Community preparedness newsletter from FEMA

Extreme heat and thunderstorm tips, new YPC members and more.



In This Issue

Ready Tips

Leadership Spotlight

CERT and Communities

Youth Initiatives

Financial Resilience

FEMA's Data Digest

Important Dates

Multi-Factor Authentication to Begin for FEMA’s Preparedness Community Web Pages

The Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD) is enhancing the security of the Preparedness Community web pages at community.fema.gov. This summer, ICPD will add Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) when users sign in.

 

Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user to a system that provides access, and MFA is an authentication method that combines two or more authentication factors to validate a user’s identity. Extra authentication protects sensitive data and critical systems.

 

Although MFA will not be required to access community.fema.gov, visitors logging into the Preparedness Community (including CERT and YPC), will be required to authenticate using more than one method.

 

Once MFA has been implemented, the following site users will receive MFA prompts when registering or logging into the Preparedness Community:

 

Preparedness Community Members: Users who register for an account on community.fema.gov, such as YPC applicants and CERT members

YPC Reviewers: Users who log into the YPC Reviewer Portal

CERT Coordinators: State/Regional users logging into the CERT Coordinator Community

Site users will be sent a one-time password via email when logging into the Preparedness Community (including the CERT and YPC portals).

 

For assistance with failed sign-ins and account lockouts, please use the “Contact Us” button at community.fema.gov, and ICPD’s support team will respond within one business day to address any issues or answer any questions.

 

The new authentication process will begin in late July, with support for users who need assistance starting in early August. ICPD is pleased to roll out this additional security measure to help protect the Preparedness Community.

 

Please note that if you are opening links on your government- or work-issued computer, some links may appear invalid. We recommend opening in Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Ready Tips

Be Ready for Summer Storms



Remember the saying, “When thunder roars, go indoors?”

No matter where you live, thunderstorms can pose threats. Lightning kills 27 people on average each year in the United States and injures hundreds more, and heavy rain from thunderstorms can lead to flash floods. Worse yet, tornadoes can form during some thunderstorms, and hail can damage property.

While thunderstorms can happen anytime, they are more likely to occur in the spring and summer. Here are some tips to stay safe this season when skies darken and lightning flashes:

Pay attention to the alerts and warnings if you have outdoor activities planned. Download the FEMA app to receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide. Also sign up for alerts in your community.

If you are under a severe thunderstorm warning, move from outdoors into a sturdy building or a car with a roof. Moving under a tree to stay dry isn’t safe because lightning often strikes the tallest object in its path.

If a tornado warning is issued during a thunderstorm, move to a basement or the lowest level of the building, preferably in a room without windows.

Avoid running water or using landline phones. Electricity from lightning can travel through plumbing and phone lines. Unplug computers and other appliances to keep them safe.

Watch out for flooded roads. Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down, while one foot of moving water can sweep your car away.

Learn more about thunderstorm and lightning safety on FEMA’s Ready and Protective Actions webpages.

Now on the FEMA App: Fill Your Digital Backpack Today



You may already have an emergency kit at home or a go-bag in your car with supplies like water, flashlights, and a first aid kit. But did you know you can also safeguard important electronic documents—property deeds, insurance documents, medical records and more—in FEMA’s new digital backpack?

Having digital backups of your important physical documents means that you’ll have the information to replace them should you need to. That’s where the digital backpack comes in. Easy steps to create a digital backpack are now on the FEMA app, available from the Apple App Store or on Google Play.

Once you’ve downloaded the app, look for the Prepare icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap the A-Z tab and then Emergency Plans, Kits & Checklists. Scroll down to Digital Backpack. The app then takes you step by step through the process of creating a digital backpack, from gathering documents to showing you how to store these documents online to keeping them updated. Once you’re done, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you have access to documents you may need during an emergency.

Leadership Spotlight

ICPD’s New Deputy Director, Amanda Smith



When Amanda Smith began her job as Deputy Director of FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division in June, she may have been new to the role, but she’s certainly not new to preparedness.

More than a decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, Deputy Director Smith led pandemic influenza preparedness at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). She helped develop the department’s influenza pandemic strategic plan, which was used to inform influenza pandemic planning following the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.

Ten years ago, she moved to FEMA. As a Section Chief in FEMA’s National Preparedness Assessment Division (NPAD), Smith managed the publication of five annual National Preparedness Reports. These reports summarize progress made in and challenges that remain in the capabilities the United States needs to face its highest-risk threats.

“The nation is confronted with a variety of threats and hazards on a regular basis, some of which we can predict and others that are unexpected,” Smith said. “Our ability to effectively respond and recover from them is bolstered by increased preparedness throughout all levels of government and in individuals, organizations and communities. I’ve stayed in preparedness to be able to make a difference before incidents occur, and to help improve outcomes when the inevitable does occur.”

Read more. . . 

 

CERT and Communities

Iowa CERT Lends a Hand After an EF-4 Tornado



On the last day of March this year, 29 tornadoes ripped through Iowa. The worst, an EF-4 twister shown at left, damaged homes and led to three injuries in Keokuk and Washington Counties in the southeastern part of the state. The 170-mile-per-hour winds tore one house completely off its foundation, threw a car about 1,000 feet into a nearby field, and knocked over a 325-foot-tall cell phone tower.

In the aftermath of the storm, the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) from nearby Mahaska County traveled to help its harder-hit neighbors. It’s the only CERT within a two-hour radius and often pitches in to help with emergencies in other rural areas.

“Our team is always ready to assist in any disaster,” said CERT Program Manager Jim Walker. “We train every year so we are ready to serve.”

Keokuk County’s emergency manager asked the CERT to assist with an initial damage assessment so his agency would know how many people would need help finding a place to stay. The team found 45 homes that were damaged, including 19 that had been destroyed, using FEMA’s Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide to rate the damage. This was the fourth time the CERT helped with a damage assessment after a tornado.

Read more. . .

Lessons About Preparedness From a Disaster with National Impact

Experiencing a long-term disaster may help organizations recognize the importance of preparedness — and may motivate them to take action in the future. That’s a primary lesson learned from the FEMA COVID-19 Impacts Survey of community-based organizations about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. FEMA fielded the survey in August 2021 and collected 532 responses from local businesses and community-based organizations, such as faith-based organizations and other non-governmental or charitable organizations.

FEMA identified the following findings from the survey:

The pandemic may have motivated respondents’ organizations to prepare.

More than a year into the pandemic, nearly all (95%) respondents reported that, as a result of the pandemic, their organization was “likely” or “very likely” to take steps to prepare for future disasters and emergencies, including pandemics.

While only 14% reported that their organization was prepared before the pandemic began, by August 2021 45% of respondents reported that their organization was prepared for future pandemics. This increase in preparedness suggests that these organizations may recognize that preparedness may make a difference.

The majority of organizations indicated that they had increased their focus on serving historically underserved communities.

Compared with organizations that don’t focus on these communities, those that did were more likely to have taken preparedness steps before the pandemic began.

They were also more likely to take or continue taking steps after the start of the pandemic. Read more. . .

Youth Initiatives

Meet the New Youth Preparedness Council Members

FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) is excited to welcome 15 new members this summer. The council offers an opportunity for teens in grades 8 through 12 with a passion for preparedness to engage with FEMA and to share ideas and feedback. YPC members grow their leadership skills and support the resilience of their communities through preparedness projects. New members are chosen through a rigorous application process with more than 100 applicants this year.

This July, YPC members will participate in the Youth Preparedness Summit with FEMA leaders and preparedness professionals to learn more about the field and to network. For the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, the summit will be held in person in Washington, D.C. and feature prominent speakers, headlined by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.

Learn more about the new 2023 YPC members below. More biographical information on each member is also available at the YPC website.



Jordy Almonte

As a rising 11th grade student at the Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management in New York, Jordy has learned about the difference preparedness can make during disasters. He has done a school-based hazard assessment, identifying risks in his school and identifying that not all exit signs had emergency illumination. Jordy is most interested in fire safety and participates in the Fire Department of New York City’s Exploring Program.

 



Armaan Bhasin

In 2023, after a train derailed and released toxins in East Palestine, Ohio, Armaan partnered with residents, city officials and first responders in his Wisconsin town to raise awareness of preparedness for a similar emergency. The rising 12th grade student also volunteers at a soup kitchen and conducts walks at parks near farmer’s markets to introduce children to fresh fruit and vegetables. He also provides music therapy to residents at a nursing home and is a youth advocate for PATCH (Providers and Teens Communicating for Health), a statewide organization committed to advocating for the health of underrepresented communities.



Georgia Bukata

A rising 12th grade student from Arizona, Georgia is a member of the Region 9 YPC, where she helped with a summit to teach youth about preparedness techniques. She is also a member of the Arizona Governor’s Youth Commission, where she led the Mental Health Workgroup project, creating a toolkit and partnering with high school counselors to bring mental health clubs to schools. Georgia serves as vice president of her city’s Mayor’s Youth Council, where she recently emceed this year’s youth town hall on alternative routes to post-secondary education.

Read more. . .

Financial Resilience

Don’t Let Flooding be an Unexpected Guest — Be Prepared with Flood Insurance



Warm weather brings many things, like trees and flowers blooming, seasonal allergies and more sunshine. What it can also bring is an unexpected guest on your doorstep: flooding!

Every year, homes and businesses experience flooding when the water from streams and rivers rises over its banks and spills out into nearby low-lying land — putting inland communities, including cities, at risk of water damage. This type of flooding, called riverine flooding, is especially prevalent as weather gets warmer due to the combination of increased rainfall and snowmelt.

Flood risks are rising; 98% of all counties in the U.S. have experienced a flood event. In fact, from 1988 through 2017, intensifying precipitation was responsible for a total of $75 billion in U.S. flood damage. Total flood damage in those years was nearly $200 billion for riverine flooding alone—without accounting for storm surge floods.

What if we told you that homeowners insurance does not cover flood insurance? Purchasing a flood insurance policy can offset the costs of repair due to flooding.

Read more. . .

FEMA's Data Digest

Help Prepare Your Community by Using FEMA’s Data and Findings!

Do you want to use data to inform your preparedness efforts? Are you wondering what actions you should encourage your community to take? FEMA publishes Data Digests to share findings from its preparedness research, like the annual National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness. Our goal is to provide you with relevant insights, data, findings, research-validated protective actions and helpful links that you can use to engage with your community. We invite you to use the information below and incorporate Data Digest resources into your preparedness publications, social media posts and stakeholder outreach. 

Have questions about this data? Want to receive the Data Digest in your inbox? Contact FEMA at FEMA-Prepare@fema.dhs.gov.

Extreme heat can be deadly. Read about how you can help your community learn how to identify and respond to the effects of extreme heat in FEMA’s most recent Data Digest on extreme heat preparedness.





Important Dates

July

July 19: Planning for Climate Change Impacts, a Region 3 webinar (11 a.m. – noon ET)

August

August 3: You Are the Help Until Help Arrives, Region 2 webinar (1 – 3:30 p.m. ET)
August 30: Organizations Preparing for Emergency Needs, a Region 2 webinar (10 a.m. – noon ET)

September

September: National Preparedness Month