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Volume 21, Issue 5, May 2019
Month in Review
Legacy Partners Lowe's and USAA provide support to the Hurricane Awareness Tour

Partners Soar during the Hurricane Awareness Tour

On Monday, May 6, FLASH team members joined 2019 National Hurricane Resilience Initiative - #HurricaneStrong National Sponsors and Legacy Partners BASF Corporation, ISO/Verisk, Lowe's, Simpson Strong-Tie, and USAA for the 40th Annual NOAA Hurricane Awareness Tour (HAT).
 
The high-profile, weeklong, annual HAT serves as the signature event of the presidentially-declared National Hurricane Preparedness Week and National Hurricane Resilience Initiative - #HurricaneStrong. The 2019 event delivered safety and home protection information to more than 10,000 attendees along the Atlantic Coast in Providence, Harrisburg, Roanoke, Charlotte, and Brunswick. #HurrricaneStrong is a collaboration with Legacy Partners FEMA, NOAA, multiple national sponsors, and national media partner The Weather Channel. Read More >
FLASH Partnership Asks, Are You Code Confident?

During, the general session of the 2019 National Hurricane Conference in New Orleans, the FLASH Partnership unveiled the new No Code. No Confidence. building code awareness campaign. FLASH and Legacy Partners BASF Corporation, FEMA, ICC, and ISO/Verisk representatives presented the effort in the NHC media rap session and engineering workshop as well.

The consumer research-derived project is designed to increase community safety and resilience by raising awareness of residential building code adoption through consumer outreach, public service announcements, and social media promotion. The project tackles the persistent challenge that many communities still lack the building codes necessary to confront severe weather events like hurricanes. Leading organizations, including FEMA and The Weather Channel , are supporting the effort. Read More >
Mike Rimoldi, John Ingargiola, Leslie Chapman-Henderson, Joel May, Ryan Colker, and Dale Thomure 
Collaborative and Innovative Ideas Converge at Hurricane Conference

FLASH Partners headed to New Orleans the week of April 22 for the 2019 National Hurricane Conference where they presented general session addresses, media rap sessions, workshops, and exposition booths.
 
The annual media rap session on April 24 featured weather and communication experts discussing the record-breaking 2018 hurricane season. FLASH President and CEO Leslie Chapman-Henderson moderated the session where the participants included FLASH Leadership Partner Dr. Rick Knabb, Hurricane Expert - The Weather Channel; Jeff Lindner, Meteorologist - Harris County Flood Control District; Bryan Norcross, Hurricane Specialist - WPLG-TV; Nicondra Norwood, Meteorologist - FOX 8 WVUE; and Chris Smith, Chief Meteorologist - WJHG-TV.  Read More >
Sean McGowan, FEMA Region VIII
Earthquake Community Meets in Utah, Talks Communication and Preparedness

On April 23-26, the Utah Department of Public Safety, Utah Division of Emergency Management and the Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC) hosted the 2019 National Earthquake Program Managers (NEPM) meeting. Leslie Chapman-Henderson and Director of Partnership & Development, James McGowan traveled from the National Hurricane Conference to attend the final two days of the meeting.
 
The NEPM meeting is an annual gathering of state earthquake program managers to exchange ideas and continue conversations about earthquakes preparedness and best practices for educating the public about risks and actions to prepare for seismic events.  Read More >
AIA Strategic Council Meets to Strengthen Florida

On April 12, FLASH joined FLASH Partners from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) during the AIA Florida Strategic Planning Meeting to identify key issues in technology, the economy, and climate change. Leslie joined the Strategic Council in February 2019.
 
"The recent day-long meeting of the Strategic Council really grounded the discussions as this group of diverse professionals examined near-horizon issues that will greatly impact the built environment and lives of Floridians for generations to come," said Vicki Long, Executive Vice President - AIA Florida.  Read More >
Nikki Palmer, Ann Roberson, Mike Rimoldi, and Joseph McDonald
SC Safe Home Program Training Held in Columbia

The South Carolina Department of Insurance and SVP of Education and Technical Programs Mike Rimoldi met on April 16 in Columbia to host a make-up meeting for SC Safe Home participating contractors and inspectors who were unable to attend the annual meeting in February. The SC Safe Home Program offers training for those conducting home inspections and those performing retrofit work.
 
In addition to providing a refresher course for those already participating in the program, new contractors and inspectors were trained in making stronger homes and safer families in South Carolina. Read More >
U.S. Fire Administrator Keith Bryant
No Code. No Confidence. discussed at Annual CFSI Symposium

On April 24-25, FLASH Executive Vice President Eric Vaughn attended the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) 31st Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Symposium in Washington, D.C. Nearly 2,000 fire and emergency officials participated in the program, attending seminars, conducting meetings with members of Congress, and networking to build relationships.
 
FLASH Legacy Partner Chief Tom Weber, National Director of Community Hazard Mitigation Services - ISO/Verisk hosted a seminar about how data analytics are essential for quality service. He shared how No Code. No Confidence. and InspectToProtect.org show the value of data analytics as essential tools in the creation of a proactive community risk reduction (CRR) program. Weber also defined the specific elements required for risk assessment, recommended how to use the data to define risks, and how to establish mitigation plans to minimize risks.  Read More >
Partner Spotlight
Gary White
Partner Spotlight - Gary White

Gary White is the Vice President of Services for Lowe's and serves on the FLASH Board of Directors.

Q: How did you get interested in disaster safety?

Being a lifelong home improvement industry professional, I have always had an interest in how families can stay safe from a natural disaster. I experienced this first-hand as a young teenager, helping relatives clean up after devastating storms that damaged their homes. In fact, I remember finding my mother's wedding ring in a drain after her house was totally wiped off the foundation by hurricane Frederic in 1979. Read More >
Partner News
Report on Community Hazard Mitigation Strategy Released

Good news for Tallahassee flood insurance policyholders! Tallahassee citizens will save approximately $250,000 in annual flood insurance premium costs thanks to the City of Tallahassee's efforts through the Community Rating System (CRS) program.

As part of the program, the City has released a progress report on hazard mitigation initiatives to meet the requirements of the federal Community Rating System (CRS) annual recertification. Because of the City's proactive Stormwater Management program and participation in the CRS, Tallahassee floodplain property owners automatically receive a 20 percent discount on premiums when they purchase flood insurance. Despite changes in program requirements that made achieving this milestone more demanding, the City has been successful in securing this discount for floodplain property owners. 
Full Release >
FEMA RMD Accepting Articles for National News FLASH

  FEMA Risk Management Directorate (RMD) is requesting articles to include in the  May RMD National News Flash , to be published on  May 28, 2019 .  
 
Please provide any topics and program updates that you wish to share with the broader Risk Management audience, and if you know of any upcoming events you wish to be highlighted, please include them. 
 
Article requirements are as follows:
  • Please ensure your articles are 2-3 paragraphs in length, focused on key takeaways or "soundbites," and contain all necessary links to additional content or resources as needed.
  • Please include a creative title to capture the attention of readers.
  • Please include the author's name and email address.
  • Please include a picture as a separate jpg/png and a brief caption with your article submission as needed.   
  • Please ensure that all definable acronyms are spelled out at first use.
  • Please be aware that due to the current number of articles the News Flash receives your article may be published in the next issue. You will be notified by a member of the News Flash team. Read More >
StEER Network Calls for New Members

The Structural Extreme Events Reconnaissance (StEER) Network, would like to formally invite you to join StEER, an NSF-funded initiative to mobilize early reconnaissance missions immediately following major disasters. Note that researchers with little to no experience in field reconnaissance are still welcome to join StEER.
 
StEER is a more ambitious, nationally-distributed network than the original University of Florida initiative which started 6 years ago to disseminate information about the effects of wind hazards on the built infrastructure.  Read More >
Collaboration Opportunities and Upcoming Events
NDRC19 Just Around the Corner

Show your support for resiliency and help define your organization's role in the disaster safety and resilience movement by registering and becoming a sponsor of the  2019 National Disaster Resilience Conference  (NDRC19). This year's conference will be held November 19-22, in Clearwater Beach, FL.
 
When you sponsor, you will join FLASH Legacy Partner and Titanium Sponsor International Code Council along with fellow Legacy Partners Gold Sponsors BASF Corporation and USAA, and Silver Sponsor ISO. Your sponsorship will demonstrate leadership and commitment to resilient communities, help support the latest in science, policy, and practice, and strengthen your alignment with other leaders in the disaster safety and resilience movement.  Read More >
Save the Date - National Storm Shelter Conference

Mark your calendars for the 2019 Storm Shelter Conference presented by the National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA) on November 12 -13 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Conference registration will begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, November 12 at the Hilton Birmingham UAB, directly followed by the meeting's start at 8:30 a.m.

The primary purpose of NSSA is to ensure their members produce the highest quality of residential, commercial, and community safe rooms for protecting people from injury or loss of life from the effects of tornadoes and other wind related events.

For more details about the conference, visit nssa.cc.
NEC2020 Call for Presentations Now Open

If you have expertise in the latest advances in earthquake science, best practices for outreach and education, building science and code advancement, and policy initiatives that improve resilience, FLASH invites you to submit a presentation for the 2020 National Earthquake Conference (NEC) March 4-6 in San Diego, CA.
 
Sponsorship opportunities  are now available to spotlight your business and allow you to network with leaders in the earthquake and tsunami preparedness movement. Conference attendees will include academia, building code experts, design/build professionals, FEMA directorates, first responders, geologists, local emergency managers, insurance and reinsurance professionals, local and tribal governments, private-sector interests, public information officers, state government leaders, social science practitioners, U.S. State and Territorial Earthquake Managers, USGS leadership, and volunteers.  Read More >
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