Region X News Stories Archive
FEMA/NOAA Get Into the Weeds in Washington State
Habitat Assessment Workshops Reconcile the NFIP and Endangered Species Act
Close to 200 state, tribal, county and city floodplain managers, and land and watershed-use planners from around the Puget Sound have signed up for one or more of a series of Habitat Assessment Workshops. According to FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, the workshops— jointly sponsored by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service and FEMA Region X—are designed to provide intimate, hands-on, brick and mortar explanations of the various options available to Puget Sound community stakeholders. "These workshops take the basic information provided last March in our two-day 'Demystifying National Flood Insurance Program Alignment with the Endangered Species Act Conference' to the next level," said Murphy. "Attendees can raise real world dynamics unique to their communities, and come away with practical and definitive solutions."
The series kicked off in the City of Burlington on 21 April, followed by Bremerton on 22 April and Everett on 25 April. A fourth workshop is scheduled in Lacey on 2 May.
Current policies, documents and discussions relevant to the NOAA Biological Opinion on implementation of the National Flood Insurance Program in Puget Sound communities in Western Washington are available at: www.fema.gov/about/regions/regionx/nfipesa.shtm.
Training To Standard For Mega Disasters; FEMA Region X Hosts Integrated Emergency Management Course
Over 140 federal, state and local emergency managers participated in FEMA Region X’s Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) four-day Integrated Emergency Management Course (IEMC) 11-14 April 2011. Days 1 and 2 provided a thorough review of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and National Response Framework (NRF). A follow-on two-day functional exercise, posited a massive 6.7 magnitude earthquake along the Seattle Fault striking western Washington’s heaviest population centers.
Region X was the first FEMA region to complete the entire four-day course, and according to Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, the IEMC was well worth the major commitment in time, personnel and resources. “We were able to call in two shifts of our ESF partners with observers and mentors for two days of intense, realistic training,” said Murphy. “The no-fault exercise environment encouraged participants to employ outside-the box solutions while evaluating existing playbooks and run cards. No plans are perfect, and built-in hot washes and lessons-learned provided invaluable feedback for future program development.”
Whole Community Fights Future Flooding In Vernonia
FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber and Vernonia Mayor Josette Mitchell joined Vernonia School Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Cox and a host of community partners Tuesday, 29 March 2011 to celebrate unique and far-reaching initiatives to protect lives and property from future flooding. After the devastating floods of 2007 destroyed much of Vernonia’s infrastructure and displaced 700 students and faculty, a governor-appointed task force of government agencies, civic organizations and philanthropies and a campaign committee of volunteer civic leaders pursued funds and resources to move and rebuild the schools out of the floodplain, rezoning the property to create a new 250 acre open space city park. The partners raised more than $31 million towards a $38 million goal, including a $13 million community bond and numerous public grants and philanthropic contributions. Spencer Park will feature children play areas, environmental education elements and athletic fields, and is designed to protect wetlands and minimize future flood damage. Private fundraising efforts continue, and the schools are scheduled to open in the fall of 2012.
" FEMA is not the nation's emergency management team. We're just part of a team that includes tribal, state and local governments, the private sector, non-profit and faith based organizations, and—most importantly, the general public. It takes the Whole Community," said FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy. "I can think of no other community in Region X – and perhaps the rest of the country – that exemplifies the values of Whole Community better than Vernonia.
Savvy Floodplain Management Saves Puget Sound Salmonids
Almost three hundred floodplain managers, watershed and land-use planners and environmental specialists attended the Demystifying National Flood Insurance Program Alignment with the Endangered Species Act conference, 1 and 2 March at the Edmonds Conference Center in Edmonds, Washington. The conference was hosted by FEMA, NOAA, Washington State Department of Ecology, and the Puget Sound Partnership, and supported by the Washington Association of Cities and Washington State Association of Counties. According to FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, the collaborative panels and workshops were specifically designed for Puget Sound floodplain, shoreline, fisheries and environmental stakeholders. "We’ve been working closely with our federal, state, tribal and local partners to develop a slate of options for affected communities to demonstrate full compliance with both the NFIP and the Endangered Species Act," said Murphy. "We designed this conference to provide definitive access to those options, and we’ll be following up with additional Habitat Assessment Workshops in the months ahead." Details on the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) biological opinion and information on FEMA’s implementation of the opinions Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPA) are available at www.fema.gov/regionx/nfipesa.shtm.
March is American Red Cross Month
March is American Red Cross Month, a great opportunity for citizens, families and businesses to review disaster plans and build or restock emergency kits. According to Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, the American Red Cross not only provides help, hope and healing when disaster strikes, but also offers a wide selection of CPR/AED, first aid, disaster response and emergency preparedness training.
"The Red Cross is FEMA's major partner coordinating food and shelter during catastrophic disasters, but the key to any successful emergency response, regardless of the nature of the event, is personal preparedness," said Murphy. "Red Cross classes and resources help people prepare with a few simple steps: build an emergency supply kit, make an emergency plan, and stay informed of the hazards in your area. These resources can go a long way towards empowering our communities to make a real difference when the chips are down."
American Red Cross Serving King and Kitsap Counties in Washington State CEO Randy Hutson certainly agrees."We know that any steps you take today to prepare will help mitigate damage when disaster occurs," said Hutson. "We encourage people to evaluate their own personal preparedness, and this month serves as a great reminder."
Each year the American Red Cross Serving King and Kitsap Counties brings together 2,500 people to care for their neighbors, train 100,000 people in life-saving skills and respond to a disaster about once every other day. To find your local American Red Cross chapter, visit: www.redcross.org.
Region X hosts U.S. Army War College International Fellows
Region X recently played host to the Class of 2011 U.S. Army War College International Fellows—twenty five senior field grade and flag rank officers from countries as geographically diverse as South Africa and India to Japan and Israel. The students were finishing up the last leg of a Unified Command Field Studies Course by way of Hawaii and California to western Washington which included tours, briefings and panel discussions from military, government and private sector subject matter experts.
Regional Administrator Ken Murphy welcomed the Army War College International Fellows. “Saving and sustaining lives is our number one priority, no matter the scale and magnitude of a crisis,” said Murphy. “In today’s world of increasingly deadly threats, national security, homeland security and economic security have become inextricably linked.”
The overall itinerary was designed to expose the students to perspectives that reinforce strategic elements of their War College curriculum, and culminated with comprehensive presentations on U.S. department of Homeland Security, FEMA and Defense Coordinating Element and Mobile Emergency Response Support policy, procedures and capabilities.
DHS Partners Meet in Portland, Oregon
Portland International Airport played host to U.S. Department of Homeland Security leaders from Oregon and the Pacific NW Wednesday, 1 December 2010. Represented agencies included the U.S. Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration, Customs & Border Protection, Immigration & Customs Enforcement and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as well as the Oregon Federal Executive Board, U.S. Attorney General and Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, federal players aren’t the nation’s disaster response team, but they are an important part of the team. “DHS is perfecting a Whole of Community Framework for Catastrophic Preparedness Planning and Response, which incorporates our citizenry as crucial force multipliers,” said Murphy. “Yes, it is imperative that our federal partners work closely in concert. But, individuals and communities are the most critical response and recovery assets present during the initial hours and days following an event, and we’re working hard to develop greater inclusion paths into participatory planning & preparedness activities.”
Reconciling ESA and NFIP for Puget Sound Communities
The Leadership Council of the Puget Sound Partnership—a community effort of citizens, governments, tribes, scientists and businesses working together to restore and protect Puget Sound—met in the new Center for Urban Waters in Tacoma, WA on Friday, 19 November 2010. Priority action agenda items included the alignment of local floodplain issues with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Biological Opinion on the implementation of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in Puget Sound floodplains. According to FEMA Regional Mitigation Division Director Mark Carey, on hand to clarify assessment standards, the Puget Sound Partnership is a natural ally in the shared goals of reducing loss of life and property damage from flooding, while protecting critical salmon habitat. “The Partnership’s unique mission of protecting intact ecosystem processes, structures and functions is a perfect fit,” said Carey. “The resolution passed in today’s sessions provide serious leverage in achieving truly fish-friendly floodplains.”
Portland Hosts Regonal Interagency Steering Committee
Federal, state and local emergency managers and disaster response planners from throughout the Pacific Northwest met in Portland, Oregon 26-27 October 2010 to participate in FEMA Region X’s Regional Interagency Steering Committee (RISC). The steering committee is designed to strengthen partnerships between agencies and coordinate interagency and intergovernmental planning and response to disasters. FEMA Region X RISC members meet regularly to enhance federal, state and local governments' ability to work in concert when responding to disasters.
FLOOD INSURANCE - Paying a Little Can Save A Lot
November marks the beginning of flood season in the Pacific Northwest, yet many residents remain without flood insurance because they don’t live in a mapped floodplain and don’t think they need it. National statistics show that more than twenty-five percent of all National Flood Insurance Program claims are paid for policies in low- or moderate-risk communities—whose residents likely qualify for Preferred Risk Policies (PRP). You don’t need to live in a mapped floodplain to need flood insurance, and if you don’t live in a mapped floodplain, PRP annual premiums can start as low as $119 for building and contents coverage.
2010 OEMA Annual Conference
Hood River, Oregon played host to over 120 emergency managers and planners representing federal, state, local, tribal and private sector agencies and organizations from throughout the Pacific Northwest, attending the 11-14 October Oregon Emergency Management Association (OEMA) 2010 Conference. This year’s theme focused on “Community Resiliency—Preparing to Recover” and spanned panels, pre and post conference training sessions, hands-on demonstrations, exercises and exhibits.
Seattle Hosts National Hazard Mitigation Assistance Implementation Meeting
Region X hosted FEMA’s biannual Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Implementation Meeting at the Jackson Federal Building in downtown Seattle, 28-30 July. According to Region X HMA branch chief Chris Jonientz-Trisler, attendees included senior staff and branch chiefs from FEMA headquarters and all ten regions getting together to ground-truth the Unified HMA program. “FEMA regions and headquarters leaders are meeting in Seattle to address national-level policy issues that impact community mitigation projects,” said Jonientz-Trisler. “Our work will result in more timely, effective and nationally consistent delivery of mitigation programs to states and communities.” Region X Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, on hand for Day 2 , and a committed mitigator since joining the emergency management profession, underscored the absolute importance of practical applications. “Mitigation can be a hard sell, especially in today’s financial climate,” said Murphy. “Citizens, communities and government agencies are supportive, but we must provide demonstrable results and proper use of taxpayer dollars.”
U.S. Army North Commander Visits Pacific NW
Lt. Gen. Guy Swan III, commanding general, U.S. Army North, visited state, local and federal emergency management counterparts during a whirl-wind visit 7-8 July 2010. No stranger to the Pacific Northwest (Swan served in Fort Lewis in the mid-80’s) this was his second visit in his capacity as Army North commander, having previously visited the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho in 2009. “We have Defense Coordinating Elements (DCE) co-located with every FEMA Region to ensure immediate support in the event of a qualifying emergency or disaster event,” said Swan. “If FEMA needs to mission-assign Department of Defense assets to support disaster response efforts, they are able to work with embedded subject-matter experts.” No argument from FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy. “To use a military metaphor, you need to train the way you fight,” said Murphy. “Our DCE is fully integrated into regional operations. When it’s time to deploy, there’ll be no surprises.”
FEMA Region X All-Hands
FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, sworn in to his new position on 29 June 2010, hosted his first “All-Hands” meeting at the Federal Regional Center in Bothell, Washington on 7 July. No stranger to FEMA Region X (he worked very closely with the agency during his eleven-year tenure as Oregon Emergency Management Director, and as National Emergency Management Association President, became intimately familiar with FEMA offices across the country) Murphy shared his leadership philosophy and guiding principles. “I already know what a strong region I’ve got,” said Murphy. “My challenge will be to provide the tools and resources to make you even better.”
Ken Murphy, New Region X Administrator
FEMA Deputy Administrator Richard Serino congratulates Kenneth Murphy (L) after swearing-in Murphy as FEMA's Region 10 Administrator. Murphy, most recently Oregon's Director of Emergency Management and past President of the National Emergency Management Association, took the oath in the presence of Region 10's state emergency management directors and FEMA Region 10 leadership who were attending the annual Western Regional Emergency Management Advisory Committee meeting.
Tacoma Hosts Partners In Emergency Preparedness
FEMA Deputy Administrator Richard Serino congratulates Kenneth Murphy (L) after swearing-in Murphy as FEMA's Region 10 Administrator. Murphy, most recently Oregon's Director of Emergency Management and past President of the National Emergency Management Association, took the oath in the presence of Region 10's state emergency management directors and FEMA Region 10 leadership who were attending the annual Western Regional Emergency Management Advisory Committee meeting.
Tacoma Hosts Partners In Emergency Preparedness
Tacoma, Wa. -- Over 600 government, non-profit, and private sector emergency managers, planners, public health professionals and academicians attended the 2010 Partners in Emergency Preparedness Conference 6-7 April 2010 at the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center. The largest and most successful regional emergency preparedness conference in the Pacific Northwest, this year’s presentations and exhibits highlighted cutting-edge themes ranging from business continuity planning, school safety, public health preparedness, homeland security, and public information.
Sponsors included: Day Wireless, James Lee Witt Associates, PEMCO, Praxair Distribution Inc., Premera Blue Cross, Puget Sound Energy, Seattle Public Utilities, Verizon Wireless, Washington State Department of Health, Washington State Emergency Management Association, Washington State Emergency Management Division and the Washington State Hospital Association.
RX Mitigation Talks NFIP at Law Seminar
FEMA Region X Mitigation Division Director Mark Carey teamed up with GordonDerr Attorneys at Law’s Molly Lawrence to discuss floodplain regulations, remapping and the National Marine Fishery Service’s Biological Opinion on Puget Sound floodplains for the 28 January 2010 10th Annual Wetlands in Washington seminar in Seattle. The seminar focused on new challenges, opportunities and best practices and according to Carey, NFIP’s intersection with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) embodies all three foci. “We’re finalizing a model ordinance which will allow communities with Puget Sound floodplains to demonstrate full compliance with the ESA as well as the NFIP,” said Carey. “The model ordinance itself will be strictly voluntary and can be adopted in full or in part. We’ll also be offering checklists and guidance which allow communities to demonstrate the same compliance.”
FEMA Region X Hosts Deputy Administrator Richard Serino
FEMA Deputy Administrator Richard Serino visited FEMA Region X, 1-2 February 2010. His schedule included detailed operational briefings, lunch with regional employees, “All-Hands” access to over 125 regional employees, and tours of the FEMA Regional Center, Regional Response Coordination Center, Mobile Emergency Response Support and the Bothell Annex. “Ours is a compelling mission,” said Serino, “and I’m confident our workforce is up to meeting the needs of disaster survivors, first responders and our citizens.”
From One Washington To Another
Assistant Administrator for FEMA’s Recovery Directorate Elizabeth Zimmerman accompanied Deputy Administrator Richard Serino on his 1 February 2010 visit to Region X. During her visit, Zimmerman acknowledged Regional Recovery Division Director Charlie Axton’s exemplary service and leadership during his four month detail to FEMA’s Washington D.C. headquarters to serve as Recovery Directorate Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator from August to November 2009.
FEMA Region X Hosts Transportation Security Administration Partners
On Thursday, 21 January 2010, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Area Director José Ralls and Federal Security Director Jim Spinden visited FEMA RX’s FRC and met with Acting Regional Administrator Dennis Hunsinger. The orientation included detailed briefings on the Regional Response Coordination Center, Defense Coordination Element and Mobile Emergency Response Support Detachment-Bothell.
NFIP/Endangered Species Act Focus Group
On 23 July 2009 FEMA Region X hosted more than thirty floodplain managers, engineers, environmental officers and emergency managers for a landmark focus group at its Federal Regional Center in Bothell, Washington. Representing city, county, state and tribal entities from up and down the Puget Sound, attendees spent the day forging a comprehensive “safe haven” model floodplain ordinance, which, if adopted, will fully reconcile sound floodplain management practices with the Endangered Species Act.
Feds Feeding Families
Friday, 26 June 2009 marked the first in a series of three deliveries to food banks across the country under the Administration’s "Warm Up to Giving" initiative. FEMA Region X collected 340 lbs of non-perishable foodstuffs and household items for the Western Washington Volunteers of America Snohomish County Food bank Distribution Center. Additional deliveries are scheduled for Friday, 31 July and Friday, 28 August.
Federal and State Communicators Share Lessons Learned
Over 150 government communicators from FEMA headquarters, all ten FEMA regions and almost every state and territory met in Denver 23-24 June 2009 to share best-practices and lessons-learned gleaned during the last decade’s landmark disasters. Administrator Craig Fugate delivered the keynote address, stating his resolve to use the FEMA bully pulpit to promote personal preparedness.
Marysville Fire District Awarded Fire Grant
FEMA R10 Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) Dolph Diemont traveled to Shoultes Fire Station 62 in Marysville, Washington to acknowledge Marysville Fire District’s successful application for an Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant (AFG) of $208,558. The grant will help fund the purchase of 46 Self-contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) along with extra bottles, voice amplifier masks and four Rapid Intervention Team pack assemblies.
FEMA Activated in Support of Washington State Flood Response
FEMA Region X activated its Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) on 7 January 2009 to monitor response and recovery needs resulting from localized flooding in Washington State. "We’re spring-loaded and ready to provide immediate support to the State of Washington," said FEMA Acting Regional Administrator Dennis Hunsinger. “We’ve deployed field teams to help the state assess damages in flood-affected communities, and we’re poised to provide additional support as requested.”
FEMA Regional Advisors Convene In SeaTac
FEMA Region X convened its third plenary session of the Pacific Northwest Regional Advisory Council in SeaTac, Washington on September 25. The council, made up of more than twenty elected officials, emergency managers and senior public safety officials from state, local and tribal governments from across the Pacific Northwest, meets biannually to review and recommend improvements on regional preparedness, protection, response and recovery policies.
National Fire Prevention Week 2008
National Fire Prevention Week 2008 will be observed from October 5-11, and this year's theme is "Prevent Home Fires." According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Acting Regional Administrator Dennis Hunsinger, most Americans underestimate their risk for fire, and many either lack emergency response plans-or fail to practice them with fire drills. (Read More)
Last Modified: Tuesday, 01-Nov-2011 12:18:35 EDT
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