DEM Weekly Update November 25

View the Division of Emergency Management Weekly Update for November 25, 2011.

Topics include:
  • A Simpler WebEOC in the Works
  • Emergency Management Academy
  • Save the Date for the Annual Emergency Management Conference
  • Resources Focused on Emergency Management and Safety
  • Training Information
If you have information to include in the next Weekly Update please send it to Micki Trost.

Emergency and News Updates

Do you want the latest in Colorado news, preparedness information, emergency responses, training opportunities?   Get it now from the Colorado Division of Emergency Management via sms/text by texting follow coemergency to 40404.

You must have a capable phone and an applicable data plan from your service provider. (NOTE: once you subscribe, you can always stop receiving messages by texting off coemergency to 40404).

You can also find us on Facebook or Twitter at COemergency.

Basic Public Information Officer (G290) and Joint Information System/Center Planning (G291) Course


The three day course is intended for Public Information Officers (PIO). The G290 class emphasizes the basic skills and knowledge needed for emergency management public information activities or as a refresher. Mock interviews will be videotaped. 

The G291 class applies the skills gained in the PIO class to expanding incidents where coordination is enhanced through the establishment of a Joint Information System (JIS)/Joint Information Center (JIC).
  
Date                   
January 10 - 11, 2012 - Basic Public Information Officer (G290)
January 12, 2012 - Joint Information System/Center Planning (G291)

Time                   

9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.


Where                 

Pueblo City Conference Center, 1001 N. Santa Fe Avenue, Pueblo, CO 81003
                                        
Register            
Registration will be through   www.co.train.org
G290 - Course # 1024974 
G291 – Course # 1030531 

This course is first come, first served. No charge. Lodging is available upon request. 
For help with co.train registration contact Robyn Knappe.


Recommended Prerequisites:   NIMS IS700, IS800, IS100, ICS200
For more information contact:   Lisa Shorter  or 719-583-6222 

Target Audience
Individuals who may assume a public information role in expanding emergency incidents.


DEM Weekly Update 11/18/2011

DEM Weekly Update November 18, 2011

Applications Due December 15 for IEMC

Community Specific Integrated Emergency Management Course (IEMC) applications are due December 15.

If you wait until December 1 it may be difficult to put together a good packet.  Visit the original post for information on the course and the application process.  Contact Robyn Knappe by email or at 720-852-6617 with any questions or for assistance.

L-381 Incident Leadership Class

The L-381 Incident Leadership course is sponsored by the Colorado Wildland Fire & Incident Management Academy at the Winter Academy and it still has a few seats available. Tuition for the course normally costs over $1200 per person, but with the help of a grant it  can be taken for $325.
 
The application deadline was November 15, however,applications will be accepted until the class is full. 

Target audience
Fire department leadership with jurisdictional responsibilities in wildland fire protection.
 
This course is open to Colorado Fire Departments, Fire Protection Districts, or Sheriff’s Wildland Positions only at the quoted costs. If the course does not fill up, vacant seats may be opened for other cooperators, partners, or CSFS at the full course cost.

Course Dates
January 7-11, 2012

Course Prerequisites

* Qualified as any strike team leader, task force leader (TFLD), incident commander type 4 (ICT4), any support unit leader, or supervisory dispatcher.

* Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service (L-180).

* Satisfactory completion of pre-course work, if any.
 
Background
CSFS received a grant from IMA and Fireman’s Fund Insurance to improve fire protection in the Wildland Urban Interface. CSFS will be using the grant funds to support leadership training for fire departments in the WUI. The L-381 Incident Leadership Course will be offered at the Winter 2012 Colorado Wildfire and Incident Management Academy at a significantly reduced cost to students. The class size will be limited.

Contact and Course Information
Wendy Fischer at the CWFIMA is coordinating this course. Specific questions on course logistics can be directed to Wendy at wfischer@cwfima.com or located online at: www.CWFIMA.com.

All-Hazards Incident Management Team Unit Leader Academy (Utah)


All-Hazards Incident Management Team Unit Leader Academy

Where:     Salt Lake City, Utah
When:      February 6-10, 2012

Schedule:

Monday (6th) 1300 to Friday (10th) 1700               U-TRAIN Course ID Number
L964-Situation Unit Leader (SITL)                            1025245
L971-Facilities Unit Leader (FACL)                          1025280
L969-Communications Unit Leader (COML)              1024743

Tuesday (7th) 0830 to Friday (10th) 1700
L965-Resource Unit Leader (RESL)                          1025282
L970-Supply Unit Leader (SPUL)                              1025208

Tuesday (7th) 1300 to Friday (10th) 1700
L975-Finance/Administration Unit Leader (FAUL)      1025283

All courses will run concurrently and start at 0830, unless listed differently on the first day of class.  On Friday, February 10 at 1100, the week will cumulate with a Capstone Exercise involving all of the students. 

Lunch and breaks will be provided each day.

Prerequisites are:  ICS-100, ICS-200, NIMS-700, NRF-800, and ICS-300. 
Recommended: ICS-400

A special room rate, of $74.00 per night, is available at the Best Western Cotton Tree Inn-Sandy Phone (801) 523-8484. Ask for "All Hazards Incident Management Team Academy" or block number 902724.  The hotel is less than a mile from the training site. We will provide a shuttle from and to the airport as well as each morning and afternoon to and from the training site.   

Contact: tedwoolley@utah.gov to register for this service or for questions about the course.

Additional information about the Academy can be found at:
To register for a class go to U-TRAIN: www.utah.train.org.  Instructions on how to create a U-TRAIN account are located on the first link.

Request for Bids: Communications Plan


Emergency Communications Plan
SOUTHERN UTE INDIAN TRIBE,
RISK AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s (SUIT) Risk and Emergency Management Division requests a written response to the Request for Proposal (RFP) for a hard bid proposal contract.

The proposed project is to develop a communication plan for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.  The plan will meet the most current Colorado’s Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP) and National Incident Management System (NIMS).  The Communications Plan will include 800 MHz, VHF and cell phones used by first responders on the reservation.

The plan must include the following four components:

1.    Gap Analysis;
2.    Develop Southern Ute Indian Tribe Communications Plan;
3.    Protocols and Assessments and;
4.    Tabletop Exercise.

The contractor will facilitate the planning process, identify the data requirements, conduct research, develop Communications Plan, produce the draft and final plan document and conduct meetings after each deliverable to receive feedback.

Sealed bids will be received to address items identified in the scope of work for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s Reservation-Wide Emergency Communications Plan, Ignacio, Colorado until 5:00 p.m. (MST) Monday, November 28, 2011. Bids received after this time will not be accepted and will be returned unopened. Request for Bids may be picked up at the Tribal Human Resources Department, 356 Ouray Drive, Ignacio, Colorado, during the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday. 

Please contact Human Resources at 970-563-0100 , ext. 2424 to make arrangements for pick up or email Ms. Kathi Gurule at kgurule@southern-ute.nsn.us with your request. 

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s TERO code has established a preference for contracting and subcontracting to certified Indian owned businesses.  A bid preference of 5% will be given to any qualified Native American owned company. To receive this preference, Native American owned businesses must be certified by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s TERO. Any Native American owned business not certified by the due date will not be given a preference. For information on certification, contact the TERO office at 970-563-0117.  The Southern Ute Indian Tribe reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any informality in bids and to accept the bid deemed, in the opinion of the Tribe, to be in the best interest of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.

Need Local Emergency Alert Information?

The high wind conditions over the weekend remind us that it is never too late to sign up for emergency alerts.  The most current information will come directly from local agencies such as: county sheriff, county manager, city or emergency responders.  A list of local county contacts can be found on the Local Info Sources page of coemergency.com.  Sign up now to receive emergency alerts from your local county.

We also suggest that you bookmark webpages for your local agencies or those that you may be visiting.  These include:  fire departments, sheriff and police departments, US Forest Service, Colorado State Parks and your local city pages.

Other emergency alert and preparedness sources to sign up for or bookmark are:

Colorado Department of Transportation:   
CDOT Twitter Feed and cotrip.org

NOAA's National Weather Service:         
weather.gov

ReadyColorado:                                      
ReadyColorado Twitter Feed and readycolorado.com






All-Hazard Communications Unit Leader Course (L-969)

This course helps attendees establish the essential core competencies required for performing the duties of the Communications Unit Leader in an all-hazards incident. This course addresses all responsibilities appropriate to a Communications Unit Leader operating in a local or state level All Hazards IMT.

These responsibilities include the collection, processing and dissemination as needed to facilitate Operations of Command, General Staff, and Unit Leaders within the confines of a Type III All Hazards Incident Management Team.

The course is an instructor led training that supports learning through discussion, lecture, and active participation in multiple exercises. The class is tailored to anyone who is a communications professional, whether inside or outside a dispatch center including techs, supervisory dispatchers, first responders, even sharp, approved amateur radio folks with direct responsibilities for public safety communications response.

Prerequisites
ICS100, ICS200, NIMS700, NRF800, and ICS300

Recommendeded
ICS400

Registration
co.train.org   Course ID: 1030364

When:      December 12-15 , 2011
Time:       8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Where:    St. Pat’s (basement)
                601 Raton
                La Junta, CO 81050

Download training flyer.

Application Deadline November 10 for ICS Train The Trainer (L-449) Course

Incident Command System Train-The-Trainer (L-449) Course

Application Deadline:     November 10, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.

Course Dates:     December 12-13 and 14-16, 2011

Course Times:     8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Course Location:  Multi-Agency Coordination Center
                                9195 East Mineral Avenue
                                Training Rooms 1&2
                                Centennial, CO              

Course Description:
This course prepares participants to deliver the FEMA Emergency Management Institute’s ICS curricula.  While ICS 100 and 200 courses are addressed, the major emphasis is on ICS 300 and 400.

Prerequisites:

  • ICS 100, ICS 200, ICS 300, ICS 400, IS 700 and IS 800.  NOTE: Students must have taken the EMI, USDA, NFA or NWCG ICS and our hope is that those applicants will have taken mostly the newer FEMA All Hazards curriculum courses (approximately 2008 –current).  Other ICS courses will be reviewed for consistency with the ICS courses as prescribed by the NIMS Integration Center.
  • Participants must have worked as IC, command or general staff positions on incidents that went longer than one operational period or involved a written action plan and involved multi-agency coordination and utilized ICS.  (These can be a combination of disaster incidents, planned events and disaster exercises but must include disaster incidents – not just exercises and planned events).
  • If you have not attended an 8 hour minimum class in adult teaching methodology in the last three years, or have never taken one, you must attend the entire five day class. If you have taken an adult teaching methodology course within the last three years you should attend starting Wednesday, December 14, 2011.  Please include documentation of the adult education class.
  • Prior experience as an instructor is recommended. 
    Download Verification Form.

Selection Criteria:

The L449 course is limited to 30 students.  The goal is to have at least two participants from each of the State All-Hazards Planning Regions, and especially we are trying to build capacity for the areas that do NOT have instructor candidates or have a limited pool. Selections will be made based on a combination of need, experience, and locality. Priority may be given to areas with the greatest need for instructors.

Documentation of completion of course prerequisites must accompany the application.

Note: There will be no cost to participants, but there is no travel or meal reimbursement.  Lodging assistance will be provided Sunday, December 11-15 (or December 13-15 for those not needing the instructor methodology course) for qualified applicants residing more than 50 miles from the training location,

Applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on November 10, 2011
Applications will be evaluated based on the applicant’s ICS training and experience as well as instructor teaching experience.  We are looking to ensure that participants will be able to assist us in meeting our state and local ICS training requirements. Notification emails will be sent by November  22, 2011.

We are at the last stages of institutionalizing ICS and need volunteers who can teach for their agency and for the community. Please note that we are moving away from paid opportunities to teach. In the future, most teaching opportunities will be volunteer teaching opportunities.  

Schedule:

December 12-13    8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.    Advanced Instructor Skills (2 Days)

*These two days are only for those who have not taken an adult methodology class in the last three years. All others are asked to attend starting Wednesday, December 15, to ensure there are enough slots for those who need the instructor course.

December 14-16   8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.    L449 FEMA ICS Train the Trainer (3 Days)

Please email Robyn Knappe with your lodging needs, indicating whether you will be attending for three days or five days. For any questions, please contact Robyn Knappe.
Phone: (720) 852-6617
Fax: (720) 852-6750
robyn.knappe@state.co.us
                               

Fall Back on Sound Advice: Time to Change Your Clock AND Check Your Smoke Alarm Batteries

As our nation moves back to Standard Time beginning this weekend, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) encourages you to mark the occasion as a time to test your home smoke alarms and replace the batteries if more than one year old.
Every year in the United States about 3,500 people die in home fires.  Most of these deaths occurred in homes that didn't have a working smoke alarm.
 Every day in the United States, needless home fire deaths occur. Working smoke alarms significantly increase your chance of surviving a deadly home fire. A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the only thing in your home that can alert you and your family to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether you're awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm is constantly on alert scanning the air for fire and smoke.
In addition to changing your smoke alarm batteries this weekend, the USFA recommends following these simple steps to protect your life, your loved ones, and your home:
  • Dust or vacuum smoke alarms when you change the batteries.
  • Test alarms once a month using the test button.
  • Replace the entire alarm if it's more than 10 years old or doesn't work properly when tested.
  • Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, and both inside and outside of sleeping areas.
  • For the best protection, equip your home with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual sensor alarms.
  • Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout your home so that when one sounds, they all sound. Interconnected alarms are available at most stores that sell smoke alarms.
  • Make sure everyone in your home understands the warning of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.
Finally, prepare and practice an escape plan so that you and your loved ones can get out of your home safely should there be a fire. Plan to meet in a place a safe distance from the fire and where first responders can easily see you.
For more information on smoke alarms, fire escape planning, and fire prevention, visit the USFA website at www.usfa.fema.gov/smokealarms.

Disaster Sheltering for Companion Animals Training



Animal Response Volunteers Eligible to Attend Free Training.

Where:  Law Enforcement Training Academy
              502 2nd Street, Alamosa, CO 81101

What:  Disaster Sheltering for Companion Animals is designed to help communities of any size actively and formally prepare for disasters affecting both animals and humans. Natural or man made disasters can strike at any time, and depending on their scope and severity, the local community needs to be equipped to handle the resulting influx of dogs, cats and other small companion animals.


When:  December 10-11, 2011

Time:  9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Key Areas of Focus:
  • Identifying viable locations for emergency animal shelters
  • Designing and setting an emergency shelter
  • Animal identification and record keeping
  • Daily routines
  • Safety and security concerns
  • Decontamination
  • Legal issues and liability
  • Disposition of animals 

Who should attend this training?
  • CART and CERT
  • CSU Extension
  • Zoos and Wildlife agencies
  • Public Heath
  • Concerned individuals and volunteers
  • Animal Shelters and Animal Rescue Groups
  • Fairgrounds
  • Kennels and Pet Groups
  • Livestock associations and livestock producers
  • Veterinarians, veterinary technicians and staff members
Don’t miss out on this opportunity!  Space is limited.  Deadline to register is November 22, 2011.

To Register contact Adeline Lee at adelinelee@cvmf.org or 719-480-5676.
For more information click here.

Don't Stress; It's Only a Test


As part of their ongoing efforts to keep our country and communities safe during emergencies, the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Emergency Management Agency will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on November 9 at 12 p.m. MDT.

The EAS test plays a key role in ensuring the nation is prepared for all hazards, and that the U.S. public can receive critical and vital information, should it ever be needed.  The first nationwide test will be conducted Wednesday, November 9 at 12 p.m. MDT.  This test will last up 30 seconds, and will be transmitted via television and radio stations within the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, the territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. 

Similar to local emergency alert system tests, an audio message will interrupt television and radio programming indicating: “This is a test.” When the test is over, regular programming will resume.  However, due to technical limitations, a visual message indicating that "this is a test" may not appear on every television channel, especially for cable subscribers. For these reasons we are taking extra steps to educate the public, especially people with hearing disabilities, that this is only a test.

For more information about the nationwide Emergency Alert System test, please visit www.FEMA.gov and www.FCC.gov.   On November 9 at 12 p.m. MDT, please remember: Don’t stress; it’s only a test.

Additional Resource Links:


o   FEMABlog