The Mid-Atlantic Regional Group
Blinded Veterans Association
Legislative News
September 17, 2009
For all BVA contacts, this is follow-up on a previous email on Preparedness for Disabled in Emergency Planning. Please forward to key contacts and members.
US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
500 C St, SW
Washington, DC 20472
FEMA
September 16, 2009
Dear Disability Community Leader:
I am pleased to announce the launch of the development of a National Disaster Recovery Framework. The Northridge Earthquake, Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina, and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as well as other disasters, provided valuable lessons in how communities can renew and rebuild, but also identified critical challenges that we must address as a Nation to ensure that the necessary resources and capabilities are in place. Our goal is to create a comprehensive coordinating structure that will enhance our ability to work together and effectively deliver recovery assistance. This is a major undertaking, the success of which will hinge on the active engagement of our stakeholders nationwide. Though the issues we face together may be national in scope, ultimately, disaster recovery happens because of the hard work and dedication of organizations like yours in communities across the country.
Our critical first step is to invite our customers and partners to participate and provide input. During the months of October and November, FEMA will conduct a comprehensive stakeholder dialogue regarding the nation’s approach to managing disaster recovery. FEMA’s Senior Advisor for Disability Issues will be in touch to coordinate with you as the dialogue begins. Our website, www.fema.gov, also will have details and schedule information about this process.
I have asked Elizabeth A. Zimmerman, Assistant Administrator of the Disaster Assistance Directorate, to lead this effort, enabling us together to build, sustain, and improve the recovery component of our mission to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. As the former Assistant Director of Recovery for the State of Arizona, she brings a wealth of recovery expertise and experience to FEMA. We look forward to hearing from your membership throughout this process. Please do not hesitate to contact Marcie Roth, Senior Advisor, Disability Issues at marcie.roth@dhs.gov if you have any questions about this important initiative.
Sincerely,
W. Craig Fugate
Administrator
Marcie Roth
Senior Advisor, Disability Issues
Department of Homeland Security/ FEMA
202.212.1537 (office)
202.285.9231 (cell)
“FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capacity to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.”
Blinded Veterans Association
Washington, DC
Tom Zampieri
BVA's Legislative Alerts Group