May 1, 2007 FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Project Report

(1) 10TH ANNUAL FEMA ALL-HAZARDS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HIGHER EDUCATION CONFERENCE, JUNE 4-7, 2007:

"Disasters and the Law and Post-Katrina Law/Legislation" Breakout Session -- Received news yesterday that Professor Dan Farber, Director of the Environmental Law Program, School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, on the agenda to discuss his Disasters and the Law book, has been called up for jury duty and will not be able to attend the conference. To replace him on the agenda, I have asked Dr.Lloyd Burton, Program Director, Graduate School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado at Denver, to join this panel to discuss his forthcoming paper on "A Constitutional Framework for All-HazardsManagement: Mapping & Mitigating Organizational Culture Clash."

(2) FEMA:

Ballenstadt, Brittany R. "Union Official, FEMA Clash Over Morale Issues." Government Executive, April 30, 2007. Accessed at:

[Excerpt: "A federal labor union official on Monday called on Congress to help "rescue" the Federal Emergency Management Agency from sinking morale, while an agency official countered that he was not speaking for the entire FEMA workforce. In a letter to Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., the head of an American Federation of Government Employees local representing FEMA employees highlighted what he said were growing management problems at the agency. Leo Bosner, president of AFGE Local 4060, recommended that Congress remove FEMA from the Homeland Security Department, largely because FEMA's mission focuses on responding to emergencies rather than the DHS mission of preventing them. He also suggested enlisting the Government Accountability Office or another independent organization to conduct a full review of agency operations."]

Hardy, Michael. "FEMA Finds Redemption in Strong Leadership."Washington Technology, April 30, 2007. Accessed at:

[Excerpt: "Strong leadership is essential for agencies to fulfill their missions, but never so much as when the agency is trying to rebound from a major public stumble. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, widely blamed for botching the federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, is on such a path. Vice Adm. Harvey Johnson, deputy administrator and chief operating officer of FEMA, speaking today at the Interagency Resource Management Conference, said good leaders must not only be capable and competent, but also innovative and forward-thinking.According to Johnson, the goal should be not just to carry out the daily duties, but also to make practices and policies that will be good for the future. Johnson emphasized the importance of experience. Leaders know what is needed to address an issue "because they've been in that situation before," he said. FEMA in particular has begun making the kinds of systemic changes Johnson suggests. For the first time, he said, the agency is dealing with the nation's hurricane-prone states as a single region rather the individual governments.... Quoting President Kennedy from a 1960 speech, Johnson said there are four key qualities each leader must possess: courage, judgment, integrity and dedication."]

(3) MITIGATION:

Whoriskey, Peter. "La Plan to ReclaimLand Would Divert the Mississippi." Washington Post, 1 May 2007.

(4) RESOURCES:

Government Accountability Office. Securing Wastewater Facilities: Costs of Vulnerability Assessments, Risk Management Plans, and Alternative Disinfection Methods Vary Widely. GAO-07-480, March 30, 2007. Accessedat:

(5) TERRORISM:

Department of State. Country Reports on Terrorism 2006. Washington,DC: Department of State, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism. April 2007. Accessed at:

(6) UNIONCOLLEGE, LINCOLN, NE -- BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INTERNATIONAL RESCUE & RELIEF:

Received today from Jeff Joiner, Chair of the Division of Health Sciences at UnionCollege, a description of the Union College Bachelor of Science Degree in International Rescue and Relief -- for posting to the "International Disaster Relief/Humanitarian Assistance" section of The College List on the EM HiEd Project homepage. Forwarded the description to the EMI Webmaster for upload to the website, where it should be accessible shortly. For more information attend the June 4-7 EM HiEd Conference and ask Jeff Joiner directly.

B.Wayne Blanchard, Ph.D., CEM

Higher Education Project Manager

Emergency Management Institute

NationalEmergencyTrainingCenter

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Department of Homeland Security

16825 S. Seton, K-011

Emmitsburg, MD21727

(301) 447-1262, voice

(301) 447-1598, fax

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