Texas Emergency Management ONLINE2012 Vol. 59 No. 1

New 2012 EMPG Requirements

Man climbing an ladder of evaluation

Is your jurisdiction planning to submit an application for FY 2012 Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funds? If so, the deadline to submit a completed FY2012 EMPG application package is January 31, 2012. Read the following question and answer series with Lisa Resendez, TDEM Grants Coordinator, to learn more about submitting a completed application and the new FY 2012 EMPG requirements.

Who is eligible to apply for EMPG funding?
All jurisdictions are eligible as long as they meet the minimum requirements. States receive EMPG funding from the Department of Homeland Security and, in turn, pass it through to local governments to reimburse them for emergency management program expenses. States, including Texas, require local governments that wish to participate in the program to submit EMPG program applications that include a Statement of Work and a program budget. Download the Local Emergency Management Guide on TDEM’s website for more information.

What are the top new requirements to know about the FY2012 EMPG? When are the deadlines to complete these requirements?
The new FY 2012 EMPG requirements must be met by September 1, 2012. Jurisdictions applying for FY 2012 EMPG funds must now complete a total of two discussion-based exercises and one operations-based exercise demonstrating a progressive exercise program. A full-scale exercise must be conducted and evaluated at least every three years. Actual incident response is NOT eligible for substitute exercise credit. Exercise programs must be consistent with the principles outlined in the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP).

Additionally, completion of certain National Incident Management System (NIMS) courses and Professional Development Series (PDS) courses are required. To ensure the development of a professional emergency management workforce, all EMPG program funded personnel shall complete the following training requirements and record proof of completion. National Incident Management System (NIMS) Training: IS 100; IS 200; IS 700; and IS 800; FEMA Professional Development Series: IS 139; IS 230.a; IS 235.a; IS 240.a; IS 241.a; IS 242.a; and IS 244.a.  

EMPG funded personnel are all personnel with salaries supported with EMPG grant funds, including those supported with management and administrative (M&A) funds and cost-share. All EMPG funded personnel are expected to be trained emergency managers capable of filling in and responding as needed, therefore EMPG funded personnel must complete these NIMS and Professional Development courses. This applies even if EMPG-funded personnel have taken previous iterations of NIMS/PDS required training courses. All EMPG-funded personnel are required to participate in three exercises.

Submittal of quarterly Metrics Templates will be required for FY 2012. As part of the EMPG program administration, grantees are required to provide quarterly reports that provide sufficient detail for FEMA to measure the effectiveness of this grant program and the impact it has nationally.

What should a jurisdiction that has never before applied for EMPG funds consider?
All participating jurisdictions must:

  • Be a legally established city or county emergency management program AND be the designated primary jurisdiction in accordance with Chapter 418 of the Government Code.
  • Have legally adopted the National Incident Management System NIMS.
  • Have appointed a National Incident Management System Compliance Assistance Support Tool (NIMSCAST) point of contact for the jurisdiction and established a NIMSCAST account. The jurisdiction must be 100% compliant with the FY 2011 NIMSCAST objectives and account metrics by the FY 2012 EMPG application deadline. Click here for additional information about the NIMSCAST.
  • Have appointed an Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC).
  • Submit a completed EMPG application to TDEM by the deadline date. The application must include all required attachments, including a Statement of Work that outlines planned emergency management activities to be conducted during the program performance period.
  • Meet all the general requirements in Section B.1 and have an emergency management plan at the Advanced level of planning preparedness as defined in the Preparedness Standards for Texas Emergency Management (TDEM-100). New applicants must attain the Advanced level of planning preparedness by the end of the first year in the EMPG program.
  • Be evaluated on the jurisdiction’s current planning and training accomplishments and recent exercise activities as defined in the TDEM-100. Jurisdictions with the highest rankings will be considered for inclusion in the program. However, the number accepted into the program depends on available program funding.

What other important information does the Texas emergency management community need to know about the EMPG program (or Steering Committee) for the coming year?
As the country experiences threats of terrorist attacks (foreign and domestic) and natural disasters, communities are challenged to develop collective, local abilities to withstand the potential impacts of these events, respond quickly, and recover in a way that sustains or improves the community’s overall well-being. Achieving this collective capacity calls for innovative approaches across the community, including emergency management to build up existing practices, institutions, and organizations that help make local communities successful, and that can leverage this infrastructure if and when an incident occurs.

The Emergency Management Performance Grant Steering Committee is composed of Emergency Management Coordinators or their representatives who are currently involved in the EMPG program. The committee will determine a strategy for equitable distribution of funding, recognize the legitimate interest of stakeholders and will implement a criteria based on those findings. 

What are some helpful EMPG-related links you recommend?
ABC’s of EMPG Article
Texas Division of Emergency Management, Emergency Management Performance Grant Webpage
FY 2012 Local Emergency Management Performance Grant Guide
FY 2011 Frequently Asked Questions

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