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 REGION 2 BI-WEEKLY 
      Volume 1, Issue 17								          May 22, 2009
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Teresa O’Connor	

	Prior to joining FEMA’s Fire Grants Program, I worked in grants administration for Boston’s Commission on Affairs of the Elderly.  The Commission is unique in that is both a grantee and grantor/pass-through agency for Title III Older Americans Act funding. I reviewed and evaluated the RFP process, and scored proposals. Once awards were made, I provided technical assistance and program monitoring.  
	On the grantee side, I worked with Program Directors at the Elderly Commission on maintaining reports, renewals and communications, to ensure continued funding.  Once grant management responsibilities were complete, I worked with various community and city agencies to secure non-Title III funding for senior citizen programming in Boston, both writing many grant proposals and advising on the process itself.  During this period, I also volunteered for many youth, senior, and homeless outreach initiatives. 
	I grew up in Massachusetts, and attended Colorado State University, getting my undergraduate degree in Human Development with a minor in Gerontology. I returned to Boston, but last year I followed my fiancee ,who has been working in the Hoboken/NYC area since 2003.  
	I’m looking forward to my work with the Fire Grants Program , and hope to gain a solid understanding of FEMA’s grant procedures and the communities they serve. I am also looking forward to continuing my volunteer work in my new home, such as the local food banks and homeless services.  In my spare time, I enjoy exercising, reading, and relaxing on the beach. 
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	After months of training and planning, Region II’s IMAT team is ready to roll, i.e., to deploy without notice in support of any State, Tribal, County or Local Government facing imminent disaster. It’s launch has truly proven a regional, group effort.
	Logistics Personnel are en route to Texas, Maryland and Florida to pick up one IMAT Communication vehicle and two Communication Support vehicles, which will be temporarily stored at Fort Monmouth. The Communications truck has 20 voice and 20 data lines, together with the necessities of a small office. In addition, commodities, such as water, meals and tarps are already in place as part of Logistics' Distribution Plan.
	The Hurricane Operations Plan is a “blue print” created by Planning, focusing on all Region II programs’ response to a hurricane emergency, including the safe evacuation of people.
 	Individual Assistance (IA)  has been  coordinating with Puerto Rico,  with a particular emphasis on areas of vulnerability identified in its 2009 GAP Analysis.
	Public Assistance (PA) is training reservists to augment the IMAT, making sure they are well–grounded in Categories A & B.
	Finance and Administration have meticulously worked to ensure all certifications and management concerns are up to par before hurricane season. Operations has reviewed each program’s function and response plans.
	Because of all this, IMAT is ready. We’re just waiting for the cell phone to ring.







	



		

	












		
 
Travel Card Changes
	JPMorgan Chase (JPMC) is creating new User IDs for travel cardholders.  The new IDs will allow access to the JPMC card management system known as PaymentNet (https://gov1.paymentnet.com).  For cardholders who already have access to PaymentNet, the new User ID will replace your old ID that began with the letters E-M-P-L. 

The procedure for getting your new User IDs:
  New User ID Naming Convention for Existing Cardholder Accounts
New User ID.  The new User IDs will have a maximum of 20 characters and will be composed of the following elements:
Position 1 will be the first letter of the cardholder’s first name.
Positions 2 – 16 will be the characters of the cardholder’s last name, up to a total of 15 characters.
If the cardholder’s last name is less than 15 characters, the User ID will NOT fill the remainder of the characters with spaces or any other data.
Positions 17 – 20 (or the positions after the last name) will consist of the last 4 digits of the cardholder’s Social Security Number.
New Passwords.  Passwords shall be reset as the last 6 digits of the cardholder’s Social Security Number.
Once the cardholder logs in with the new User ID and reset password, he will be prompted to change the password to a combination of letters, numbers and special characters compatible with DHS policy. Instructions above apply to all existing cardholders. 
			

REGIONAL FACES
RANDOM NOTES, cont’d
With hurricane season on the horizon, Albert Sligh, FEMA/HQ Assistant Administrator for Management Directorate (center) checked in with CAD Director Alejandro De La Campa (left) and IA Contact Jose Rodriguez last week.  They briefed Mr. Sligh on the CAD and Logistics operations, accomplishments and goals. Later,  Mr. Sligh met with the Executive Director and Deputy Director of the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency (PREMA), and visited FEMA’s Logistics facilities in Maunabo and Ceiba. 
  GETTING READY	

IMAT READY TO ROLL
By Kim Anderson, IMAT EA
GOOD SHOWING FOR GREAT MANAGERS

	
	What changes after 100 days on the job?  Maybe you look at people differently, and start to see strengths you didn’t see 100 days earlier. Maybe you realize that a diverse combination of professionals, with very different strengths, makes the best unified team.  

	These were some of the things that became clear -- up-close and personal – during the Great Manager’s Training last week. The training focused on building on each individual’s strengths, and honing those strengths not only to meet our mission, but also to create a team that assists each of us as we improve the way we do our jobs.   

	So let me know if you start seeing a change in your managers as they apply the lessons learned ... about themselves and others. You even may see a change of perception.  

	Change can be good.  Sometimes change can be scary, and change for change’s sake is not necessarily effective.  But a change in one’s point of view, in one’s behavior, and the change in perception due to that positive behavioral change---this is what the Region II Great Managers’ Training highlighted.  


	When I looked at the photos that were taken at this Great Manager’s Training I am struck by how many people are smiling in every shot. Maybe change is best seen in the faces of our team mates simply through a smile.  

	

For more information 
about the training, please 
see any of the 
“Great Managers” 
in the photo above.  

Mike Moriarty, Acting Regional Administrator

Chris Brant ,a comms specialist with the R-2 IMAT team, prepares its communications vehicle.
	Last week, NJ Gov. Jon Corzine brought together 700 state and local officials to discuss the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (aka the stimulus package) and what it means for New Jersey. US Senators Menendez and Lautenberg also attended, as did Region II staff.  

	In a breakout session, Grant Management Specialist Peter McGrath presented information on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, noting that in 2008 NJ applications totaled 2.9% of the national 22,000 total, or just over 600. NJ Jersey Deputy Director of Homeland Security and Preparedness Joe Picciano (and an old friend of Region II’s), noted that in the past five years, NJ ranked 11th nationally in the number of fire grants awarded.  As these are competitive grants, the awards are somewhat linked to the application volume and, by extension, the Grant Division’s outreach efforts. 
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	RANDOM NOTES