IAEM NEWS
2006
E.M. News | Active Disaster News
 IAEM News Release: IAEM Applauds Selection of Proenza to Head the National Hurricane Center (12/06/06)
IAEM News Release: IAEM Endorses the New National Logo for Emergency Management (11/30/06)
IAEM To Participate in Nov. 30 Press Conference on Release of New EM Icon; FEMA Director David Paulison To Address National Press Club (11/20/06) IAEM will participate in a Nov. 30 press conference regarding the release of the new emergency management icon. IAEM President Mike Selves, CEM, and NEMA President Albert Ashwood will join FEMA Director Dave Paulison and DHS Under Secretary George Foresman at the press conference (10:30-11:00 a.m.), which will precede a luncheon speech by Chief Paulison at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Paulison plans to discuss his vision for FEMA and steps underway to make FEMA the pre-eminent emergency management agency in the United States.
IAEM Adds Special Nov. 12 Conference Session on Congressional Action Plans for State EM Associations (10/08/06)
IAEM Region 4 Issues Call for Nominations for 2006 Clayton R. Christopher Award (10/02/06)
Deadline: Oct. 30, 2006
Local Emergency Managers Applaud FEMA Reform Legislation in H.R. 5441 (09/26/06)
IAEM News Release: IAEM Certifies 1,000 EM Professionals (09/21/06)
IAEM News Release: FEMA Reform (09/19/06)
Ellis Stanley, Sr., CEM, Testifies on Behalf of IAEM Before U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee on Homeland Security (09/08/06)
Learn about the Lacy E. Suiter Policy Forum The Lacy E. Suiter Policy Forum has been established in Lacy’s honor, as a memorial that will capture the spirit of his service to the United States and continue to add to his legacy of helping to shape the evolution of emergency management and homeland security.
IAEM Pre-Conference Brochure Now Available: Download the Program with Complete Details about the IAEM 2006 Annual Conference & EMEX 2006
DOWNLOAD "FIX" FOR IAEM MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY CD-ROM
Due to a recent Microsoft Windows update, you may be receiving an error message regarding the Macromedia Projector when you attempt to access your IAEM Membership Directory CD-ROM. If that is the case, you may download and install a "fix" here that will take care of the problem. Download the "fix."
(Or if you prefer, download the fix in a "zipped" file.)
HPP Magazine and IAEM Offer Second Annual Interagency Disaster Preparedness Award
 IAEM Supports COMCARE Data Interoperability Effort IAEM has joined an effort of the COMCARE Emergency Response Alliance to encourage Members of Congress and U.S. federal agency officials to support further legislation and policies incorporating a broader definition of interoperability that includes both voice and data interoperability. Learn more at www.comcare.org.
IAEM SE Asia Web Site Goes Live (07/10/06)
Senate Bill 3595 Introduced That Would Restructure FEMA (06/30/06)
IAEM News Release: IAEM Responds to DHS Nationwide Plan Review - Urges Increase in EMPG Funding (06/23/06)
IAEM Legislative Alert: Contact Senators To Request Increase in EMPG Funding (06/22/06)
IAEM Legislative Alert: Upcoming House Vote on Whether FEMA Will Be Independent or Stay Within DHS (06/21/06)
IAEM 2006 Legislative Positions At its 2006 Mid-Year meeting, IAEM developed two positions statements, which were approved by the Board. The position statements included:
IAEM submitted a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs in support of the nomination of R. David Paulison as the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management at the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. click for link
The full U.S. House Appropriations Committee has completed its deliberations on the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security appropriations bill. In a "managers" amendment passed by the full committee, an additional $6 million in Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funding was added to the Homeland Security Subcommittee's mark-up of $180 million. This brings the total appropriation for EMPG in the House to $186 million, a $16 million increase over the Administration's request.
IAEM and a number of its partners have sent joint letters to the U.S. Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees on Homeland Security, requesting an increase in Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funding. Download Senate letter. Download House letter.
On Apr. 27, the members of the Ontario Association of Emergency Managers (OAEM) voted to become a chapter of IAEM Canada, adding more than 400 new members to IAEM. Download the press release, or read the entire text of the press release on the IAEM Canada Web page.
President George W. Bush has nominated the acting director of FEMA, R. David Paulison, to be permanent head of the agency. The position, previously titled Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response, will now be titled Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management at the Dept. of Homeland Security. Prior to Paulison's service as acting director, he served as administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration. During that time, he was also the FEMA Director for Preparedness. He previously served as fire chief for the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Dept., where he began his career as a rescue firefighter in 1971. In addition, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff announced the appointment of Vice Admiral Harvey E. Johnson, Jr., as deputy director and chief operating officer of FEMA. FEMA Press Release on Nominations Paulison has confirmed that he will be the keynote speaker at the IAEM 2006 Annual Conference & EMEX Exhibit in Orlando. He will kick off the general sessions of the conference on Monday, Nov. 13.
IAEM members responded to association alerts and made contacts to their Senators requesting that they include increasing the funding for Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) on their individual priority list - and that they sign the letter to Chairman Gregg and Ranking Member Byrd being circulated by Senators Voinivich, Akaka, Collins, and Lieberman.
The Senate letter requested an increase to $235 million for EMPG. (The FY 2006 appropriation was $185 million, which was reduced by an across-the-board cut to $183.1 million. The President's request for Fiscal Year 2007 cut EMPG to $170 million. The Senate letter requests restoring the reductions and adding $50 million to begin addressing the shortfall.)
Forty-one Senators signed the letter. This letter is no guarantee that the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, chaired by Sen. Gregg of New Hampshire, will include an increase in EMPG funds when they mark up in May or June; however, it is extremely helpful. If your Senators are on the list of those who signed, please contact their offices and thank them for signing the letter and recognizing the importance of EMPG to state and local emergency managers.
IAEM Scholarship 2006-07 Applications Due Date Changed to May 31 (03/28/06) The deadline for applications for IAEM 2006-2007 scholarships has been changed to May 31. IAEM scholarships are awarded to full-time students pursuing an associate or diploma, baccalaureate, or graduate degree in emergency management or a closely related field. Scholarship applications must be received at IAEM Headquarters by May 31, 2006. click for link
IAEM Submits Statement for the Record to the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security on the DHS Fiscal Year 2007 Budget. (03/17/06) Each year, as part of our U.S. legislative efforts, we provide a statement for the record on the budget request of the Department of Homeland Security to the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. This year's statement focuses on Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG). This statement will be provided to the Members of the Subcommittees and their staff and will be printed in an official volume by the Subcommittee. The House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Homeland Security traditionally limits the witnesses on the budget request to the DHS witnesses, but other parties may submit written statements if in by the deadlines (March 16 for House and April 3 for Senate). Download IAEM statement.
IAEM joined 38 organizations in support of the ENHANCE 911 Act, specifically the grant program authorized by that legislation. See the open letter to Congress from the National Emergency Number Association. Congress recognized the needs of today’s 9-1-1 system by passing the ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004, which authorizes the creation of a national 9-1-1 program office and up to $250 million per year for grants to upgrade enhanced emergency communications services. Yet, to date no monies have been appropriated to fund the provisions in the ENHANCE 911 Act. It is essential that Congress recognize the critical role that 9-1-1 plays in all emergencies and as a vital homeland security asset by providing funding for the ENHANCE 911 Act.
IAEM has issued a news release responding to the White House report, The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned, stating that it contains recommendations that may significantly change the relationships between local, state and federal governments in emergencies. The fact sheet issued by the White House indicates that the 125 specific recommendations to the President have been reviewed by relevant departments and agencies and “will now enter an implementation process.” Although hurricane season is fast approaching, a rush to implement some of these recommendations would greatly concern emergency managers. click for link
IAEM has issued a news release responding to the proposed cuts in Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) in the FY 2007 budget requests for the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. The program was recently cut by approximately $13 million in the DHS 2007 budget proposals. These cuts came even after the glaring failures of coordination and collaboration during the federal, state and local response to the catastrophic events along the Gulf Coast. click for link
A recent survey of potential EMEX participants solicited their preferences for exhibit hours and how to draft more traffic to EMEX 2006. Their feedback is being considered in the planning process for this year's Emergency Management & Homeland Security Expo in Orlando. Based on the survey results, EMEX 2006 exhibit hours will be extended this year. For complete information about EMEX 2006 and to reserve booth space, visit www.emex.org.
IAEM and the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) have issued a joint press release on upcoming efforts to build collaboration between emergency managers and the satellite industry, through coordination of satellite-related opportunities at the IAEM 2006 Annual Conference & EMEX Exhibit in Orlando. download press release
On Jan. 16, the National Homeland Security Consortium, of which IAEM is a member, sent recomendations to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff that included a series of principles that the consortium believes DHS should adopt through the Preparedness Directorate. These principles include the adoption of an all-hazards approach, reflecting all threats and risks, natural, manmade and technological alike, including acts of terrorism. The consortium also stressed that state, territorial, local, tribal and private sector emergency response professionals must be involved in the full life cycle of any policy, strategy and guidance development related to national preparedness efforts. The consortium further addressed the problem of a lack of internal coordination within DHS regarding document review and comment periods, resulting in tight deadlines that hinder effective local, state, federal and private sector collaboration. Download letter to Secretary Chertoff.
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