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- Federal Resources
Federal Resources
National Preparedness Directorate
The National Preparedness Directorate (NPD) provides the doctrine, programs and resources to prepare the nation to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to and recover from disasters while minimizing the loss of lives, infrastructure and property. NPD is responsible for enhancing the nation’s readiness through a comprehensive preparedness cycle of planning, organizing and equipping, training, exercising, evaluating and improvement planning.
National Disaster Recovery Framework
This document describes the national approach to disaster recovery that focuses on unity and collaboration. The core principles of the approach include individual and family empowerment, leadership and local primacy, pre-disaster recovery planning, partnerships and inclusiveness, public information, unity of effort, timeliness and flexibility, resilience and sustainability, and psychological and emotional recovery.
Natural Disaster Preparation
Natural disasters such as flood, fire, earthquake, tornado and windstorm affect thousands of people every year. You should know what your risks are and prepare to protect yourself, your family and community. Recognizing an impending hazard and knowing what to do to protect yourself and your family will help you take effective steps to prepare beforehand and aid recovery after the event. Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as assembling a supply kit and developing a family emergency plan, are the same for all types of hazards. However each emergency is unique and knowing the actions to take for each threat will impact the specific decisions and preparations you make. By learning about these specific threats, you are preparing yourself to react in an emergency
National Strategy for Youth Preparedness Education: Empowering, Educating, and Building Resilience
In this publication, FEMA, the Red Cross, and ED outline a vision for a nation of prepared youth through the mobilization of youth preparedness education (PDF, 32 pages) in communities across the country. It identifies nine key steps, each associated with one or more short- and long-term activities that are critical to fulfilling the vision of a prepared youth community.
Post-Disaster Reunification of Children: A Nationwide Approach
This guide, from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services, aims to help organizations and communities to develop new, or enhance existing, reunification elements of emergency preparedness plans, focusing on the reunification of children separated from their parents or legal guardians during disasters. It offers operational guidance, defines agency roles multiple levels, and provides checklists and emergency planning templates.
Project iGuardian
ICE, in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, launched Project iGuardian, a cyber safety campaign aimed at combatting online child sexual exploitation. Project iGuardian partners visit schools and youth groups across the nation, educating students and parents about avoiding risk and staying safe online.
Process for DACA Renewal
Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced the process for individuals to renew their enrollment in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. To avoid a lapse in the period of deferral and employment authorization, individuals must file renewal requests before the expiration of their current period of DACA.
Ready.gov
The Ready Campaign of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, educating and empowering Americans to prepare for emergencies.
Ready.gov Parents and Educators
This section of the Ready.gov website features resources, activities, and information for parents and teachers to use in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.
Resolve to Be Ready 2015
The start of the year is a good opportunity to update a preparedness plan or program. Access resources through the National Preparedness Community, including the Seasonal Preparedness Messaging Calendar and the basic disaster supplies kit.
Ready.gov Family Plan
This tool from FEMA, provides information, things to consider, and an example plan that families can use in preparing for disasters. In addition to developing a plan, it is important to discuss the plan with all members of the family including youth, and to practice the plan to see if there are any issues.
The National Preparedness Community
Developed by FEMA, the National Preparedness Community is an online network that allows users to collaborate on emergency preparedness and access resources related to emergency management and disaster preparedness.
Teen CERT: Community Emergency Response Team
The Teen CERT training program teaches youth readiness and response skills. Hands-on practice and realistic exercises prepare youth for the unexpected in their community. Newly learned leadership skills will empower youth to safely respond to an emergency and assist victims without endangering themselves or others.
The Unaccompanied Minors Registry
The Unaccompanied Minors Registry (URM) will be administered by the NCMEC and supported by FEMA. It will be available during all disasters to gather and share information with local law enforcement and assist in the reunification of displaced children with their families or legal guardians. The URM will allow for a more expedient and efficient reunification of unaccompanied minors with their families and legal guardians when separated by a disaster and supports the ability to collect, store, report, and act on information related to children missing or lost as a result of a disaster. The URM will roll out in Fall 2012 and information can be found at the NCMEC website.
These Online High Schools Didn’t Make the Grade
FTC has charged companies known as “diploma mills” for selling fake high school diplomas that they promise can be used to apply for college and employment. Users may be dealing with a diploma mill if the company states that they charge a flat fee; can provide a diploma in months, weeks, or days; require little or no coursework; or can offer a degree solely for “work or life experience.”
Youth Preparedness: Implementing a Community-based Program
This document, developed by FEMA, provides information about developing and implementing a community-based program focused on youth preparedness. The document includes activities to walk through the different information that the document covers from initial development to full implementation and evaluation.
Youth Preparedness Fact Sheet
This fact sheet from FEMA provides an overview of the importance of youth preparedness and tips for including youth preparedness in programs.
Internet Safety
DHS’s Stop.Think.Connect website was developed to increase awareness of cybercrimes such as identity theft, cyberbullying, and cyber stalking, and provide best practices to avoid these issues and stay protected online. DHS’s OnGuardOnline offers tips for talking to children and teens about staying safe online.
Heat Safety Social Media Toolkit
The Ready Campaign and America’s PrepareAthon! developed a social media toolkit (PDF, 7 pages) containing content to share on social media to promote extreme heat safety. It contains sample tweets and Facebook posts, as well as tips for social media writing and organizing a Twitter chat.
Advancing the Homeland Security Mission through Academic Programs and Training
DHS sponsors a variety of training institutions focused on building partnerships and facilitating programs for training practitioners in homeland security fields. FEMA’s National Preparedness Directorate consists of three training branches that offer training and educational advancement opportunities for federal, state, tribal, local, and whole community practitioners:
- Emergency Management Institute (EMI): EMI educates individuals on how to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the potential effects of disasters and emergencies. Students may be able to apply for college credit upon completion of their courses.
- Center for Domestic Preparedness (CPD): Facilitating training through DHS training partners, CDP focuses on identifying, developing, testing, and delivering training specifically to state, local, and tribal emergency response providers.
- National Training and Education Division (NTED): NTED manages and administers the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium (NPDC), which is comprised of seven training partners — including institutions of higher education — whose membership is based on addressing emergency first responders' counter-terrorism preparedness needs.
Lost Person Behavior Mobile App
The Lost Person Behavior mobile app provides step-by-step instructions on search plans for first responders and response teams involved in missing person searches. Designed using data from more than 150,000 missing person cases across the country, the app provides guidance for more than 40 different scenarios, including lost children.
SEVP Quarterly Report on International Students Studying in US
SEVIS by the Numbers (PDF, 32 pages) is a quarterly report on international students studying in the United States. The report contains the latest data from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a web-based system that includes information about international students, exchange visitors, and their dependents while they are in the United States.
Resources: Supporting Campus Resilience through Emergency Planning
DHS agencies developed multiple resources to help college campuses plan for and respond to numerous types of emergency situations:
This guide provides recommendations for taking a “whole-community approach” to campus emergency preparedness through the development of plans for preventing, protecting against, responding to, mitigating the impact of, and recovering from emergencies.
Designed to increase understanding of emergency planning, preparedness, and resilience best practices, this resource guides users through emergency response planning in the event of a fictitious disease outbreak on a college campus.
Share with Youth: Educational Opportunities for a Career in Cybersecurity
This website describes multiple opportunities for K-12, two-year community college, undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students interested in pursuing a career in cybersecurity.
Resource: Youth Preparedness Catalogue — Disaster Preparedness Education Programs and Resources
This catalogue (PDF, 108 pages) identifies existing national, regional, and state-level programs, curricula, and resources for individuals interested in promoting youth preparedness education.