Avagene Moore:Welcome to the EIIP Round Table today! ... Avagene Moore:Looks like we are going to have a good audience. Welcome to each of you. ... Avagene Moore:Today, our discussion is led by Phyllis Mann, President Elect of IAEM ... Avagene Moore:International Association of Emergency Managers ... Avagene Moore:We are especially proud of IAEM for taking a lead in doing one Round Table per month through September .... Avagene Moore:Other Partners are following your example, Phyllis ... Avagene Moore:Phyllis is the Emergency Management Director of Kitsap County, WA. And we are expecting great things of her as the next President of IAEM..... Avagene Moore:If Phyllis uses in URLs in her presentation, they become live links so you can view them in your browser window by clicking on them .... Avagene Moore:Phyllis, I turn the floor to you now. Phyllis Mann:Thanks for kind words. Lets get started we are discussing only the name change (...) Phyllis Mann:I hope most of you read the report (...) Phyllis Mann:Hopefully Pete Lucarelli Fire Chief City of Bellevue and IAEM member will join us (...) Phyllis Mann:As most of you know IAEM opposed the name change (...) Phyllis Mann:becasue the Board felt Citing fire services as the only named sector works agains efforts etc. Phyllis Mann:Lets start with your thoughts. I will take only three short responses please Avagene Moore:Phyllis, if I might inject something here ... Phyllis Mann:ok Avagene Moore:I am not sure all the audience understands what you mean by name change. Would you clarify a bit more? Phyllis Mann:Sorry, I assumed all have read both the Blue Riibbon report (...) Avagene Moore:There may be some who didn't read the report. Phyllis Mann:and IAEM's response I will clarify (...) Avagene Moore:Thank you. Phyllis Mann:In the BR report Recommendation #2 is to change the name of FEMA to Fire and Emergency Management Agency IAEM opposes this recommendation Phyllis Mann:At the Boards request in Nov 98 President Appleby stated in a letter to James Lee (...) Phyllis Mann:IAEM opposes the change due to we feel Comprehensive Emergency Management brings all disciplines together and does not signal out one organization over others Phyllis Mann:Even Carre Brown Fire Administrator feels a name change could lead to serious confusion on the role of Fire Adm (Federal vs State/Local Role) Phyllis Mann:So, lets open this discussion. Please ask questions and or coments Amy Sebring:? Avagene Moore:Amy. Amy Sebring:So what has FEMA's response been to the report... Phyllis Mann:Yes Amy Amy Sebring:are they going to take action on the recommendations? Phyllis Mann:I have not seen a FEMA response to date Beth Armstrong:? Phyllis Mann:Has anyone Avagene Moore:Beth. Forgive me. I was remiss in asking anyone who has a question or comment to please submit a ?. Phyllis Mann:yes Beth Beth Armstrong:We have not gotten anything at IAEM headquarters; Witt received our letter toward the end of Dec. Amy Sebring:? Avagene Moore:If you wish to speak, input a question mark (?) and wait to be recognized before sending your question. Amy, you are next. Amy Sebring:Do we know if the fire caucus is doing any lobbying on the issues raised? Rick Cox:? Amy Sebring:Well we have just lost Phyllis! Avagene Moore:We have lost Phyllis momentarily. Rick. Avagene Moore:I am sure Phyllis will be right back. Want to wait a moment, Rick? Rick Cox:OK - comment on a report Avagene Moore:Rick, Phyllis is on the phone... Avagene Moore:She is coming in now. Avagene Moore:Rick, go ahead with your comment. Rick Cox:Nat Vol Fire Council Newsltr 1/99 has a one page article, has IAEM seen this? Phyllis Mann:I have not anyone? Phyllis Mann:What did it say Rick Rick Cox:Hang on I'm not a good typist... Avagene Moore:Rick, are you still there? Do part of your comments in segments with .... to indicate more is coming. This is advice to everyone online today. Rick Cox:Comment period ended 11/30, 93 responses, ltrs focused on the 4 program areas...(beth OK) Amy Sebring:Comment period on the report? Avagene Moore:Basically, the same info is in the Jan 5 Emergency Preparedness News. Ends up by saying 'nearly universal support ' for the report. Rick Cox:Main concern in Leadership, Communications and Resources of USFA Phyllis Mann:lets us keep focused on name change not entire report please Avagene Moore:? Phyllis Mann:yes Avagene David Crews:?!!! Avagene Moore:Phyllis, do you know how many other organizations expressed concern or disagreement with name change? Phyllis Mann:Your next David Phyllis Mann:Again I am following the issue but have not seen any status upday and do not get any fire newsletter David Crews:This is one of the reasons I am opposed to NFP 1600. There are a lot of first responders who do not fully understand emergency management! Avagene Moore:(sorry if we overlooked you, David) Phyllis Mann:Folks watch our apples and oragnes. When I finished reading the entire report (...) Phyllis Mann:which I hoped we could just discuss name change, I had concerns re similar what we went (...) Phyllis Mann:through with FEMA and local jursd. Lack of money, direction etc and we felt unheard (...) Phyllis Mann:does this sound familiar? Phyllis Mann:Do we have any fire people onboard today? Please comment if you would Amy Sebring:? Phyllis Mann:Yes amy Amy Sebring:I would expect the govt. to be opposed to changing name of federal agency ... Amy Sebring:just on the basis of the expense alone! Amy Sebring:I would think it would be extremely expensive to change all the legal citations. Amy Sebring:Not to mention stationery etc! Phyllis Mann:Remember IAEM is opposed to the name change but we want to support Fire serv. on this issue Amy Sebring:? Phyllis Mann:go amy Amy Sebring:Is IAEM in communciation with fire orgs directly on the report? Phyllis Mann:Beth can you respond to this Amy Sebring:and have any fire services IAEM members expressed an opinion? Phyllis Mann:or Shari Beth Armstrong:Good point, we should send our 11/20 response to IAFC, IAFF, etc and note our spirit of collaboration. Phyllis Mann:Great idea. Now gang lets hear from you just your thoughts Beth Armstrong:I have gotten some good msgs of support from locals with a fire background. Amy Sebring:If the name change is not under serious consideration, perhaps we should leave it alone? Rick Cox:? final comment Phyllis Mann:Amy the name change to fire it appears is an important issue so they feel heard etc. Rick Cox:NVFC article did not mention name change Phyllis Mann:go Rick Phyllis Mann:Ok lets go to the recommendation where they recommed seperation at EMI are you aware of this? Avagene Moore:Neither does EPN article. That is why I wondered if it matters to any other supporters of the report. Amy Sebring:Phyllis, the EMI issue deals with administration of National Fire Academy? Phyllis Mann:IAEM needs to check this out, if no longer an issue, we should at least close our issue Phyllis Mann:Ok what else in the report raises any concern out there that we should at least be advised of? Amy Sebring:Phyllis do you know if the text of the report is on the Web anywhere? Beth Armstrong:? Phyllis Mann:Yes go to: www,usfa.fema.gov/about/press/brp/bluribn.htm Phyllis Mann:Yes Beth Beth Armstrong:Never mind. Amy Sebring:http://www.usfa.fema.gov/about/press/brp/bluribn.htm Phyllis Mann:Mike are you there? Avagene Moore:For anyone in the audience, click on the live URL above and the site will appear in your browser window. Michael Mumaw:Yes Phyllis Mann:Ok folks this discussion to me is lagging, but I have never done this before any thoughts Amy Sebring:That is a good link and the recommendations are listed at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/about/press/brp/usfarpt3.htm Avagene Moore:Phyllis, I doubt many of our folks today have read the report. Michael Mumaw:? Phyllis Mann:yes Mike Michael Mumaw:LOoking back at all that was said(..) Michael Mumaw:I think the name change was just the attention getting step (...) Michael Mumaw:and the rest of the report is their real concern.(...) Phyllis Mann:Well they got our attention Michael Mumaw:But we need to clarify it if they want our support for their core issues. Phyllis Mann:How to we verify this is no longer an issue so I could report back to IAEM board Phyllis Mann:And Mike your right we need to see how we can support core Amy Sebring:This is about $$$$ is it not? They are requesting a higher allocation of resources ... Michael Mumaw:? Amy Sebring:where is it going to come from? Out of local support? Phyllis Mann:go Mike Michael Mumaw:I would suggest the direct approach for answers(..) Michael Mumaw:If we have IAEMs members with fire connections have them represent us with the direct question as(..) Michael Mumaw:to what their true issues are and what support can we provide them. Amy Sebring:? Phyllis Mann:Amy I had same concern if they give all that is requested 00millions whre does this come from FEMA budget? Phyllis Mann:Good idea Mike Phyllis Mann:yes amy Amy Sebring:Did IAEM comment on any of the other recommendations in its letter? Phyllis Mann:Yes we commented on the seperation of training Phyllis Mann:In reading the report, I got the impression (only two readings) they Fire needed and or wanted out of FEMA because they were under represented Amy Sebring:? Phyllis Mann:Yes jAmy Amy Sebring:What was the IAEM comment regarding training? Phyllis Mann:The panel recommended that Fire and Emergency Management (...) Phyllis Mann:training once again be seperated Phyllis Mann:ie today at the academy many fire folks are taking EM classes. Phyllis Mann:I am looking up # of recommendation for your all review Phyllis Mann:We only have 9 mins to go, is there any other issues on the Blue Ribbon panel we need to bring forward? Avagene Moore:Last question, Phyllis. About time to wrap it up. Anyone? Phyllis Mann:After you all read the report in detail, email me your thoughts pmann@co.kitsap.wa.us Avagene Moore:Thanks, Phyllis and all. Good discussion. .... Avagene Moore:Amy will you please tell us about tomorrow. Amy Sebring:I am hard at work today putting a presentation together on how to acquire EMWIN data via Internet push ... Phyllis Mann:Thanks to all Amy Sebring:the background info is located at ... Amy Sebring:http://www.emforum.org/varena/990127.htm Amy Sebring:We will have a special guest to help me out ... Beth Armstrong:? Amy Sebring:Ken Bashford, EMWIN program director with the National Weather Service. Amy Sebring:Thanks Ava. Avagene Moore:Beth, you have a question or comment? Beth Armstrong:IAEM's input is posted at www.iaem.com on the first page, "Fire service proposes FEMA changes." Avagene Moore:thanks, Beth. Beth Armstrong:(Sorry you began describing next session and I interrupted.) Avagene Moore:No problem. Avagene Moore:Join us tomorrow at 12:00 noon EST. Amy will have a good show for us.. Avagene Moore:Thursday evening, 8 PM EST, join us in the Mutual Aid informal session for a chat. Avagene Moore:Again, thanks to our audience today ... Avagene Moore:Any closing remarks, anyone? Phyllis? Beth? Phyllis Mann:No thanks for the opportunity Avagene Moore:Thank you! Avagene Moore:Let's open it up if anyone wants to say anything. David Crews:I could not fine the IAEM input on the front page. Help? Avagene Moore:I couldn't find it either, Beth. Avagene Moore:I looked the other day. Amy Sebring:I still do not find FEMA Changes Beth. Phyllis Mann:Gang go to IAEM hit conference 98 hot tips is where I found Amy Sebring:If you will send it to us later Beth, we can insert in transcript. Phyllis Mann:Also go to www.iaem.com/fire.html David Crews:Thanks Phyllis. [Editor's Note: The online version of the IAEM letter to Director Witt referred to in the discussion opposed separating training and notes the progress made recently in this regard.]