The FEMA Podcast

FEMA's Environmental and Historic Preservation Program, EHP, is crucial to ensuring that our recovery and grant efforts respect and also protect environmental and historic sites, even in the wake of disasters. So, in this episode, we get down to the basics and explore the responsibilities of the EHP program - how it operates during and after disasters and why preserving our natural and cultural heritage is essential for resilient recovery. Whether you're a history buff or an environmental enthusiast, or simply curious about FEMA's multifaceted role, this episode is for you.

On today's episode, we have a really exciting conversation that we'd like to highlight for you. FEMA was thrilled to recently host a joint FEMA virtual town Hall with our colleagues at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency - CISA. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell joined CISA director Jen Easterly for a special fireside chat where they discuss the crossover in our two mission spaces and our shared commitment to resilience and unity. FEMA and CISA often work hand-in-hand to keep communities across our nation safe. An issue surrounding cybersecurity and infrastructure security continue to be increasingly important areas of focus for all emergency managers. So, to that end, we wanted to represent their conversation for you here on today's episode. I hope you enjoy this fantastic conversation.

In the aftermath of disasters, when FEMA's assistance begins to phase out, the critical role of philanthropic organizations becomes increasingly apparent. In this episode, we explore how disaster philanthropy functions from the initial response phase to long-term recovery and resilience building. We'll delve into real examples of how philanthropic support has made a difference in communities across the country—from providing immediate aid to vulnerable populations to investing in long-term recovery initiatives. We'll discover how these organizations work hand in hand with local stakeholders to build resilience and create sustainable solutions and uplift communities on their journey towards recovery and resilience.

We're diving into a monumental topic for August, which is National Resilience Month, and it is all things Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant programs, or HMA grants. These programs play a critical role in helping communities across the nation reduce the impacts of disaster. So, we're gonna be exploring how the grants work, the types of assistance available, the benefits they bring to the communities, and understand the application process to highlight successful projects. We'll cover everything you need to know about leveraging these grants for disaster mitigation and resilience. So, whether you're a community leader, emergency management professional, or simply interested in the disaster resilience project and what FEMA and the federal government have to offer, you're gonna have an opportunity to be informed and engaged throughout this episode.

If financial resiliency is an individual or family's ability to handle financial shocks and adjust to financial changes, there is no greater shock than a disaster. They cause both short and long-term financial challenges for survivors. While at times complex, financial resiliency is also full of opportunity to improve our ability to adjust and overcome those challenges that directly impact our ability to recover from emergencies. So, on today's episode, we focus on building financial resiliency before, during, and after disasters, and how financial resilience is far beyond building a savings account.

If financial resiliency is an individual or family's ability to handle financial shocks and adjust to financial changes, there is no greater shock than a disaster. They cause both short and long-term financial challenges for survivors. While at times complex, financial resiliency is also full of opportunity to improve our ability to adjust and overcome those challenges that directly impact our ability to recover from emergencies. So, on today's episode, we focus on building financial resiliency before, during, and after disasters, and how financial resilience is far beyond building a savings account.

When a crisis occurs, communities need actionable messaging, reflective of their unique circumstance in order to respond. Creating effective communications begins before a crisis by engaging communities to understand their needs and appropriately communicating their risks. Risks across the communications field, increasingly complex challenges are emerging. In emergency management, overcoming these challenges is necessary to sustain and save lives. To meet these needs, FEMA is leading efforts to strengthen organizations and agencies' commitment and ability to create and deliver tailored messaging. A few weeks ago on June 10th, FEMA's Office of External Affairs, in collaboration with some esteemed roster of co-sponsors hosted the first ever Risk Communications, Crisis Communications and Community Engagement Summit. On this episode, we'll take you back to a packed house at the prestigious auditorium at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington DC. While we can't air the entirety of the nine-hour summit, we wish we could. We are happy to share a couple of key panels and highlights from some of the dynamic conversations that took place throughout the day. First up, Director of External Affairs, Justin Knighten, and then he'll follow up with our FEMA Administrator, Deanne Criswell, who is well known for her hands-on operational expertise. She is a commanding and empathetic spokesperson, so we hear her kicking off the day.

Millions of Americans are being impacted by extreme heat waves, which are growing in intensity, frequency, and duration due to climate change. And so, in response to the calendar year 2023 annual planning guidance, where FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell directed a review of all current FEMA authorities, capabilities and gaps to develop a unified agency approach to build resilience to threats driven by climate change such as extreme heat. FEMA Region 5 partnered with the National Exercise Division to host the first Extreme Heat Summit last year in 2023, which we've highlighted here on this podcast. But recently, in May of 2024, we hosted FEMA's second Extreme Heat Summit here in Chicago. Building on the lessons from the 2023 summit, our focus was expanded to include actions that state, local, tribal, and territorial governments can take to prepare for, mitigate and respond to extreme heat events. The summit featured a wider variety of presenters, including state and local leaders and representatives from academic and nonprofit organizations. So, we wanted to bring you back to Chicago for a full replay of the expert panel discussions. We're representing for you the conversations around extreme heat impacts planning and data analysis, communications and messaging, and nature-based solutions.

April is Emergency Communications Month, and our friends at CISA are honoring the nation's emergency responders and communicators, emphasizing the importance of emergency communications and the need to work together in building resilient critical infrastructure. In keeping with the month's theme of resilient together, on today's episode, we are talking about the CISA and FEMA partnership, and the steps partners can take towards resilience through highlighting key resources like GETS and WPS and other tools to help prepare for and respond to emergencies.

April is Emergency Communications Month, and our friends at CISA are honoring the nation's emergency responders and communicators, emphasizing the importance of emergency communications and the need to work together in building resilient, critical infrastructure. In keeping with the month's theme of resilient together, on today's episode, we are talking about the CISA and FEMA partnership, and the steps partners can take towards resilience through highlighting key resources like GETS and WPS and other tools to help prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Voluntary agencies are typically some of the first organizations to respond and are often the last to leave a community, sometimes years after a disaster. The work of federal, state, and local governments is only part of the response and recovery puzzle. In fact, people showing up in times of need as volunteers are a critical piece to serving the needs of disaster survivors. In celebration of April being National Volunteer Month, this episode will focus on the transformative effect volunteers have on disaster response and recovery. The difference that they make in the lives of disaster survivors and the role they play in supporting FEMA's new individual assistance program reforms.

On April 8th, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. This is no doubt one of nature's most awe inspiring events. The moon passes between the sun and the earth completely blocking the face of the sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk. And while the skies will be graced with this celestial spectacle, at the same time, millions will be captivated across the United States. The day will be filled with festivals and revelers who traveled from far and wide to view the total eclipse in the path of totality. So, on today's episode, we're diving deep into the science behind the phenomenon and general safety precautions with experts from NASA. But then we'll take it back to earth and explore the meticulous planning efforts undertaken by Ohio and Indiana Emergency Management, just two of the states - from Texas to Maine, that are getting ready for April 8th.

In late 2023, FEMA's Office of Disability Integration and Coordination, or ODIC, released a new version of its training course IS-368.A "Including People with Disabilities in Disaster Operations." We don't always cover specific FEMA training courses on this podcast, but the purpose of this course is somewhat unique in that it really strives to increase awareness and understanding of the need for full inclusion of disaster survivors and FEMA staff who are people with disabilities in all stages of our disaster planning. Designed for all personnel involved in disaster operations, the course provides an introductory overview of information and strategies to include people with disabilities during mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery efforts. In disasters, the importance of disability, equity, and inclusion can't be overstated. On today's episode, we explore how this course provides the needed guidance to ensure physical program and communication access to the whole community.

FEMA is on the verge of making some of the most significant updates to survivor assistance in the last 20 years. Experiencing a disaster and the loss and displacement that it can bring is often one of the most profound and impactful experiences survivors might ever go through in their life. Beginning on March 22nd, FEMA will implement sweeping changes to our Individual Assistance Program for new disaster declarations. Those changes will reach more individuals and deliver assistance faster. Just a few months into 2024 and at the beginning of our year of resilience, these updates will serve as a starting point for individuals and families who will have now more flexibility and access to our programs. From quickly providing assistance to people who become displaced to simplifying the application process, FEMA is empowering survivors and their communities so that they can rebuild their lives faster after a disaster. There are so many changes to unpack here, today. So, on this episode, we explore those individual assistance changes and how they could benefit disaster survivors speeding their recovery and helping to build resilience to future hazards.

Natural disasters can be a stressful and traumatic time for anyone, but they can be especially devastating to vulnerable communities who have been historically underserved. Today, we'll discuss how FEMA is working to build resilience across the country by designating community disaster resilience zones. To explain more about this new and extremely exciting program, I'm joined by individuals at the FEMA headquarters level, as well as the regional level, that are working hard to build this program in a way that is holistic and tailored to the communities that we seek to serve.

Strengthening the emergency management workforce at the state, local, tribal, territorial, and national levels is crucial to building and maintaining a strong profession and keeping the public safe. This is such an important task that FEMA's administrator, Deanne Criswell, included strengthening the emergency management workforce in FEMA's latest strategic plan. One of the many training programs that FEMA supports is the Center for Homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. This unique program is open to all state, local, tribal, and territorial employees with a nexus to homeland security and emergency management. So, on today's episode, host Troy Christensen, speaks with Heather Issvoran about the center and the different training programs that are offered.

Fire dangers increase during the winter months and claim more lives than at any other time of the year. Deaths caused by fire are only part of the story as there are thousands of displacements when homes are destroyed, contributing to homelessness numbers across the nation. Unfortunately, the statistics on winter fire destruction are devastating, but they also highlight the need to educate the public on ways to protect themselves, especially during the winter months. As cold weather brings additional home fire risks, unwanted and destructive fires are preventable, and the steps people take to prepare now can save lives to help people prepare for winter weather. FEMA's Ready Campaign's first ever #WinterReady public education effort is designed to reach all communities with simple, accessible, and culturally competent messaging on how to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their homes. This is the second episode in a series where we consider all aspects of winter preparedness and the challenges that winter weather and cold compose. Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, the head of the U.S. Fire Administration, and Justin Knighton, FEMA's external affairs director join us to talk all about how we all can be fire safe and winter ready.

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a presidentially designated observance designed to educate the public about human trafficking and the role they can play in preventing and responding to human trafficking. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services theme for Human Trafficking Prevention Month 2024 is, "Activate connections to prevent human trafficking." This is an opportunity to build human trafficking prevention initiatives that work. Human trafficking cannot be prevented by any one individual community, organization or government, but building connections is at the heart of what emergency managers do. And to that end, we can be leaders in the effort of prevention. When we partner to prevent, we can enhance our efforts to keep everyone safe from human trafficking. So, on today's episode, we talk to leaders from within the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA about how we all within the public safety and emergency management communities can build human trafficking prevention initiatives that work.

Heatwaves are on the increase and garner well-deserved attention from the media. While these extreme heat events are growing in frequency and severity, a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC, found that more deaths occur due to exposure to the cold. The CDC reports that in 2019, about 1,300 people died of hypothermia. An analysis by the CDC of U.S. temperature related deaths between 2006 and 2010, showed that 63% were attributable to cold exposure. To help people prepare for winter weather, FEMA's Ready campaign's first ever Winter Ready public education effort is designed to reach all communities with simple, accessible and culturally competent messaging on how to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their homes. So, this episode is the first of a series where we consider multiple aspects of winter preparedness and the unique challenges the cold can pose. So, on this episode, we discuss that and more with Matt Lanza, a Houston-based meteorologist who lived through the impacts of winter weather in the Southwest in recent years.

Our friends at the U.S. Fire Administration recently had the opportunity to screen the new documentary “Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire” with the film creators. Before the screening, the U.S. fire administrator, Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, sat down with one of the film's participants, Margo Robbins, to get a better understanding of cultural fire and how the practice of cultural burning will lead to a healthier ecosystem, long-term fire protection for residents, and provide a platform that will support traditional hunting and gathering activities. The conversation was shared on the USFA podcast and now, we're sharing the conversation with you.

In 2018, the Woolsey Fire consumed huge swaths of Los Angeles and Ventura County in California. The fire burned nearly a hundred thousand acres and destroyed thousands of structures. This was one of several fires in California at the same time. FEMA responds to disasters of all kinds - hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and others. But wildfires pose a variety of unique challenges. The speed and sheer destruction are nothing short of terrifying. Often, nothing is left in their wake. Survivor stories are often harrowing and heartbreaking, but even within the destruction, there are opportunities for hope and resilience. On this episode, we talk with journalist Adriana Cargill, founder of Wave Maker Media, about her podcast "Sandcastles" - a new podcast that dives into the gripping story of the Point Doom Bombers during the Woolsey Fires in California. The story is heartbreaking, thrilling, and inspirational. Over five episodes, Adriana beautifully tells the story of a community coming together amidst the devastation of the wildfires.

This summer, we launched a four-part series in support of FEMA's #SummerReady campaign, where we're exploring the effects of extreme heat and how collaboration among local, state, tribal, territorial, and federal partners can lead to more educated communities. In this fourth and final episode of the #SummerReady campaign, we'll dive a little deeper into how FEMA grants are being used to address extreme temperatures and mitigate risks posed by natural hazards.

This summer has been hot. We're seeing some of the hottest days on record, and the extreme heat is without borders impacting not just the United States, but countries across the globe. So welcome back to episode number three of our four-part series in support of FEMA's Summer Ready campaign, where we're exploring the effects of extreme heat and how collaboration among local, state, tribal, and federal partners can lead to more educated communities. Heat and extreme heat continues to impact communities across the globe. We've seen more frequent events and cascading disasters over the past few years. Staying ahead of them requires we review our response plans regularly and adjust as needed, but also think in both short and long terms to ensure a whole community approach to keeping people safe. With that in mind, and as individuals are experiencing more frequent and extreme heat waves, which we've seen throughout this summer. On this episode, we will discuss one state's innovative effort to keep residents safe from extreme temperatures. California recently launched one of the nation's first statewide multi-ethnic awareness and education campaigns designed to keep Californians safe during extreme heat. So in this episode, we'll learn all about what it means to be heat ready in California.

Our nation's, roads, waterways, hospitals, and utilities support the millions of activities that people conduct each day to transact business, travel, communicate with friends and family, maintain health and safety and more. They also include the venues where people gather to learn, worship, shop or find entertainment. In other words, the heart of our communities. These are all examples of our nation's critical infrastructure system. One of FEMA's sister agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), is focused on protecting these systems. Its office for bombing prevention leads efforts to protect life and critical infrastructure from specific threats. They also work to prevent, protect against, respond to and mitigate, improvise explosive device incidents, or IEDs. FEMA works hand in hand with CISA to support our consequence management missions for all events. On this episode, we explore how the Office of Bombing Prevention is supporting our communities and emergency managers as they work to understand this threat landscape.

Disasters are devastating on multiple levels. Every year, our communities are affected by disasters which disrupt the mental health and wellbeing of millions of Americans. While the psychological effects of disasters on survivors and communities is well documented, the effects on responders can be dramatic. First responders, state and local officials, FEMA and other federal agencies work tirelessly in the aftermath of natural or manmade disasters to support survivors. This work often goes on for weeks, months, and sometimes years. For FEMA, supporting our employees' mental health is critical to creating a strong and resilient workforce. On this episode, we focus on the many ways we are supporting our employees through the stresses of our work as emergency managers.

Heat and Extreme heat continue to impact communities across the globe. We've seen more frequent events and cascading disasters over the past few years. Staying ahead of them requires that we review our response plans regularly and make adjustments as needed, but also think in terms of both the short and long term to ensure a whole community approach to keeping people safe. With that in mind, this episode is the second of a four-part series. In support of FEMA's Summer Ready campaign, we're exploring the effects of extreme heat and how collaboration amongst state, local, tribal, and federal partners can lead to more educated communities. Specifically on this episode, we talk through how emergency managers can identify impacts, gaps, and challenges that extreme heat has on our critical infrastructure like roads, bridges, and railways, and how we can all collectively increase awareness, provide resources, and make our communities more resilient.

Heat and extreme heat continue to impact communities across the globe. We've seen more frequent events and cascading disasters over the past few years. Staying ahead of them requires we review our response plans regularly and make adjustments as needed, but also think about both the short and long-term to ensure a whole community approach to keeping people safe. With that in mind, this episode is the first of a four-part series. In support of FEMA's Summer Ready campaign, we're exploring the effects of extreme heat and how collaborating among local, state, tribal, federal partners can lead to more educated communities. On this episode, we will recap FEMA's recent monumental agency-wide Extreme Heat Summit hosted in Chicago and discuss the events and the impacts for how FEMA will address extreme heat events and our look towards resilience efforts. We also discuss our upcoming Summer Ready campaign to provide awareness and education for high temperatures.

Federal government-wide disaster planning dates to the Cold War era Federal Response Plan, and similar documents, that describe how the United States would respond to nuclear war and severe disasters. This singular plan was maintained and updated after the Cold War ended. However, following the attacks of September 11th, 2001, it was deemed insufficient to meet the perceived requirement to ensure federal coordination for incidents too large for individual agencies or existing coordination structures to manage. In the years since, and at the direction of the President, doctrine and plans have been promulgated to establish an architecture for highly complex multi-agency events. Part of this architecture are federal interagency operation plans or FIOPS. In this episode, we explore the latest update to the Federal Response and Recovery FIOP and how it will guide federal agencies in their response and recovery mission areas and drive improved unity of effort, accomplishing one mission, supporting our citizens in times of need.

FEMA has some tremendous programs to help firefighters and, in turn, assists with the safety and security of our communities around the country. We do this through our support to the fire community via the U.S. Fire Administration and the specialized training that occurs at the National Fire Academy. But, and the subject of today's episode, we also provide a tremendous amount of funding through FEMA's grants programs. So, on today's episode, we'll talk about the distinct fire grants programs that fund critically needed resources to equip and train emergency personnel, enhance efficiencies, and support community resilience.

Emergency managers play a critical role in successfully navigating disaster response and recovery. But there's another player whose efforts are just as critical – and that's local elected and appointed officials. As leaders in their communities, they make significant policy, resource, and communication decisions prior to, during, and after disasters. FEMA recently released the “Local Elected and Appointed Officials Guide: Roles and Resources in Emergency Management.” So, on this episode, we talk about the guide and how it can make it easier for these senior officials to understand, prepare for, and execute their leadership responsibilities.

To accomplish FEMA's mission, we work with governments at all levels to ensure the agency is helping people before, during, and after disasters. One special relationship that federal agencies, such as FEMA, have is the relationship with tribal nations, since the federal government has a treaty and trust relationships with tribes. In that same vein, tribal emergency management is very different compared to emergency management at the local or state level. In this episode, Troy Christensen, from the FEMA podcast team, speaks with two tribal emergency managers about what makes their job unique. Also, stick around for a bonus segment after the episode. You won't want to miss it, as we explore one tribal elected official's take on why investments in emergency management are a top priority.

Since the 1950s, the U.S. Army maintained stockpiles of chemical munitions that were produced as a way to deter the threat of chemical attacks from foreign adversaries. In 1985, under the direction of Congress, the Army began destroying the aging chemical weapons, while ensuring that the communities surrounding the eight stockpile sites across the country remain safe. Three years later, in 1988, an agreement was made between FEMA and the U.S. Army to establish the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program, or CSEPP. CSEPP is a readiness program that is designed to enhance the emergency preparedness of the communities surrounding these stockpile sites, not only as it relates to the stockpile munitions, but also to any disaster. Today, stockpiles of chemical munitions remain at only two sites in the United States, and one of those sites is in Pueblo, Colorado. On today's episode, we'll learn more about Pueblo's annual CSEPP exercise - what goes into planning it and what it looks like as over 2000 local, state and federal partners come together to practice their plans in case an emergency were to occur at the Pueblo Chemical Depot.

Flooding is America's number one natural disaster affecting 99% of U.S. Counties since 1996. Just one inch of water can cause roughly $25,000 of damage to one's home, and most homeowners don't know their flood risk or what they have currently covered in the event of a flood. Even more concerning, rises in extreme weather have made flooding more and more prominent, and they're not only happening in flood zones. On today's episode, we sit down with David Maurstad from the National Flood Insurance Program to talk about misconceptions and how it's designed to help residents and business owners protect the life they've built with flood insurance.

FEMA's Office of Disability Integration and Coordination serves to ensure our commitment to equity and inclusion for persons with disabilities before, during, and after disasters. On this episode, we catch up with Director Sherman Gillums, Jr. to explore his first hundred days in office, discuss the improvements that are being made in our program delivery, raise awareness for how to engage persons with disabilities, and lay out a plan on how to make the disaster response and recovery process more effective.

A little over 10 years ago, congressional leaders responded to the growing need for water resources intelligence by having NOAA Build a National Water Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The center is charged with developing and providing this new generation of water prediction services for the entire nation. These services help to inform essential emergency management and water resource decisions from all time scales, including flooding and drought, low flow risks and information for routine and long-range water management and planning. In this episode, we catch up with Whitney Flynn, FEMA's liaison to the National Water Center, to discuss why the partnership is so critical in helping communities deal with flooding events before, during, and after they occur.

For emergency managers across the country, the Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, can be home base. It's a place for deconflicting challenges, finding solutions and coordinating efforts to a host of emergencies facing their communities. For many, the EOC is also a physical location, but in recent years, jurisdictions are finding ways to make their EOCs virtual as well. To that end, in October 2022, FEMA released the EOC How to Quick Reference Guide, which is a collection of guidance and best practices that can contribute to developing an EOC that can successfully meet the jurisdiction's needs. So, on this episode, we go to FEMA's National Integration Center to learn more about the guide and how it can help communities increase EOC capabilities for evolving environments.

In recent decades, wildfires have ravaged many areas of the country, especially the Western United States. Scientists note that climate change will worsen ongoing drought conditions, which will in turn increase the frequency and intensity of wildland wildfires. When the flames are extinguished, a new threat arises - flooding after fire. After large scale wildfires, the ground is left burned, barren, and unable to absorb water. That means when there's a rain shower or thunderstorm, rainfall that would normally be absorbed will run off and flow downhill, picking up ash and debris to form mudflows and flash flooding. This puts residents living in and around burn scars at greater risk. And because it takes time for the vegetation in burned areas to regrow, the risk of flooding after wildfire lingers for years. On today's episode, we turn it over to our partners in FEMA Region 8, located in Denver, Colorado, as we learn more about the risks of flash flooding and mud flows following a wildfire.

On this episode, we celebrate a great partner in emergency management. Joe Kelly, Director of Minnesota's Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the last 11 years, will be retiring at the end of December. Like many who serve in emergency management, the last few years have brought many unique challenges. So, we explore how Minnesota worked through those challenges during Joe's tenure and, he offers some valuable and innovate lessons for the future leaders of emergency management. Hey, we also had some surprise guests during this recording - FEMA Regional Administrator Tom Sivak, Deputy Regional Administrator Mike Chesney and also Minnesota's Public Information Officer, Amber Schindeldecker, all make some short appearances during the conversation.

In late October, FEMA released the National Continuous Improvement Guidance. The guidance provides an approach to conducting consistent and rigorous continuous improvement activities before, during, and after real world incidences. Emergency managers and other whole community partners can use this document to effectively strengthen their continuous improvement capabilities, regardless of the organization's level of experience or resources. In this episode, we're going to walk through that guidance and also some technical assistance that FEMA is working to provide throughout the nation.

A big part of FEMA administrator Deanna Criswell's strategic plan centers around instilling equity in emergency management. With this renewed focus, we are delighted to introduce FEMA's first National Tribal Affairs Advocate, Kelbie Kennedy, to the podcast. Since joining FEMA in October 2022, Kelbie has brought a wealth of knowledge about Indian Country to the agency with the goal of helping FEMA live up to our trust and treaty responsibilities to tribal nations while focusing on equity. Troy Christensen from the FEMA podcast team caught up with Kelbie at the National Advisory Council meeting that was recently held at the Choctaw Nation to discuss her background and her vision for the future of FEMA's tribal engagement and collaboration.

In addition to our ubiquitous role in responding to and recovering from disasters and emergencies, FEMA also administers numerous grant programs aimed at increasing the capacity of the nation's emergency management system. Part of that administration is understanding the challenges our state, local, tribal, and territorial partners face when applying for and successfully accessing these grants. On today's episode, we'll talk with Pam Williams, assistant administrator for FEMA's grant programs directorate about FEMA's outreach initiatives with America's tribal nations, including three recent tribal consultations and how FEMA is working hard to improve our delivery of grants to tribal nations.

The National Advisory Council, or NAC, consists of 35 members representing a wide range of geographic and professional backgrounds and is tasked with advising the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management. The NAC held its first meeting of this year, in June, in Boise, Idaho. Members shared progress reports from the equity working group as well as from the subcommittee on Workforce Climate and Readiness. They also took part in a FEMA leader panel discussion and a wildfire panel discussion and engaged in conversation with the FEMA Administrator on the Council's future direction. On this episode, we turn it over to our colleagues from FEMA Region 10, which includes Idaho, who spoke with several members of the Council, as well as the FEMA Administrator - Deanne Criswell, to discuss the importance of the NAC and how the field of emergency management is changing to meet the challenges of the future.

Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage. This tragic event inspired numerous changes in fire policies throughout the nation. On this episode we talk with Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, the U.S. Fire Administrator about all things fire prevention on this 100th observation of the Fire Prevention.

Investing in partnerships is critical to increasing the nation's resiliency. The 'Resilient Nation Partnership Network' released the Building Alliances for Equitable Resilience Resource in April, the result of a significant collaboration by 26 partners across the fields of equity and resilience. On today's episode, we're going to highlight an audio series is called 'Partner Voices', where we hear from four diverse leaders focusing on equity and resilience.

As we kick off National Preparedness Month, we're discussing the new and improved FEMA mobile app and discussing how it can provide crucial information to keep communities informed before, during, and after disasters.

The launch of the National Initiative to Advance Building Codes and implementation of the FEMA Building Codes Strategy have created an opportunity to discuss building codes and their importance for creating a more resilient nation. In this episode, we will discuss “resilience” through the lens of building codes and the potential impact of the National Initiative and the FEMA Building Codes Strategy.

On this episode, we're highlighting the State of Colorado and their successful partnership with voluntary organizations to set up a donations management and resource center following the Marshall Fire that burned over 6,000 acres and destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Boulder County in late December 2021. The partnership is a shining example of how the public sector and voluntary organizations can come together to maximize assistance to those in need.

In 2012, FEMA created Wireless Emergency Alerts to send alert and warning messages through the agency's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. On today's episode, we'll talk about the countless ways Wireless Emergency Alerts have saved lives with Antwane Johnson, who has lead the program since the beginning.

On today's episode, we meet with members of the National Hurricane Program at the 2022 National Hurricane Conference to talk about how they work together to analyze forecast information and coordinate with emergency managers to assist them in making the best decisions to protect lives and property in their communities when hurricanes threaten.

A successful disaster response depends of the partnership of the whole community, including the tremendous support of voluntary organizations and the faith community. On today's episode, we explore how leveraging the many strengths of neighborhood partners can ensure success before, during, and after disasters.

On this episode, FEMA remembers Hurricane Agnes on the 50th Anniversary of the storm by looking back at the impacts to the Mid-Atlantic and looking ahead to predicting the future effects of hurricanes in the region. We discuss how Hurricane Agnes shaped the field of emergency management and the how emergency managers today are still using lessons that were learned from the storm.