State of Emergency
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine declared a state of emergency in Virginia Oct. 9 due to severe thunderstorms that brought up to 12 inches of rain and isolated flooding to eastern Virginia.

The Blackwater River crested at nearly 23 feet, bringing major flooding to the city of Franklin and prompting Hazardous Materials personnel and equipment to be deployed to the city to help contain a fuel spill. The Virginia Department of Transportation originally reported 119 roads closed statewide due to flooding. Initial damage estimates are underway.

Newport News eligible for PA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Public Assistance for the city of Newport News as a result of heavy rains and flooding caused by Tropical Depression Ernesto. FEMA previously approved PA for 21 localities. PA covers reimbursement costs for emergency debris removal and emergency protective measures and can fund the repair, restoration, reconstruction or replacement of public infrastructure such as roads and bridges, water control facilities, public buildings and contents, public utilities and parks and other recreational facility facilities damaged during a disaster.

FEMA stays within DHS
The U.S. Congress passed and President Bush signed the 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, earmarking $34.8 billion for the Department of Homeland Security. In addition to allocating more than $2.5 billion to FEMA, the bill keeps FEMA within DHS but makes a number of changes:

• FEMA will oversee both preparedness and response activities.
• The administrator of FEMA will be promoted to the level of deputy secretary and report directly to the president during a crisis.
• FEMA will have more autonomy and become semi-independent, like the Coast Guard and Secret Service.

The bill also gives the Office of Grants and Training more than $3 billion for Urban Area Security Initiative grants, port security grants and rail and buffer zone protection plan grants, among others.

10-codes over and out
First responders throughout the state will stop using 10-codes for the majority of their transmissions. The codes save time and keep sensitive information confidential, but their definitions vary among localities and make it difficult for different jurisdictions to work together. As part of the 2007 Strategic Plan, the State Interoperability Executive Committee and the Commonwealth Interoperability Coordinator's Office have determined a common language protocol that allows the use of plain English for most transmissions. Although the National Incident Management System requires the use of a common language during mutual aid situations, Virginia is encouraging its first responders to use the common language on a daily basis to prevent them from reverting back to 10-codes in a high-stress situation.

FCC establishes new bureau
The Federal Communications Commission has established the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau to improve the FCC's ability to address public safety, homeland security, national security, emergency management and preparedness, and disaster management, among other issues. The bureau will handle a number of things, including:

• 911, Enhanced 911 and interoperability of public safety communications
• Alert and warning systems, such as the Emergency Alert System
• Continuity of Operations planning
• Disaster management and outreach

Prepare Hampton Roads
The American Red Cross of Southeastern Virginia, in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Health, Hampton Roads local government emergency management agencies and VDEM, has developed a campaign to encourage partnerships between state, regional and local health and emergency management organizations. The "Prepare Hampton Roads" campaign is a year-long effort to get the community prepared for emergencies through a Web site and 30 billboards, all funded by a Metropolitan Medical Reserve System grant.

2006 hurricane season forecast downgraded further
In the October update of its 2006 hurricane forecast, the Tropical Meteorology Project staff at Colorado State University further reduced the number of potential named storms to 11, down from its original forecast of 17 named storms. It now predicts below-average activity due to the small number of named storms through September. The September update forecasts only two more named storms before hurricane season ends Nov. 30.

Training...
Coordinator's Briefings
The Coordinator's Briefings offered through VDEM's training program are informative, eight-hour sessions that span two days. They are designed specifically for local jurisdiction emergency management directors, coordinators and deputy coordinators. Local elected officials and state agency staff are invited to take part as well. The briefings will be in Bristol (Nov. 7-8), Williamsburg (Nov. 14-15) and Charlottesville (Nov. 30-Dec. 1). Registration deadline for the first briefing is Oct. 17.

Advanced Professional Series Update
Independent Study courses are now available for two electives in the Advanced Professional Series: IS 703 NIMS Resource Management may be substituted for and will eventually replace G 276 Resource Management, and IS 271 Anticipating Hazardous Weather & Community Risk may be substituted for G 271 Hazardous Weather & Flood Preparedness.

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