Oct. 24, 2007

Statewide burning ban
Gov. Tim Kaine declared a statewide emergency and enacted a ban on open fires beginning Friday, Oct. 19. Drought conditions have created a serious risk of widespread and dangerous forest fires throughout Commonwealth. The burn ban, which includes warming and camp fires, will remain in effect until existing weather conditions improve with significant rain or snow. Violation of the law is a Class 3 misdemeanor with a fine of not more than $500. The Virginia National Guard will assist the Virginia Department of Forestry in fighting and mitigating the effects of wildfires; the Department of Emergency Management, Secretary of Public Safety, Adjutant General of Virginia, the Commissioner of Health, and the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services will coordinate efforts to provide assistance in dealing with potential or actual drought-related issues.

Also, an additional 78 Virginia counties and 34 independent cities have been designated as primary natural disaster areas due to reductions in farm production caused by drought and high temperatures that have occurred since Jan. 1, 2007. Previously, 15 counties had been declared primary natural disaster areas.

Virginia schools receive emergency preparedness grant funds
Public school districts in the counties of Carroll, Hanover, Page and Patrick and the city of Newport News will share $777,346 in emergency preparedness funds through the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools discretionary grant program. The program helps local education agencies to improve and strengthen their emergency management plans, addressing all four phases of emergency management: Prevention-Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery. School districts must commit to developing written plans that are coordinated with state Homeland Security plans, that support the implementation of the National Incident Management System and that prepare schools for a possible infectious disease outbreak, such as influenza pandemic.

Funds can be used to train school personnel and students in emergency management; communicate emergency management policies and reunification procedures to parents and guardians; coordinate with local emergency responders, including fire and police; purchase equipment; and coordinate with groups and organizations responsible for recovery issues, such as health and mental health agencies.

All local education agencies are eligible to apply. Grant guidance is available from the U.S. Department of Education's Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/dvpemergencyresponse/index.html.

Updated National Strategy for Homeland Security
President George W. Bush has issued an updated National Strategy for Homeland Security, which will serve to guide, organize and unify national homeland security efforts. It builds on the first National Strategy for Homeland Security, issued in July 2002, and complements both the National Security Strategy issued in March 2006 and the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism issued in September 2006. It places greater emphasis on natural and man-made disaster preparedness in addition to its original mandate to protect the nation from terrorist attacks. It incorporates lessons learned from exercises and real-world catastrophes, and articulates how we should ensure our long-term success by strengthening the homeland security foundation we have built.

The document sets four goals: to prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks; protect the public, critical assets and resources; respond to and recover from incidents; and strengthen the nation's homeland security foundation.

The 53-page strategy is available on the White House Web site at http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/book.

Virginia receives federal firefighter assistance funds
Stuarts Draft Rescue Squad, Inc.'s Operations and Safety Program will receive $72,000 in funds awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. AFG funds support projects that best address program priorities for 2007, which include achieving national baseline capabilities, risk-based funding, and communications and equipment interoperability. Previously, 16 Virginia fire departments received AFG funds in Rounds 1-5.

Alexandria CERT's first full-scale exercise
The Alexandria Community Emergency Response Team's first full-scale exercise tested their response to a mass casualty event, working with the Alexandria Office of Emergency Management. The exercise provided refresher training for CERT members, developing their skills in disaster management and managing a scene until first responders arrive. Participants included members of Fairfax County CERT, Arlington CERT, volunteers from the Red Cross and students in Fairfax County Public School's Fire and Emergency Medical Sciences program.

Additional information is available at http://citizencorps.blogspot.com.

Ready Virginia mailing insert
Local government, volunteer organizations, nonprofits and private businesses can now download a mailing insert to include in their public outreach efforts. The insert, available in PDF format, promotes Ready Virginia and its core messages: get a kit, make a plan, stay informed. There are two versions: one includes information about the upcoming statewide tornado drill, another leaves blank space for an organization to insert its contact information.

Download the insert here: http://www.readyvirginia.gov/press.cfm.

Exercises...
Operation Titan Security 2007
On Oct. 17, VDEM and Roanoke County conducted a four-hour, full-scale exercise simulating a response to a school shooting/hostage situation. The exercise enabled key agencies (fire and EMS, law enforcement, SWAT, emergency management, hospitals and public school administration) to evaluate the decision-making process for a coordinated response operation. Participants included the city of Roanoke, the towns of Salem and Vinton, the Roanoke County Public Schools, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital and Lewis Gale Medical Center. In addition, 79 students and teachers at Hidden Valley High School participated in the exercise.

Training...
2007 Virginia Citizen Corps Tidewater Training Day
Local Citizen Corps groups and the state Citizen Corps Office are sponsoring this training on Nov. 15, the day after the Virginia Public Safety Outreach Conference. The Tidewater Training Day, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Peninsula Health Center in Newport News, will include managing spontaneous volunteers in times of disaster, cultural sensitivity and psychological first aid.

More information and registration are available at http://www.vaemergency.com/newsroom/events/tidewater_training2007.cfm.

Information and registration for the Virginia Public Safety Outreach Conference, Nov. 14, is available at http://www.vaemergency.com/newsroom/events/psoconf2007.cfm.

Threat and Risk Assessment Course
The Texas Engineering Extension Service is offering the "Threat & Risk Assessment Course" in Lynchburg, Oct. 30 - Nov. 1. This course trains personnel who prevent, mitigate, manage and respond to mass casualty events and terrorists incidents to conduct a capabilities-based, CBRNE/terrorism risk assessments. The course consists of lectures, small group discussions, participant activities, multimedia scenarios and vulnerability assessments for the host jurisdiction.

Class information, prerequisites and registration are available at http://teexweb.tamu.edu/teex.cfm?pageid=training&area=TEEX&templateid=14&Division=PUBLICSAFETY&Course=MGT310.

Basic Public Information Officer
Designed for the new or less experienced Public Information Officer, this class emphasizes the fundamental skills and knowledge needed for emergency management public information functions. Topics include: the role of the PIO in emergency management, preparing and conducting awareness campaigns, news release writing, and public speaking and television interviews. This course is a prerequisite for the Advanced Public Information Course (E388) at the Emergency Management Institute. Tentative class dates and locations are Jan. 22-24 in Chesapeake, Feb. 12-14 in Richmond and March 25-27 in Roanoke.

Creating vigilant, prepared and resilient communities for homeland security
This DHS-certified training is offered by the Western Community Policing Institute and hosted by the Virginia Center for Policing Innovation. Topics include:

• Principles and characteristics of community policing
• Definition, components and goals of Homeland Security, including the relevance of community policing
• Dynamics and attributes of community vigilance, preparedness and resiliency
• The debate between civil liberties and homeland security
• Vision statement and community action plans development

The class is Nov. 13-14, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Frederick County Public Safety Building in Winchester. Class information and registration are available at http://www.vcpionline.org/TrainingCalendar.asp.

Conferences...
Virginia Emergency Management Conference 2008
Room reservations are available for attendees of the 2008 VEMC "It Can Happen Here," March 11-14 at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. Tentative workshops include:

• Crisis Management for Schools – new guidelines and how they impact school systems
• Water System Disruptions and Rural/Agricultural Drought Issues (tabletop exercise)
• Minnesota Bridge Collapse Debris Management – Best Practices

The tentative keynote speaker is Max Mayfield, current chairman of the World Meteorological Organization's Regional Association-IV and former director of the National Hurricane Center.

Hotel information is available at http://www.vemaweb.org.

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