FEMA: Week in Review NATIONAL DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH To learn more go to: http:// www.understandingdisability .org/ OR http:// www.hhs.gov/od/about/ fact_sheets/ whatisdisability.html October 28, 2011 Announcements Terrebonne Parish Earns Improved NFIP-CRS Rating Terrebonne Parish has earned a rating of six on the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System (NFIP-CRS). The new rating is an improvement from the previous grade of seven. As a result of the improved rating, residents of Terrebonne Parish could receive as much as a 20 percent reduction in flood insurance premiums. The NFIP-CRS is a voluntary incentive program that is recognized by insurance companies and encourages floodplain management activities that exceed minimum NFIP requirements. A reduction in flood risk numbers is the reward for communities that promote cost benefits based on a reduction of flood losses, provide accurate insurance ratings and boost awareness of the need for flood insurance. There are only two other Louisiana parishes that have received such a low rating, East Baton Rouge and Jefferson. Calendar October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month Visit: http://www.dhs.gov/ files/events/stop-think­ connect.shtm Nov. 7: Plaquemines South Transportation Building Ribbon Cutting; 155 Packard Lane, Buras, LA; 4 p.m. South Plaquemines Elementary School Groundbreaking; 218 School Road, Port Sulphur, LA; 5 p.m. Nov. 9: Nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS) Test; visit the FCC website for more information. Nov. 14-16: Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) Tri-State Conference; Jackson Convention Complex; Jackson, MS. More information at TriStateVOAD.org or call 225 -291-2806. FEMA Children's Working Group FEMA’s Children's Working Group (CWG) was established by Administrator Craig Fugate in August 2009, and is responsible for leading FEMA's efforts, in partnership with other Federal agencies and non-governmental stakeholders, to ensure that the needs of children are considered and integrated into all disaster planning, preparedness, response and recovery efforts initiated at the Federal level. The top priority of the Children’s Working Group is to examine, develop and continue to implement plans in: .. Supporting state and local efforts to help in the evacuation, tracking, and reunification of families if they get separated; .. Meeting the needs of children with disabilities during disasters; .. Funding the support to coordinate case management and crisis counseling for children and families who are disaster survivors through the Department of Health and Human Services; .. Increasing public awareness efforts to educate youth and families about emergency preparedness; .. Restoration and reimbursement of child care facilities and services which play an important role in helping a community to recover from a disaster. .. Incorporating children’s needs into planning and sheltering guidance, emergency management grants, and overall emergency planning and operational efforts; and .. Improving coordination across the Federal government and with state, local, and tribal and territorial partners in support of children’s disaster related needs. For more information on the Children’s Working Group, please click here: Children’s Working Group Fact Sheet or here: To receive Children's Working Group e-mail updates. Housing Update Katrina/Rita: 27 units Gustav/Ike: 11 units Contacts News Desk: (504) 762-2477 External Affairs Director, Andrea Davis: (504) 247-6628 / Andrea.Davis1@dhs.gov Outreach Lead, Amy Connolly: (225) 678-6673 / Amy.Connolly@dhs.gov FEMA