Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Browse Hot ideas

Through NIMS and ICS, the leadership of DHS and FEMA have directed the phased introduction of numerous operational standards designed to promote and facilitate interoperability for the Emergency Services Sector. Yet, to date, they are without voice when it comes to the single most important element of response – the ability to communicate “where”. As a result, we are geospatially adrift as a nation – every responder ...more »

Disaster preparedness should be taught as part of the school curriculum for children of all ages. I remember being taught about 911, "Stop, Drop, and Roll" and "Only YOU can prevent Forest Fires" in grade school. My homework was to find my household fire extinguisher, check the batteries in the smoke detector, and create a fire escape plan with my parents. These lessons were incorporated in lessons on science and spatial ...more »

Place Amateur Radio stations in all hospitals, police stations and fire departments, and emergency shelters. Katrina should have taught the value of Amateur Radio. President Bush needed to get a message to Mayor Nagin in New Orleans. Amateur Radio was the only means of communications to get the message through. Everyone in the Preparedness field talks about doing this and doing that to be prepared, but no one pays ...more »

I have been involved with Emer. Mgt. for 20 years. I have managed 7 Presidential disasters and many more local emergencies. My biggest problem is FEMA/Homeland Security and the State. The federal and state government has placed a mountain of paperwork on my desk that restricts my ability to complete the real work within my community. A 10 minute piece of paperwork to report an exercise 20 years ago has escalated into ...more »

Similar to the USFA Coffee Break Training Program; a FEMA Coffee Break Training Program would foster an common awareness and understanding of important emergency management and homeland security laws/regulations, principles, history, definitions, etc. This fast growing discipline it is essential to provide a common framework that all EM professionals can agree upon. The EM Coffee Break Training could provide this platform ...more »

In an emergency everyone turns to the schools, unfortunately most are not prepared, not trained, and emergency responders run up against rules that are frustrating at the least and life threatening at the worse. It would be nice if some how FEMA could offer the training because it won't be done at the school level, not because it isn't needed, but because of drastic budget cuts in education. When something happens the ...more »

I have seen many commercials about older folks volunteering their time to help others in need. Then I started to think about a VOLUNTEER reserve unit of retired police officers available during national emergencies. As volunteers, they would not be paid but receive travel expenses and per-diem or room and board. This unit would be an auxiliary to help during national disasters such as 9/11 or Katrina. The United ...more »

Whether by DHS or FEMA or the CDP, I think all involved need to re-think the limited training opportunities for ICS and NIMS training. They should begin offering more opportunities for ICS training so it may be given, and hopefully implemented, to more emergency responders in the event of a disaster. Ultimately there needs to be more people working on the same 'national-level' training system and thusly allowing better ...more »

One of the things I heard from the leaders of FEMA was: the citizens need to be ready to help themselves. Not just that, but specifically stated: the federal government is not going to be there for you right away. Unfortunately, I only heard this for about a week before it was abandoned. You can spend all you want on CERTs, exercises, equipment, etc, etc. You can spend fractions of that money on an information ...more »

An app that utilizes GPS coordinates to aid in disaster response, send relevant emergency alerts to the user, and ability to locate loved ones by last known location.

For better description -

http://goo.gl/Ujaz7 (FEMA - Challenge.gov)

http://goo.gl/mod/4Gud (GSA - Making Mobile Dialogue - 3rd place)

As the Emergency Manager for a fortune 25 company with over 400 active facilities to manage. It's difficult to find any formal Emergency Management training that includes office buildings, clinics, data centers, etc. Most FEMA Independant Study Courses focus on local government Incident Command, response, and planning. Courses need to be developed to train this sector. Another component of private business is that ...more »

During Hurricane Katrina, Wal-Mart gave their employees approval days in advance to do "whatever they had to help the citizens". I think to help with disaster relief at any level, the government should partner up with larger community based retailers that are already in the areas. For example, Wal-Mart, they have stores everywhere, they helped pass out supplies to the victims of Katrina before the government even got ...more »

FEMA should produce a smart phone application that allows the capture and upload of georeferenced text and photo's during a disaster. In this way, everyone can send pictures of bridges collapsed or damaged with a gps derived position and texted description attached. Another app could be created for "Needing Rescue or Assistance", a 911 type function, which should be separate and managed differently..

Bring Back Project Impact Former FEMA Director James Lee Witt created Project Impact in 1997 with the goal to create “disaster resilient communities”. Overall the program was considered a resounding success; not only did it help communities become more disaster resilient, but it also was a success at “bringing people from diverse sectors of the community together to address mitigation issues”. Some say that the program ...more »

The EAS should include all cell phones.

In addition to mapping of risk and protective factors, this process makes the whole community more resilient by: a) Bringing the community together to collectively plan, which increases the sense of ownership and responsibility on the disaster response and recovery activities b) Addressing issues that have been ignored for a long time c) Giving voice to the marginalized groups including those with access and functional ...more »

We are recommending that C.E.R.T teams and other segments of the Citizen Corps be trained in Social Media monitoring and response. Crisis-mapping provides incremental intelligence to a broader audience allowing neighbors to assist neighbors in need. This can reduce the demand on traditional response organizations and even alleviate non-emergency calls in local channels that can already be overwhelmed. However, this ...more »

The recognition & adoption of a standardized national illuminated color coded system for triaging MCI patients 24/7. Today different States & organizations use different triage cards and tapes for triaging patients. The one thing they all have in common is not the language or format of the triage cards but it is the color given to each priority. If a national color code standard is adopted then no State or Agency would ...more »

I have an idea that would save thousands of lives yearly across America. I have spoken to people at the NOAA, left messages to so many people on my solution for weather disaster and have gotten absolutely nowhere. I have the missing link to Severe Weather Early Warning System, and NO ONE will give me the time of day to hear it out. It will alert people while sleeping that a Tornado or similar is headed their way. They ...more »

I think FEMA needs a think tank, but the limitations of Twitter are a joke. Wrong medium for thoughtful input and exchanges.

Many sustainable practices pay dividends in a disaster. Bicycle transportation, gardening, water catchment, canning, solar power etc are all examples of activities which make communities better places to live AND make communities more self-relient when infrastructure and critical supplies are halted. Connecting the dots under the banner of community "resilience" should be a focus of FEMA activity. If no disaster strikes, ...more »

The most effective flood hazard mitigation tool in the history of floodplain management and the NFIP has been Floodplain Information (providing flood hazard maps to communities to restrict development in those zones). We all know that often times those maps were not adhered to by local communities, but the number of structures that “were never built” in the floodplain is incalculable, but a very large number. Communities ...more »

At the 2011 International Association of Emergency Managers conference it was mentioned over and over to the students whether in group settings or in one on one sessions that a large percentage of the existing Emergency Management leaders would be retiring beginning in the next 5 years. The question, we the students, no matter the level of education responded with is “How are we to gain experience in the field in the ...more »

I know we have a few Amatuer Radio Operators on here and I was wondering if perhaps FEMA might develop and Response Kit List for Newer Hams to use as a guide for Emergency Deloyment Instructions. I know there is alot of more experienced Radio Operators who volunteer their time and experience to help new hams. But some folks dont get around those who can help. So I was thinking if there was someway for FEMA to post on ...more »

Our public safety department has done quite a bit of research regarding active shooter incidents, and we are currently evaluating different response models to find options that would best fit our needs. That said, several of our personnel that have attended training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) were curious if they would be offering or considering to offer any sort of active shooter training for Fire ...more »