Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced it is making $1.8 billion available for two grant programs designed to help communities increase their resilience to the impacts of climate change, including increasingly frequent and extreme weather events. Notably, the International Code Council (ICC) has praised FEMA for including a “historic investment in resilient building codes” as […]
Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. No matter where their facilities are located, facilities managers should have a long-range and short-range plan to mitigate flood damage to their buildings, as well as a plan to clean up damage caused in the aftermath. […]
Leaders from the U.S Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, and the White House announced the project selections for nearly $3 billion in climate resilience funding after record-breaking demand. Funded through two competitive grant programs, the projects will help communities across the nation enhance resilience to climate change and extreme weather events. The latest selections include […]
As facilities professionals prepare for hurricane season, they should check out a hurricane-resistant emergency operations center (EOC) that’s currently under construction and is being built to weather the most dangerous Florida Keys storms: the new two-story Monroe County Emergency Operations and Communications Center on the Island of Marathon, which will be 28,321 square feet, including […]
June marks the official start of hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30. But how many of these potentially dangerous storms should we expect (and prepare for) this year? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released its 2023 Atlanta Hurricane Season outlook, which forecasts a “near-normal” season. Specifically, the agency predicts a 40% chance of […]
Back to Basics is an article series that highlights important, but possibly overlooked, information facilities management professionals should know. With April being Emergency Communications Month, let’s spotlight facilities that are vital in responding to emergencies. Public safety answering points (PSAPs) and emergency operations centers (EOCs) are critical facilities that provide essential services to the community […]
2023 has already been a very active year for tornadoes, and facilities professionals should know how they can protect their facilities and their occupants from being victims. Tornadoes are the most destructive atmospheric phenomenon, and most tornadoes hit the United States in May and June, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A tornado […]
On March 1, President Joe Biden and other officials marked the 20th anniversary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and honored its workforce. Following the September 11 attacks, former President George W. Bush established DHS by signing the Homeland Security Act of 2002. On March 1, 2003, 22 agencies unified under a single […]
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in close coordination with state and local officials, is leading federal efforts to ensure the safety and security of employees, players, and fans during Super Bowl LVII. Earlier this week, DHS Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas visited Phoenix and Glendale, Arizona, to inspect security operations and meet with law […]
Despite a slow start to the hurricane season, “the next Ida or Sandy could still be lying in wait,” warned FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. Atmospheric and oceanic conditions still favor an above-normal 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, according to NOAA’s annual mid-season update recently issued by the Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service. […]