FEMA Administrator Urges Preparedness for 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Administrator Criswell Announces National Building Codes Initiative with White House

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Urges Preparedness for 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Administrator Criswell Announces National Building Codes Initiative with White House | site |



Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) press release dated: June 1, 2022 Washington - - June 1 officially marks the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season, and according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2022 outlook it will be another active season. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell stressed the importance of taking preparedness measures early while at the National Hurricane Center in Miami earlier today. “While it is FEMA’s goal to lead the nation, to set the example for the level readiness and preparedness we need to see for this hurricane season -- we can’t do this without you. Please don’t wait -- act now. Visit Ready.gov to make your emergency pl...

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Meets with European Crisis Management Community in Brussels | site |



Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) press release dated: May 4, 2022

Washington - - FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell discussed the importance of disaster resilient communities with European crisis management leaders in Brussels last week.

Brussels - - FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is welcomed to Brussels by the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Michael Adler (Photo by FEMA photographer)

Partnerships with the international disaster community provide vital learning opportunities. By sharing lessons learned, all parties are better able to posture themselves for future events, thereby protecting their citizens and infrastructure. Resilience...

Happening Today: Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA’s) Podcast Relaunches with New Focus, Format | site |


Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) press release dated: April 1, 2022 Washington - - FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced that FEMA is relaunching the agency’s podcast, “Before, During & After” across multiple platforms today. The podcast will offer a new format with information and insights tailored to the nation’s emergency management community. The first of the relaunched episodes is a one-on-one interview with Administrator Criswell, setting the stage with a robust discussion of the agency’s priorities in the years ahead. “It is FEMA’s priority to engage and empower all communities to help us become a more prepared and resilient nation,” Criswell said. “The podcast will provide listeners with insight into where emergency management is headed, how we are preparing tod...

Federal Emergency Management Agency Urges Mid-Atlantic Residents to Prepare for Tropical Depression Ida | site |


(Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] press release dated: August 31, 2021) Philadelphia - - Hurricane Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana on Sunday afternoon with devastating consequence. Ida has been downgraded to a tropical storm but will continue to bring life-threatening flash, urban and river flooding to communities throughout the mid-Atlantic over the coming days. Tropical Storm Ida is expected to bring three to six inches of rainfall to the Ohio Valley, southern/central Appalachians, and Mid-Atlantic today through Wednesday. A few areas could see higher amounts. Portions of our region have received several inches of rainfall over the past two weeks from weather systems including but not limited to Fred and Henri, which have primed soils and rivers for additional w...

Federal Emergency Management Agency and Federal Communications Commission Plan Nationwide Emergency Alert Test for Aug. 11 | site |



Test Messages Will be Sent to TVs and Radios Along with Select Cell Phones That Have Opted-in to Receive Test Messages



(Information contained in Federal Communications Commission [FCC] press release dated: June 11, 2021)

Washington - - FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) this summer. The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests will begin at 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Aug. 11. The Wireless Emergency Alert portion of the test will be directed only to consumer cell phones where the subscriber has opted-in to receive test messages. This will be the second nationwide WEA test, but the first nationwide WE...

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell Delivers Speech at National Hurricane Conference | site |



(Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] press release dated: June 16, 2021)

Washington - - Today, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell delivered a speech on hurricane and disaster preparedness at the National Hurricane Conference in New Orleans. Other speakers were Ken Graham, Director, National Hurricane Center, Miami; James Waskom, Director, Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, Baton Rouge, La.; and Kevin Guthrie, Director, Florida Division of Emergency Management, Tallahassee, Fla.

Below is the administrator’s speech as prepared for delivery. Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be here – in person – with all of you today. I am so proud of this community because you embody the resilience this nation demonstrated during the last 18 mont...

Federal Emergency Management Agency says Pennsylvania Releases New Mapping Tool to Show Flood Risk | site |




(Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] press release dated: June 7, 2021)

Philadelphia - - The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania released a new mobile tool, https://pafloodrisk.psu.edu/home/index.html , that provides the latest flood mapping information. The new mapping tool, which can be used from a desktop computer, cell phone, or other mobile device, brings together data from FEMA and across the Commonwealth into one consolidated application. “This is a great way for the residents of Pennsylvania to learn about their flood risk in an easy-to-access application”, said Maurie Kelly, Director of Informatics at Penn State’s Institutes of Energy and the Environment. “Users just type in their address and can immediately see information about their location, print a report, or get a quick 3D visualiz...

Federal Emergency Management Agency Announces Operational Guidance for Disaster Response and Recovery in Pandemic Environment | site |



(Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] press release dated: May 17, 2021)

Washington - - For the second year in a row, FEMA is prepared to respond to disasters as the nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

FEMA released the “COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance: All-Hazards Incident Response and Recovery,” a document aimed at helping emergency managers plan for disaster response and recovery, while adhering to public health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For more than a year, the emergency management community has been operating in a pandemic environment, and FEMA has emphasized the importance of all state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) governments applying lessons learned from 2020, as they prepare for operati...

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas Visits FEMA COVID-19 Vaccination Facility in Philadelphia | site |



(Information contained in U.S. Department of Homeland Security [DHS] press release dated: March 2, 2021)

Washington - - Today, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visited operations at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) new Community Vaccination Center (CVC) facility at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, scheduled to open tomorrow and expected to vaccinate up to 6,000 people per day. Secretary Mayorkas thanked and met with the Mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, and representatives from other partner organizations including the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and the Department of Defense. “On the first day of his administration, President Biden challenged FEMA to stand up 100 Federal...

Federal Emergency Management Agency Supports Vaccine Distribution: COVID-19 Response Update | site |



(Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] press release dated: March 2, 2021)

Washington - - FEMA continues its push to speed up vaccinations across the country, supporting states as they open additional community vaccination centers this week. In addition to Pfizer and Moderna, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be delivered to three federal pilot community vaccination centers in California, Florida and Texas, helping to bring this unprecedented pandemic to an end. FEMA continues increasing vaccine allocations to states, tribes and territories, ensuring everyone who wants a vaccine can get one. Using data from CDC’s social vulnerability index, the agency is partnering with state leaders to identify community vaccination centers where they will be able to do the most good for the most vulnerable populations. Today, a comm...

FEMA Supports Vaccine Distribution: COVID-19 Response Update | site |



(Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] press release dated: February 9, 2021)

Washington - - FEMA has now provided more than $3.15 billion to states, tribes, territories and the District of Columbia for expenses related to COVID-19 vaccination at 100% federal cost share and deployed 752 incident management and 317 incident support staff across the nation to support vaccine centers with federal personnel and technical assistance. Additional FEMA staff across the country are supporting virtually. FEMA is supporting vaccination centers by providing expedited financial assistance, federal equipment and supplies, and deploying federal personnel to states, tribes, territories and other eligible applicants for vaccination efforts. This assistance is processed when a request is submitted. As the number of states with obligations increases, ...

FEMA Supports Vaccine Distribution: COVID-19 Response Update | site |



(Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] press release dated: February 1, 2021)

Washington - - FEMA has now obligated more than $1.7 billion to states, tribes and territories, and Washington, D.C., for vaccination sites and deployed more than 300 staff to 10 states and one territory to support vaccination centers with personnel and technical assistance. Additional staff across the country are supporting virtually. In the last 48 hours, the following obligations over $1 million were made:

• $51.6 million to Alabama.
• $5.9 million to California.
• $245 million to Florida.
• $104.6 million to Georgia.
• $46.9 million to Kentucky.
• $15 million to Minnesota.
• $32 million to Mississippi.
• $103 million to North Carolina.
• $2.5 million to South Carolina.
• $68.5 million to Tennessee.
• $3.2 million to Virginia.
• $47 million to Wisconsin.

As of Jan....

Federal Emergency Management Agency Obligates Nearly $1 Billion in First Days of Vaccine Mission | site |



(Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] press release dated: January 26, 2021) Washington - - FEMA has obligated nearly $1 billion to costs related to the COVID-19 vaccine mission and continues to work with states throughout the nation in funding costs related to the COVID-19 vaccine mission. The award provides over $988 million in federal funding to Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. These funds are being provided to reimburse costs associated with emergency protective measures taken by governments to store, handle, transport, distribute and administer vaccines to reduce the spread the of the virus. Emergency protective measures include providing emergency medical supplies, commodities, transportation, staffing for medica...

Federal Emergency Management Agency Reimburses nearly $7 Million to Massachusetts for COVID-19 Food Security Response | site |



(Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] press release dated: December 31, 2020)


Region 1 – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded $6,993,801 to Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to reimburse eligible expenses for the delivery of food boxes to hundreds of thousands of residents in response to food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. MEMA, along with the assistance of the Salvation Army, and a network of food banks and food pantries throughout Massachusetts coordinated and distributed 275,808 food boxes to eligible participants. “We are pleased to provide this significant grant to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to help manage the financial demands associated with providing food for its citizens needing assistance during COVID-19,” said Region...

Continued Rental Assistance May be Available from FEMA | site |


FEMA says "Survivors of Major August, September Wildfires Must Demonstrate Ongoing Need"


(Information contained in Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] press release: December 17, 2020)

Sacramento, Calif. – If you are a California survivor of the recent wildfires receiving rental assistance for temporary housing through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program, let FEMA know if you have a continuing need.

Rental assistance is for paying rent, including a security deposit, at a place other than your damaged home. To continue to receive it, you must prove an ongoing need, which may be that suitable housing is not available, or that your permanent housing plan has not been completed through no fault of your own.

You may qualify for continued assistance if you:

• Demonstrate your disaster-related financial need; and

• Show you are developing

...