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Governmental Affairs Committee |
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GAC Resources For GAC documents, announcements, and information please click here to visit the microsite. Home Day 2007 Toolkit To download the Home Day 2007 Click Here Upcoming Events
HELP THE GAC!
Dear FAMA/FEMSA member: In January, you received an e-mail from the FAMA/FEMSA Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC) asking you to complete a survey that will help the GAC and its consultants learn what congressional relationships FAMA/FEMSA member companies have established. This information is essential to the GAC’s work to increase FAMA/FEMSA’s dialogue with federal government agencies in an effort to educate key officials on the important role our industry plays in providing equipment and services to the nation’s first responders. To help us enhance these efforts, we once again ask you to take a few moments to complete the enclosed survey. Specifically, this survey will help the GAC compile a comprehensive list of FAMA/FEMSA members’ locations and the congressional senators and representatives for those locations, an important step in establishing an educational network with the members of Congress and the administration. Please note that the survey can be conveniently completed online here. We also ask that the survey be completed as soon as possible. We have tried to keep this survey as simple and straightforward as possible. We thank you in advance for your assistance in this important effort. Sincerely, FAMA/FEMSA Governmental Affairs Committee
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The 10 Most Important Facts about the Fire Service and Industry Application Period to Open: Fiscal Year 2007 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants Emergency Preparedness Institute Sets “Preparedness Clock” FEMA Leaders Greet New and Veteran Employees Important Message regarding Senate CPSC Legislation NVFC Comments on Article on Collective Bargaining Legislation
Click here to view Presentation (.ppt - 5.7mb)
Source: GAC
The 10 Most Important Facts about the Fire Service and Industry Click Here to view Article.
Source: GAC Application Period to Open: Fiscal Year 2007 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants The Department of Homeland Security recently posted the FY07 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants Program Guidance on the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program Website. The application period is scheduled to begin on October 22, 2007, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Applications for these grants must be received by November 30, 2007, at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). FP&S grants support projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and related hazards. The primary goal is to target high-risk populations, firefighter safety and mitigate high incidences of death and injury. Examples of the types of projects supported by FP&S include fire prevention and public safety education campaigns, juvenile fire setter interventions, media campaigns, and arson prevention and awareness programs. The applicant tutorial is available through the www.firegrantsupport.com Website. The tutorial will provide you with valuable grant information and will walk you through the preparation and submittal of competitive applications. In addition, the applicant tutorial will provide an overview of the funding priorities and evaluation criteria. Applicants who have questions regarding the Fire Prevention and Safety Grants opportunity should contact the help desk as soon as possible at 1-866-274-0960 or at firegrants@dhs.gov. During the application period, the help desk will operate Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time), but is prepared to revise hours of operation based on volume, demand, holidays and urgency to complete the FP&S Grants application period and processing for FY07. The AFG Program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grants Program Directorate in coordination with the U.S. Fire Administration. FY07 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants Program Guidance – visit www.firegrantsupport.com/fps/guidance/ FY07 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants FAQs – visit www.firegrantsupport.com/fps/faq/07/
Source: FEMA Emergency Preparedness Institute Sets “Preparedness Clock” The Emergency Preparedness Institute (EPI) is working with emergency managers and preparedness experts to launch a new barometer of national preparedness called the “Preparedness Clock.” In an article on the Journal-Topics website, Richard Mayer says the clock “combines available public and private data on the approximate percent of businesses and families who are ready to manage disaster-caused interruptions to their businesses and their lives into a single representative index.” The EPI is collecting data from a national network of emergency managers to help set the hands on the clock. It is designed to examine the general effectiveness of emergency preparedness campaigns. “Despite a number of historic disasters that affected the country over the last decade… the data indicates that the overwhelming majority of American businesses, their employees and families have not responded to traditional preparedness campaigns nor embraced the need for preparedness,” Mayer says. “This data suggests that the current approach to encouraging preparedness is ineffective, and a new method of communicating and promoting the importance of developing business and personal preparedness plans is needed,” Norris Beren, organizer of the Coalition and executive director of the Emergency Preparedness Institute, told Mayer. To read the full article, click here: http://www.journal-topics.com/business/07/biz071010.6.html
Source: Disaster Resource Guide FEMA Leaders Greet New and Veteran Employees “You all have a part in the new FEMA.” FEMA Administrator David Paulison and Deputy Administrator Harvey Johnson met with employees in the Washington, D.C., area and in regional offices recently, continuing their outreach efforts to employees—both those new to the agency and veteran employees. On Sept. 20, Paulison held an all-hands meeting at the Region V office in Chicago to talk about the “New FEMA” vision, the current state of the 2007 Hurricane Season, and to answer any questions from employees. After an introduction from Regional Administrator Ed Buikema, Paulison praised the Region V staff for their outstanding response to several recent regional emergencies and disasters. Before taking questions during the Sept. 20 visit, Paulison spoke about new job opportunities, saying “160 out of 190 new FEMA positions are going to be available at the regional level.” He then answered employee questions, including those regarding the integration into FEMA of programs of the former Preparedness Directorate and the continuation and expansion of employee benefits. At a New Employee Orientation in Washington, D.C., Deputy Administrator Johnson welcomed more than 30 people to FEMA, telling them, “This is the best time in the history of this organization to come here.” Senior leaders have “worked hard to fix the foundations…people, processes, and business structure” of FEMA, he said and cited “huge improvements in the last year, including a strong new budget and phenomenal growth in hiring.” Johnson, who distributed FEMA caps to new staff members, told them, “Bring all you’ve done in other jobs. We need new ideas. You all have a part in the new FEMA.”
Source: DHS DHS Announces Grants for Preparedness Training DHS on Friday announced the awarding of more than $113 million in grant money under two programs that strengthen the coordinated training efforts of homeland security preparedness. The two programs are the Homeland Security National Training Program (HSNTP) and the Competitive Training Grant Program (CTGP). Under the HSNTP, the department awarded $84 million in cooperative and inter-agency agreements to applicants to design, develop, and deliver training content, as well as support federal, state, local, and tribal jurisdictions in accordance with DHS guidance and approved homeland security strategies. The announcement is in addition to over $98 million in HSNTP funds previously awarded by the department in FY 2007. Under the CTGP, the department awarded $29.1 million to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, national associations, higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, and the private sector to develop and deliver innovative training programs addressing high priority national homeland security training needs. Separately, the department announced more than $24 million in grants for FY 2007 under the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Nonprofit Security Grant Program. These awards, required by Congress, support target hardening and security screening activities in select non-profit organizations that are deemed at high-risk of a potential terrorist attack. Commenting on the UASI grants, Secretary Chertoff said, “Risk is not exclusive to political jurisdictions or critical infrastructure. These investments will strengthen security and contribute to local preparedness at hundreds of non-profit organizations nationwide.” More information about these and other grant announcements is available at: http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/index.shtm.
Source: DHS
Important Message regarding Senate CPSC Legislation Dear Colleagues, Dick Doyle Dear Fellow NAM Council Members, As I just reported to you, Senator Mark Pryor (D.AR) has introduced a bill before the Senate Commerce Committee that would significantly impact manufacturers of consumer products. The CPSC Reform Act (S.2045) contains many provisions that are unacceptable to the manufacturing community, as I noted in my earlier e-mail. NAM is taking a lead role in orchestrating our opposition to the many overreaching provisions of this bill, including testifying at a recent hearing and scheduling Hill visits that I hope you will participate in. Additionally, I just wanted to take this opportunity to share with you a <http://lists.nam.org/t/49877/107162/4268/0/>letter (http://documents.nam.org/CMA/10 12 07 Management Letter CPSC Reform (2) Final.pdf) I mailed yesterday to over 900 executives in the mattress manufacturing industry concerning this proposed legislation. As members of the NAM Council, I urge you to consider sending a similar letter to your members calling upon them to communicate your industry's specific objections to this bill to their Senators. I understand that S.2045 is expected to go to markup in the Senate Commerce Committee on October 30th. Therefore, time is of the essence. The voices of the manufacturing community need to be heard by our representatives. Thank you for your personal support of this critically important effort. Regards, Dick Doyle
Source: NAM NVFC Comments on Article on Collective Bargaining Legislation Recently, an article by James Sherk of the Heritage Foundation about the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (H.R. 980) has been published in a number of newspapers across the country. The stated goal of H.R. 980 is, "To provide collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by States or their political subdivisions." The article cites a provision in H.R. 980 that was designed to protect the right of a career firefighter to volunteer during off-duty hours. Specifically, the provision bars collective bargaining agreements subject to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) from prohibiting employees from volunteering during off-duty hours. The article accurately states that this provision would not protect the vast majority of career firefighters. This is because NLRA applies to nongovernmental employees, while most career firefighters are employed by municipal or county units of government. The NVFC has worked diligently with Senate staff to develop language that would provide protection to career firefighters who volunteer during off-duty hours. On October 1, the Senate version of the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (S. 2123) was introduced and included language in Section 8(a)(5) that states that collective bargaining agreements struck in states affected by the bill cannot include provisions prohibiting employees from volunteering during off-duty hours. The NVFC does not have a position on S. 2123 but is supportive of the language in Section 8(a)(5) protecting volunteer firefighters. The NVFC never established a position on H.R. 980 but would oppose enactment of legislation expanding collective bargaining rights to career firefighters without also protecting the right of those same firefighters to volunteer during off-duty hours should they choose to do so. Source: NVFC
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality: Name: Matthew Richard Will Fire Department: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Hollister Air Attack Base Incident Description: Firefighter Will, a heavy fire equipment operator Funeral Arrangements: Pending Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Matthew Richard Will at Source: USFA |
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