Beginning today, the web site where first responders apply for all Assistance to Fire Fighters Grants Programs will change its current web site address from www.firegrantsupport.com to the FEMA web site at www.fema.gov/firegrants.

We have been working to transition all the information from the old fire grant site to the new site.

All applications for FEMA’s fire grant programs including the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG), the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER), Fire Prevention and Safety Grants (FP&S) and information on the Assistance to Firefighters Station Construction Grants (ARRA) will now be located at www.fema.gov/firegrants.

FEMA has been working to make all information more easily accessible and more user friendly for first responders and having two different web portals for information just didn’t make sense.

All fire grants program documents, awards announcements, grants management workshops, success stories and program application reports and statistics will now be available at www.fema.gov/firegrants.

In short, all the old info will be right there on the new site.

Please update your bookmarks for future fire grants applications.

Please visit us at www.fema.gov/firegrants.

Last night ABC's World News Tonight featured a story on how prepared the U.S. is for a catastrophic earthquake, in light of the tragic earthquake in Japan earlier this month.  As the story says, FEMA has long been planning several drills and exercises that will help the public and the entire emergency management team better prepare for earthquakes and other catastrophic events - but this isn't just a FEMA-led effort. We are continually working with our state, local and tribal partners, along with the many other members of the emergency management team (including voluntary and faith-based organizations, businesses and committed citizens) for these exercises, which many of you have read a lot about here on our blog.

Below are more details on both and how you can get involved:

The Great Central U.S. Shakeout
A multi-state earthquake drill, hosted by the Central United States Earthquake Consortium, will take place April 25 at 10:15 a.m. CDT (or April 19 for Indiana residents) to practice the proper actions to stay safe during a quake.  More than 1.5 million participants have registered, including schools, businesses, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and families.  Visit the ShakeOut website to learn more and sign up today.

National Level Exercise 2011
In May, we will be hosting a National Level Exercise to simulate the scenario of an earthquake in the New Madrid seismic zone.  The purpose of the exercise is to prepare and coordinate a multiple-jurisdictional integrated response to a national catastrophic event.  The exercise is another opportunity to strengthen relationships across emergency management team and continue to improve catastrophic earthquake planning.

We regularly promote three simple steps to get prepared for an earthquake, or any disaster: get a kit, make a plan, and be informed.  Leave us a comment and share how you're taking steps to get prepared for an earthquake.

As we’ve highlighted several times on the blog, Citizen Corps Councils and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) are a great way to get involved in preparing your community before disasters strike. If you’re involved with a local Citizen Corps Council or CERT Program please be sure to add your information to the Council Registration and CERT Program Registration pages today.

Registering will help individuals interested in Citizen Corps and CERT from your area get in touch with you. In addition, being listed in the national registry will allow you to share relevant information with other programs around the country.

Registering by March 30, 2011 ensures your Council or CERT Program will be included in reports to senior DHS leadership and Congress, which will feature all the great work that is going on in the field. You may still register after the March 30th deadline, but your information will not be a part of initial reporting.

Administrator Fugate is encouraging Citizen Corps Council and CERT Program registration, too – here’s why:



- Paulette

Disasters can happen in a flash, so it's important to think about your entire family's safety - including your pet's - before an emergency occurs.  Deputy Administrator Serino said it best in this video (along with his cute canine friend), originally done to highlight Pet Preparedness Day 2010:



As a pet owner, one of the easiest things you can do is to put together a kit that includes food, water, medications, treats and other necessary items for your pet's disaster kit.

And since pets are considered members of our families, be sure to include your pet in your family's emergency plan.  This may include having an emergency contact that could take your pet in for a short period of time and knowing what pet-friendly shelters are available if you and your pets have to evacuate.

Visit Ready.gov for more tips on keeping your pets safe before, during, and after a disaster, including:

• Talking to your pet's veterinarian about emergency planning,
• Locating hotels and motels that are pet friendly,
• Having enough basic supplies for every individual and pet to survive for at least three days, and
• Creating a evacuation plan for you, your family, and your pet.

Other links
- A great place to locate shelters for pets is at Go Pet Friendly.