FEMA REGION II – WEEKLY BULLETIN
R2 –WEEKLY BULLETIN
Volume 1, Issue 10 March 20, 2009
REGION II SETS PACE
For the seventh year in a row, Region II
reached its goal for the Combined Federal
Campaign (CFC).
Anna Fusco, the Region’s CFC
Coordinator, (center) accepts the CFC Pacesetter
Award on behalf of FEMA, Region II at the
2008/09 New York City CFC Awards Ceremony
Friday. The award was presented by Chairperson
Patricia Amberg-Blyskal, right, and Vice
Chairperson and In-Coming Chair Bernie Bowles,
left, of the NYC CFC Local Federal Coordinating
Committee.
The pacesetter award is presented to the
Federal Agency in each CFC Division that
performs the best overall in its Division, setting
both an example and the pace for other Agencies
in the Division. Criteria considered include rate of
participation, per-capita gift, average gift, overall
increase from the previous Campaign, and overall
performance over goal.
At the ceremony, organizers extended a
special thank you to Region II staff for its
generosity, especially in these most tough
economic times.

FIRE GRANTS BRIEFING TOUR
Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-7) addressing attendees at
an AFG Workshop at Raritan Community College
David Gronsbell has been on the road …a lot.
Since February 9, he has logged more
than 2,400 miles, crisscrossing New York and
New Jersey, conducting 20 Assistance to
Firefighter Grant (AFG) workshops. As the
Region’s new Fire Program Specialist, Dave has
introduce the 2009 AFG program to over 800
potential applicants, including workshops in 16
Congressional districts.
Dave brings over 30 years of law
enforcement, hazmat, and volunteer firefighting
experience to the job. He is a New Jersey State
Certified Fire Instructor, teaches at Middlesex
County Fire Academy, and does recertification
courses for the N.J. Department of Community
Affairs/Division of Fire Safety in cooperation with
Kean University.
FEMA REGION II – WEEKLY BULLETIN
MITIGATION SOFTWARE
Cost-Benefit Training in PR
With funds earmarked by Puerto Rico’s
disaster–(DR-1798-PR)– Region II’s Hazard
Mitigation Branch, together with the Hazard
Mitigation Staff of the Governor's Authorized
Representative’s (GAR), trained Public Assistance
applicants on Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA)
software last month in Guayama, Puerto Rico.
About 60 people attended the workshop,
including GAR staff, representatives of the 26
municipalities declared disaster areas this past
October; and representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including the University of Puerto
Rico. FEMA staff also participated.
All Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs, as
well as other non-disaster-related mitigation
funding, require that applicants perform costbenefit
analysis for their proposed projects to
demonstrate if the projects are cost beneficial, and
if whether it will avoid potential damage in the
future.
The training topics were: BCA Tool Course
Introduction and Review; Costs and Benefits of
Mitigation Actions; FEMA BCA Overview Tool;
Hurricane Wind Module BCA; Flood BCA Module,
and Damage Assessment Frequency BCA
Module.

EYES AND EARS OF R-II
Region II’s Watch Operations is now on a
12/7 schedule, making it one of only two FEMA
regions with that coverage. (Region III’s Watch is
24/7.)
Since November 2007, the Region II
Watch staff has gone from one full time employee
to four. Watch Operations provides situational
awareness for the Region.
THE ROLE OF TRUST
Michael Moriarty, Acting Regional Administrator
It runs throughout FEMA. It increases
notably during a disaster. It empowers teamwork
and makes sacrifice ordinary. We don’t often talk
about it; in fact, it often dissolves into irrelevance
in speech. No, speaking of it doesn’t bring it forth;
it must demonstrate itself.
I’m talking about a truly essential
ingredient in our work: trustworthiness. Reliability
and dependability are sought by everyone with
whom we work – by disaster victims and by
Region II colleagues across divisions. We seek it
from all levels and arms of government, just as
they seek it from us.
And there is a special two-way demand for
trust between managers and staff. An
untrustworthy manager can’t lead, just as a staffer
who can’t be relied upon will not be asked to play
key roles.
Think about it: a trustworthy individual is a
true Regional asset. Being reliable and
dependable cannot really be encouraged; rather, it
starts with individuals, and you either are, or
you’re not. If you are, you’re tremendously
valuable to others and you’re likely to be emulated
in turn by those who know you can be counted
upon. In other words, reliability can spread of its
own accord, as can teamwork, as can Regional
effectiveness.
Each of us is aware how it feels to be
regarded as dependable and reliable, just as we
know how highly we regard those upon whom we
can depend. I’m suggesting that we consider how
trustworthiness can be contagious, elevating our
effectiveness, in the office and in the field.

FEMA REGION II – WEEKLY BULLETIN