Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Innovative Models and Tools

Create an online system where users can log in to take FEMA Independent Study Courses. This system will allow user keep track all of the course they have taken online; to include the course information, course completion date, and a way to download the certificate again if needed. This system could also recommend additional courses to take based on previous courses taken. This system will also allow users to log in ...more »

New iPhone mobile app, EARTHQUAKE BUDDY, that sends an automatic and instantaneous email from the cloud to 4 friends/loved-ones in the event of an earthquake greater than 5.5. We know that most damage to telco infrastructure happens 1-2 minutes into an earthquake. EARTHQUAKE BUDDY harnesses community engagement with high technology to alert loved ones as to their whereabouts. The email contains a geo-tagged map of ...more »

I think it's important that FEMA start researching options which can help us get away from the current Temporary Housing program in which we lease travel trailers and mobile homes to disaster survivors. There are so many options out there from cement fabric "tent" structures that can be trucked or flown in to provide immediate shelter in 24 hours, modular home options, earth shelter structures and longer term cottages ...more »

Develop software that can be used/accessed on a secure network that is pre-populated with Toxic Industrial Chemicals/Toxic Industrial Materials (TIC/TIM). Weather information will be 'fed' to the system in real time. Information can be viewed by radius around an inciden site, whole city, state, etc. If an incident occurs in an area, emergency responders will automatically be able to see what potential hazards are in ...more »

Pierce County Emergency Management in Washington State developed a damage assessment app (for Apple and Android platforms) that expedites the damage assessment process, sending critical information to the EOC almost immediately after an incident -- with fewer personnel committed to the field. This tool also provides real time situational awareness via pictures and placement on a map to inform EOC operations. The International ...more »

In seismic hazard areas, combine weather and riverine montioring stations with seismic monitoring. Example in the Puget Sound we have many USGS and WS DOE Stream Gages and Weather Stations in areas of higher ground shaking. Why not add seismic monitoring to these stations to take advantage of existing sites!

Emergency management & disaster recovery resources are generally scarce, and need to be carefully managed. One effective management tool is to chart all the potential risks/ disasters, for each community, and then chart all resources to be assigned in the event an anticipated emergency occurs. Priorities need to be assigned for resource allocation as related to possible/ probable emergency events for your community. ...more »

For one week every 3 or 4 months, Emergency Managers (EMs) should exchange places and duties with other EMs within reasonable travel distance. The idea is for EMs to learn from each other, see different types of preparedness programs, and perhaps discover new techniques for motivating local populations to be prepared. For safety reasons, it might take an extra EM to facilitate a staged, secure exchange when any two ...more »

Most natural and man-made disasters have common features that facilitate modeling of each type of disaster. EMs (Emergency Managers) may then adjust these models to their local conditions to undertake their own hazard assessment for each type of disaster they are concerned with. These EM assessments then provide a means to determine areas where local emergency preparedness needs to be improved. ----------- N.B. My ...more »

As climate science, weather prediction and DRR converge new opportunities arise. Insurance is slowly adapting but is still largely based on pooled risk and post event payouts. Index based insurance could allow for pre-event payouts for certain events that allow communities to better respond and prepare. Its market friendly with low political risk and empowering for exposed communities. It also allows for the decoupling ...more »

I wish to propose a program that all jurisdiction can be part of, and would also help areas share their knowledge and help training for such an event. Develop sister cities with jurisdictions that are 50 to 60 miles away in each direction. Match the size of the community served with each other and limit the partnership to one comparable agency in each direction, for example county A has 7 towns in the county. County ...more »

One way to build homes that can both protect people living in hareas of risk of disasters can be build houses of pre-fabricated panels of plywood reinforced with fiberglass, carbon fiber or kevlar in joints and seams.But the kevlar and carbon fiber only in joints and seams because it very expensive Reasons: They are lightweight and do not crumble into pieces on people in case of earthquakes _ Quickly transported, ...more »

There is a tremendous amount of data out there created and maintained by Federal Agencies that can be leveraged in Spatial Viewers. As they each create different viewers for their data, we are left with multiple windows to view the data. RSS has helped with pushing this information. If we could have a standard for changing these feeds to GEO RSS, then we could leverage this data in Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. ...more »

After nearly every major disaster the scam "artists" make an effort to take money, assets, I.D.s, and other valuables from the disaster victims. Although this is a problem for law enforcement, Emergency Managers need to help disaster victims become aware of the scams just as soon as possible. Law enforcement personnel will typically provide announcements on the types of scams that have been discovered, and there seems ...more »

I suggest Emergency Managers (EMs) use a large dry-erase board to plan and post their varied responses in any type of disaster situation. This helps to make plans more visual, and they may be seen daily so EMs may think about what may be missing. When I previously used such planning boards, I had three layers of clear plastic with added reaction/ recovery scenarios on each layer. This type of board is great to have ...more »

EMs (Emergency Managers) should make suggestions on the direction of future R & D (research & development) in support of relief operations after major disasters. As an example, E-Green Technologies, Aero Vehicles, and Aeroscraft Technologies are all working to develop greatly improved airships that will be capable of quickly moving many tons of cargo, equipment, potable water, and/or relief workers/ disaster victims. ...more »

To upgrade preparedness activities, it is often helpful to collect, organize and have available an assortment of opinions from respected preparedness experts. As an example of such experts, I would add David B. who writes for BrainBender ... and who has posted his list of the most serious preparedness errors on that site. This list of subject errors is as follows: 1) To ignore the danger of a possible nuclear first strike; ...more »

Portions of this process have already been legislated and implemented as the means for NIMS and in initial stages for Emergency National Alerts and Warnings. The next stages are to be the implementation of the National Emergency Communications Plan and the National Catastrophic Plan which can operate thru an android or laptop. The process is capable of integrating all disparate softwares as well as all Communications ...more »

For years, one of the mantras of emergency response has been "We do not bring victims to the scene". Granted, this was directed to be a reminder that scene safety is the foremost concern for any responder. When A disaster befalls a community, the local first responders are often torn between taking care of their own families that are effected, and fulfilling their responsibilities in the community that they serve, often ...more »

(App Buttons) Do you have Application Buttons people can use to quickly look at or download emergency preparedness, healthcare and any other tools needed in an emergency locally or nationally? If not, why not?

I suggest that FEMA form a review panel to carefully evaluate all the ideas presented on Think Tank. The limited voting and comments by persons who may have very minimal preparedness experience may cause a good idea to be ignored. A review panel could function using the Internet, so cost to operate such a panel would be minimal. The secret is to have highly experienced EMs (Emergency Managers) on such a panel.

It seems that almost every month there is a new and innovative product designed to improve disaster relief capabilities. One example is the TEGs (thermoelectric generators made by Custom Thermoelectic; tel. 1-443-926-9135), that attaches to almost any heat source; e.g. lantern, cook pot, heater, and so on ...to provide electrical power for lights or other uses. I suggest that EMs (Emergency Managers) post the information ...more »

There are LOTS of wonderful ideas on mitigating the risk of Wildfire as well as supporting resiliency, response and recovery. Anchor Point, a small Colorado company, just completed the Nation's only 50 state Wildfire vulnerability assessment . It incorporates fire behavior, the built environment and clearly defines communities and number of people at risk. It provides a wildfire rating for every parcel and land base ...more »

I am hearing there is a major reorganization of FEMA in the works, especially regarding NPSC operations and business hours. Is this an open topic for discussion? There is quite a bit of concern from non-PFT employees about a release.

It would be helpful to Emergency Managers if FEMA would carefully select articulate disaster victims to make presentations at local public meetings on the value of preparedness. The best speaking candidates would be those who were prepared ...and those who were not too well prepared for a major disaster, but somehow managed to survive a disaster that fully motivated them to be prepared in the future. The more the general ...more »