Monthly Archives: December 2015

DHS, DOD, and FEMA

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Update on earlier posting.  The Diva mentioned this new RAND report two days ago, but had not yet read it. I want to call it to reader’s attention because it contains some significant findings.

From the Homeland Security Digital Library, this discussion of a new report from RAND. See: Disaster Response, FEMA, and the DoD; A Relationship in Progress. See this abstract from RAND.

Here is the direct link to the Rand Report: Improving DOD Support to FEMA’s All-Hazards Plans.(78 pages). The summary and the charts on pages 11-13 give you a quick idea of the inadequacies of FEMA’s efforts to date.

The Diva invites reader comments because she is out of her league on this topic.  Two colleagues will address this report today – Bill Cumming on Homeland Security Watch and Eric Holdeman in Disaster-Zone.

FEMA and CA Plan for El Nino

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Here is a good example of pre-event mitigation, something we do not do enough of in my opinion. See: FEMA, California Cities Prepare for El Niño With Dress Rehearsal

Anticipating a strong El Niño this winter, the regional Federal Emergency Management Agency in Oakland on Wednesday is conducting a dress rehearsal and releasing a disaster response plan for Northern California.

FEMA spokeswoman Mary Simms said a task force has been working on a plan to “prepare for, respond to, recover from and mitigate against” any El Niño-related disaster. And that on Wednesday, officials from many agencies will “rehearse” what would happen during an El Niño to make “intelligent decisions” when the storms hit. Other plans are similarly being developed in Arizona and Nevada, as well.

Here is another article with more details, from the Sacramento Bee.

Refugees From Climate Change Locales

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Millions fleeing climate-related disasters face legal limbo if they seek refuge abroad

At least 19.3 million people worldwide were driven from their homes by natural disasters last year — 90 percent of which were related to weather events, according to the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Center.

Most have stayed within their own countries, including millions displaced in the South Asian delta nation of Bangladesh. But as their numbers rise, more will feel compelled to cross international borders in search of safe haven. They could end up in a state of a legal limbo with no rights or guaranteed help.

A study in November suggested 470 million to 760 million people worldwide could lose their land to rising seas in this century if global warming is allowed to continue unchecked. The study, by the nonprofit research and news organization Climate Central, looked at global population data and sea rise projections.
The Climate Central site. http://www.climatecentral.org/ does not seem to have mention of this study.

TX Has Had the Most Disaster Declarations

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On the one hand, states usually are grateful for federal assistance after a disaster, but dealing with the recovery for a decade or so is frustrating. See: Paperwork, rules and toads slow down disaster recovery .

Texas has more major disaster declarations than any other state in the nation; thirty two statewide disasters since 1998, including three just this year.

But awarding grants needed to rebuild after those disasters can sometimes take more than a decade. Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations met to discuss speeding up a process bogged down by paperwork, rules and an endangered species.