

At the meeting, members will be introduced and sworn in, and the Chair and Vice Chair will be introduced. Members will also receive briefings on the status of the reorganized Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its programs, and will discuss the vision, priorities and structure for the NAC.

The mission of the NAC is to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of national preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation for natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters by:

DHS Extends Public Comment Period for National Response Framework
The Department of Homeland Security has extended the public comment period on the draft National Response Framework a little over a week, at the request of a member of House Homeland Security Committee and other interested parties. The document’s availability for public comment began Sept. 10 and was originally supposed to end Oct. 11. It has been extended to October 22.

NARC formally submitted comments for the document on the original close date of October 11. Please contact Shannon Menard if you would like a copy of the comments.

NARC Supports Oberstar-Holmes Norton GAO Study Request on DHS National Response Plan
NARC sent a letter of support to House Transportation & Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) and subcommittee Chairwoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) in their request to GAO to study the DHS National Response Plan, which Oberstar and Norton believe “ignores the important role that states and local governments play in a disaster and recovery.”

Click here to read NARC's letter. To learn more about the Congressional request, please visit the House Transportation & Infrastructure website.

DHS Unveils Draft National Response Framework
Yesterday the Department of Homeland Security released the draft National Response Framework for disaster preparation and response for federal, state and local leaders to follow in times of crisis, replacing the National Response Plan. It focuses on response and short-term recovery, laying out principals and structures for preparing and responding to disasters across all levels of government and all sectors of communities.

The draft plan is broken down into seven sections:

Incorporating input from tribal, state, and local governments, and the public and private sectors;

Providing an avenue for feedback, suggestions and constructive criticisms from the diverse government, private sector and non-profit partners involved in any disaster activities; and

Providing a venue for input during the development and revision of key plans and strategies in emergency management.

The development of the NAC was set into motion by the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006. Members are appointed by the Administrator and represent a geographic and significant cross section of officials from emergency management and law enforcement, and include emergency management executives, adjutants general, and emergency response providers from state, local, and tribal governments, private sector, and nongovernmental organizations.

The meeting will be open to the public, with a public comment period scheduled to take place on October 23, 2007, between 3:15 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Written comments or requests to make oral presentations should be received by October 15, 2007. Instructions and additional information may be found at www.regulations.gov or a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/E7-19063.htm.

The core document —to guide a national response, defined roles and responsibilities, and response actions.

Emergency support function annexes —capabilities and resources.

Support annexes — descriptions of common support processes and specific administrative requirements.

Incident annexes —core procedures, roles and responsibilities for specific contingencies.

National planning scenarios —strategic guidance and operational plans.

Strategic guidance —national priorities and capabilities.

Playbooks — checklists to ensure coordinated responses 15 high-consequence threat scenarios.

Yesterday NARC attended a meeting with Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security Michael Jackson and White House Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security: Joel Bagnal for the unveiling of the National Response Plan and the White House’s National Strategy for Homeland Security.

The National Response Framework will be open to public comment for 30 days and the White House National Strategy will be open for public comment for one week only. NARC will be submitting comment for both these items.

To read the draft National Response Framework, please visit http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nrf/mainindex.htm. To read the Department of Homeland Security’s press release, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1189450382144.shtm.

NARC Issues Homeland Security Brief
To read about NARC's Homeland Security activities and interests moving forward, including the FEMA Regional Advisory Council, FY08 DHS Authorization language, Regional Homeland Security Institute, and case studies, please click here.

NARC Supports Member Nominations to FEMA Regional Advisory Councils
Last month NARC sent letters to targeted FEMA Regional Administators supporting NARC member nominations to the soon-to-be formed "Regional Advisory Councils" (see a more detailed description below). NARC support was lent to the following organizations and their nominees:

Region III: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments - Mr. Gordon Aoyagi
Region IV: Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council - Ms. Laurie Feagans and Ms. Betti Johnson
Region V: Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission - Mr. Matthew Lindsay
Region VI: Central Texas Council of Governments - Mr. Jim Reed
Region VI: Texas Association of Regional Councils - Mr. Michael Ada

The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs is also assisting with support of these nominations to ensure regional councils are represented on these Advisory Councils throughout the country.

FEMA Regional Offices Accepting Nominations for "Regional Advisory Council"
Last October, President Bush signed into law (PL 109-295) a homeland security appropriations bill (HR 5441), which calls for the establishment of “Regional Advisory Councils,” requiring the Regional Administrators in each of the ten FEMA Regional Offices to partner with state and local governments, emergency managers, emergency response providers, multi-jurisdictional councils of governments and regional planning commissions to advise the Regional Administrator of emergency management issues within the region that might complicate preparedness, protection, response, recovery or mitigation efforts.

Guidance on this was recently received in the regional offices and they currently undergoing a vetting process to submit names to DHS by July 31, 2007. NARC members have small window of time to submit suggestions and we strongly urge you to contact your regional office and submit a nomination(s) as soon as possible. This draft letter can be personalized and sent to the applicable regional administrator - see below for region information.

Please notify NARC of your nomination and we will submit a supporting letter if time permits. It is important that this is completed now to get a representative from your organization on record, as each Regional Office will be looking to fill additional seats each year for the next three years.

A couple of things to note about the Council and qualified nominees:

1. The number of seats per region are determined by the size of the region; the propensity of that region to experience natural disasters and other emergencies; risk of terrorism within the region; and, state, local and tribal preparedness as measured against the National Preparedness Goal. It’s going to vary from region to region.

2. Those qualified for nomination that NARC members can nominate include emergency managers, emergency response providers, emergency support providers AND state, local and tribal governments within the geographic area served by the Regional Office can appoint officials, including Adjutants General and emergency managers (other members will include Federal Gov’t officials from a variety of the Agencies).

REGION I
Serving: CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT
Contact:
Art Cleaves, Regional Administrator
Kenneth Horak, Deputy Administrator

99 High Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Tel: (617) 956-7506
Email: Kenneth.horak@dhs.gov

REGION II
Serving: NJ, NY, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
Contact: Stephen Kempf Jr, Regional Administrator

26 Federal Plaza, Suite 1337
New York, NY 10278-0002
Tel: (212) 680-8516
Email: stephen.kempf@dhs.gov

REGION III
Serving: DE, PA, DC, MD, WV, VA
Contact: Jonathan D. Sarubbi, Regional Administrator

615 Chestnut Street
One Independence Mall, Sixth Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19106-4404
Tel: (215) 931-5608
Email: jonathan.sarubbi@dhs.gov

REGION IV
Serving: AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN
Contact: Major Phillip May, Regional Administrator

3003 Chamblee Tucker Road
Atlanta, GA 30341
Tel: (770) 220-5200
Fax: (770) 220-5230
Email: phillip.may@dhs.gov

REGION V
Serving: IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI
Contact: Edward G. Buikema, Regional Administrator

536 South Clark St., 6th Floor
Chicago, IL 60605
Tel: (312) 408-5515
Email: edward.buikema@dhs.gov

REGION VI
Serving: AR, LA, TX, NM, OK
Contact: William Peterson, Regional Administrator

FRC 800 North Loop 288
Denton, TX 76209-3698
Tel: (940) 898-5399
Email: william.peterson@dhs.gov

REGION VII
Serving: IA, KS, MO, NE
Contact: Dick Hainje, Regional Administrator

9221 Ward Parkway, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO. 64114-3372
Tel: (816) 283-7063
Email: dick.hainje@dhs.gov

REGION VIII
Serving: CO, ND, SD, MT, UT, WY
Contact: Robert Lee Flowers, Regional Administrator

Denver Federal Center
Building 710, Box 25267
Denver, CO 80255-02674404
Tel: (303) 235-4800
Email: robert.flowers@dhs.gov

REGION IX
Serving: AZ, CA, HI, NV, American Samoa, Guam, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Micronesia
Contact: Nancy Ward, Regional Administrator

1111 Broadway, Suite 1200
Oakland, CA 94607-4052
Tel: (510) 627-7100
Email: nancy.ward@dhs.gov

REGION X
Serving: AK, ID, WA, OR
Contact: Susan Reinertson, Regional Administrator

Federal Regional Center
130 228th Street, SW
Bothell, WA 98021-8627
Tel: (425) 487-4600
Email: susan.reinertson@dhs.gov

Preparedness Publications Available from FEMA
To help communities, families, and individuals get informed, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers free publications designed to provide assistance in planning and preparing for disasters.

The “Are You Ready?” guide provides a step-by-step approach to disaster preparedness by walking the reader through how to gain knowledge of local emergency plans, how to identify hazards that affect their area and instructing them on how to develop and maintain an emergency communications plan and building a disaster supplies kit.

Other preparedness publications offered by FEMA include:

Preparing for Disaster - FEMA 475

Helping Children Cope with Disaster - FEMA 478

Food and Water in an Emergency - FEMA 477

Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs - FEMA 476

Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book (for ages 3-10) - FEMA 243E

To obtain these publications and many more, visit www.fema.gov, or call the FEMA Distribution Center at 1-800-480-2520. Also, you can request them by mail from:

Federal Emergency Management Agency
P.O. Box 2012
Jessup, MD 20794-2012

FY2008 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill

	FY2007 Enacted	FY2008 White House Request	FY2008 House Allocation	FY2008 Senate Allocation
OVERALL DHS TOTAL Department of Homeland Security	$33.7billion	$34.2 billion	$37.4 billion	$37.6 billion
Allocation: Customs and Border Protection	$8 billion	$8.75 billion	$8.8 billion	N/A
Allocation: Transportation Security Administration	$6.3 billion	$6.4 billion	$6.62 billion	N/A
Allocation: FEMA Management	$535 million	$668 million	$685 million	$668 million
Allocation: State and Local Grants	$900 million	$250 million	$950 million	$1.5 billion
Allocation: Urban Area Grants	$770 million	$800 million	$800 million	$820 million
Allocation: Transit Grants	$175 million	$175 million	$400 million	$400 million
Allocation: Emergency Management Performance Grants	$200 million	$200 million	$300 million	$300 million
Allocation: Port Security Grants	$210 million	$210 million	$400 million	$400 million
Allocation: Infrastructure Protection	$173 million	$240 million	$272 million	N/A
Allocation: Disaster Relief Fund	$1.5 billion	$1.7 billion	$1.7 billion	N/A
Allocation: Pre-Disaster Mitigation	$100 million	$100 million	$120 million	$120 million

(NOTE: The above represent only some of the funding in the DHS Appropriations bill, focusing on those funding areas most important to NARC members. Those listed as “N/A” are areas where the funding was vague and will be determined in the next mark up by the full Committee.)

Under the House bill, all grants and contract funds must be obligated through a full and open competitive process except where other funding distribution mechanisms are in statue and allows the Secretary of DHS to waive this requirement in emergencies.

Click here to view a list of House and Senate earmark requests for their respective FY08 Homeland Security Appropriations bills.

President Bush has indicated several times that any spending over his requested amounts will be vetoed.

On July 9, 2007, NARC sent a letter to Senate Appropriations Chairman Byrd (D-WV) and Ranking Member Cochran (R-MS) to support increased funding levels for homeland security programs that will benefit local and regional preparedness and response.

FEMA Announces National Advisory Council Members
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has officially announced those appointed to serve on the National Advisory Council, which will advise the FEMA administrator on all aspects of preparedness and emergency management. The Council will hold four meetings a year for their three-year commitment, with the first one scheduled for this fall. The members are as follows:

CATEGORY: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Dr. G. Kemble "Kem" Bennett (TX) - Vice Chancellor for Engineering and Dean of the Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M University.

Joseph Bruno (NY) - Commissioner of the New York City Office of Emergency Management

Albert Ashwood (OK) - Director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management & President of the National Emergency Management Association

CATEGORY: EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Stephen Cassidy (NY) - President of the Uniformed Firefighters Assoc. of Greater New York.

Kurt Krumperman (AZ) - Corporate Senior Vice President for Rural/Metro Corporation, the second largest provider of emergency and non-emergency ambulance services in the U.S.

Cathey Eide (CA) - Special Programs Coordinator for the Oakland Fire Department, EMS Division.

CATEGORY: PUBLIC HEALTH

Dr. Christina Lynn Catlett (DC) - Executive Director of The George Washington University Center for Emergency Preparedness & Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University Hospital.

CATEGORY: EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROVIDER

Angelia Mary Elgin, R.N. (MO) - Instructor at the IHM Health Studies Center, St. Louis Community College, Fire Academy; Licensed, Registered Professional Nurse, St. Louis University Hospital; Firefighter/ Paramedic, University City Fire Department

CATEGORY: HEALTH SCIENTIST

Dr. Kenneth Miller (CA) - Medical Director of the Orange County Fire Authority; Assistant Medical Director of the Orange County Healthcare Agency/Emergency Medical Services; Co-Director of the University of California-Irvine School of Medicine EMS & Disaster Medical Sciences Fellowship

CATEGORY: IN-PATIENT MEDICAL PROVIDER

Dr. Robert Gougelet (NH) - Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Emergency Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

CATEGORY: STANDARDS SETTING

Robert Connors (MA) - Director of Preparedness for Raytheon Company.

James Paturas (CT) - Deputy Director of the Yale New Haven Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response.

CATEGORY: INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION

Ann Beauchesne (DC) - Executive Director, Homeland Security Division, of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

CATEGORY: CYBER SECURITY

Phillip Reitinger (WA) - Critical Infrastructure Protection Team with Microsoft Corp.

CATEGORY: COMMUNICATIONS

David Barron (DC) - Assistant Vice President (Retired) for Federal Relations/National Security at the BellSouth (ATT) Corporation.

CATEGORY: DISABILITIES

Hilary Styron (DC) - Director of the Emergency Preparedness Initiative within the National Organization on Disability.

CATEGORY: SPECIAL NEEDS

Irene Collins (AL) - Executive Director of the Alabama Department of Senior Services.

CATEGORY: STATE GOVERNMENT

John William "Bill" Libby (ME) - Major General and Adjutant General and Commissioner of Defense for the State of Maine.

CATEGORY: LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Susanne Torriente (FL) - Chief of Staff and Assistant County Manager for Public Safety, Information and Technology, for Miami-Dade County.

CATEGORY: TRIBAL GOVERNMENT

Charles Kmet (AZ) - Emergency Management Administrator for the Tohono O'Dham Department of Public Safety.

CATEGORY: STATE ELECTED OFFICIAL

John Wesley Hines (MS) - Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and its Gaming; Insurance; Juvenile Justice; Military Affairs; Ports, Harbors & Airports; Public Health & Human Services and Public Utilities committees

CATEGORY: LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL

Dr. Michael Brown, FACOG (ND) - Mayor of Grand Forks

CATEGORY: TRIBAL ELECTED OFFICIAL

Phillip Martin (MS) - Tribal Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

FEMA ADMINISTRATOR SELECTIONS

Joanne Hayes-White (CA) - Chief of the San Francisco Fire Department.

Nancy J. Dragani (OH) - Executive Director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.

Albert Najera (CA) - Chief of the Sacramento Police Department.

John Didion (WA) - Sheriff of Pacific County.

Mark Malcolm (AR) - Pulaski County Coroner

HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISORY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE (EX OFFICIO)

Dr. Richard "Dick" Andrews (CA) - Senior Director of Homeland Security Projects, NC4

OFFICER OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (EX OFFICIO)

Peter Verga (DC) - Principal Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense, U.S. Department of Defense.

GAO Makes Hurricane Preparedness Recommendations to House Homeland Security Committee
The House Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on Monday, May 15^th entitled, “The 2007 Hurricane Season: Are We Prepared?” The hearing featured the following witnesses:

The Honorable R. David Paulison, Undersecretary, Federal Emergency Management Agency

Mr. William Jenkins, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues Division, U.S. Government Accountability Office

Mr. Craig Fugate, Director, Florida Division of Emergency Management

Mr. Joe Becker, Senior Vice President, Preparedness and Response, American Red Cross National Headquarters

The testimony given by Mr. Jenkins of GAO focused on “Observations on DHS and FEMA Efforts to Prepare for and Respond to Major and Catastrophic Disasters and Address Related Recommendations and Legislation.” According to the post-Katrina GAO analysis, improvements were needed in leadership roles and responsibilities, development of the necessary disaster capabilities, and accountability systems that balance the need for fast, flexible response against the need to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.

GAO recommended the following for Congress to consider as short term options for immediate oversight:

(1) evaluating the development and implementation of the National Preparedness System, including preparedness for natural disasters, terrorist incidents, and an influenza pandemic

(2) assessing state and local capabilities and the use of federal grants to enhance those capabilities

(3) examining regional and multi-state planning and preparation

(4) determining the status and use of preparedness exercises

(5) examining DHS polices regarding oversight assistance

To read the full GAO testimony, please visit http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-835T.

DHS Awards Grants for Infrastructure Protection Program
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) just announced the recipients of the $445 million Infrastructure Protection Program (IPP), which will go toward strengthening security at the nation’s ports and rail, bus and ferry systems. The New York City region received the most amount of funding.

Read DHS Press Release.

View Program and Grant Allocation.

House Homeland Security Committee Holds Hearing on "Fixing the Homeland Security Information Network"
The Government Accountability Office's (GAO) information technology management director David Powner testified at the hearing discussing how the homeland security information network needs to be better coordinated with key state and local initiatives. To read Powner's testimony, click here. To read GAO highlights, click here.

House Homeland Security Committee hearing information.

DHS Announces Available Security Grants for Urban Area Nonprofits

The Department of Homeland Security just announced that nonprofit organizations in urban areas with the highest risk of a terrorist attack are eligible to receive $100,000 for security upgrades and training as part of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) 2007 “Nonprofit Security Grant Program” (NSGP). The department will award more than $24 million to eligible organizations.

Each year, DHS designates a list of high-risk urban areas based on the latest threat information and vulnerability assessments. This year the department designated 46 high-risk urban areas, but not all of these areas are guaranteed funding through this grant program. The application process is competitive, and nonprofit organizations must provide a 25 percent match to what they receive from DHS.

State Administrative Agency (SAAs) must submit applications for the FY 2007 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) online at www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 22, 2007.

For more information on the FY 2007 UASI NSGP and other DHS grant programs, visit www.dhs.gov or to read the DHS press release on the grants, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1177703312988.shtm.

House Introduces Two New Homeland Security Bills

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced two new homeland security bills, H.R. 1891, the Ready, Willing and Able Act, and H.R. 1962, the Municipal Illegal Immigration Relief Act of 2007. Please click on the links below to learn more about each bill.

H.R. 1891

H.R. 1962

UASI Grants to be more focused: Read more at "What's News"

DHS Grants Information available on the sidebar...

DHS Releases Metropolitan Scorecards

The tactical interoperable communications scorecard assesses the maturity of tactical interoperable communications capabilities in 75 urban/metropolitan areas. These scorecards were developed by subject matter expert panels that reviewed documentation on current communications plans, exercises, and a self-assessment to arrive at consensus findings and recommendations for each region on how to best improve that region’s communications capabilities.

Tactical Interoperable Communications Scorecards: Summary Report and Findings (large file)

Uses of Scorecards and Recommendations:

The scorecards and the recommendations are being distributed directly to each of the urban/metropolitan areas to focus their regional efforts to improve tactical interoperable communications. The Department of Homeland Security is using these scorecards to focus technical assistance programs and target specific areas of improvement in communications interoperability.

Scorecard Summary:

Overall, the scorecard results show that urban/metropolitan areas have come a long way in improving their tactical interoperable communications capabilities. The technology exists to permit interoperable communications, but solutions are often not available regionally and are far from seamless in many areas. Continued training on available technical solutions and procedures for their use is critical to operational success. Even in areas that have demonstrated success at the tactical, command-level of communications interoperability, there is still work to be done. Multi-agency communications have been addressed within many of these jurisdictions, but regionalizing the existing communications strategies to identify longer term interoperability goals across multiple jurisdictions and levels of government still needs to be addressed.

The scorecard evaluation focuses on:

* SOPs—For many of the urban areas, the Tactical Interoperable Communications Plans (TICP) developed through the Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program (ICTAP) provided the first formal, regionwide communications interoperability SOPs. Additional steps should be taken to ensure that these procedures (as well as those outlined in the National Incident Management System) are fully instituted at the command and responder levels.

* Usage—The proficiency in the use of communications interoperability equipment and accompanying procedures varies by the types of equipment used and is increasingly complex as additional agencies are included in response efforts. In addition, almost no region had completed a communications-focused exercise before the TICP validation exercise, which meant that the areas had no specific practice using their interoperable communications capabilities.

* Governance—Areas with mature governance structures have advanced further in implementing shared systems/solutions that facilitate regional communications. Regionalized strategic plans are largely not in place and should be developed for communications interoperability with careful consideration for how investments can be shared across the region.

A more comprehensive analysis of the scorecards will be developed during the second quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2007. More information is available.

Email Fred Abousleman, Deputy Executive Director or call 202.986.1032 Ext: 216

Click on this link to read GAO Highlights -http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07822thigh.pdf

Additional testimonies from the hearing and further information can be found at the House Homeland Security web page.

House Homeland Security Hearing
The House Homeland Security Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment Subcommittee held a hearing on May 10th focusing on "Fixing the Homeland Security Information Network: Finding the Way Forward For Better Information Sharing." Several witnesses were heard, including David A. Powner, director, information technology management issues, Government Accountability Office.

Click on the link below to read Mr. Powner's testimony.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-822T

Following Cyber Storm I in February 2006, Robert Jamison, DHS’ undersecretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate, said DHS learned that it “needed more formal, coordinated relationships” to share information with its partners.

“Through the National Infrastructure Protection [Plan] process, since Cyber Storm I we have 17 infrastructure sector specific plans that have a cybercomponent and we have formalized relationships in sector coordinating councils, government coordinating councils and information sharing and analysis centers that allow us to more formally share information and respond together,” Jamison said.

“I think the most important lesson is the coordination and information sharing has gone much better through the formalized processes we have through the sector coordinating council and the government coordinating council structures and the [Information Sharing and Analysis Center] structures that we have in place,” he said.

Participants in this week’s Cyber Storm II exercise, which officially ends Friday, included 18 federal departments and agencies, nine states, 40 U.S and dozens of international companies and four foreign countries.

The exercise tested response capabilities to cyber-attacks that involved information technology, chemical, communications and transportation infrastructure.

Greg Garcia, DHS’s assistant secretary for Cyber Security and Communications, said participants received “nearly 1,800 injects” or specific pieces of information notifying them of different events that were part of the exercise.

Some scenarios in Cyber Storm II simulated a telecommunications disruption that caused unreliable telephone service across the country and players received injects about their inability to call other participants, Garcia said.

In addition, the exercise included Internet disruptions affecting the ability of states to communicate information to their constituents. There were also “white noise” injects that required participants to determine if they were insignificant or represented real problems, Garcia said.

“The effort here is a collective effort to piece together a digital jigsaw puzzle where some of the pieces are not available and other pieces are disguised and don’t at first seem to fit into the big picture,” Garcia said.

On Friday, participants begin an “intensive evaluation process” that will culminate in an after-action report in late summer, according to Garcia.

“Our players’ mitigation efforts through this after-action report are just part of the equation,” Garcia said. “We hope and indeed we are urging that other organizations are going to use this exercise report to more closely examine their own planning and response capabilities and to apply the appropriate mitigation measures across the country.”

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