IN THIS ISSUE

Rich Quinlan’s Contribution 3

LEM Program 4

National Preparedness Month 7

Farewell Summer Interns 11

THE NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS

DIVISION OF FEMA REGION I

VOLUME 1O OCTOBER 2011

The I

nteg

rato

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Oct 2011

2011

This issue features pictures from Hurricane Irene response

efforts, the new features to the STEP program, and photos

from this year’s National Preparedness Month activities.

Dear Partners,

New England’s Changing Reality/After Irene. This will be a longer introduction than usual because “a lot has

happened since the last Integrator!” That’s an understatement. We’ve survived two tornadoes in Western Massachusetts

on June 1 and Tropical Storm Irene on August 28th. We have experienced our first “billion dollar” disaster in many years

with all six states “declared” with Stafford Act declarations ongoing.

Web 2.0. Irene was my first exposure and benefits to the use of Web 2.0 technologies to enhance volunteer

coordination and activities. Over Labor Day, I visited a South Royalton Vermont farm that had been devastated. I saw 50

or more volunteers from five states that had been brought together on Twitter to help each other. This was just one of two

shifts at this site! Volunteers from ages 8 to 80 were side by side mucking out homes and barns. It was truly a "Whole

Community" response facilitated by the use of new technologies. It was a moment I won't forget.

College Best Practices. In my travels through the states I was impressed with the resiliency and volunteerism that

occurred. Partners in the state and local sectors very smartly delayed activities in some cases until the storm passed; others

with less notice, protected safely in place rather than trying to outrun the weather. Some of New England's colleges

recently came together on a regional webinar to share best practices and discussed what they did right and in some cases,

what they could have done better.

Typifying the extraordinary depth of specialized capability in New England schools, Norwich University

Mountain & Cold Weather Rescue Team partnered with a local swift water rescue unit and saved 25 people in the minutes

and hours right after Irene caused local flood waters to overcome and isolate trapped survivors. Ongoing research at UVM

regarding impacts on trailer homes during disasters was particularly useful and timely to responders. And, wasting no

time, UVM has already launched a course with Irene as a focus! If you’d like to know more about how FEMA Region 1

supports colleges and universities in New England contact Rob Pesapane (Robert.Pesapane@dhs.gov). Rob, along with

Nate Spada, was instrumental in helping organize the very recent HIED-Fusion Center Full Scale Exercise Operation Safe

Haven that focused on campus attacks occurring in two states and on three college campuses. Safe Haven is written about

later in the Integrator and the lessons learned will be shared appropriately.

Our next HIED webinar will be Wednesday January 18, 2012. We hope to continue to be responsive to the

schools’ requirements and are aiming for a robust discussion with subject matter experts about the “Tragedy in Tucson”

(PEMA Community College) and the constellation of legal and practical issues surrounding similar circumstances.

Affiliate Preparedness Programs. We may also diversify and ask our affiliate, NWS-NOAA, to discuss their

Storm Ready accreditation program (see http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/ ) for commercial facilities, colleges and

communities. Recognizing that 90 percent of all disasters and 500 deaths each year (nation-wide) are attributed to weather

events, NWS offers the Storm Ready to accredit partner clients according to standards for weather warning, messaging and

overall preparedness. FEMA Region 1 supports this effort by providing NWS-NOAA a participating panel member when

Storm Ready accreditation reviews occur.

Another later article and pictures shows NWS-NOAA’s latest Storm Ready commercial facility, ESPN Bristol,

CT. FEMA Region 1 followed up on ESPN’s August Storm Ready ceremony and helped better prepare more than 5,000

employees at a training session.

Next month, FEMA Regional staff will meet with our American Red Cross affiliate partners to discuss their new Ready Rating and Ready When the Time Comes programs (see http://www.readyrating.org/noflash.aspx ). The first phase of these programs is based on schools and businesses conducting self assessments online using the Ready Rating assessment tools. The assessments are quick, easy and provide a great conversation mechanism with staff and employees. My staff and I conducted our analysis a few months ago and I’d be glad to share the results and have a discussion with interested parties. My end goal with this effort is to collaborate with states and Red Cross and end up with a regional program and capability similar to what we have with the NWS-NOAA program. Both Storm Ready and Ready Rating programs acknowledge achievements with signs and co-logo opportunities for the recipients.

TEPW. For those looking ahead, please consider attending the upcoming FEMA Region 1 Training and Exercise

Program Workshop 1 & 2 December, 2011. Each year, FEMA sponsors a TEPW to align the training and exercise program regionally for the next two years. This will be the first year with extensive Whole Community private sector involvement.

Cyber & NLE12. Speaking of the private sector, I am writing this on my flight back from the Initial Planning

Conference for National Level Exercise 12 (NLE12). NLE12’s focus is a cyber event that causes larger businesses and parts of government to considering executing their Continuity of Operations Plan. Early front runner possible scenarios may stem from service interruptions to the Transportation and Energy sectors with play possible for first responders with a parallel “physical” event. One of the key take-a-ways from the recent conference is that there will be private sector specific play for both large and small businesses. Learn further details about NLE12 at the regional TEPW mentioned above.

COOP. In line with the NLE exercise, the region will continue to coordinate regional COOP activities for both

public and private entities. The next event is November 17 in Holyoke, Massachusetts. FEMA and the Federal Executive Association (FEA) are sponsoring this half-day event which is designed for entities to bring their COOP plans and conduct a check-list walk through and dialogue to ensure key elements are included.

Active Shooter Training. Many stakeholders have inquired about active shooter office scenarios, regardless of

venue; either public or private. DHS offers a comprehensive Active Shooter program that features reproducible posters and checklists. The Federal Protective Service out of Boston also features a companion “Brown Bag” training program that our office can help coordinate. We’ll be trying to coordinate for larger sessions vice individual entity events and keep you posted on those opportunities. If you're interested in hosting such an event, contact Lauren K. DeMarco at lauren.demarco@dhs.gov.

Personal Thanks. On one final note, I wanted to thank my staff for their hard work helping the states responding

and recovering from Irene. We had a full slate of National Preparedness Month activities to support and somehow were able to accomplish most of it and support Irene JFOs and RRCC operations. At several points, I had 80 % percent of my staff in the field, supporting you, our partners. Although Rich Quinlan is most notably and appropriately singled out in this edition, we could have put many other pictures in as well, but chose to recognize Rich for his extraordinary accomplishments. And, there are still a few NP employees still in the field, away from home, families and friends.

With Great Pride, W. Russ Webster Federal Preparedness Coordinator FEMA, Region 1

Special thanks to

Deirdre Iadorola for

her contributions to

the JFO in Vermont

along with all the

FEMA Region I

employees who

supported the

Hurricane Irene

recovery efforts that

affected the New

England States. Assisting in Vermont Recovery Efforts

Deirdre Iadarola with the training section within National Preparedness Division deployed to Vermont in response to spring floods and hurricane Irene. During her time within the Joint Field Office (JFO), Deirdre instituted the local Hire Initiative which was responsible for recruiting well qualified Vermonters to work for FEMA. Deirdre worked tirelessly to bring on hires as quick as possible to fill positions with the goal of having 10% of the entire JFO local hires. Her first hire Lorraine Villemaire was brought on board with FEMA within days of the job posting. Lorraine was recently unemployed after her company was shut down before coming to FEMA. Lorraine is pictured below being sworn in by Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer Richard Quinlan also with National Preparedness Division assigned to Vermont.

Rich Quinlan grew up in

Barre, Vermont and tries

to get back to his

hometown for the town’s

annual festival. Quinlan

traveled back to Vermont

as the Deputy in charge of

disaster recovery

operations after the spring

storms and flooding. For

more info on Quinlan’s job

well-done, visit:

http://fema.gov/news/newsre

lease.fema?id=56932

Rich Quinlan from the National Preparedness

Division swears in a new hire to support

efforts due to Hurricane Irene.

The Leadership in

Emergency Management

is a program that targets

teens and young adults

in high school. This

program is normally

offered during the

summer time to give the

young adults a hands-on

experience on not only

managing emergencies,

but also learning what it

means to be prepared for

disasters and

emergencies that are

frequent to the places in

which they live. For

more on information on

this year’s program,

please see page 9 of this

edition of the Integrator.

TRAINING CALENDAR

Corporate Emergency Access System (CEAS) helps businesses remain operational following emergencies and disasters: The Providence Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)

has created a way to help businesses in Providence remain

functional after disasters with CEAS. It is a pre-event

credentialing program that allows critical business

employees to gain access to restricted areas following a

disaster or serious emergency by using a secure

identification card recognized by the police.

Providence is the first city in Rhode Island to adopt CEAS.

In order for businesses to join the program, they must first

enroll online at http://ceas.com/how-do-i-enroll. Although

there is a per card fee, the CEAS enables law enforcement

officials to immediately recognize authorized users,

reduces enterprise risk, and ensures that the right people

have access to the right places at the right time. Because of

this employees will be able to get back to work, identify

and assess damages, and be in the position to ensure

continuity and recovery for their company.

CEAS is also being used in New York City, Boston,

Cambridge, Philadelphia, Stamford, Buffalo, and

Baltimore. It is the only ID-based program recognized by

Providence Police and PEMA to allow companies access

to their workplace quickly following an emergency event

that results in travel or access restrictions. In the event a

disaster disrupts business, CEAS may help limit financial

loss, retain customers, and get companies back in business

faster.

For more information visit:

http://www.providenceri.com/PEMA/city-of-providence-

unveils-new-id-program-for

OPS Safe Haven: The eighteen-month initiative culminated this past week

with a Full Scale Exercise based on a simultaneous active

shooter scenario was held at three Higher Education

(HiEd) venues which include Rhode Island College (RIC),

the University of Rhode Island (URI), and University of

Massachusetts (UMass) Dartmouth.

Many other campus public safety emergency managers

participated throughout the Region (Boston College,

Providence College, MIT, UMASS Boston, et.als.), as well

as multiple law enforcement, EMS, and Fusion Center

components. The Series began with a seminar that

examined campus and surrounding community plans,

resources, and information sharing mechanisms to prevent,

mitigate, and respond to threats and violence aimed at

colleges and universities in the northeast. The Education

Safe Haven Tabletop Exercise (TTX) took place in June

and effectively explored topics and issues akin to the

Virginia Tech rampage in 2007. The Full Scale Exercise

allowed responders to test the lessons learned since then in

an operational environment. The After Action Conference

for the Op Safe Haven FSE is scheduled for December 16

2011. The success of this event was due largely to the

efforts of Nate Spada, Exercise Officer, FEMA Region I.

Nate worked tirelessly with State and HiEd partners to

ensure the exercise was conducted in a manner that

enhanced the readiness of all participants.

Tribal Affairs: Presently, there are more than 560 federally recognized

American Indian (AI) and Alaska Native (AN) tribes in the

United States. In Region 1 there are 10 tribes.

As sovereign nations, Tribal governments have the right to

hold elections, determine their own citizenship

(enrollment) and to consult directly with the U.S.

government on policy, regulations, legislation, and

funding. Over the last couple of years we in Region 1

have held discussions with most of the tribes and have

begun assisting them with grants, preparedness, mitigation

and NIMS implementation.

At the present time we have developed an exercise design

team in conjunction with a number of tribes to better

prepare them for an All-hazards approach to emergency

management. Many of the tribes are relatively new to the

Emergency Management process and it will take a

Regional effort to bring the “Whole of Community”

approach to our partners.

ESPN /StormReady Partnership: Staff worked with the National Weather Service & CT

Emergency Management for ESPN to achieve Storm

Ready Status. Regional staff participated in ESPN Security

and Safety Awareness Day and provided preparedness

information and engaged employees as part of National

Preparedness Month.

National

Preparedness Month

Events:

FEMA Region I joined

with many other public

safety agencies on the

state, local and federal

level on ESPN football

field to present

preparedness messages to

an employee audience of

5,000 people.

Photos from FEMA, Region I’s Participation in

National Preparedness Month Events.

National

Preparedness Month

Events:

FEMA Region I joined

with the City of Hartford,

CT Fire Department and

the Office of Emergency

Management for their first

National Preparedness

Month Fair Day.

Combined with the support

of the Milan Cultural

Association, the city, Fire

Dept., Emergency

Management team, the

CERT team, and the Police

Department; the event was

a huge success.

City of Hartford, Connecticut’s First National Preparedness Month Fair: On September 18, 2011, FEMA supported the City of Hartford, Connecticut during

their National Preparedness Month Fair. The event was hosted by the City of

Hartford Fire Department and Office of Emergency Management. The event took a

lot of planning, time and energy; however, partnering with Milan Cultural

Association the day of their India Festival made their 1st National Preparedness

Month Fair Day a huge success.

Liberty Mutual and Saint Francis Hospital supported the preparedness efforts by

distributing safety messages and preparedness materials to everyone who attended

the fair. Joined by a Hartford’s CERT team and Police Department, the American

Red Cross was also available during the fair showing off their Emergency Response

Vehicles to everyone interested. They weren’t the only people to bring out their

vehicles during the fair. The Hartford Police Department also brought their bobcat,

tank, marine unit and bomb squad vehicle for display.

The event was a major success even though it was Hartford’s first preparedness fair.

The messages of being prepared, having a plan, and staying informed were the most

prominent messages that people learned. Establishing a family contact list, planning

home evacuations, and keeping emergency kits were also key takeaways from all of

the preparedness tips shared.

National

Preparedness Month

Events:

FEMA Region I joined

with the Department of

Labor and hosted a

preparedness event at the

JFK Federal Building

located in Boston. This

event reached out to not

only the federal employees

in the building, but also

the citizens who enjoyed

receiving information on

preparing their homes and

loved ones in case of a

disaster.

Always remember these

three tips for preparedness:

Make a kit. Be prepared.

Stay informed.

Other Pictures from

FEMA, Region I

Rob Pesapane suits up as

Space Man as he prepares

to ready himself for a

special assignment.

Tim Looby saddles back up

in the cockpit as he travels

over Vermont by air.

DAE Deirdre Iadorola

added a significant

contribution to the MA JFO

her first time in the field.

Top Tweets from

FEMA Region I’s

Twitter Account

@FEMA Disaster Centers in

#CT have begun closing but it’s

not too late to register -

www.disasterassistance.gov df.

Some VT towns that aren’t in

the National Flood Insurance

Program will be getting a 2nd

chance to joint up: #VTIrene.

To exepedite the process,

register with FEMA before you

visit a Disaster Recovery

Center: 1800-621-3362 or

www.diasterassitance.gov

Do not derive into flooded areas.

If the floodwaters rise around

your car, abandon the car and

move to higher ground if you

can do safely.

FEMA For Kids ahs 23 games

to play:

www.ready.gov/kids/index.html

The @RedCross Ready Rating

System helps you anaylzye your

business’ disaster preparedness

www.ready.gov/business/_down

loads/10_Things_You_Can_Do

_To_Practice_Cyber_Security_

Users.pdf

FOR PREPAREDNESS

UPDATES - FOLLOW:

www.twitter.com/FEMAregion1

Farewell to our Summer Interns & The LEM Program

INTERNS

In the emergency management

professional field, anything can

happen. It is with great

admiration that the National

Preparedness Division interns

are celebrated for going above

and beyond to perform their

duties this past summer.

The Deputy Federal

Preparedness Coordinator

shared these kind words for not

just an intern for FEMA, but

also a family member of FEMA

Region

I:

Kate,

It is with the utmost admiration

for you and the assistance that

you provided our team over the

past year that I say thank you!

Your wit, your inter-personal

skills, positive demeanor and

your cognitive abilities will be

missed.

It was a pleasure to work with

you and call you a friend. Please

stay in touch and let us know

where you “land.”

Most respectfully yours,

Rick Nicklas.

LEM

The Leadership in Emergency

Management program in its first

year trained almost 200 high

school age students for effective

leadership as emergency managers

and preparing students for a safer

tomorrow by instilling the valuable

principles of always being

prepared.

The summer camps at Mass

Maritime Academy and Outward

Bound program were two of the

pilot program camps that helped

reach a multitude of students from

a variety of backgrounds and

ethnicities.

The second year of the

program looks to be promising as

it grows and generates more

interest. For more information on

this program or about getting the

LEM program instituted

somewhere, please contact the

National Preparedness Division of

FEMA Region I and learn more.

Thanks.

STEP Info for 2011-2012 School Year

Participating STEP schools will be required to visit the STEP

website at www.reima.ri.gov/step in order to access learning

materials for the new school year. Last year, the STEP program

reached 26,000+ students in the New England States. As the

program continues to expand and grow, we are also looking to

support your needs and support with this program.