ReadyWinter
Gov. Tim Kaine has proclaimed Dec. 3-9, 2006 Winter Preparedness Week in the Commonwealth. This year, the American Red Cross, the National Weather Service, Virginia Department of Transportation and VDEM have created ReadyWinter, a joint winter safety education effort to warn residents not to dismiss the need for emergency preparedness. Essential winter safety information, public service announcements and links to the ARC, NWS and VDOT Web sites, are available on the ReadyWinter section of VDEM's Web site, www.vaemergency.com.

New flood insurance appeal process
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has developed a written policy to address the appeals process for National Flood Insurance Program policyholders. Formerly, FEMA used an informal, non-standardized process for appeals. Under the new system, policyholders can appeal any action taken by the insurer, FEMA employee, FEMA contractor, insurance agent or insurance adjuster within 60 days of receiving the final claim determination. Appeals can relate to eligibility, the amount or type of help received, late applications or requests to return money. FEMA must acknowledge receipt of the appeal in writing, inform the policyholder if any further information is necessary and conduct an investigation. The new policy does not affect a policyholder's right to sue.

Outreach presentations available
VDEM has added a new section to its Web site that features the 2006 Virginia Public Safety Outreach Conference and Training, "Local Problems. Regional Solutions," held Nov. 15-17 at the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg. The site offers copies of most of the guest speakers' Microsoft® PowerPoint presentations, along with the agenda and a list of speakers. Nearly 200 public safety educators, emergency management professionals, first responder and Citizen Corps members and volunteers attended. VDEM and Virginia Citizen Corps co-sponsor the annual conference.

Disaster Resistant University
FEMA's Disaster Resistant University program gave the University of Virginia $150,000 to implement an all-hazard mitigation program. UVA, which is providing another $50,000 toward the project, won the competitive award based on hazard type and size, location and academic community served. The money is part of $27.5 million the DRU program has awarded nationally this year through state and local governments to reduce the risk to students, faculty, facilities and research assets. UVA joins six other Virginia schools that have participated in the program: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Radford University, Virginia State University, George Mason University, Old Dominion University and the University of Mary Washington. The annual grant is open to local governments, state-level agencies and public colleges and universities.

Best Practice...
Citizen Forum in Shenandoah County
The Shenandoah County Department of Fire and Rescue and the Extension Leadership Council of Shenandoah County's Virginia Cooperative Extension office co-hosted an Emergency Preparedness Forum. The forum's purpose was to introduce citizens to the process of emergency management and to educate them about the county's emergency operations plan. To help citizens visualize the process, department and council personnel used a high school gym to set up a fully staffed, mock emergency operations center, with a spokesperson for each section to explain its function. Following the mock EOC tour, emergency responders explained hazards and threats for the area, how the emergency managers would handle an influx of evacuees from the Washington, D.C. area, pandemic flu and how citizens can prepare themselves. The nearly 200 citizens who attended the forum expressed two major concerns: the county's ability to warn citizens about major emergencies and the county's ability to provide shelter. The American Red Cross, the state departments of Health and Transportation, VDEM, the SCDFR, and local utility companies and hospital provided information booths during the event. Forum sponsors plan to hold the event annually. Contact Gary Yew for more information.

Training...
Free WMD training to emergency responders
At no cost, the Center for Domestic Preparedness offers 38 different weapons of mass destruction courses. The training, fully funded by the Department of Homeland Security, is available to state and local emergency responders in any of the following disciplines: emergency management agency, emergency medical services, fire service, governmental administrative, hazardous materials personnel, health care (non-EMS), law enforcement, public health, public safety communication, public works, and other skilled support personnel that provide immediate support services during prevention, response and recovery operations. The center covers all costs associated with the training, including: lodging, meals and snacks; training materials and fees; and all travel costs to and from the training center in Anniston, Ala. Training applications, medical screening forms and prerequisites are available online. Fax Virginia applications to Ken Clark at (804) 897-6576.

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