FEMA Region 1 “Higher-Education Center of Excellence”: Strengthening the Emergency Management Academic Community

Presented By:

Robert Pesapane, FEMA Region 1Christopher Lynch, FEMA Region 1

14th Annual Emergency Management ConferenceJune 6-9th, 2011

FEMA Regional Offices

HiEd Center of Excellence Program• Works to build relationships with HiEed learning institutions• Develops partnerships with public and private sector• Promotes best practices from within the region • Explores competitive training grant program (CTGP)

opportunities and links existing CTGP recipients to ongoing initiatives in the public/private sector (Community College Citizen Preparedness Program [3CP2] Citizen Preparedness)

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5-Year Vision• Working with State partners, markedly improve New England preparedness culture• Enhance individual preparedness through integrated educational programs• Connect age groups through emergency management/homeland security

programs • Distribute Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) to 100% of 4th or 5th grade

students• Provide alternative emergency management educational programs for high school,

Outward Bound, Scouts• Enhance emergency management/homeland security knowledge base through

HiEd network connecting them with their emergency management communities, exemplars, Federal Centers of Excellence, and others

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FEMA Outreach to HiEds in New England

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CampusEmergency

Plans

Links HiEd Internships to public/private sector

Connecting to other

HiEds and private sector

Provides guidance for emergency management/ homeland security academic program development

Connecting schools with resources needed to draft, practice and adapt emergency plans

Teaches 5th grade students what to do in an emergency and empowers them to implement life-saving preparedness initiatives

Promotes Citizens Corps programs such as CERT to enhance overall HiEd preparedness and response

HiEd OutreachPrior - 2008 – 20 schools

engaged– 1 school as

active partner– Outreach mainly

based on Emergency Management Institute (EMI) academic frame with safety planning6

2009 - 2010– 100 + schools

engaged– 7 schools are

active partners– Outreach

multifaceted, and based on input from HiEd needs

HiEd: Map of EM Programs

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KEY:BS= Bachelor of ScienceCert.= Undergraduate Certificate ProgramGCert.= Graduate Certificate ProgramE = EmergencyEM= Emergency ManagementHS= Homeland SecurityMA= Masters

Hartford Post University—HS

Cert.

Capital Community College—EM Cert. Westfield State

University—HS Cert.

Boston University—MA E + Org Continuity Mgmt,

GCert. Managing Disasters and Complex Humanitarian

EmergenciesStorm Ready

Mass. Maritime Academy— BS & MA in EM

Curry College- Cert. Homeland Defense

Tufts University-—MA Humanitarian Assistance

Salve Regina University— Gcert in HS

Norwich University MA Business Continuity

(COOP)

Anna Maria College—EM MA, GCert.

Keene State College- Safety + EM Cert.

Riviera College Cert.

UMaine—EM Cert.UM-FKUM-S

Daniel Webster—HLS

UCONN-Collaborative

Leadership in HLS

Harvard—NPL

Storm Ready

URI— GCert in HS.

University of New Haven

GCert in EM

CCRI— Associates in EM

Center of Excellence Initiatives• Grants/resource opportunities• Annual HiEd Conference• Quarterly webinars• Integration with local, county, State emergency management/homeland

security hierarchy• Integration of programs (private sector , CERT, STEP, etc.)• Standardize EM plans on/around campuses• Internships and employment opportunities• Involvement with the greater community

– C-CERT– Technical support (volunteers, engineering, GIS, etc.)– College Exemplars/SMEs/Federal Centers of Excellence

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Case Study:University of Rhode Island (URI)• Requested assistance with school emergency management

plans • Competitive Training Grant Program (CTGP) Recipient• Strong leadership as recommended by Rhode Island

Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA)• Standard brief yields added concerns and emphasis areas

(law enforcement officer relations, Virginia Tech scenario, student mental health assessments)

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Results: URI • Pursuing FEMA Emergency Management Curricula (Graduate Cert)• Cross-connect to University of Connecticut (UCONN) school emergency

management plan exemplar (previous CTGP recipient)• Possible C-CERT via Michigan State University CTGP• Referral to Purdue for mental health forms• Coordinate with U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for

November 2009 URI to host statewide behavioral detection training • Referral to UCONN Department of Education Emergency Management

for Higher Education (EMHE) recipient• Hosted FEMA’s first L-363

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Case Study:Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA)

• Longest-tenured emergency management program in New England

• Solid campus emergency management plans• Concern for emergency management students’ motivation

due to employment issues• Interest in STEP• Summer camp program opportunities

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Results: MMA

• Coordination for STEP taught by cadets in nearby schools• Co-development of summer preparedness program for

camp students• New England Disaster Recovery Information Exchange

(NEDRIX) internship opportunities• Collaborate with other HiEd institutions on outreach

initiatives

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Higher-Education Regional Exercise• Intelligence based exercise on information sharing between

law enforcement and fusion centers. • Multiple coordinated attacks throughout the Northeast. • Exercise Three Part Series

Seminar Conducted on March 10th with well over 100 attendees from Higher-Education, Federal, State and Local officials.

Table-Top Exercise Scheduled for June 18th, 2011Full-Scale Exercise September (TBD)

Strengthening Academic Programs

• FEMA Regional Office Providing subject matter expertise in Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery.

• Serving as Non-Voting Members of academic programs.• Review and write letters of support for curriculum

development.• Conferences, Seminars and Workshop support.

Current School Year: 2009–2010Despite original goal of being in 2.5 % of schools …

Current School Year: 2009–2010Despite original goal of being in 2.5 % of schools …

• 20,000 students signed up

• 300+ schools• 22% of New England's

4th/5th graders

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Within 5 Years• Working with the States, markedly change New England’s

preparedness culture• Enhance individual preparedness through integrated educational

programs• Connect age groups through emergency management/homeland

security educational programs• Provide alternative emergency management educational programs

for high school, Outward Bound, Scouts• Enhance emergency management/homeland security knowledge

base through HiEd “network”; connecting them with their emergency management communities, exemplars, Federal Centers of Excellence, and others

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QUESTIONS?

Robert Pesapanerobert.pesapane@dhs.gov

Christopher Lynchchristopher.lynch@dhs.gov

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