FEMA Announces Five New National Awards For The Preparedness Network (PREPnet)

Release Date: March 8, 2005

WASHINGTON D.C. - Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, announced today that the United States Fire Administration's (USFA) Preparedness Network (PREPnet) has received five awards for professionalism in communication.

"Over the past two decades, EENET has grown from an ad-hoc experiment to a strategic communications and training tool that's been recognized in past years as one of the largest and most effective technology-based learning programs in the world, winning national and international awards for its programming and training excellence, " said Brown. It not only produces programs for in-house clients, but is often asked to partner with other state and federal agencies in delivering training to the emergency management community or other specific audiences."

Viewers have said that EENET provides education that is easily recycled and user-controlled, as programs are taped and incorporated into local emergency management training programs.

Two of the awards were "Telly Awards" for:

"Wildland Urban Interface Fires - An Overview for Responders"
"Line of Duty Deaths: Conversations with Chiefs"

The Telly Awards were founded in 1978 and are the premier awards honoring outstanding local, regional and cable TV, commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions. They are widely known as a highly respected national and international competition and receive over 10,000 entries annually from all 50 states and many foreign countries.

The other three awards were "Communicator Awards":

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.