Bucksnort County was in crisis. A five-car accident had disrupted the small county’s life, with undetermined injuries and a difficult time reaching everyone in the area, thanks to uneven cellular coverage. While Commissioner Mark Scott addressed questions from the media, he thanked first responders and gave what updates he could, but then came a shout… Read more
In order to remain healthy, vibrant and safe, America’s counties must continue to strengthen their resiliency by building leadership capacity to better identify and manage risk. In 2017, there were 16 disaster events across the U.S. that resulted in losses exceeding $1 billion, including: 8 severe storms, 3 tropical cyclones, 2 floods, an extreme drought,… Read more
County leaders, federal officials and corporate partners met March 2, at NACo to discuss county-driven mitigation efforts that have made communities resilient to disasters. “The issue of resilience is ready for prime time, and the Resilient Counties Initiative is working to build the momentum around this movement as we identify our path forward,” said… Read more
As counties respond to catastrophic events such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes, it is important to understand how to best utilize the suite of resources that are available from partners at the Federal and state government levels. It is also critical that counties work with the business community to better coordinate resources and logistical… Read more
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, it was evident that local governments and the emergency management community needed to engage a broader cross-section of faith and community-based organizations in all stages of disaster response. This 2018 NACo Legislative Conference session provides best practice examples of counties that successfully partnered with key community… Read more
Recognizing that counties need to be prepared for public health needs before, during and after natural disasters strike, this session focused on strategies for creating a resilient county public health system. County elected officials must work with health and emergency management departments to prepare for and appropriately respond to public health issues. In this session… Read more
On April 3, 2018, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced new program changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in accordance with the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (BW-12) and the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (HFIAA). NFIP aims to reduce the impact of flooding on private and public… Read more
FEMA’s independent study training courses offerings are one of the most important disaster preparation educational tools for government officials, staff, and other professionals engaged in FEMA efforts during disasters. Below, IBTS provides links to FEMA’s course offerings, organized by disaster phase. Click on the disaster phase to see the listing of course options specific to… Read more
FEMA offers online independent study courses related to the three main types of funding made available to communities by FEMA after a disaster: , and hazard mitigation. To ensure compliance with FEMA funding regulations, emergency managers, local leaders, financing and accounting department staff, and any other stakeholder involved with FEMA funding distribution should take these… Read more
Before a disaster hits, it’s important to have an internal communications plan to set disaster response efforts into motion. The following FEMA training courses focus on how to implement communication tools and best practices for disaster stakeholders involved in activating their emergency response plans. They are primarily intended for emergency managers, local leaders, first responders… Read more
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