Additional terrorism and public health emergency funds
Virginia has been awarded more than $29 million in funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Health Resources and Services Administration. The funds will improve infectious disease surveillance and investigation and enhance the preparedness of hospitals and the health care system to deal with large numbers of casualties, among other efforts intended to support the National Response Plan and the interim National Preparedness Goal.

The CDC also expanded its Cities Readiness Initiative to include Richmond, which joins Virginia Beach and Commonwealth localities around the National Capital Region. CRI ensures that 72 selected cities across the nation are prepared to provide oral medications during a public health emergency to 100 percent of their affected populations by enhancing each city's dispensing plans with trained staff and developing and testing plans that include alternative means of delivery.

CEDAP awards
The Department of Homeland Security has announced four additional recipients in Virginia for the second phase of the FY05 Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program, bringing the total to 25 successful applications in the Commonwealth. The status of all applications is available on the Responder Knowledge Base.

NIMS compliance measurement system
The NIMS Integration Center, DHS Office of Grants and Training, and Eastern Kentucky University are collaborating to design a new system for measuring National Incident Management System compliance in FY07. To fully develop the new system, designers will use the findings from an audit of NIMS compliance for FY05 and a review of the following:

• Concrete examples of how NIMS policy and concepts were incorporated into existing training and exercise programs
• Biannual and quarterly financial reports
• An evaluation of all 50 State Emergency Operations Plans to look at how states are
  • incorporating NIMS into their emergency operations plans
  • to see how states are promoting intrastate mutual aid
  • to see how states are institutionalizing ICS
• Concrete examples of their technical assistance to local entities on NIMS implementation
• An evaluation of several information sources including NIMCAST data, all 56 State Homeland Security Strategies, state enhancement plans, and investment plans being administered by OG&T
  

Fusion Center
VDEM now has four intelligence analyst positions in the new Virginia Fusion Center. The Code of Virginia places responsibility for emergency services intelligence gathering with VDEM, in cooperation with the Virginia State Police, on matters relating to terrorism. The multi-agency Fusion Center, where all available information relating to terrorism is collected, analyzed and shared, brings together representatives from the VSP, VDEM, the Virginia National Guard, the Virginia Department of Fire Programs, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Representatives from other critical infrastructure sectors are also involved in the analysis as subject matter experts.

Residents in hurricane-prone states are not ready for hurricanes
Residents who live within 30 miles of the coast are no more prepared for hurricane season than their more inland counterparts. According to a recent survey of 1,100 participants in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, 20 percent said they would wait until 12 to 24 hours before a hurricane made landfall to evacuate; one-third said they would drive as far as possible in an attempt to outrun the storm. Other findings include:

• 56 percent don't feel vulnerable to a hurricane or a hurricane-related tornado or flooding
• 60 percent have no family disaster plan
• 68 percent have no hurricane survival kit
• 83 percent have taken no steps to make their homes stronger
• 13 percent said they might not or would not evacuate even if ordered to leave

More information about the poll is available at www.hurricanesafety.org.

Pre-Positioned Disaster Supplies Program
Virginia now has an initial response resources container, part of the Department of Homeland Security's Pre-Positioned Disaster Supplies Program. The program was developed to position life-saving and life-sustaining disaster equipment and supplies as close to a potential disaster site as possible to substantially shorten the response time from incident to delivery of assets. Containers will be placed in hurricane-prone states first, then earthquake-prone, then highly populous metropolitan areas; they are also stockpiled at various locations and ready for transport as threats arise. Virginia's container holds emergency supplies for 500 people, including, among other supplies:

• a five-kilowatt generator
• folding cots, blankets, pillows
• portable toilet including disposable bags and privacy tent
• personal hygiene kit, washcloths
• first aid kit, CPR mask

New FEMA response director
Glenn Cannon has been appointed director for the Response Division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Cannon will be responsible for planning and coordinating response operations during natural disasters and other emergency situations. He has 35 years of public service with local and state government in Pennsylvania.

Coordinators' Handbook update
The Local Support Services Division is gathering information for the Coordinators' Handbook to reflect program changes and policy updates at the federal and state level. The handbook is a reference guide for regional and local emergency coordinators, outlining the organizational structure of the agency. The revised version will be released at the end of July.

Produced by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management
10501 Trade Court, Richmond, Virginia 23236