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Citizen Corps launches “Family First – Be Prepared” Public Service Announcement Video Competition
March 19th, 2012Family First – Be Prepared Competition
Maryland Citizen Corps Council is getting ready to launch a Public Service Announcement Video Competition. Please see the attached for information, registration and rules!
Contact: Robert A. Ward State Citizen Corps Program Manager Maryland Emergency Management Agency phone: 410-517-3606 Cell: 443-277 4021
Download the Citizen_Corps_PSA_Competition_Info (PDF 4.09 mb)
The 2012 American Red Cross Hometown Heroes: Congratulations to One of Our Own!
March 15th, 2012Please join us in congratulating Lt. Jay Ringgold, Baltimore County EMA, for his receiving the 2012 American Red Cross Hometown Heroes Award. For those of us who know Jay, this is a well deserved recognition for all he has done, and continues to do, for the safety of the citizens of Maryland.
Great Job Jay!!
MEMA Encourages Maryland Residents to Be Aware of the Dangers and Impacts of Floods
March 12th, 2012Flood Safety Week runs from March 12-16
REISTERSTOWN, MD (March 9, 2012) — Floods are the most frequent and costly natural disaster in the United States. Flood effects can be local, impacting a neighborhood or community, or very large, affecting entire river basins and multiple states.
The Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) encourages residents to know their flood hazards. National Flood Safety Awareness Week (March 12-16) is intended to highlight some of the many ways floods can occur, the hazards associated with floods, and what you can do to save lives and preserve property.
To help individuals better understand flood risks nationwide as well as empower them to take steps that mitigate damaging floods, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has created a one-stop flood awareness tool available at http://www.ready.gov/floodawareness. This site contains valuable tips on what to do before, during and after a flood, and encourages flood insurance protection, among other measures.
There also are tools on the MEMA website (www.mema.state.md.us) to learn more about flooding in Maryland. You can click on the Flooding and Flash Floods link under Be Prepared on the left navigation bar. Visitors to the web site also can click on the flooding tab at the top of the webpage for a tool to determine if they are in a flood prone area.
“Tropical Storm Lee followed on the heels of Hurricane Irene, leading to serious flooding along the Susquehanna River in towns like Port Deposit and Havre de Grace, and in other locations such as Upper Marlboro and parts of Southern Maryland,” said MEMA Executive Director Richard Muth. “I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for families and businesses to plan ahead and prepare for flooding events that can potentially affect their communities. Now is also the time to consider purchasing flood insurance.”
Floods do more than damage properties; they can also threaten lives if careful safety precautions are not followed. It is important to know your community’s flood risk, flood history and overall community action plan to address flooding events before, during and after they occur. All areas of the state face flood risks: flash floods in the stream valleys of Western Maryland, urban flooding in Central Maryland, tidal flooding along the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland’s coastal bays and along the Atlantic coast and large river basin flooding along the Potomac and Susquehanna rivers.
“Develop a strong family emergency plan and reach out to your community’s best flood planning resource — the local emergency management office,” said Muth. “This approach will help protect your family and property while learning, lending input, and assisting your first responders.”
FEMA: BE AWARE OF SPRING TIME SEVERE WEATHER: Consider Safety in Advance
March 12th, 2012Over the past week states throughout the Midwest and South have been affected by deadly tornado outbreaks. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and those whose lives have been affected by the storms.
Severe weather can strike when you least expect it. No matter where you live, it’s important to listen to NOAA Weather Radio and local news and to monitor for severe weather updates and warnings, and follow instructions of state and local officials.
There are simple steps we can do to be prepared. FEMA urges families to have a plan for what you and your family will do if there is a disaster, and prepare an emergency supply kit both at home and in the car to help prepare for power outages or impassable roads. It’s important to listen to NOAA Weather Radio and local news to monitor for severe weather updates and warnings and follow the direction provided by local officials. Be sure to check your homeowner or renter insurance. Most homeowner’s insurance does not cover flood damage. Most everyone can purchase flood insurance – including renters, business owners, and homeowners. Individuals can learn more about their flood risk, and how to get their flood insurance policy, by visiting www.FloodSmart.gov.
If you have severe weather in your area, keep in mind these safety tips:
· Continue to monitor your battery-powered radio or television for emergency information.
· Injury may occur when people walk among disaster debris and enter damaged buildings. Wear sturdy shoes or boots, long sleeves and gloves when handling or walking on or near debris.
· Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes and should be abandoned. A mobile home can overturn very easily even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. Residents of mobile homes must plan in advance and identify safe shelter in a nearby building.
· If a flood is likely in your area, be aware that flash flooding can occur. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move immediately to higher ground. Do not wait for instructions to move.
· Do not touch downed power lines or objects in contact with downed lines. Report downed power lines and electrical hazards to the police and the utility company.
· After a disaster, be aware of possible structural, electrical or gas-leak hazards in your home. Contact your local city or county building inspectors for information on structural safety codes and standards. They may also offer suggestions on finding a qualified contractor to do work for you.
When natural disasters strike, such as tornadoes, the emergency responders and public works personnel, volunteers, humanitarian organizations, and numerous private interest groups in the local areas are the first to provide much needed assistance. During this time, FEMA continues to coordinate closely with state and local partners to monitor what needs may arise as a result of the storms.
More information on tornado preparedness and flooding is available at www.ready.gov orwww.listo.gov.
Follow FEMA online at blog.fema.gov, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, andwww.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities atwww.twitter.com/craigatfema.
The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.
Flood Safety Awareness Week
March 12th, 2012Floods are consistently the most common, costly and deadly natural disaster Americans face each year. Ninety percent of all natural disasters in the nation involve flooding.The Maryland Emergency Management Agency encourages citizens to heed the advice of FEMA and the NWS. Be prepared for potential flooding by learning what you can now about flooding and how to be ready should something happen. Find out if you are in aFlood Prone Area Here.
For Your Local Emergency Center Contacts and Hotlines Click Here.
Change Batteries in Smoke and CO Alarms This Weekend
March 9th, 2012
Daylight Saving Time begins March 11
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging consumers to replace the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms this weekend for Daylight Saving Time. This year, Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 11. Fresh batteries allow smoke and CO alarms to do their jobs saving lives by alerting families of a fire or a buildup of deadly carbon monoxide in their homes.
CPSC estimates there was a yearly average of 386,300 residential fires resulting in nearly 2,400 deaths between 2006 and 2008.
Two-thirds of fire deaths occur in homes where there are no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. That is why it is important to replace batteries at least once every year and to test your alarms every month to make sure they work. CPSC recommends consumers have smoke alarms on every level of their home, outside bedrooms and inside each bedroom.
CPSC estimates there was an annual average of 183 unintentional non-fire CO poisoning deaths associated with consumer products between 2006 and 2008. CO is called the “invisible killer,” because it is a colorless, odorless and poisonous gas. Because of this, people may not know they are being poisoned. Carbon monoxide is produced by the incomplete burning of fuel in various products, including furnaces, portable generators, fireplaces, cars and charcoal grills.
That is why it is important to have working CO alarms in the home, on each level and outside each sleeping area.
STATE FIRE MARSHAL WILLIAM E. BARNARD RECOMMENDS “CHANGE YOUR CLOCK – CHANGE YOUR BATTERY”
March 9th, 2012PIKESVILLE, MARYLAND (March 7, 2012) – In anticipation of daylight savings time beginning in the early morning hours of March 11th, the State Fire Marshal is urging Marylanders to “Change Your Clock – Change Your Battery” in both smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in their homes. Recognizing that working smoke alarms and CO detectors double a family’s chance of surviving a home fire and/or an unsafe carbon monoxide level, the State Fire Marshal says Daylight Savings Time is a great opportunity for families to change the batteries. “This simple step can help us avoid tragedies in the place we feel the most secure – our homes.”
Along with working smoke alarms and CO detectors, home escape plans are another way Marylanders can avoid injury or death in their homes. By identifying at least two different escape routes, families can practice the plan together – before an emergency strikes. Practicing the plan helps educate younger children to the danger of hazardous situations and the importance of recognizing that the sound of a smoke alarm or CO detector signals a potential hazard in the home. “Changing the battery in your smoke alarms and CO detectors, along with developing and practicing a home escape plan, are two of the best ways to protect your loved ones and yourself from fire and carbon monoxide poisoning,” stated Fire Marshal Barnard.
Please observe the overhead electronic signs as you travel throughout the state this weekend. The Office of the State Fire Marshal and all Marylanders thank the Maryland Department of Transportation and the State Highway Administration for assisting to spread the word about this life saving reminder.
For more information on fire and life safety, log on to our website at: http://mdsp.org/firemarshal
Follow us on Facebook at: http://facebook.com/MarylandStateFireMarshal
Baltimore Metropolitan Council: Department of Homeland Security Offers Grants to Non-Profits
February 29th, 2012BALTIMORE (February 23, 2012) – Once again the Department of Homeland Security is making grants available to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations to make their high-risk facilities more secure against terrorist attacks. The program seeks to integrate nonprofit preparedness activities with broader state and local preparedness efforts. It is also designed to promote coordination and collaboration in emergency preparedness activities among public and private community representatives and state and local governments. The DHS grant program will provide a total of $10 million to high-risk nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S.
Applications must be submitted electronically to the Baltimore Urban Area Work Group (UAWG) through the appropriate local UAWG law enforcement representative as listed below. Deadline for submission is Thursday, March 22, 2012. Incomplete applications may not be considered. The UAWG will score applications before forwarding them to DHS.
Criteria for determining eligible applicants who are at high risk of terrorist attack include, but are not limited to:
- Identification and substantiation (e.g. police reports or insurance claims) of prior threats or attacks against the nonprofit organization or closely related organizations (within or outside the U.S.) by a terrorist organization, network, or cell
- Symbolic value of the site(s) as a highly recognized national or historical institution that renders the site a possible target of international terrorism
- Role of the applicant nonprofit organization in responding to or recovering from international terrorist attacks
- Findings from previously conducted risk assessments including threat or vulnerability
Grants are limited to no more than $75,000, with an optional match.
In addition, all projects must comply with Environmental and Historic Preservation laws. All grantees will be required to develop an environmental planning and historic preservation Statement of Work (SOW), which must be submitted to FEMA for certification prior to the initiation of projects.
Eligible enhancements include such things as closed circuit television systems for perimeters of community facilities; vehicle barriers, lighting and fencing for perimeter security; and personal identification systems to limit unauthorized access to facilities.
The UAWG is composed of emergency management officials from the Baltimore Metropolitan Council’s member jurisdictions, which include Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties, plus the City of Annapolis.
The grant application and guidelines are also available online athttp://www.fema.gov/pdf/government/grant/2012/fy12_nsgp_invest.pdf.
Questions may be directed to the appropriate local law enforcement representative.
UAWG Law Enforcement Representatives
Anne Arundel County:
Lt. Col. David Pressley
[email protected]
410-222-3028
Annapolis City:
Capt. Scott Williams
[email protected]
410-268-9000
Baltimore City:
Sgt. Frank Jarrell
[email protected]
410-396-2607
Baltimore County:
Officer Joseph Pietro
[email protected]
410-887-5639
Carroll County:
Sgt. James Fisher
[email protected]
410-386-2255
Harford County:
Sgt. Steve Dunlop
[email protected]
410-836-5471
Howard County:
Lt. Michael Price
[email protected]
410-313-6013
USFA: Smoking Fire Safety
February 28th, 2012
Smoking Fire Safety
It may be cold in much of the United States right now, but if you smoke, it’s better to smoke outside. A lit cigarette left alone in a room, or accidentally dropped onto a chair or bed, or hot cigarette ashes or matches tossed away before they are completely out – all can cause a large fire in seconds.
Putting out a cigarette the right way only takes seconds, too. It is up to you to make sure your cigarette is put out, all the way, every time.
One-in-four people killed in home fires is not the smoker whose cigarette caused the fire.
- More than one-third were children of the smokers.
- Twenty-five percent were neighbors or friends of the smokers.
Take a moment to learn about Smoking and Home Fire action steps »
USDA: USDA Farm Service Agency Announces Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) for Charles County
February 28th, 2012- will be so costly to rehabilitate that Federal assistance is or will be needed to return the land to productive agricultural use
- is unusual and is not the type that would recur frequently in the same area
- affect the productive capacity of the farmland
- will impair or endanger the land.
- removing debris from farmland
- grading, shaping, or releveling severely damaged farmland
- restoring permanent fences
- restoring conservation structures and other similar installations.
- an application for cost-share assistance has been filed
- the local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative has conducted an onsite inspection of the damaged area
- the Agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), has made a needs determination, which may include cubic yards of earthmoving, etc., required for rehabilitation.
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