August 3, 2009 FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Program
“Notes of the Day”
(1) 12th Annual All-Hazards Emergency Management Higher Education Conference “Proceedings”
Most of the material that is going to be posted in the “Proceedings” of the June 1-4, 2009 EM Hi-Ed Conference, has now been posted, and is accessible via scanning through the agenda – which serves as the “Proceedings” platform – Items in blue are “clickable” – go to --
Generally names of the originator of the material are used to access material – which could be a paper, power point slides, notes on a breakout session, etc.
(2) California, Climate Change, Mitigation:
Associated Press. “Report: California Must Adapt to Changing Climate.” New York Times. At:
(3) Critical Infrastructure:
Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. Efforts to Identify Critical Infrastructure Assets and Systems (OIG-09-86). Washington, DC: DHS OIG, June 2009, 52 pages. Accessed at:
(4) Historical Civil Defense and Emergency Management References Digitized and Posted:
Was informed today that the following material has been digitized and posted to the “Historical Interest” subsection of the “EM References” section of the EM Hi-Ed Program website:
Blanchard, B. Wayne.American Civil Defense, 1945-1975: The Evolution of Programs and Policies.Charlottesville, VA:University of Virginia (Doctoral dissertation, Department of Government and Foreign Affairs), 531 pages, 1980.
Bourgin, Frank P.A Legislative History of Federal Disaster Relief, 1950-1974.Washington, DC: Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1983.
Cumming, William R. “The Civil Defense Legacy.” The Journal of Civil Defense, Vol. 37, Issue. 2, February 2004, pp. 3-6.
Cumming, William R. “The Stickney Memorandum on FEMA’s Response Readiness.” ASDA Newsletter (American Strategic Defense Association), Vol. 33, No. 3, May-June 2003.
White House. National Security Decision Directive Number 4: Emergency Mobilization Preparedness Preamble.Washington, DC: Ronald Regan, July 22, 1982, 11 pages (Rescinds Presidential Directive/NSC-57)
White House. National Security Decision Memorandum 184:United States Civil Defense Policy.Washington, DC: National Security Council, August 14, 1972.
White House. National Security Directive 66: Civil Defense.Washington, DC: George H. W. Bush, March 16, 1992, 4 pages (Rescinds NSDD 259 of February 4, 1987).
Yoshpe, Harry B. Our Missing Shield: The. U.S. Civil Defense Program in Historical Perspective.Washington, DC: Prepared for FEMA, April 1981, 579 pages.
Accessible now at:
(5) Hurricane Evacuation:
Stanton, Robert. “Tougher Evacuation Rules Please Officials – Police Will Be Able to Remove Those People Who Refuse to Leave.” Houston Chronicle, August 2, 2009. Accessed at:
(6) Hurricane Hazard:
Morrisey, Siobhan. “Florida Looks at New Ideas for Battling Hurricanes.” Time, August 2, 2009. At:
(7) Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearings this Week:
Fowler, Daniel. “Senate Homeland Reaps Pre-Recess Spotlight.” CQ Homeland Security, 2Aug09.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate will take part in a Disaster Recovery Ad Hoc Subcommittee hearing Tuesday on protecting children during disasters. Louisiana Democrat Mary L. Landrieu…will chair the hearing, which will focus on evacuation planning and mental health recovery. 10:30 a.m. in 342 Dirksen.
A three-day global cybersecurity conference sponsored by the Secret Service, including a keynote address by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday; 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Wednesday and 8:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m. Thursday; J. W. Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
A Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on the nomination of Kelvin J. Cochran to be the administrator of FEMA’s U.S. Fire Administration. 10 a.m. Wednesday, 342 Dirksen.
(8) NationalIncidentManagementSystemsCollege Course Project – NIMS Structure Session
Session 11, “NIMS Structure Defined,” of the “National Incident Management Systems” Upper Division College Course (now under development), has been posted to the “NIMS Course” – Free College Courses section – Courses Under Development subsection – of the EM Hi-Ed Program website – where it can be accessed at:
(9) Political and Policy Bases of Emergency Management – EM Hi-Ed Course Revision Project:
Have received for review from Dr. Richard Sylves, University of Delaware, Session 16, “Geosciences Policy: Earthquakes, Other Seismic Disasters.” The Student Objectives and Scope of this course session are as follows:
At the conclusion of this session, students should be able to:
16.1 Explain the basis of earthquake law and policy in the United States.
16.2 Recount some of the political issues surrounding earthquakes, such as those emerging in the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 and in the Northridge earthquake of 1994.
16.3 Describe cases involving political interchange in the process of earthquake disaster recovery.
16.4 Understand the barriers faced in implementing earthquake mitigation and preparedness policies, and know the stakeholders involved.
16.5 Offer observations on the immense costs of earthquake recovery and the political issues surrounding the coverage and assumption of these costs
SCOPE: The readings and discussion in this session should give students an understanding of some of the political elements of Federal and State earthquake policy and geosciences policy. The political interchanges faced in earthquake disaster mitigation, preparedness, and recovery will be reviewed and examples will be offered. This session also covers changes in earthquake-related Federal law and policy since the Loma Prieta temblor of 1989 and the Northridge quake of 1994.
The 17-page session has been forwarded to the EMI web staff for upload to the EMI Hi-Ed Program website where it can be reviewed and commented upon – as soon as it is uploaded. The parking space for this session is == Free College Course Materials section – Courses under Development subsection – Political and Policy Basis of EM course --
(10) War on Terrorism:
Las Vegas Sun (Editorial). “The Only Thing to Fear – Homeland Security Chief Says Public Should be More Involved in Anti-Terrorism Preparations,” August 1, 2009. Accessed at:
(11) WHO Manual for the Public Health Management of Chemical Incidents:
World Health Organization. Manual for the Public Health Management of Chemical Incidents.Geneva, Switzerland, WHO Press, 2009, 101 pages. Accessed at:
(12) This Day in U.S. Disaster History – August 3, 1853, New Orleans, Yellow Fever Epidemic
On this day in 1853, 124 deaths from Yellow Fever were reported in the New Orleans press for the previous 24-hour period.
Source: Fenner, E. D. History of the Epidemic Yellow Fever at New Orleans, LA. In 1853. New York: Hall, Clayton & Co., Printers, 1854, 84 pages (p. 38).
(13) Email Inbox Backlog: 587
(14) EM Hi-Ed Program “Notes of the Day” Distribution: 25,355 subscribers.
B. Wayne Blanchard, Ph.D., CEM
Higher Education Program Manager
Emergency Management Institute
National Preparedness Directorate
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Department of Homeland Security
16825 S. Seton, K-011
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
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