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Innovating to Improve Disaster Response and Recovery

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Editor’s Note: This was originally posted on the White House blog, September 3, 2013, by Todd Park and Rich Serino. Todd Park is Assistant to the President and US Chief Technology Officer. Rich Serino is the Deputy Administrator of FEMA. 
 
Last week, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) jointly challenged a group of over 80 top innovators from around the country to come up with ways to improve disaster response and recovery efforts.  This diverse group of stakeholders, consisting of representatives from Zappos, Airbnb, Marriott International, the Parsons School of Design, AOL/Huffington Post’s Social Impact, The Weather Channel, Twitter, Topix.com, Twilio, New York City, Google and the Red Cross, to name a few, spent an entire day at the White House collaborating on ideas for tools, products, services, programs, and apps that can assist disaster survivors and communities.

This collaboration is a great example of this Administration’s commitment to convening private-sector talent and innovators to work with public servants in order to deliver better results for the American people. The event mobilized innovators from the private sector, nonprofits, artistic organizations, and Federal as well as local government agencies to develop solutions that support and integrate both public and private efforts for disaster relief.  It also comes as our Nation prepares for what is usually the peak of Hurricane Season.  In fact, the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Irene fell last week, and the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy is approaching.

During the “Data Jam/Think Tank,” we discussed response and recovery challenges with the participants and other Federal leaders, including Patricia Hoffman, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Energy and Dr. Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services.  The participants then broke into subgroups to brainstorm innovative ideas for addressing those challenges, vote on the best ideas, and commit to implementing them.
Below are some of the ideas that were developed throughout the day. In the case of the first two ideas, participants wrote code and created actual working prototypes.

  • A real-time communications platform that allows survivors dependent on electricity-powered medical devices to text or call in their needs—such as batteries, medication, or a power generator—and connect those needs with a collaborative transportation network to make real-time deliveries. 
  • A technical schema that tags all disaster-related information from social media and news sites – enabling municipalities and first responders to better understand all of the invaluable information generated during a disaster and help identify where they can help.
  • A Disaster Relief Innovation Vendor Engine (DRIVE) which aggregates pre-approved vendors for disaster-related needs, including transportation, power, housing, and medical supplies, to make it as easy as possible to find scarce local resources.
  • A crowdfunding platform for small businesses and others to receive access to capital to help rebuild after a disaster, including a rating system that encourages rebuilding efforts that improve the community.
  • Promoting preparedness through talk shows, working closely with celebrities, musicians, and children to raise awareness.
  • A “community power-go-round” that, like a merry-go-round, can be pushed to generate electricity and additional power for battery-charged devices including cell phones or a Wi-Fi network to provide community internet access.
  • Aggregating crowdsourced imagery taken and shared through social media sites to help identify where trees have fallen, electrical lines have been toppled, and streets have been obstructed.
  • A kid-run local radio station used to educate youth about preparedness for a disaster and activated to support relief efforts during a disaster that allows youth to share their experiences.

Before ending the brainstorm, participants committed to taking responsibility for turning these ideas into tangible actions. We will be excited to see how these materialize into impactful projects that will support disaster response and recovery efforts. Our sincere thanks to all of the participants!

FEMA Blog

USCIS and the Smithsonian Institution Launch Preparing for the Oath

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Posted by Alejandro Mayorkas, Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

This morning, against the backdrop of the original Star-Spangled Banner, I had the privilege of participating in a naturalization ceremony at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.

My colleagues and I, along with hundreds of visitors to the museum, were honored to welcome America’s newest citizens and congratulate them as they begin their lives as U.S. citizens. Among the individuals who took the Oath of Allegiance were three members of the U.S. armed forces. USCIS is particularly grateful to these individuals and their fellow service members, both native and foreign-born. Throughout the year we honor those who serve this nation and pay a special tribute in commemoration of Memorial Day this weekend.
Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State and 2011 USCIS Outstanding American by Choice recipient, provided keynote remarks. As a naturalized citizen who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to her chosen homeland through a life of public service, she personifies the vast opportunities America provides. It was truly an honor to hear her story and see her lead our newest citizens in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State, greets new U.S. citizen Olugbenga Olufemi Obasanjo (U.S. Army)
                Above: Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State, greets new U.S. citizen Olugbenga Olufemi Obasanjo (U.S. Army)
During today’s ceremony, Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, also announced the launch of an exciting new resource, Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship. This Web-based learning tool features interactive activities, artifacts from the Smithsonian Institution’s collections and exhibitions and a self-test based on the 100 questions given during the civics portion of the naturalization test. The interactive question format and use of historical items will help aspiring citizens prepare for the test in an engaging and meaningful way.
In addition to serving as a self-study tool for immigrants, a section for teachers provides materials and strategies to use Preparing for the Oath in a classroom setting.
Today’s announcement is the culmination of a two-year partnership between USCIS and the National Museum of American History. We are excited to introduce Preparing for the Oath and look forward to your feedback. With all the recent discussion about civic education in our country, I encourage you to take a minute to view our new resource and test your knowledge of U.S. history and government.
Published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.

The Blog @ Homeland Security

CBP Partners with Chicago Division of Aviation to Launch Self-Service Kiosks at O’Hare

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Chicago – U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Chicago Division of Aviation announced nowadays that Automated Passport Handle is now obtainable for U.S. citizens at O’Hare International Airport. This new technology will permit travelers to scan their own passport, comprehensive their Customs declaration and confirm travel data using a self-service kiosk ahead of reaching the CBP officer to comprehensive the inspection. (a lot more)
CBP.gov: National News Releases

AARP & FEMA: Creating resilience via partnerships

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signing ceremony

Effectively responding to disasters requires a team, but not just any team.  This team needs to be as diverse, multi-faceted, and as talented as the fabric of America itself.  Because of this, FEMA is always looking for opportunities to strengthen the team that prepares for, responds to, and recovers from emergencies. 

I’m proud that last week FEMA took a step in bolstering this collection of partners by signing a partnership agreement with the American Association of Retired Professionals (AARP).  Here’s Administrator Fugate and AARP CEO Barry Rand at the signing ceremony:


As Administrator Fugate and Mr. Rand said, the partnership between FEMA and AARP is all about building resilience in homes, neighborhoods, and communities around the U.S.  That could mean providing information so people understand the disaster risks in their area, ensuring Americans are aware of assistance and services that are available after a disaster, or sharing best practices so people rebuild their homes and communities to make more resilient after a disaster strikes.

I hope the partnership inspires you to take action to make your family, home, business, or neighborhood better prepared for a disaster.  Since we’re in the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, now is a great time to review your family’s emergency plan and ensure your emergency supply kit is stocked and ready, just in case.   In addition to FEMA’s Ready.gov/hurricanes page, another great place for information on preparing for hurricanes or tropical storms is the AARP “Operation Hurricane Prepare”. It has a handy checklist and videos that put preparedness actions at the forefront.

Finally, check out the the AARP blog for their take on the partnership and details on how AARP members are already lending a helping hand in disaster response. One way is through Createthegood.org, which pulls together volunteering opportunities and stories on how volunteering is making a positive impact in communities around the country.

Partnerships are so critical to emergency management – I’m glad to welcome AARP as FEMA’s newest formal partner!
FEMA Blog

What We’re Watching: 8/2/13

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Posted by: Dan Watson, Press Secretary, Public Affairs 

At the end of each week, we post a “What We’re Watching” blog as we look ahead to the weekend and recap events from the week. We encourage you to share it with your friends and family, and have a safe weekend.

Photos of the Week
Here are a few of our favorite photos from the past week. Check out our Photo Library for more.

Moore, Okla., July 29, 2013 -- The American flag stands as a sign of strength in the foreground of the devastation left in the wake of the May 20th EF-5 tornado.

Old Bridge, N.J., July 27, 2013 -- FEMA Mitigation specialist Jenai Jordan and External Affairs representative Susan Langhoff provide information on mitigating disasters like Hurricane Sandy at the Home Depot Hurricane Workshop in Old Bridge, New Jersey.

White River, Mich., July 30, 2013 -- Muskegon County Road Maintenance Superintendent Laurie Peterson, views this very dangerous road washout. FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grants become available following application and inspection and cover a significant portion of the cost of repair.

Weather Outlook
According to the National Weather Service, it doesn’t appear there will be any severe weather threats this weekend.  While there aren’t any significant weather threats at this time, weather conditions can change rapidly. We encourage everyone to monitor their local weather conditions online at www.weather.gov or on their mobile device at http://mobile.weather.gov.

While you’re out and about this weekend, take a few moments to make sure your family’s emergency kit is fully stocked as we head into the peak of hurricane season.  Last week we saw two Tropical Storms — Dorian in the Caribbean and Flossie in the Pacific. These storms are great reminders that the time to prepare for tropical weather is now. Visit Ready.gov for a list of items that should be in your emergency kit and for safety tips on what to do before, during and after a hurricane.

Public-Private Partnership Conference
This week the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA, in association with the United States Northern Command and the American Red Cross, hosted the “Building Resilience through Public-Private Partnerships” conference.

The conference highlighted successful public-private partnerships, identified coordination gaps between public-private organizations, and engaged both sectors to determine how to further promote teamwork to make our communities and nation more resilient.

Here are a few tweets from the @FEMALive account, which covered live the conference live on Twitter:

Thanks to everyone who was able to participate and follow the discussion online!

For more information on how FEMA engages with the Private Sector, visit www.fema.gov/private-sector.

Have a safe weekend!
FEMA Blog