The nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH®) is the country’s leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from natural and manmade disasters.
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To ensure the health, safety, and well-being of our staff, family, and partners, the FLASH team continues to work from home as a social distancing measure. Best practices are in place to ensure normal day-to-day operations continue uninterrupted, and we are continuing collaborative work with our partners through video conferencing. In addition to the work-from-home status, we have restricted work-related travel until further notice.
We want to express our deepest gratitude to all those on the front lines, including the first responders, emergency managers, healthcare professionals, essential workforce, and our partners that are helping those in need.
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Feature Story - 2020 National Earthquake Conference
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The conference opened with inspiring welcome messages from FLASH President and CEO, Leslie Chapman-Henderson; Chief Resilience Officer, San Diego County Office of Emergency Services Gary S. Johnston; EERI President and Urban Planner Dr. Laurie Johnson; and Director of the Engineering Laboratory, and NEC2020 Honorary Chair Dr. Howard H. Harary.
Dr. Laurie Johnson and
California Earthquake Authority
CEO and NEC
Presenting Sponsor
Glen Pomeroy moderated the first panel of the day on the
San Diego Earthquake Scenario
and its "Vision for a Seismically-Resilient San Diego" by 2050. They set the tone for the gathering by showcasing the results of the new earthquake scenario for the San Diego region. Developed during the past five years, the scenario showcased the impacts and consequences of a potential M6.9 earthquake on the Rose Canyon fault that runs through the San Diego harbor. Panelists shared findings from seismological and geologic simulations, engineering inventory and assessment studies, and local stakeholder focus groups.
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#HurricaneStrong
Goes Digital for 2020
Join the FLASH Partnership and get ready for the 2020 Hurricane Season with the new digital
#HurricaneStrong
#AtHome
checklists, information sheets, podcasts, and program guide.
These resources are available in both English and Spanish and will guide the consumer through Do-It-Yourself (DIY) activities to strengthen their homes and protect their families. Additionally, the lists offer crucial information on mitigation techniques that require a professional. The official campaign rollout is April 23 and includes the following checklists and information sheets:
- Performing a DIY Home Wind Inspection
- Emergency Board Up
- Find Your Evacuation Zone
- Hurricane-Resistant Landscaping
- Power Outage
- Protect Your Home and Family from Flood
- Protect Your Home and Family from Lightning
- Sandbags
- Strengthen Your Gutters
- Strengthen Your Roof
- Strengthen Your Soffits
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The details below are based on the most up-to-date information available to FLASH as of April 14, 2020
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#HurricaneStrong
Campaign
2020 Kickoff
April 23, 2020
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Virtual
CFSI 32nd Annual National Fire & Emergency Services Symposium
April 30 - May 1, 2020 | Washington D.C.
Canceled
National Hurricane Preparedness Week
May 4-8, 2020 | Virtual
Nat'l VOAD Conference
May 18-21, 2020 | Phoenix, AZ
Canceled
NFPA Conference & Expo
June 15-18, 2020 | Orlando, FL
Confirmed
QuakeSmart
Workshop
June 16 | Alaska
Canceled
National CERT Conference
July 13 - 18 | Springfield, MO
Confirmed
FMA Conference
rescheduled for
September 8-10, 2020 | Atlantic Beach, FL
ICC Annual Conference
October 11-14, 2020 | St. Louis, MO
Confirmed
Nat'l Disaster Resilience Conference
December 2-4, 2020 | Clearwater Beach, FL
Confirmed
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Collaboration Opportunities
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Join the Virtual Building Safety Month Celebration
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The International Code Council’s (ICC) virtual 40th annual Building Safety Month will take place in May 2020 and will focus on “Safer Buildings, Safer Communities, Safer World.”
ICC has made resources available to make the 40th Building Safety Month a year to remember.
Detailed information about Building Safety Month, including the weekly theme webpages, are available on
BuildingSafetyMonth.com
.
There you can find additional resources for download and purchase, including posters, pencils, Kid’s Corner merchandise, and more.
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FEMA Seeks Comments:
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting comments on the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Policy. This policy describes a new program authorized by recent legislation that allows FEMA to set aside 6 percent of estimated disaster expenses for each major disaster to fund a mitigation grant program to assist states, territories, tribes, and local governments.
The new program would supersede the existing Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant program and would promote a national culture of preparedness through encouraging investments to protect communities and infrastructure and strengthening national mitigation capabilities to foster resilience. Comments must be received by
May 11, 2020.
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More Than 10,000 Homes in California Successfully Retrofitted
The
Earthquake Brace + Bolt
(EBB) program has reached an important milestone of helping more than 10,000
California homeowners
seismically
retrofit their homes. With as many as 1.2 million vulnerable homes statewide and an increased risk of “the Big One” striking at any time, EBB is strengthening investments, families, and communities one home at a time.
The EBB grant program provides homeowners in eligible ZIP Codes with $3,000 to help offset the cost of completing a seismic retrofit. Since its founding in 2014 by the California Earthquake Authority (CEA), EBB has expanded from only four to 355 ZIP Codes in 2020.
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Resilience Learning Session:
Quake Heroes
Documentary
Mark Benthien, the Director for Communication, Education, and Outreach for the Southern California Earthquake Center visited FEMA HQ in late January to discuss ShakeOut initiatives for 2020 and screen the
Quake Heroes
documentary.
Prior to screening the documentary, Mark and his colleague, Dr. Michele Wood (lead ShakeOut evaluator from CSU Fullerton), discussed ShakeOut 2020 initiatives with several programs from across FEMA.
Members from the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA), Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD), and the Office of External Affairs (OEA) attended this meeting to learn about upcoming ShakeOut activities, such as utilizing social sciences to determine what motivates earthquake response.
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FEMA announces FEMA P-530
Half of all Americans live in areas subject to earthquake risk, and most Americans will travel to seismically active regions in their lifetime. FEMA is fostering awareness of earthquake risks in the United States through the newly developed FEMA P-530, Earthquake Safety at Home. This publication is intended to show readers how they can "Prepare, Protect, Survive, Recover, and Repair" from an earthquake.
Click here
for your free copy.
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State Farm Rolls Out $2 Billion Consumer Financial Relief Program
The nation’s biggest car insurer, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., is slashing $2 billion of premiums owed on 40 million vehicles, making it the latest carrier to offer consumers a financial-relief program as auto claims have plunged under shelter-at-home restrictions.
State Farm’s total brings the amount pledged by the top 10 sellers of personal car insurance to more than $7 billion as U.S. carriers are beginning to see a financial windfall tied to Americans driving less to help fight Covid-19, the disease caused by the
novel coronavirus
.
State Farm’s program, which will benefit about 21 million households, is on the high end of the relief being provided in consumer programs launched so far. The “Good Neighbor Relief Program” offers a 25% policy credit on premiums due from March 20 through May 31, or about $20 a month for each vehicle insured. The average annual State Farm auto premium is about $950 a year, the insurer said
.
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Simpson Strong-Tie Supports Tennessee Tornado Relief
In the wake of the devastating tornadoes that recently swept through Tennessee, Simpson Strong-Tie has made a $10,000 donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to assist in relief and recovery efforts throughout the region.
Nine tornadoes with winds up to 175 mph left at least 25 people dead and hundreds of buildings destroyed in central Tennessee
.
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FEMA Requests Partner Support for American Red Cross
The American Red Cross has asked for support to amplify their blood donation messaging on social media and during media interviews, as appropriate. FEMA is sharing their talking points and social media posts that they’ve requested help with amplifying the following messages.
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Portland Cement Earns ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year
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The Portland Cement Association (PCA), representing America's cement manufacturers, is proud to announce that it has received the 2020 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award for its outstanding collaboration with the ENERGY STAR program and promotion of ENERGY STAR tools.
"PCA and its members have greatly benefited from participation in the ENERGY STAR program to significantly improve energy efficiency and reduce associated greenhouse gas emissions," said PCA President and CEO Michael Ireland. "According to ENERGY STAR data, annually, cement plants have total source energy savings of 60.5 trillion Btu and reduced 1.5 million metric tons of energy-related carbon emissions."
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IBHS Puts Huber ZIP System to
the Test
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) conducted a hurricane-force, wind-driven rain demonstration on January 9, 2020, to show the water-resistance of a FORTIFIED Roof™ built with a ZIP System
®
Roof Assembly. Huber Engineered Woods' ZIP System Roof Assembly is the first manufacturer-warranted, roof sheathing system that meets the sealed roof deck standard for a FORTIFIED Roof. FORTIFIED Roof sealed roof deck standards are based on more than 20 years of scientific research and real-world testing.
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TDI Adopts New Coastal Building Code
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The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI)
has adopted stronger construction standards
f
or
homes and buildings on the coast. Any new building or repairs started after April 1 must follow the new codes to be insured by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association.
Anyone starting a construction project before April 1 can build to current codes. The newer building codes use standards that specifically help structures better withstand high winds. The new codes, published by the International Code Council, will be more consistent with local building standards. This makes it easier for builders to use the latest materials and newer technologies such as solar panels and still comply with windstorm building codes. Another benefit is that more federal assistance is available after a disaster in areas that have adopted the newer building codes.
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StEER Releases Preliminary Report: Nashville Tornadoes
In the early morning hours of March 3, 2020, a strong tornado struck the City of Nashville and the surrounding metropolitan region with estimated maximum wind speeds of 165 mph. The tornado passed through Nashville and continued east for 53 miles, impacting the communities of Donelson, Mt. Juliet and Lebanon before lifting. The same storm system then produced a second tornado that struck Cookeville, TN, with estimated wind speeds of 175 mph.
The Nashville tornado was the third tornado that passed through the Five Points area. Damage was reported across a diverse cross-section of buildings spanning a number of communities: Camden, Germantown/North Nashville, East Nashville/Five Points, Donelson, Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, and Cookeville. Exposure of an urban metro area to this series of tornadoes resulted in significant impacts to power infrastructure and building performance, ranging from loss of roof cover and broken windows to complete destruction
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USAA to Return $520 Million to Members
USAA, the country's fifth largest property-casualty insurer, will be returning $520 million to its members. This payment is a result of data showing members are driving less due to stay-at-home and shelter-in-place guidance across the country. Every member with an auto insurance policy in effect as of March 31, 2020, will receive a 20% credit on two months of premiums in the coming weeks.
As a member-owned association, USAA historically returns a portion of profits to members. In 2019, we returned $2.4 billion in dividends, distributions and bank rebates and rewards. This brings the total amount returned to members since January 2019 to nearly $3 billion.
"We understand the impact this pandemic is having on our country, and especially our military community and their families, many of whom also are working on the front lines of the crisis. Returning premiums provides timely help for our members," said USAA President and CEO Wayne Peacock. "USAA has been facilitating the financial security of military members for nearly 100 years, and this is another way we can serve them well."
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Out with the Old, In with the Updated: NFIP Technical Bulletins
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Technical Bulletins provide guidance for complying with the NFIP’s building performance requirements and are designed to help state and local officials interpret the NFIP Regulations. They are also a useful resource and reference for homeowners, insurance agents, building professionals and designers.
FEMA is updating the NFIP Technical Bulletins to improve their usability, credibility, and content while presenting them in a streamlined format. Technical Bulletins 1 & 5 were last updated more than 10 years ago. These updated editions incorporate the latest relevant codes and standards and state-of-the-art guidance and best practices. They were developed with significant stakeholder input to help local officials meet or exceed relevant NFIP requirements.
Read More >
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© 2020 Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) | (850) 385-7233 |
www.flash.org
All Rights Reserved
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